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The Canadian Olympic Team made a conscious decision to fuel their athletes’ confidence for these Olympic games with their slogan “Own the Podium”. International controversy and the politics of athlete funding aside, the high expectations created and the amazing sense of pride and community that has evolved in Vancouver from hosting these games is incredibly contagious.
No matter where I go in Vancouver now, I am mobbed by a sea of people dressed in red and white. Never in my life have I seen so much clothing donning a Canada logo and vehicles and homes and stores alike flying Canadian flags. For a country that has struggled with identity and unity for centuries, it is an amazing sight. I have never felt more Canadian. Even the opening ceremonies were decidedly Canadian, with the capping moment for me being the poem read by Shane Koyczan towards the end of the evening.
And after only one weekend of competition, Canadian heroes, who are great role models for our kids, have emerged. The Men’s and Women’s Freestyle Mogul events alone has motivational stories—whether it is our first Gold Medalist, Alexandre Bilodeau’s story of inspiration from his older brother Frederic, who suffers from Cerebral Palsy; Jenn Heil, a reigning Gold Medalist and World Cup Champion, who graciously accepted Silver; or Kristi Richards who decided to give the audience a show with her final jump, demonstrating grace after her fall and last place finish, each athlete left us feeling proud. Victorious or not, Clara Hughes, Cindy Klassen, Charles Hamlin, Erik Guay, Sydney Crosby, Hayley Wickenheiser, and many more Canadian athletes are sure to have unforgettable moments, too. Regardless of whether we “Own the Podium”, we are inspired by the magical atmosphere that has overtaken our city.
Lastly, the tragic death of Georgian Luger, Nodar Kumaritashivili, cannot go without mention. The team unity that the Georgians showed during the Opening Ceremonies and the standing ovation they received from the spectators was the only moment that night which moved me to tears. Patriotism was washed away in favour of sportsmanship and international community—values we want our children to espouse.
Winning the 2009 SavvyMom Mom Entrepreneur of the Year Award has been an incredible journey and a wonderful opportunity for me. I am so honoured that my community, family, friends and exhibitors worked so hard to campaign with me to help bring in the votes I needed to win this prestigious award.
I learned that there is real strength in the connections we make and how incredibly important it is for small business owners to support each other. It’s impossible to go it alone, and I feel very lucky to be surrounded by such amazing people.
The campaigning was fun and a perfect opportunity to get out there and ‘toot my own horn’. I got out into the community, talked to people about the Vancouver Island Baby Fair, had face-to-face contact and asked them to go online and vote for me. That was an important element—despite being an online voting contest, I was making real-life connections with people that mattered, whether I won or not.
When you work in a home office, it can be a bit isolating, so being named the SavvyMom Mom Entrepreneur of the Year for 2009 was incredibly validating as a business owner. It was a real eye-opener for me to see how much my community cares about the Vancouver Island Baby Fair and appreciates the work that I put into it.
As if the recognition and title were not fabulous enough, the prizes I received have been absolutely priceless. From PR consultations, SEO improvements and productivity advice, to mentorship and money to invest in my business, I was given a life-changing boost to my career as an entrepreneur.
Winning the SavvyMom Mom Entrepreneur of the Year Award has been a wonderful personal achievement, and a truly outstanding opportunity.
