The 2018 Advancing Women in Agriculture West conference was a vibrant, fun and engaging affair.
Photo by AWC West 2018
Held in Calgary March 26 and 27, the conference attracted delegates and speakers from across the country. The downtown Hyatt Regency provided a fitting backdrop, with its assortment of prairies-influenced paintings by Canadian artists and historical photos of Indigenous tribes.
Industry West was proud to be a media sponsor for the conference. Industry West distributed the winter agriculture-focused issue in delegate bags, and held space in the exhibition area talking with industry experts about ideas for future issues.
The first day kicked off with four different workshops, ranging from financial advice, to succession planning.
Breakthrough Consulting’s Jacquie Stephens hosted an interactive workshop on identifying and learning how to tackle personal triggers (a trigger is anything that creates a threat response).
The goal was to help attendees take control of their personal and business relationships: The more you can observe about yourself, the better off you’ll be.
Regina’s Darci Lang of XL Enterprises gave an uplifting talk that encouraged people to focus on the 90 per cent – a simple tool to change the way you view your life. Lang’s message, to pay attention to the things you can control in your life, was invigorating for the mostly female audience.
Her message to get out of the habit of complaining resonated with the crowd of 450-plus, as she received loud rounds of applause several times.
“It robs peoples’ souls and energy when we focus on the 10 per cent negative parts of life we can’t control,” she said.
Rachael Harder, MP for Lethbridge, Alberta, and shadow minister for the Status of Women for the Conservative Caucus, was received with a warm welcome as she discussed what it means to be a woman of influence: “Look at the challenges before you and choose to make them opportunities.”
Day two was chock full of networking and diverse speaker topics covering everything from nutrition, to mental health, advocacy and the role women can play in agriculture.
The day ended with a diverse panel of female entrepreneurs and business leaders, making for a motivating conclusion to an educational conference.