September 25th - Save the Date for PARO Circles!

ARE YOU A PARO CIRCLE MEMBER?

INTERESTED IN JOINING A CIRCLE ?

WOULD YOU LIKE TO FORM A NEW CIRCLE?

NEED INFORMATION ON PEER LENDING LOANS?

Tuesday, September 25^th Leads & Links Circle Potluck Meeting
5pm to 8pm

This event will be a “meet, greet and sharing of Circle experiences and NETWORKING”

Further details to follow soon...

Fueling Connections

We would love to meet with you to provide any assistance that we can: to learn more about you and to share information about PARO and our programs.

On August 7, 8 and 9, the PARO on Wheels team will be visiting Kenora, Dryden, Sioux Lookout and Ignace.

The team will be in Kenora on Tuesday, August 7. They will be hosting meeting with clients in the afternoon and evening for one-on-ones.

· From 5 pm until 7 pm they will be at the LOWBIC Offices (227 ½ Second Street South) hosting a focus group with Siobhan O’Leary, a Masters Student from the University of Guelph . She will be hosting a focus group and conducting surveys to determine how transportation affects the lives of women living in Northern Ontario .

The team will then travel to Dryden on Wednesday, August 8 and will be meeting with women there.

· From 11 am until 2 pm they will be at the PACE Office ( 66 Keith Avenue ) holding a focus group and conducting surveys with women at the PACE office.

They will be departing from Dryden and arriving in Sioux Lookout on Wednesday afternoon for appointments and to hold a focus group there in the late afternoon or evening.

Thursday August 9, will see the team in Ignace hosting a focus group

· From 10:30 am until 11:30 am at the Family Resource Room ( 312 Pine Street )

The team will then travel home to Thunder Bay .

Traveling with the team this trip will be:

Anke Starratt, PARO on Wheels Team paroonwheels@paro.ca

Laura MacIver, Regional Development Coordinator, NOW Program outreach@paro.ca

Siobhan O’Leary, Masters Student, University of Guelph .

To set up appointments or learn more, please contact our team through the emails listed above or telephone the office at 807-625-0328

More on the Focus Groups and Surveys with Siobhan O’Leary:

The purpose of this research is to understand how transportation affects the workforce participation of women living in small communities in Northern Ontario . The project will investigate the transportation problems that women living in rural areas in northern Ontario experience in getting to work, to training and skills development opportunities and to services in general.

The results of the research will be used to initiate and influence policy dialogue at local, provincial and federal levels to develop policies and programs that will improve women’s accessibility to employment and training in northern Ontario communities. Research on northern issues is generally lacking and issues that affect women are no exception. There is currently no research on women, employment and transportation and how these are linked to the livelihoods of the ‘working poor’.

August 29 Leads and Links is being planned right now!

We have not completely firmed up the details yet, but be assured that the session will be fantastic! Look for more information next week’s PARO Link!

PARO Leads & Links are held the fourth Wednesday of every month, from 5-7PM, and offer networking and learning opportunities, as well as great advertising opportunities for your business with display booths available at each event. To find out more about how you can promote and showcase your business, product, or service at PARO Leads & Links, or call Maria at 625-0328 or programadministrator@paro.ca

PARO Peer Lending Circles

Are you interested in opportunities to meet with other fantastic women?

Are you looking for opportunities to learn and share business knowledge, to access a variety of perspectives and experiences?

Peer support, mentoring and encouragement are among the many things that women can gain from being members of PARO’s Peer Circles!

PARO Peer Circles are groups of 4-7 women who are in business, are prospective entrepreneurs, or believe in women helping women. Circle members are also able to access PARO’s peer lending program for small business loans.

If you would like to learn more about PARO ’s Peer Lending Circles, please contact Pam at now@paro.ca.

Pam and Laura M have started calling Circle Members to update the information that we have in our database about the members and the circles. Please be patient with us as we make our way through the list.

Plans are now in full swing for our fall networking event that will be held on September 25. Keep checking the PARO Link for more information.

Women’s Economic Development Conference Planning Survey

PARO and conference partners aim to advance women’s economic opportunities through a Women’s Economic Development Conference that will be held in Thunder Bay on April 29 and 30, 2008.

This project will positively contribute to building sustainable community economic development in Northern Ontario through providing information and resources while building on women’s experience.

Your completion of this survey will help us meet these goals. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=TMlbj1ZbwYj5T4gWZFL0wg_3d_3d

More Resources for You

Top 10 Public Speaking Tips by Ric Phillips, President, of CommunicationCoach.ca

1 – Expect nervousness every time, but don’t expect disaster. Expect success.

2 – Stick to what you know well, so you can ‘talk’ about it at length, with ease.

3 – Ask lots of questions of the event organizer ahead of time, to find out the size of the room, equipment, expected number of attendees, etc. Visit if possible.

4 – Talk to people in the audience before you speak. If you have a chance to meet some of them before the speaking date, or at least before you talk try to mingle a bit and find out what they expect. It is good to have an ally in the audience, and it is great for you to know what they expect to hear.

5 – Reduce ‘separation anxiety’ by reframing it as an ‘informative conversation’ within a group. Talk to them, not at them.

6 – Remind yourself during to slow down, pause, breathe, relax and smile.

7 – Prepare point-form notes or cards and practice a lot with family, friends, etc.

8 – Research as much as you can ahead of time, so you can be an up to date expert on the subject of what you are talking about.

9 – Always relate directly to your audience. Making your speech relevant to your audience is key to their enjoyment and interest.

10 – What is the overall focus? Is it to inform, to entertain, to motivate, to shock your audience? Your whole speech needs to be centred on this vision.

Dipping Your Toes In The Side Of The Pool Will Get You Nowhere: Dive In! http://www.escapefromcubiclenation.com/get_a_life_blog/2007/07/dipping-your-to.html

A powerful and visceral lesson about the importance of doing vs. analyzing that has tremendous implications for potential entrepreneurs.

How I Find Balance

Meeting both business and personal demands has long been a juggling act for women entrepreneurs. Between the long hours, travel, meetings and employee and customer challenges, there's little time left for personal needs. Still, leading a rich, well-rounded life is as essential to your business success as it is to your sanity.
http://www.canadianbusiness.com/entrepreneur/personal_development/article.jsp?content=20070724_143707_5048

The Business Accelerator

Steps For Positive Success
By Sonora Jayne Case

Being a success is easily achievable for the majority of people. It is all a matter of mindset. Think of people with very humble beginnings, who have gone on to great success. In many ways they had the advantage of something to prove, so were passionate and determined to do well. We can all replicate this! Your personal situation does not matter, neither does your past. You can change the cards in your hands at any moment! Reshuffling and getting a new pack is very easy. All you need to do is retrain your habitual way of thinking to harness the power of attraction. It's empowering to know we can begin with very little, and still be Successful in every area. Here's how to start:

Begin by Appreciating what you have right now.

Everyone has something to appreciate. Write a list and include all things, big and those perceived as small. Be conscious of your wording. "I had no bills today" packs more attraction power when it becomes "I appreciate the money in my pocket". And concentrate on what you do have, rather than lack. What we focus on we draw more of the same. Double check your thoughts, feeling and ideas for positivity rather than lack, for great results. Starting with the feeling of appreciation kick starts your Success by opening the channel for your Good to flow to you. When we're concentrating on what we don't want, or feeling let down or nervous - we block our good from coming to us. Appreciating and feeling gratitude, opens us up to receiving.

Ask if what you are doing feels good.

If it doesn't, change it to something that does feel good. Expect positive results from every act of allowing (feeling good). Each time you appreciate, or feel gratitude, or make the effort to feel good KNOW that your good is coming! It's easy to fall into the trap of feeling we should be doing something else, learning something else or practising something else before our good can come. Close the gap to what you want by expecting your good, right here and now!

Concentrate on your end result.

Try not to focus on where you are now, or where you've come from - that is just a moment in passing. It's come and gone, forget it. Instead, imagine you already have what you wanted. Better still, look back from a future vantage point and "remember" how it felt when you received what you want and what you're doing now that you have your Success as defined by you. This prevents us from slipping into the trap of concentrating on our end result coming in the future. It helps to develop a furtive imagination!

Gain Clarity for your wants.

From your future vantage point, double check your Success wish lists mesh well together. It may not mesh well if you've always wanted a malamute and retire to Spain for example. At the top of your head it may sound like a good idea, but look into the future and you can see you may prefer to attract differently. When you get really clear, the Universe can deliver faster. There's no confusion, or crossed wires. Know exactly what you want and the benefits.

Spend time with other successful people.

Nothing breeds success like success. This doesn't mean leaving your present friends behind. It simply means noticing that we become most like who we spend our time with. Choosing to spend time with like minded individuals boosts your chances of success. It also has the added bonus of belief in yourself. If you don't know successful people, join or start a successful mind group. Choose people with similar ideas as yourself when it comes to the "big stuff" such as what life is about. Meet regularly and support each other with ideas and encouragement. It is so much easier to be successful when surrounded by successful supportive people, and you'll get some incredible leg ups when bouncing ideas off each other. Never underestimate having good solid support behind you. It can make all the difference.

Keep your Focus.

People tend to give up very early and way too easily. In fact at the first sign of waning interest or any "problems" arise, they quit. This goes for anything, diets, learning an instrument, New Years Resolutions. The difference with Successful people is they are committed to their growth. SO keep the ball rolling any way you can. This will differ from person to person, and we all have some down days - the trick is to get back up again and remember what we want and why! Winners remember their end result, keep that feeling tone and stay focused. Bumps in the road don't put them off, they simply use their mind set to see them as advantages and get the right people to help them.

Start living as though you are a Success right now. Today! This minute!

Whatever Success means to you - do it! Be passionate and enthusiastic - it's meant to be fun! If it's not feeling fun, change your focus to what does feel good. That's a better Success Path for you. Everyone can take action steps today to further them along the path. The good news is, any feel good steps you can do, helps you attract even faster! So any actions you can take - with that Success feeling is an added bonus. How fast you become Successful, is really up to you! You hold the power of the direction of your life.

Begin Today! And get ready to embrace your new Successful Life because it's coming! In fact, it just arrived :)

Congratulations!

The Business Accelerator Program at PARO Centre offers
Incubator Office Space for Rent!
Contact Suzanne @ 625-0328 for more information.

PARO’s advanced Business Accelerator program provides a flexibility of workshops, mentoring, business counseling, web and tele-classes to women who are already established in their businesses but want to ‘grow a little or shift a lot’. This program builds knowledge, skills, capacity, confidence and resilience as a business owner, and each participant’s program is specially tailored to suit their needs. Contact accelerator@paro.ca to find out how the program can benefit your business.

PARO's Accelerator project has been supported with a grant from the Canadian Women's Foundation Economic Development Collaborative Fund, a partnership of the Canadian Women's Foundation, CIBC, The George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation, The Ontario Trillium Foundation and an Anonymous donor.

This project is supported by Industry Canada / Fednor.

Biz and Bagel

Biz and Bagel returns Monday, September 10, 2007

If you are in the region and would like to join us, we have limited spaces available through teleconference. Please contact Joni @ jsharkey@paro.ca or 1-800-584-0252.

This program is funded by the Government of Canada



Business Development Programs

Are you a Woman with a Disability?
Dissatisfied With Your Work?

Want to Become Self-Employed?

Are you a woman contemplating going into business but do not know where to start?

For more info, please call Joni at 625.0328 or 1.800.584.0252

Start Your Business Today. Let us help you!

Join the Making A Difference: A Business Development Program

Funded by:

The support of Government of Ontario through the Ontario Women's Directorate, the Ministry of

Citizenship and Immigration is acknowledged

PARO Self-Employment Benefit Program

PARO's GATEWAY: A Path to Self-Employment

On EI now or in the last 3 years, or had Maternity benefits in the last 5 years?

Register Today!!

Click here for more information

This program is funded by the Government of Canada

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Do you have a computer? Can you surf the internet easily? Why not try our new Pilot project...
PARO On-line.