MAD LOVE MONDAY - Laura Poburan | L2 Fitness

Meet the beautiful boss babe Laura Poburan from L2 Fitness

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L2 Fitness was a teeny tiny idea what seems like ages ago now. Could we do it? Was it possible? It was really scary taking that first leap into the world of entrepreneurs. We were a little tadpole in a big ocean. It started out as a small studio, just the two of us – hubs and me. We had (and still have) an extremely loyal client base. We’re family - I would do anything for that original crew to this day. But we hit a point where we wanted to affect more people, to help as many as we could. And that meant growing the business past just the two of us and our small forever family. So we expanded – we set out to build our dream gym.

I still remember exactly where I was and what I was doing (I was on the pec-deck working my chest because I’m a bro like that) when this idea to expand started to flourish.  We planned every square inch of the space – we ordered specialty equipment from Germany, the UK and all over the states (I wasn’t going to build my dream gym without the best glute building equipment money could buy) played with the layout over and over and over again until it was perfect, and most importantly we strategized on how we were going to scale the community we had so passionately built for the last 3 years.

“They” say that we all have three places we identify with the most – your home, your work, and one other place. I want to be that one other place for everyone who comes to L2...my goal is to create a community and an environment that is centred on changing lives, and on giving people a community who will lift them up and push them forward towards becoming their most confident selves.  

I absolutely love being an entrepreneur – it’s scary as hell most of the time. And it challenges me daily – like how many more 15 hour days do I have in me? I ask myself this all the time – but somehow I wake up the next day and the one after that and the one after that and I just do it. I’m lucky because I love it – the 15 hour days feel rewarding. I’m investing in my business and my people and I never feel like quitting. I’m tired a lot – sure. I have bad days where I ask myself “Why the hell am I doing this?”, but quitting? That thought has never even crossed my mind until you asked me that question just now. If I quit, I give up on all the amazing people I’m affecting and helping, and I could never do that.

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I recently did a workshop with Lululemon where we asked people to choose a word of the year – a word that will shape their direction, their goals, and their focus for the year. My word was balance – something every entrepreneur dreams of achieving one day I think. Balance to me doesn’t mean working less – it means working smarter so that I can make time to be social, see my friends, and still be more productive than I was before.  Balance feels like a fleeting feeling, and I know you bossbabes can relate. It’s there one day and gone the next, into the abyss somewhere. Landon said something to me recently that has stuck with me…”you need to be ruthless with your time” he said.

Ruthless with my time. Huh! He was on to something. By being ruthlessly productive in the time I give myself to be, I have been able to say “yes” to more things with family and friends in the last 6 months than I have in the last 3 years. I think my biggest factor in restoring balance is actually being productive in the time you tell yourself you’re going to be productive in. And then setting boundaries for yourself so that you have no choice but to be.  Balance, I’m coming for you!

Something that people always ask me about is “OH, what’s it like working with your husband?”

It’s something that not everyone could do, that’s for sure – but for us? It works splendidly. We actually don’t spend all that much time together to be honest, which is why we plan date night every Thursday (see? Balance! I told you I was trying!) out of the gym, connecting. I’m very lucky that I can be around him all day every day and then on a day off it feels like a treat to spend time together. Plus I get a free ride to work every morning!

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Interested in being featured? Contact us at yegbossbabes@gmail.com

MAD LOVE MONDAY - Nicole Taylor | TR Event Management

My name is Nicole Taylor and I am the Owner of TR Event Management. We are a Wedding & Event Planning Company in Edmonton. Way back when I started TR Event Management I never dreamed it would be what it is today, nor I would have gotten big enough to have a team behind me, but here we are, a team of two coordinators, and eight in total handling major event set ups and I am still in love with this company as ever! I knew I didn’t want to go back to a full time job after my son, so I put it all into TR Event Management and over the past couple years it has only gotten better! We have been apart of small events of 10, and our biggest wedding guest count was 550! If you had told me when I started I would be working with an event that size I wouldn’t have believed you. My absolute favorite thing about this job is meeting the amazing people I have met, clients, and industry partners have turned into incredible friends and for that I could myself lucky! In my career to date I have been apart of over 25 weddings, and so many other special days and events!

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We decided this feature would be the perfect place to share some tips and tricks for Event Planning. Whether you are planning a kids birthday party, a wedding or anything in between there are some little tricks I have picked up along the way.

1. Lists – They are your friend, Guest Lists, Items to buy lists, Checklists – trust me I have them everywhere and probably drive my poor husband crazy with my OCD and lists!

2. Timelines! – Make yourself a realistic timeline and try your best to stick to it! For larger events like weddings, include things like the vendors you need to book, deposit due dates, and everything in between! For smaller events you can do a condensed version of this paired with those lists knowing you may not need to have as lengthy of timeline but trust me they help! Timelines are also very important for the day of your event. They keep you on track and keep your day flowing.

3. Take time away from planning for fun. It can take a lot of hours to plan a wedding or event, so be sure to have some me time in between, Go on dates with your soon to be partner! Have a girls night with your friends, or take an afternoon at the spa by yourself! Don’t let what is to be such a special day overwhelm you, it can happen easily. Paired with that take the help offered. If you have DIY projects, take up bridesmaids, and family on the offers to help! You will thank yourself.

4. Choose your vision and let yourself stick to it! In Wedding Planning you and your partner may get varying opinions on details, but remember the day is about the two of you. Don’t let the thoughts of others sway your vision!

5. CONTRACTS! This I cannot stress enough. In my industry I have heard horror stories of vendors not fulfilling promised duties! Meet with vendors, do your research, read reviews and make sure you click. You want to work with a photographer that makes you feel comfortable in front of the camera. You want a DJ that will keep your dance floor full. You want food that will have people talking for weeks to come! From all that you want all details outlined in a contract!

Events like weddings are once in a lifetime. Above all enjoy the process of planning because I promise you will blink and it will all be over. You will have those photos and memories to look back on always, but if you are stressed the whole way through it will be what you remember! I always tell my couples 99% of things that go wrong on the day will go un noticed even by you if you are focused on and enjoying your surroundings! Happy Planning!

Interested in being featured? email us at yegbossbabes@gmail.com 

MAD LOVE MONDAY - Andrea Nwobosi |Park Girl Designs

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Before I left for a Hawaiian vacation with my family two years ago, I never could have predicted that I would make a decision that would change my life. While in Hawaii, I saw a friend’s post on Facebook about a new jewellery brand coming to Canada in April 2016 and that this company was looking for new Designers. After doing some research and talking it over with my family, I realized that this was the extra income opportunity I was looking for. Before I flew home from Hawaii, I had purchased a starter kit full of jewellery I had never seen before, I created a business page on Facebook and I started to share with my networks that I was launching a new business. I had taken a leap of faith and what is often the hardest part—the first step!

Before I share more about my boss babe journey over the past two years, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Andrea Nwobosi and I live in Sherwood Park, Alberta with my husband and our six-year-old daughter. I have a background in marketing and communications and I work full-time in Human Resources communications at an oil and gas company. In my “spare” time, I am a Founding Leader with KEEP Collective Canada and I help women make more money by designing personalized keepsake jewellery. Since launching my business, I have had the opportunity to tap into my entrepreneurial spirit as part of a movement to share happiness and change lives.

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A lot of people ask me how I have the energy to grow a side business while working full-time and supporting my family as a wife and a mother. To be honest, it’s a challenging balancing act! But there are a few things I’ve found that work for me. Fortunately, I’m able to work my side gig on-the-go, so I sneak it in where I can—messaging customers while on the bus on the way to work downtown, posting on social media during my lunch break, and coaching my team members or hosting jewellery design sessions in the evening.

Being an entrepreneur doesn’t leave much time for my family life, so I do my best to be present with my daughter and to make the most of our quality time together, and I schedule date nights with my husband so we maintain precious one-on-one time. Weekends with my family are sacred time, so I schedule my family commitments first before I offer time on weekends to my team members or customers. Fortunately, my husband and I are both very organized, so we coordinate our schedules on a shared iCal calendar, which is especially important since we share one vehicle. I feel like I’m getting better at saying “no” to events or commitments that don’t bring value to me, to my family or to my business. When you’re an entrepreneur with other responsibilities, it’s important to figure out what your boundaries are and stick to them so you’re in control of your schedule and so your schedule doesn’t control you.

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The past two years I’ve spent building my business hasn’t come without ups and downs. And I’ll admit, a year ago I almost gave up. After a busy Christmas season, I questioned whether this was the right business for me. But I took time to reflect and I gained more self-awareness of what I wanted to achieve with my business and how I wanted to approach it. I decided that I needed to have more fun and that I would only do things related to my business that make me feel happy. This shift in mindset yielded great results, which included hitting a huge team promotion and earning an all-expenses paid trip to Los Cabos.

The biggest challenge I’ve faced so far in my business is finding creative ways to build awareness of a brand that’s new to Canada. KEEP Collective is a sister brand to Stella & Dot jewellery, which has been around for over a decade. Many women I meet are familiar with Stella & Dot; however, KEEP Collective is a new personalized jewellery concept that most people have never heard of. I have an online boutique and digital design studio that are open 24/7, but I’ve found that connecting with people in-person and sharing the collection at local business pop-ups, at vendor events in my community and at in-home design sessions have been most effective for my business. Designing one-on-one with people allows me to connect with them and their story on a personal level so I can help them design a keepsake that best represents their family members, treasured memories or special milestones that are important to them and that is an instant reminder of what makes them happy.

I’ve also been intentional about branding my business to differentiate myself from other Designers. My business name, Park Girl Designs, pays homage to my Sherwood Park roots and reinforces my passion for connecting with my community. By bringing the KEEP Collective brand to life in-person, I’ve been able share KEEP Collective’s mission to give every woman the means to design her one of a kind life.

What began as a way to earn extra income to pay down debt has turned into something that’s so much more. For one, I’ve never before felt that I’ve had as many friends as I do now! I’ve created lasting relationships with customers, local business owners and team members, all because I now have a reason to connect with others by sharing something that brings me and others so much joy. This personal connection is why I love being a boss babe. Our supportive community of KEEP Collective Designers shares together, learns together and grows together. We share a deep belief that living a happy life comes from always keeping in mind what truly matters: love, faith, family, friendship and adventure.

I have the honour of mentoring a team of independent business owners who are making more money for their families while sharing happiness through meaningful jewellery. As a leader of other business owners, my role is not to be their “boss” because we’re each our own boss. It’s a different type of leadership. I’ve learned to lead by example, to share my experiences with them so they can avoid making my mistakes, and to coach them to achieve what they want from their business.

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So far, my journey as an entrepreneur has opened my eyes to what is possible. It is possible to give back to your community in your own unique way, it is possible to achieve goals you never thought you could, and it is possible to earn an income doing what you love. This adventure has been worth every ounce of risk I took when I decided to take that initial leap of faith. I’m so excited for what’s next.

Andrea Nwobosi

Park Girl Designs

Independent KEEP Collective Canada Founding Leader

780-242-0484

andrea.nwobosi@gmail.com

Social media:

@parkgirldesigns

ca.keepcollective.com/with/andreanwobosi

Interested in being featured? Contact us at yegbossbabes@gmail.com