Kritika Bharadwaj’s Post

#MondayMemories The past week was nothing short of amazing and it is difficult to capture in enough words. Last Monday, I had the pleasure of joining some of my peers from American Marketing Association (AMA), Toronto. Camp re: Connect was a unique format for a marketing retreat that combined learning sessions, team-building activities, and outdoor time like kayaking, salsa dancing, archery, and more. Away from the schedule and format of regular corporate conferences, marketing professionals found themselves collaborating, networking, and discussing marketing trends, tools, and strategies in the midst of nature. This unique experience (and no better way to start my birthday week) presented a healthy balance of learning and outdoor time and it certainly helped me share ideas and retain information better. A big thanks to Nicole Hrinco for allowing me to be a part of this wonderful experience. Thanks also to the camp leaders and counselors. Most importantly, I am very grateful to Jocelyn Butler and the Orchestra Marketing team for hosting all of us and for their efforts to organize this. AMA Peers: It was great meeting all of you. I am excited at the prospect of bringing in new ideas and working with you as a member of the public relations team. Lulia Luong Brent Kobayashi Hammad Motiwala Sree Yarlagadda Anna Kylymchuk

This morning, I took my oath as a Canadian citizen - six years of hard work, paperwork, income, savings, and persistence. More than four years ago, I came to Toronto. Little did I know what life had in store for me. Three weeks of being a newcomer to the country, we all faced one of the worst global pandemics. In this journey, there have been many such hardships and challenges (too many to count) but a lot of learnings as well. While it might take more than a single LinkedIn post to cover all of them, I want to take a moment to celebrate every person who has been a part of this journey with me. Moving to a new country alone is never easy, but the people you meet make it worthwhile. Whether it was someone I knew previously or continue to know as a friend, colleague or mentor in Canada, each person has taught me something valuable, lent an ear or a hug, shared their stories with me, cooked for me, seen me laugh and cry, and stood by me through all of the ups and downs that came with this journey. 4.5 years ago, I decided to pack my future dreams in two bags and my head. The journey to achieve all these dreams and goals in ‘The True North’ is far from over. It merely continues in a new phase. Let the next chapter begin. #Canadiancitizen #Canadiandream #Newchapter

Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to hear Jennifer T. Lee Vice-Chair – Deloitte Canada speak at the Rotman Career Insights event. Despite the early morning, there was energy and enthusiasm in the room as Jennifer walked us through her career trajectory and professional guidance including her impressive and diverse work experience. Here are my takeaways from the session: 💡 Global experience on your resume is a positive sign: It encourages you to be sensitive to cultural norms and towards people of diverse backgrounds – to eventually nurture an inclusive environment. 💡 Not everything should be seen as a win vs a loss. A win might come with its own challenges and loss can be full of learning opportunities and offer us a chance to keep going. 💡 Everyone is watching each other: Someone is likely to notice your value and skills and believe in you when you don’t. 💡 Be curious: Approach conversations with thoughtful questions. This will help you build stronger relationships and rapport with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels. 💡 What are you bringing to the table that is unique? If a colleague or friend is able to direct you to the CEO or senior leader of the company for a meeting, what will you say about yourself? Are you able to communicate your unique value and skill set? Knowing your five key values can help you to develop a strong personal brand. 💡 Break down your career path in phases: Looking at your career in phases can help you achieve your goals more efficiently. Phases 1 and 2 are about learning and showing what you learn. Phase 2, in particular, is about completing a task faster than before now that you have honed the experience. Last but most importantly, Phase 3 is about focusing on your leadership skills and helping others develop in their career journeys. Thank you to Susan Christoffersen, Dean of Rotman School of Management for moderating an insightful panel talk. Thank you also to Dan Richards, Instructor - Faculty of Marketing at Rotman, the University of Toronto - Rotman School of Management Alumni team, and Deloitte Canada for making this engaging session possible. #learning #careergrowth #professionaljourney #development

Who runs the world? Girls!

This is why inclusivity is so important: in products, services, and conversations. The positive impact prosthetics that match skin colour can have globally including opening up more conversations around inclusivity in design thinking is immense #inclusivity

Yesterday was and will be one of the most memorable Thursdays for me. It was a retirement party for my seventh-grade humanities teacher or as a lot of us lovingly know him, “Mr. Mike.” It was not a surprise to see so many of Mike’s friends and colleagues as well as previous students and his family come together to celebrate his extensive and rewarding career. In my opinion, good teachers are rare. It has been 23 years from the time I first sat in Mike’s humanities class in Thailand. Over the years, he has continued to be a good friend and mentor – something that isn’t always heard of when you graduate middle school. People tend to lose touch and move on. Not Mike. He encourages patience, empathy, and what being a good and sincere person is all about. While I may not remember everything we were taught in humanities class, his dedication and respect for his profession and the people he knows are what I hope to continue bringing into my career and personal life. Mike's values were evident through the number of people who were there to celebrate him and his accomplishments. And it is the same set of values he holds as an educator and a good human that continue to make him truly extraordinary. Mike was, is, and will continue to be a great teacher. It is his passion for lifelong learning and most importantly, his dedication to patience, understanding, and respect for his students that make him a memorable and rare educator. Thanks, Mike, and cheers for this next phase of your life! #teaching #learning #mentor #compassion