👀 Scroll for parent-friendly business news, professional development and funding deadlines closing soon ⬇️
A PERSONAL NOTE FROM ME (AMY):
✨📝 Putting my money where my belief is
This past week I 'Activated' with Coralus, to join their global membership and put my annual fee towards a pot of honey, which goes towards supporting other businesses through different models of financing.
It's something that has been on my goals list for the past decade, alongside working with and supporting other professionals, creatives and adventurers designing a life that works for them and their family.
The second goal materialized a lot more quickly in 2019 and has continued to unfold in multiple ways:
- hosting events and meetups for parents in startup spaces
- speaking on stages to audiences of creatives, professionals, entrepreneurs, newcomers and program participants, about what life can look like when you start mixing babies and business
- being paired with a local bricks and mortar shop and studio to provide fractional marketing communications, which became a four-year engagement and involvement in succession planning
All of this has led me to where I am right now, but it started with writing in down back in the summer of 2015, when we lived in London, England, before I was pregnant with our first kid.
That's right – it manifested. ✨
The first goal, the one which has recently materialized has been more of a slow and steady burn over the past seven years. I've been following Coralus (formerly SheEO), since we relocated to Canada in 2017 and always told myself I'd love to 'Activate'. I supported their social media posts and read their newsletters.
Then things lined up over the past summer. They shared their new pricing model and focus on a global approach (which as you may know I love, having an international family, connections and friends from our time spent living in other countries).
I signed up, invested an annual fee from their sliding scale and already I've been involved in a Catalyst Pod, meeting virtually over the coming months to explore new ways of working, attended a Venture funding information session to learn more about the eligibility criteria (for myself and for you, dear reader).
Last week I was invited to an Ottawa-area meetup where we discussed their upcoming 10-year celebrations. I hugged more strangers-turned-connections and spoke a lot more about pottery, making art and growing up on a farm than I realized I would when I left the house that morning!
Sharing this personal note with you right now as I really believe in the power of our intentions, our word, our integrity and our intuition.
Things will always line up for you if you trust those parts of your self, follow their lead and let things unfold. The actual timeline will not always be what you expect but that's where the magic, serendipity and opportunities are hiding.
It can be much faster! 💨 And it can be much slooooooower! 🐌
But the key to starting things in motion is to show up for yourself first.
Now here is an opportunity for you to take action, if you feel called to and are eligible for this round of Venture funding!
This is not an ad or affiliate post, I really believe in what the team and individuals around the world at Coralus are creating and I would love to spread the word more widely to other businesses.
Venture Funding applications close TODAY at midnight on Sunday, October 6th, 2024: https://apply.coralus.world/
Eligibility:
- based in Canada, the US, and the UK
- you don't have to be an 'Activator' or submit a fee to apply
- you can be for-profit, not-for-profit, charitable and any structure (sole proprietor, incorporated, partnership)
- 51% women or non-binary owned
- revenue between 50k-2m (or £40K - £2M in UK) for a YTD snapshot
- working on one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs)
They've shared the seven questions on their application page to help you prepare but it is a little under 1,500 words all in (150-300 words or less for each question), so no need to be caught off guard.
I hope you will take that step to be included — whether you make it through to receive financing or not, I can already see how you will gain a lot of clarity around your offerings, your business model and other opportunities for collaboration and future growth will happen naturally if you're part of the process.
Here's the link again to submit before midnight tonight October 6th:
Explore a different way of 'being' in business spaces and experiences
Because you don't need to leave the kids at home or wait for a spot on the childcare list to open up, to start smashing the patriarchy today! 🚼📊🎊
If you haven't already indicated your interest in learning more about how I've created parent-friendly professional development, opportunities and impact (and how you can too) learn more at: mixingbabiesandbusiness.com/changemaker
Click on the link above to be the FIRST notified once I open the doors to the Mixing Babies And Business™ Changemaker Program, for parents who want to design a life that works for them and their family, create an impact and advocate for others along the way.
You may also want to listen to Season 6 of the podcast featuring other parents who've been getting comfortable with navigating the future of work with kids here: mixingbabiesandbusiness.com/podcast
Have a lovely rest of your weekend ☀️🍂
Scroll for your other funding and PD links!
– Amy Lynch (+ Family)
Founder + Podcast Host
Mixing Babies And Business™
P.S. Keep showing up (as and when you can). It all matters.
PARENT-FRIENDLY BUSINESS NEWS / OPPORTUNITIES / EVENTS
Spreading the word and business goodness for parents like you:
- PARENTHOOD: I thought my life was wild with three boys under age nine but Alex Egeler has four boys and this recent mealtime post via LinkedIn is speaking my language – give them what they want, have dessert as an option and ask the older kids to help with meals.
- PARENTHOOD: The mental load is A LOT and when you are navigating neurodivergent family life, what works for one person won't always work for another. I commented on this resource created for her son by Lea Turner via LinkedIn and the thread has lots of good nuggets for you to experiment with in life AND business.
- PARENTHOOD: In this video podcast interview Dr. Rangan Chatterjee hosted with Dr. Gabor Maté after he turned 80 years old, he shares a reference from Winnie The Pooh and the importance of play, joy and spending time in the 'Enchanted Forest' of your imagination [watch the clip]. One of his biggest regrets is working too hard as a medical practitioner, driven by unconscious desires and the need to be validated.
- CAREER: It's ok to give up and move on, if it feels right for you. A good reminder from Lu Li via LinkedIn about knowing when her business had run its' course. I've known Lu since the early days of Blooming Founders and went to one of her London events, her book 'Dear Female Founder' is a great reference for inspiration.
- CAREER: Do you follow your body's cycles when working? I do and have for the past decade. Not always by choice, sometimes because my body would crash and I would be forced to rest. But since becoming a parent I've been especially dialled into my body, the seasons, the lunar cycles and other factors. Refeshing to read a cyclical post from Thamina Stoll via LinkedIn and chime in on all of the other practices which can help us thrive, instead of merely survive in business settings.
- CAREER: A list from Rowena Hennigan via LinkedIn of remote-first companies who are still hiring...in case you're in a situation where you don't want to RTO, sign up for your mandatory hybrid days on-site or are seeking a new opportunity.
- CAREER: I never thought I'd relate to a Wayne Gretzky quote as a 'hockey mom' but it's 2024 and here we are. This recruitment process breakdown from Dan Reed via LinkedIn is a good one to save and remember if you're searching for a role and feeling discouraged by what you see on the outside looking in. Even if the job has 100+ applicants you have to be in it, to win it people!
- NETWORK: Erin Gallagher, Founder of the Hype Women Movement reminding us all why we can't rely on social media to spread the word, speak our truth, organize ourselves and support each other in this LinkedIn post – exactly why I started blogging, writing this newsletter, hosting my own podcast and events years ago – you don't get censored when you produce and create from your own platform.
- NETWORK: Join a FREE virtual meetup this week focused on introducing businesses to Tech Innovation support across Ontario, including Angel Investors Ontario, BioEnterprise, Carleton University, CEPI (Centre for Expertise in Smart Prototyping), The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO), Futuretek Academy, Hackforge, Mitacs, Innovation Canada, Innovation Factory, Intellectual Property Ontario, PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise, SEDC (Saugeen Economic Development Corporation), Spark Centre, SpinUp, Canada's Technology Access Centres (TACs) and WEtech Allian. RSVP to attend via Zoom on at 11 a.m. (ET) on Wednesday, October 9th, 2024.
- NETWORK: Join the next virtual FREE coworking session with Being Freelance! BYOBiccies drink of choice. I'm a fan of Steve Folland's work – and not only because he's been a guest on the Mixing Babies And Business™ Podcast in Season 2 AND co-hosts the Doing It For The Kids pod with Frankie Tortora (another guest from Season 1). He hosts the Being Freelance pod, community and shares lots of audio and video tips for fellow freelance and creative professionals. We've also had many convos over the years based on a foundation of exploring our dessert options. 🍪
- CELEBRATE: The team at the Ottawa Fertility Centre has offered services and support to parents for 30 years in 2024. I don't often share information specific to where I live, but we can all use a reminder to support and share gratitude for our local fertility, prenatal and postpartum, midwifery and doula practitioners making miracles happen for families around the world.
- FUNDING: Futurpreneur is going on tour to cities around Ontario to deliver FREE 'Roadmap to Your Startup Success' workshops over the coming months in Thunder Bay and North Bay (October), Owen Sound (November) and Barrie (March)! Learn more and RSVP online.
- FUNDING: A reminder to keep going from Jennifer Stojkovic on LinkedIn, a list you may want to save or print for reference during the good and hard days. The investors and people you've been pitching to over the weeks, months and years may not be able to see your vision as clearly as you can, but that doesn't mean it won't become a (highly valuated) reality in future.
- FUNDING: Apply for Coralus' next round of Venture funding, support, coaching and community for those located in the Northern Hemisphere (CA, US, UK) by end of TODAY, Sunday, October 6th, 2024 at midnight (ET). Your business must have sales of $50K+, be majority women- or non-binary owned and led, and aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to be eligible for Activator community voting to receive up to $100K of financing repayable over five years at 0% interest, in 20 installments.
- FUNDING: PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise is running a PAROJetsetter BIZCamp to provide a flexible learning environment to help women-led companies to scale. If you've been in business for at least one year, have sales of $50K+ and want to grow to $250K, the deadline to apply to this cohort is Thursday, October 17th, 2024 at midnight (ET).
More from Mixing Babies And Business™:
- Join the waitlist for the Changemaker Program
- Explore my digital resource hub
- Tune into the podcast on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | Website
- Connect with me on LinkedIn
- Book a call to chat about your journey mixing babies and business
**Thanks for reading, I hope it helps you (share with friends if you think they'd be interested). Please reply if you have feedback or questions about the above!
I aim to respond within 72 hours Tuesday–Friday**
An independent newsletter crafted with 💜 and care in Canada
Sending you positive vibes and parenthood solidarity ✨
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