Eff Tales has quickly become one of my favourite post-work events. Hosted here at CoMotion, members of our city’s business community join us to tell some of their tales of fail. And within these tales are some valuable insights for the entrepreneur.
We don’t know what we don’t know.
Being an entrepreneur of any kind means taking a risk. Especially at first, it’s a step into the unknown. And even for the seasoned vet, there are rarely more than a couple weeks between leaps of faith. This is what makes Eff Tales so appealing. Mistakes are made every day. Some big. Some small. And many have been made by those who are, by all accounts, successful. Hearing about the pitfalls many have faced in their entrepreneurial adventure enables us to, ideally, plan our routes a bit more carefully. But, more importantly, it also reminds us that the world doesn’t end when we stumble into a few glitches.
Solid guests and great discussions.
I’ve been impressed with the guest-speakers at each of the previous events. The diversity of businesses and personalities has made for plenty of relevant and enriching conversation – regardless of the entrepreneurial lens you’re peering in from. (Hell, I’m a freelance copywriter; you’d think the subject matter relating to my day-to-day struggles would be pretty narrow. But, it’s been quite the opposite.)
This Wednesday’s guest-speaker list is another goodie. It’s definitely a health-and-wellness theme that permeates, but the angles at which each of these guest interact with that broad category is really intriguing. There’s definitely a little something for everyone here.
The lineup for this week’s Eff Tales is:
Brian Humphrey – An entrepreneur and philanthropist with a focus on guiding others to be a better, healthier version of themselves. Brian is also the CEO and Founder of the Climb for Cancer in Hamilton, which has raised more than $1M for the Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre, where he currently sits as a board member. He has created his own not for profit that is dedicated to the total health of the community, while donating in sectors of education, healthcare and other non-profits in our community.
Helena McKinney – Helena founded In Fine Feather Yoga in 2013. A proud Hamiltonian, she is extremely passionate about elevating the experience of living in the city through the daily programs offered at the yoga studio. As a female entrepreneur and small business owner, Helena is always chasing a goal, creating a vision, launching an event and working to develop something great.
Pearl Mendonça – Pearl is a wellness advocate and registered Reiki Master/Teacher in Hamilton. Passionate about mental well-being and equity, Pearl brings her background in social work and education to her work with clients and students. Given her strong interest in complementary and alternative health, Pearl is keen to explore and expand the ways in which we think about our own wellness, as well as the well-being of our larger communities
The setting – and beer – can’t be beat.
Another endearing quality – this isn’t your typical classroom/ seminar set up, either. It’s casual. That, alone, knocks down a few barriers. It’s some listening, some interacting, even some networking, and just some real conversations. Plus, it all happens over a Collective Arts brew or two.
Always a fun way to spend a Wednesday evening.
