We interview Penelope and Mary, who are two sisters on a mission to create empowering relatable designs that highlight social issues that they feel deserve a spotlight, about starting your own creative business without a business degree. The professional world isn’t exactly the same as generations before us. People change careers often, work multiple jobs or gigs, and often prefer to work for themselves than at a large established corporation. Long gone is the dream (or reality) of working the same job until retirement. So, we thought it would be interesting for students and recent grads to talk to some young adults who have started some creative and meaningful businesses as a result of COVID.
HIGHLIGHTS
Inspiration and the path leading to starting a creative business and career
How does a liberal arts degree help in the world of entrepreneurship
Challenges and rewards of business operators
Advice for a recent grad thinking of turning a creative passion into a career
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To get more help with academic writing, application coaching, or professional development, book a 20 minute discovery call with us and start your journey to reaching your full potential on the page, and in life.
All the written, visual, audio, and audiovisual content of this post has been created by and is the intellectual property of Lisa Pfau and PFAU Academic Writing. Please do not replicate any of the above content without our consent. However, please do feel free to share this post and its authorship widely.
We’ll be taking a little break from posting, and we hope you’re able to take a rest and get outside and enjoy the beautiful summer weather too. The business will be closed until Tuesday, July 13th.
We’ll be back with a podcast next week on how to be a creative entrepreneur.
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To get more help with academic writing, application coaching, or professional development, book a 20 minute discovery call with us and start your journey to reaching your full potential on the page, and in life.
All the written, visual, audio, and audiovisual content of this post has been created by and is the intellectual property of Lisa Pfau and PFAU Academic Writing. Please do not replicate any of the above content without our consent. However, please do feel free to share this post and its authorship widely.
We interview Reverend Emily Gordon, a minister of the United Church of Canada here in Toronto, about vocations. A vocation is defined as a strong feeling of suitability for a certain occupation. People who talk about being called to do something or that they couldn’t imagine doing anything else are likely pursuing a vocation. However, one profession that requires individuals to feel called to it before they can even get an entry-level position is ministry. This is an area of work that is often not discussed by career counselors because of its status as a vocation, but for individuals who seek meaning, purpose, and a connection to something beyond themselves this may be the ideal path.
HIGHLIGHTS
The distinction between vocation and career
Advice for young people feeling a call to the Church
Being a spiritual person in a secular world
Daily spiritual practices for students to help stay grounded and connected, especially during stressful times
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To get more help with academic writing, application coaching, or professional development, book a 20 minute discovery call with us and start your journey to reaching your full potential on the page, and in life.
All the written, visual, audio, and audiovisual content of this post has been created by and is the intellectual property of Lisa Pfau and PFAU Academic Writing. Please do not replicate any of the above content without our consent. However, please do feel free to share this post and its authorship widely.
As we enter spring and summer, students are looking for jobs in this uncertain period of COVID. As if job hunting wasn’t hard enough, COVID makes it even trickier. We wanted to share some career-related posts from last years, like this one, that would be helpful to students who are trying to find work during this uncertain period.
We interview, Danielle Law, PhD, and Associate Professor in Psychology and Youth and Children’s Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University, about her journey in academia and her thoughts on finding a career as a recent graduate.
HIGHLIGHTS
An insider’s look into the life and work of a busy academic
Advice and things to consider for undergraduate students who want to pursue a PhD
How to find the right topic of research that match the interests of students
How to adjust from undergraduate studies to graduate studies
How can a graduate degree help with career advancement and flexibility
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To get more help with academic writing, application coaching, or professional development, book a 20 minute discovery call with us and start your journey to reaching your full potential on the page, and in life.
All the written, visual, audio, and audiovisual content of this post has been created by and is the intellectual property of Lisa Pfau and PFAU Academic Writing. Please do not replicate any of the above content without our consent. However, please do feel free to share this post and its authorship widely.
We interview Megan Kee, the founder of 20/20 Arts, a non-profit organization dedicated to the production of innovative art projects that raise awareness, visibility, and fund for charitable organizations, about Starting a Non-Profit. This week’s episode is part of our Careers in the Arts series, where we talk to young professionals with Fine Arts or Liberal Arts degrees, who have established themselves in an interesting and fulfilling profession. Deciding what to do after university, especially with a degree like a Bachelor of Arts that is often general and does not prepare you for any specific profession, can be daunting. What most students don’t realize though is that your Arts degree has provided you with a variety of transferable skills, such as critical thinking, research, organization, and communication that can be applied to a number of different professions. We hope that through these interviews students will feel less overwhelmed and hopeful about their career options.
Megan has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Ontario College of Art and Design, as well as a Master of Art in Museum and Gallery Studies from Kingston University in London, England. She has over ten years of experience in the Fine Arts industry, including working as a Gallery Assistant at Lausberg Contemporary, Head Exhibition Designer at Quaycrafts, and Project Manager at Pursuit Inc. She is passionate about bringing people together over collective values, beliefs, and passions, amplifying the voices of charities/non-profits through the most powerful medium she knows of: ART.
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It seems like you have a clear vision of who you are and who you want to be. How did you know what you wanted to do?
To be honest, I did not always know what I wanted to do or who I wanted to be. It was a journey of self-discovery and it took a lot of patience, consistency, practice, and time. When I was also a young adult, I had a lot of uncertainty about my future and I felt the need to have all the answers, but I just did not have them. I have been interested in art from a young age. It was the first thing that I was ever got good at, so I was able to gain satisfaction from art as it fulfilled me in a way that nothing else does. I always knew that I want to work in the Arts field; however, it took me several years to figure out what that work would be. I initially wanted to be an art practitioner and a painter. I also had interests in becoming a tattoo artist, but it did not really necessarily pan out as I planned. I tried out different types of work and slowly gained more experience and built my resume. The various experiences helped with my process of self-discovery and developing my passions. Through starting my own exhibitions and working on my different projects, I figured out what I enjoy. Eventually, I quit my full-time job, built a team, and started my own non-profit organization.
What traits would you say someone needs to do something like start and run a non-profit organization?
Our organization is slightly different from traditional non-profits as we strive to educate, inform, and inspire audiences to challenge the stigma associated with mental health, homelessness, and addiction instead of building a shelter to help people on the front lines. For me, the key is to figure out exactly how we add value, which has been a very long and arduous process. I think building a base of concepts and proving their value is critical for non-profit organizations. You should be able to recognize the target demographic and critical feedback to learn from people’s responses. The feedback is from both the community that you are trying to serve, as well as the donors or sponsors that you are trying to get funding from.
Good communication is also crucial. You need to be able to communicate your organization’s values. What is your pitch? If you were to sell somebody on your idea in two minutes or less, can you do it? It has taken a long time for me to be able to build that and I think I am still working through it. It can be such a terrifying thing to put your heart and soul out there for everybody to criticize and possibly provide feedback on. If they do not like it, you may start to have internalized fears and doubts about yourself. However, I think as long as you build yourself up and recognize that your value is not reliant on somebody else’s opinion, rather, your value comes from within then everything else is secondary.
Running a non-profit is no easy task. What do you do to establish a clear work-life balance and prevent burnout?
I think a work-life balance really comes from listening to yourself and getting to know how the things in your environment impact you. I schedule time in my life for my work and myself, and I make the time for myself non-negotiable. For example, one of the things that I do now is on Wednesdays, no matter how important the person or the call is, I will not schedule a call on that day. I allow Wednesdays, which is in the middle of the week, to take time off if I need it. Sometimes I will work through a full Wednesday focused on my work with no calls or emails because it gives me a moment in the middle of my week to reflect on how I feel. I would ask myself: “do I feel like I’m mentally okay?” Sometimes I take the full Wednesday off if I feel that I really need that time off. It is just about listening intuitively to yourself. There are times in your life when work is going to demand more of you. There are also times when the family is going to take priority over work. So, even though I try to maintain this work-life balance, I think life is always going to dictate otherwise and you just need to be responsive when those things happen. I believe that the more that you can make time for yourself, the better you are going to be at work; and, the more focused you are going to be at work, the better you are able to show up for the people in your life.
What lessons have you learned over the years that you think have helped to become a more confident leader and role model for other young women?
I would say that I am fairly confident now, but I think that comes from just having a sense of value within myself and feeling like I have value. I understand that it is a long process for a lot of people. I think one key lesson I learned is to spend more time with myself and try all kinds of different things. I think confidence really comes from self-love. You should take time to appreciate yourself as we often let negative thought patterns repeat themselves. I recognized that when I started meditating. I was totally unaware of it before. Over time, you start to value yourself, and the more you value yourself, the more confidence you are going to have. As a result, even if someone may try to talk down to me, belittle me, or make me feel less, I can respond confidently say: “No, thank you, this isn’t for me.” You should build a sense of self-worth and have enough belief in yourself, your abilities, and your value as an individual that other opinions don’t bring you down. Also, it is important to recognize that not everybody needs to like you and that is okay. You should not allow the opinions of other people to dictate your own self-worth or value.
Recommended Books and Resources
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
Thank you, Megan, for sharing the excellent advice with us and our readers!
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Missed the podcast? Listen here:
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For more advice about writing, check out our weekly podcast or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.
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To get more help with your assignments, book a 20 minute discovery session with us and start your journey to reaching your full potential on the page, and in life.
Both the written, visual, audio, and audiovisual content of this post has been created by and is the intellectual property of Lisa Pfau and PFAU Academic Writing. Please do not replicate any of the above content without our consent. However, please do feel free to share this post and its authorship widely.
We interviewed Melody Belliveau, a freelance writer and author of the website, TheSocial-Commentary.com, about the journey of becoming a writer. This interview is a part of our Careers in the Liberal Arts series. Most people think of writers as authors of books, but there’s actually probably more writing than ever before with the advent of the internet. Websites, social media, newsletters, and online editorials all are areas where you can become a writer.
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Melody started out writing for a local newspaper in her early thirties as a mother of four children. Then, family life put a pause in her writing career until she had to step back from her previous position due to health issues and decided to start her own website to inspire, encourage, and support others. She continues to challenge herself with new projects, aiming to publish in a national magazine next. You never know when your writing career will flourish. The key is to never give up.
Could you tell us a little bit about your project you’re working on now? How did you start your website?
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Through joining the Dress for Success workshops, I was able to be paired with a mentor and received an opportunity to have a column in one of the local magazines. I excitedly submitted the article, but when the edits came back I felt like it had taken my original voice away and wasn’t the right fit for me. I was disappointed, and wanted to give up.
After talking to my mentor about the experience, she that I could create my own website to express my opinions. Even though I was not an expert in technology, I was able to slowly build my website through the help of tutorials. It was like a dream come true!
My goal with my posts on the website is that when people read them, they can either relate to my work or find something in there that can help them. I also plan to use my website as a platform to help with my ultimate career goal to have my own Social Commentary magazine.
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You’re stay-at-home a grandmother of ten. What keeps you going and motivated?
Being able to help people keeps me motivated. When I see people commenting on posts that I write – “thank you so much! I needed that today” – it feeds my soul because they are saying that I just fed theirs. I want people to see that every one of us matters and be inspired by my work. I have enjoyed writing from a young age and I want to speak up and share my voice.
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What advice would you give to your younger self?
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Go after your dreams and set a plan to help you achieve those dreams. Go take those classes that you are interested in and zone in on your purpose. I felt that my whole life, I just let everything else get in the way. And now that there is not anything to get in the way, I’m going for it. It’s gonna be my legacy.
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Melody’s Book Recommendations and Resources
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Book:
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey
Thank you, Melody, for sharing the excellent advice with us and our readers!
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Missed the podcast? Listen here:
_
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For more advice about writing, check out our weekly podcast or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.
_
To get more help with your assignments, book a 20 minute discovery session with us and start your journey to reaching your full potential on the page, and in life.
Both the written, visual, audio, and audiovisual content of this post has been created by and is the intellectual property of Lisa Pfau and PFAU Academic Writing. Please do not replicate any of the above content without our consent. However, please do feel free to share this post and its authorship widely.
We interview Melody Belliveau, a freelance writer and author of the website, TheSocial-Commentary.com, about the journey of becoming a writer, which is part of our Careers in the Liberal Arts series. Most people think of writers as authors of books, but there’s actually probably more writing than ever before with the advent of the internet. Websites, social media, newsletters, and online editorials all are areas where you can become a writer.
HIGHLIGHTS
Writing for newspapers VS writing for websites online
How to stay motivated as a writer
Tips for marketing yourself and your content
It’s never too late to follow your dreams
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To get more help with academic writing, application coaching, or professional development, book a 20 minute discovery call with us and start your journey to reaching your full potential on the page, and in life.
All the written, visual, audio, and audiovisual content of this post has been created by and is the intellectual property of Lisa Pfau and PFAU Academic Writing. Please do not replicate any of the above content without our consent. However, please do feel free to share this post and its authorship widely.
We interview Mario Schwarzenberg, who is the owner/broker of MSI – Mario Schwarzenberg Insurance Services Inc., an insurance brokerage, has been offering its customers competitive insurance rates since the early 1990s. This week’s episode is about something we don’t like to talk about, death and critical illness. When we are young we often think we are invincible, but this is not always the case. We are all fragile human beings, and at some point our lives will end. It is important to think of these eventualities sooner rather than later as it can save you a lot of additional hassle, stress, and even money.
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As a brokerage with many years of experience in selling insurance, paying claims and access to all major insurance companies, MSI offers a variety of plans at the most competitive rates. MSI offers a wide array of insurance services including Life Insurance / Mortgage Insurance Business Benefits: Key-Person & Buy-Sell funding Dental & Medical Benefits for Businesses and Families Living Benefits: Critical Illness Insurance, Income Replacement / Disability Family Benefits Included with Insurance.
When people think of insurance, they usually think of car insurance, but there are actually different facets of the insurance industry. Can you tell us about the different insurance divisions and what they do?
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That is correct. The majority of the time, people are introduced to insurance with the car or home, but there are other divisions like life insurance, critical illness, living benefits and people benefits. Those are a big part of proper financial planning for younger people because they are valuable in the case you are injured and need income replacement or even when you are older and pass away and there are estate costs. The earlier to start thinking of these things, the easier it is to qualify and save money.
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People often think of life insurance that only comes up in murder novels when a rich relative dies suspiciously. But, you think it is something that everyone should think about. Why is it so important to a person’s long-term financial planning?
For wealthy people, insurance can help to preserve their wealth by covering the cost of capital gains taxes or estate taxes. For people whose estate is smaller or people who do not have assets, they can use insurance to replace their income to help provide for the family and cover daily expenses, such as paying the mortgage or children’s tuition.
The majority of the time, young people would learn about insurance when something tragic happens within the family or close circle of friends. They don’t think about it because they don’t think they will die anytime soon. However, my very first claim in the insurance happened when I was in my twenties and a good friend of mine passed away. He had a young family, and the insurance helped them to keep their house. It is not about making anybody rich, but rather the family left behind can continue living and have fewer financial worries.
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What is the difference between permanent life insurance and term life insurance?
Term insurance offers protection for a specific period of time. It is most often purchased by young families who want temporary coverage while their children are growing and they are responsible for a mortgage. They would usually purchase between 10 to 20 years of term insurance to ensure that if something happens to them while their children are small, they will be taken care of. In other words, it is most often purchased to deal with an accidental or unexpected death.
Permanent insurance lasts for your whole life though. You have coverage whether you pass away from an accident or old age. It is useful in terms of covering funeral expenses, capital gains tax, and other estate taxes and expenses as it is non-taxable. It helps to ensure that the value of your estate is passed onto your beneficiaries. In some cases, insurance proceeds may even be bequeathed to a charity after death. Permanent insurance premiums tend to be more expensive than term insurance, but if you start young it is usually comparable and overtime it can add up to a decent sum. In some cases, the balance can even be accessed before death to cover unexpected expenses in old age. It takes a longer term commitment, but it is more flexible in the end.
I think the best option is a combination between permanent and term insurance. Permanent insurance can be used to protect your estate, while term insurance can protect yourself and your family during the years when you are building your assets and responsible for taking care of loved ones.
What advice would you give a young person who thinks life insurance really isn’t necessary for them?
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Since each person’s needs are very different, talking to an insurance broker would be beneficial because they can ask questions specific to their situation and needs. Brokers have access to different companies and can go through a variety of different plans, so there are many different options to choose from. It is beneficial to have at least a basic understanding of insurance.
I would definitely invite them not to only limit their inquiry to personal insurance though, but their overall financial future and financial planning. Understanding that permanent insurance is actually less expensive when purchased at a younger age and can act as part of your investment portfolio is useful, for example. Talking to an insurance broker does not necessarily mean that you need to buy insurance at that very moment. You can do the inquiry and learn about the available options first. You are not obligated to purchase the coverage.
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Book Recommendation
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Personality Isn’t Permanent: Break Free from Self-Limiting Beliefs and Rewrite Your Story by Benjamin P. Hardy
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Thank you, Mario, for sharing the excellent advice with us and our readers!
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Missed the podcast? Listen here:
_
_
For more advice about writing, check out our weekly podcast or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.
_
To get more help with your assignments, book a 20 minute discovery session with us and start your journey to reaching your full potential on the page, and in life.
Both the written, visual, audio, and audiovisual content of this post has been created by and is the intellectual property of Lisa Pfau and PFAU Academic Writing. Please do not replicate any of the above content without our consent. However, please do feel free to share this post and its authorship widely.
We interview Reverend Emily Gordon, a minister of the United Church of Canada here in Toronto, about vocations. A vocation is defined as a strong feeling of suitability for a certain occupation. People who talk about being called to do something or that they couldn’t imagine doing anything else are likely pursuing a vocation. However, one profession that requires individuals to feel called to it before they can even get an entry-level position is ministry. This is an area of work that is often not discussed by career counselors because of its status as a vocation, but for individuals who seek meaning, purpose, and a connection to something beyond themselves this may be the ideal path.
HIGHLIGHTS
The distinction between vocation and career
Advice for young people feeling a call to the Church
Being a spiritual person in a secular world
Daily spiritual practices for students to help stay grounded and connected, especially during stressful times
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To get more help with academic writing, application coaching, or professional development, book a 20 minute discovery call with us and start your journey to reaching your full potential on the page, and in life.
All the written, visual, audio, and audiovisual content of this post has been created by and is the intellectual property of Lisa Pfau and PFAU Academic Writing. Please do not replicate any of the above content without our consent. However, please do feel free to share this post and its authorship widely.
We interview Kristopher Morrison (also known as Eagle Calling Man), an indigenous and men’s health advocate in Ontario about the gap in men’s psychological supports. Research has shown that men and women express depressive symptoms differently. For example, women tend to emote and talk about their feelings, while men tend to pull inward and isolate themselves. This kind of self-isolating response to stress, especially emotional stress, can make it even more challenging for men to reach out for support when they need it the most.
HIGHLIGHTS
Challenging contemporary ideas of masculinity that promote individualism and social isolation
Tapping into indigenous traditions to build strong supportive communities of men
The three pillars of building a solid inner sense of self
Tips and resources for young men who are in the wandering stage of life (early 20s)
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To get more help with academic writing, application coaching, or professional development, book a 20 minute discovery call with us and start your journey to reaching your full potential on the page, and in life.
All the written, visual, audio, and audiovisual content of this post has been created by and is the intellectual property of Lisa Pfau and PFAU Academic Writing. Please do not replicate any of the above content without our consent. However, please do feel free to share this post and its authorship widely.
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