Libro KWCYP 2019 – Mentor Mix & Mingle

The annual Libro Chamber Young Professionals Mentor Mix and Mingle has become one of the most popular networking events of the season because of its unique “speed dating” style.

This year, over 120 Young Professionals came out after work and class to Maxwell’s Concerts and Events to ask questions, hear about overcoming challenges, and discuss how to build a successful career in Kitchener-Waterloo.

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Out of the many great networking events in Waterloo Region, the Mentor Mix and Mingle really stands out as valuable for a few reasons:

  • You are guaranteed to walk away from with either a relevant connection or at the very least a practical piece of career advice from a seasoned pro.
  • The casual atmosphere makes it great for first-timers or nervous networkers (you only have to mingle for the first 30 minutes and are then divided into small groups to speak with mentors rotating from table to table.)
  • The mentors are from a wide variety of career paths, and so the audience of Young Professionals is very diverse (as opposed to a career-specific meetup).
  • There is a great ratio of mentors to mentees (typically about 6:1) so you are not only meeting other peers to connect with, but also potential employers and personal mentors.

 

Didn’t make it to the Mentor Mix and Mingle?

 

You can find the next Libro CYP event coming up right here.

The Highlight Reel

We’d like to thank all of our ambitious and bright Libro CYPs who came out to make this a great event again in 2019! And of course a huge thank you goes to our mentors who gave us their time and wisdom to help support career growth in the Region.

Some of our favourite connections from that night were caught on camera by the talented Sean Gilders, VP Sales & Marketing at snapdKW. See for yourself what it’s like to attend a Libro CYP event:

Did you snap a picture at the Mentor Mix and Mingle?

Share it on social with the hashtag #KWCYP and you’ll be entered to win tickets to our complete 2019 – 2020 networking season!

Meet Our Mentors

A huge thank you to all of our Mentors this year! You were inspiring as always and our young professional community wouldn’t be able to grow without your experience and leadership in Waterloo Region:

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Thank You, Mentors!

We can’t say enough about these amazing entrepreneurs and professionals who gave us a bit of their time and expertise so that we can grow into great leaders, too.

Learn a bit more about this year’s mentors here:

 

Paul Maxwell, President & CEO of Maxwell’s Concerts and Events

“Maxwell’s Music House opened its doors in May 2008 combining my passions of music and business under one roof. Maxwell’s has already hosted concerts with many household names in Canada such as Matthew Good, I Mother Earth, Headstones, The Tea Party, Big Sugar and The Glorious Sons just to name a few.”

 

Brian Bazely, President & CEO of Driverseat

“Leading one of the top franchise brands in North America. Now open in 4 provinces and soon to open in the U.S., Driverseat is a brand with great opportunities for franchise owners. Passionate about helping franchisees live the dream, our business if focused on the business owners, who in turn focus on their Coachmen and customers.”

 

Royce Bodaly, City of Waterloo Councilor

“As the Manager responsible for a multitude of global brands, I’ve had the great privilege to travel overseas to work directly with a wide array of factories to develop unique and impactful products that have proven to be strong sellers in the Canadian retail landscape.”

 

Allison Bourke, Owner of Oxford Learning Waterloo

An ambivert who loves to meet new people and experience new things. My objective is to help as many students as possible reach their potential.”

 

Jill Brush, Regional Commercial & Agricultural Manager for Libro Credit Union

Experienced Regional Commercial Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the financial services industry. Strong sales professional skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Coaching, TeamBuilding, Public Speaking, and Fundraising.”

 

Honourable Bardish Chagger, MP for Waterloo & Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Member of Parliament for Waterloo, was appointed Minister of Small Business and Tourism on November 4, 2015. A natural leader and organizer, Ms. Chagger is devoted to inclusion and community building. From assisting with recreational sports for kids to volunteering with seniors, she is committed to strengthening the bonds of the Waterloo community.”

 

Bob Foster, Marketing & Business Development at Winmar

 

Rene Gatien, President & CEO of Waterloo North Hydro

“Mr. Gatien holds a BASc in Electrical Engineering and is registered as a Professional Engineer and as a Journeyman Power Lineman in the province of Ontario.  As well he holds an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business.  He has over 37 years of experience in the electrical industry in both the private and public sectors.’

 

Douglas Grosfield, President & CEO of Five Nines IT Solutions

Proud to serve as a Constable with the Waterloo Regional Police Service in the Auxiliary Unit, Douglas Grosfield was named as one of the “Top 100 Executives of 2016”, and is recognized as one of the “Top 25 Disruptors” in the global technology space, leading the charge beyond traditional IT challenges and revolutionizing the market. Long considered a tech evangelist, Douglas is a sought-after speaker as a thought-leader in areas such as Cyber Security, Cloud technologies and Business Continuity / Disaster Recovery.”

 

Matt Martin, CEO of echosims

I love adventure. I love a good challenge. And I prefer to make work fun, as much as possible. I am lucky enough to say I get to experience all three of these in my role at echosims. In several short years echosims has grown to become a respected digital marketing agency based out of Kitchener, ON, Canada. We have had the privilege of working with some fantastic businesses and organizations, building online marketing systems that help consistently generate more business and grow their brands.”

 

Tracey Johnston-Aldworth, Owner & CEO of Traces Screen Printing Ltd.

 

Richard Maass, President of Peerless Turfcare

We help our clients achieve a high quality lawn, landscape plantings, trees, farms and waterfronts and then via our programs, with hand in hand support, we keep our clients properties the best they can be.”

 

Allison Mitchell, Experiential Learning Outreach Coordinator at GKWCC

While working in HR and Recruitment, I developed a deep interest in helping people to better prepare for their careers. Using my recruitment and business experience, I have been providing information and guidance to youth for over 10 years to help them with resume writing, interview skills, networking, job search, career exploration, and essential skills that employers are looking for.”

 

Carrie Mulrooney, Owner/Director at GnarlyBooks.ca

 

Frank Newman, Chief HR Environmentalist at Newman HR Consulting

“As a Senior Level Human Resources Leader, I creatively pioneer and implement innovative, integrated human resource solutions. I am a trusted problem solver and change agent who skillfully leads project teams through complex, multi-year HR initiatives, often during challenging business cycles – mergers & acquisitions, downsizing, outsourcing or restructuring.”

 

Michael Snyders, President of Future Focus Inc.

I am committed to supporting successful businesses through strengthening leadership teams, defining owner-driven strategy, and fostering a culture of high performing and collaborative teams. I help create positive transformations in the lives of business owners, leaders, employees and candidates through a practical approach to leadership and strategy, and a deep understanding of owner-managed businesses.”

 

Tim Sothern, Partner of BDO Canada LLP

Strategic thinking, problem solving, the big picture approach. These are the skills that I bring to the team when working with my clients. I love working with business owners who aren’t afraid to try new things, who want to grow and take risks. If you have the entrepreneurial spirit, then I want to provide the support and ideas to ensure you can finance growth, structure your business to operate in the most effective manner, maximize take-home wealth, and, eventually, plan for an exit strategy. “

 

Stephanie Soulis, President & CEO of Little Mushroom Catering

“I manage three dozen kitchen & support staff daily. I am an Employer.

I work with local farmers and food producers. I am a Consumer.

I share with Service Clubs, Students, Teachers, and Business Owners. I am a Speaker.

I cook delicious meals and come up with new Hors d’oeuvres. I am an Artist.

I manage expectations & hold our clients hands. I am an Event Planner.

I sit on Boards, I contribute to the community and I donate my time. I am a Volunteer.

I talk to people and connect with them everywhere I go. I am a Networker.

I am a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter, a friend. I am a Woman.

I have built a business that is known in our Region to be exceptional. I am an Entrepreneur.”

 

Did you miss out on this chance to make connections?

See the full networking events calendar for Kitchener-Waterloo right here.