One year ago a team of passionate entrepreneurs came together with a common mission of creating a space for women to connect, create and build big ideas – Making Sh*t Happen was born.

We had a BIG VISION about the way we would disrupt the entrepreneurial landscape, the experience we wanted people to have and the impact we planned on making in the world. This was no small feat we put out ahead of us…

Weeks of brainstorming, plotting and pulling together all of our ideas – we decided the best thing to do was get our initial ideas together and GO LIVE. We had the opportunity to launch at an entrepreneur conference and we gladly took the challenge to push ourselves and get our big vision out there.

Overwhelming, scary and completely invigorating – this was an incredible experience. Quickly building a new idea, collaborating with a team of passionate entrepreneurs and making the decision to get out there…now what?

By jumping all in with a lean product and clarity on the vision we had the opportunity to share all of our ideas with our actual customers, learning more about what they REALLY want and what ideas resonated with them – this was perfect! Hearing first hand what people wanted allowed us to build our initial platform, events and programs to cater to just that.

The next year was spent testing, tweaking, building and sharing all of our new ideas as we went along – getting focused with more clarity on what was really needed in the market. What invaluable learning – not something we learned from google or a business book or seminar – we just listened to our actual customers.

Too many times entrepreneurs find themselves working on a dream, building an amazing business and waiting until its just perfect to share it with the world. The world is moving too fast and opportunities are missed this way. I’ve read two amazing books that have inspired me to get clarity, get focused and get it out there – you definitely want to check these out.

POKE THE BOX – Seth Godin – http://thedominoproject.com/_/PoketheBox_Workbook.pdf

LEAN STARTUP – Eric Reis – http://theleanstartup.com

Start that project, build on your ideas, get out in the market and start sharing. Once you start you will learn, pivot and keep moving forward. Jump in today & let us know how its going.

Have a wonderful day, Be amazing!

Love, Sheena

I had a ‘ah-ha’ moment last week, one i feel should be shared….

Its funny how many times we decide to try to something new – habit, idea, routine – and if we don’t see results immediately we complain that it didn’t work or just move forward onto the next thing.

I see you all shaking your head yes and i too am to blame for this, even though i know very well that creating new habits and getting something to work takes time, patience and repetition.

Over the last couple of weeks i’ve noticed i’m waking up earlier, feeling rested and excited for the day!! This isn’t normally the case, even though i wake around 630a-7a It usually takes a bit to adjust. When i realized what was happening i thought ‘wow funny how all of a sudden i’m getting up earlier’ as though it was some kind of miracle.

Well….didn’t i fail to remember that as a new years resolution this year i vowed to join the 5am club – reading books on it, blog posts and setting the alarm at some ridiculous hours – all in hopes of joining the infamous 5am club.

So it seems after repetition, commitment and an adjustment to my regular schedule i was actually able to wake up at 5am – i guess when you want something bad enough you are prepared to go through the un-conditioning and the re-conditioning to get you there.

Here are some great tips to help you implement new habits and routines in your life, remember to give yourself a break – it takes a little perseverance and if you want it bad enough you’ll see it through to the result.

http://www.robinsharma.com/blog/09/become-the-most-productive-person-you-know/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/26/new-habit-change-behavior_n_3797351.html

http://www.fastcompany.com/3022298/how-to-be-a-success-at-everything/what-earworms-can-teach-us-about-creating-new-habits

Have a wonderful evening! Unleash your amazing,

Love Sheena

Hey Hey! Hope all is well with you all!

Inspiration for this week’s post come from a recent article I read on womenofinfluence.ca (link to the original article is pasted below).  The article shares 3 opinions on Feminism and what it means to 3 different women. It got me thinking about the fact that it is funny to me that one word can evoke so much emotion and positions…even still today in 2013, even after all of the equality that the movement garnered so many years ago. I don’t mind the word at all, it’s not a word that roles off my tongue or what I would use to define myself. Not for any other reason than I’m pretty comfortable with the word ‘woman’. For me being a woman is about supporting each other and elevating each other to be our best possible selves. For me that is what Making Shit Happen is all about. We’re very fortunate in Canada to be able to do so. Not all women around the world have the same opportunities.  On a day when we remember those who fought for us on the battlefields, it is also worthy of remembering those who fought for us to have equal rights….talk about Trailblazers.

http://www.womenofinfluence.ca/the-f-words/

Wishing you all a great week!

Unleash YOUR amazing…

Love,

Audrey

http://www.makingshthappen.com

“My vision changes daily”

Happy Monday Trailblazers!

Hope you all had a great weekend! I’m excited to kick this week off by sharing another fabulous interview with an Amazing Woman Inspiring Action. I get so fuelled by these interviews because they all demonstrate how taking action makes a difference. Far too often people get stuck in analysis paralysis, trying to make the perfect plan or ensure all bases are covered before putting forward a thought or idea. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, the best things in life are perfectly imperfect. It is in imperfection that we learn and appreciate both what we have and what we lack. Hayley Mullins is an amazing example of an entrepreneur who saw an opportunity and ran with it. I love that she says her vision changes daily because it means she is open to figuring out as she goes what is right for her. By experimenting and pivoting, she will hone her idea and grow her business…watch this space…Hayley Mullins is gonna take it by storm! Hope you all get the chance to meet Hayley, she’s truly remarkable.

Hayley Mullins – SleepBelt

What does SleepBelt mean to you?
Honestly? it’s providing me the opportunity to raise my daughter and ENJOY my family.  Prior to having Marnie, I managed events for a Sports Marketing Agency; I was travelling all the time and missing out on way too much.  SleepBelt is allowing me to participate in my life, while simultaneously growing a product I’m passionate about.

What is your vision for SleepBelt?
My vision changes daily!  The original idea came when I dropped my baby (whoops!), and I really just wanted a solution that would give new moms their hands back while cuddling with their babies.  Since we launched, I’ve had an amazing response from Lactation Experts, Consultants & Authors, Midwives, Doulas, Baby Wearing Educators, and other healthcare professionals.  SleepBelt is currently being sampled in a major Toronto NICU and the feedback has been heartwarming!  It’s gone from “something to give new moms a break” to “something that easily facilitates healthy behaviour for parents and their babies”.  I just wanted to be able to use my iPhone!!!

What inspires you?
My little girl, Marnie.  Without her, SleepBelt wouldn’t exist. Thank you for letting me drop you, Marns.

What keeps you up at night?
See above.  Oh – and patents… Utility, design, PCT.

What do you know for sure?
HAHAH nothing.  Except that we’ve got a good product on our hands.  I guess that’s something?

Share a little Hayley with us:
I have an affinity for the trashy… food, magazines, television.  It’s bad. 

Thanks Hayley for sharing! Hope you all enjoyed learning a little more about Hayley and SleepBelt. Visit sleepbelt.ca for more information.

Wishing you all a fabulous week ahead!

Kind regards,

Audrey

http://www.makingshthappen.com

The secret of all victory 

lies in the organization

of the non-obvious.

–Marcus Aurelius 

Happy Monday Trailblazers!

Hope you all had a great weekend and are set to take this last week of October by storm. Can you believe 2013 is winding down? I sure can’t. With the end of year comes a scurry to meet sales targets and revenue goals. Even if you don’t operate on a calendar fiscal, you know the pressure I’m talking about. One thing my corporate career taught me was the value of being organized on a monthly and quarterly basis pays off big time when it comes to year end. More often than not things like expenses and analysis reports are put off until a deadline or business disruption calls for the insight. I believe this is because these things have typically been seen as administrative, make-work projects or just too laborious and time-taxing. The amazing thing is our digitally mediated lives offer us efficient solutions that can help make our businesses way more productive and effective. The problem typically becomes one of not knowing about the tools or how to use them more than  anything else.

The best thing any business owner can do in todays fast paced environment, is invest the time in understanding your business analytics and using the insights to anticipate out– be it budgets & cash flow or sales and marketing strategies. Sure one can argue there is too much information out there, we are cluttered with data and it’s overwhelming. While this is true, it’s always better to have a line of sight than turn a blind eye when it comes to all matters relating to your business.

Attached is a snapshot from last weeks event and inspiration for this post. I encourage you all to take a look at the four buckets as they apply to your business and pick one area that you can dedicate 2 hours to each week. For example if you don’t make it a weekly habit to look at your website analytics, start there. Or if you have been dreading meeting with your accountant, look into a productivity tool and dedicate time weekly to organizing your expenses. No doubt discomfort and fear will creep in if it’s an area you don’t excel at, but I know like a true Trailblazer you’ll face the challenge head on and after a little tenacity and perseverance, reap the rewards!

Have a great week everyone!

Unleash YOUR amazing!

Love

Audrey

http://www.makingshthappen.com

– Monique Anderson

Hey ho! Happy Monday!

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend and are ready to conquer another week! This week I’m very excited to share with you another Amazing Woman as part of our MSH Unleashing Amazing spotlight series, please meet Monique Anderson and her Accessories company imoniq.com.

Monique takes inspiration from women artisans from around the world, with complicated histories, rich in culture with remarkable stories and talents to share. Monique takes their ingenuity and incorporates her unique contemporary styling utilizing an intricate weaving and knotting technique called “Staircase Weaving.” This act of weaving and knotting symbolizes the bond and strength shared by women, everywhere.   This is the essence of I’MONIQ, it is about definitive and daring style – for bold individuals, not fashion followers.

As you check out Monique’s beautiful creations, perhaps think about a bold, beautiful woman in your life who would sparkle a little brighter with a piece from imoniq.com the next time you celebrate her amazingness.

Monique Anderson– imoniq.com

What does IMoniq mean to you? 
 I’Moniq is about putting the “heart” back into fashion. It’s about story telling, exposing the world to each other. Travel, love of life, the colours of life.

 What is your vision for IMoniq? 
To be the recognized brand for “Fashion with a purpose,” not craft but fashionable pieces that mean something, to make things that have no season, or trend to follow. To find that thing that bonds all women together no matter where we reside. One world vision.



What inspires you? 
People, stories of courage, colour, travel, textiles, artists, music, dance, photography,

Who inspires you?
Janelle Monoe, Oprah, my grandmother, Nina Simone, Dr. William Lightfoot, Demetri Patitsas founder Exela Ventures, Anna Wintour, Proenza Schouler, Melanie Fiona, Tracy Ellis Ross, my friends, most powerful successful women.



What keeps you up at night? 
 The fear that I will leave the world without leaving my mark, time moving quicker than I would like



What do you know for sure? 
 Everything happens for a reason, the law of attraction, there are no accidents, I have a purpose larger than myself


Share a little Monique with us: 
Toronto born, eldest of three, Ryerson grad from the fashion design program. I worked on production and product development of fashion for 7 years. Travelled to China, India where I was inspired to get back to craftsmanship and start I’MONIQ.  I yearn to be a trained kick boxer and master the art of salsa dancing one day.  Travel is at the heart, I get my energy and inspiration through a change of environment and when I haven’t hopped on a plane in a while I am a different person so I try and do it at least twice a year.

Thanks for unleashing your amazing with us Monique!

Hope you all enjoyed meeting Monique and imoniq.com!  Have a great week!

Unleash YOUR amazing.

Love,
Audrey & Sheena

ps- If you are interested in being part of our Unleashing Amazing Interview series and haven’t yet been interviewed, please email audrey@makingshthappen.com or sheena@makingshthappen.com

http://www.makingshthappen.com

JOIN US MONDAY OCT.21st!

Ladies we are so excited about entrepreneurship and all of you kick-ass women who are shaking things up that we wanted to share a special guest with you for Global Entrepreneurship Month. Are you ready?

Sophie Chesters ~ Marketing Manager for Google Canada will be joining us! Sophie is going to give us the inside scoop on ‘the power of google and using it to power your business’. Tips, tools & analytics – how to take advantage of google to catapult your business to the next level.

Sophie has extensive experience in digital marketing, enabling her to produce fantastic & innovative marketing ideas. Strategies & concepts we can learn from and learn to integrate into the development of our own strategies.

This will be an intimate ‘fireside’ chat with Sophie so be sure to bring your questions and ideas – get ready you’re going to learn exactly what you need to know to make BIG sh*t happen!!

We’ll be meeting at Alma Natural Spa – 2105 Yonge Street (http://www.almanaturalspa.com/). Please arrive promptly @7.30p as we will be starting @8p – mingling, cocktails and lots of laughs to follow.
Thank You Katie Isiminger Grennan & Alma Spa for hosting us.
Please RSVP to sheena@makingshthappen.com
Hope you can make it!

Keep unleashing your amazing!!

Have a fabulous week xo

Sheena

http://www.makingshthappen.com

A rejection is nothing more than a

necessary step in the pursuit of success.
– Bo Bennett

Happy Tuesday All– Hope you all had a fabulous long weekend!

I have a confession, I don’t get grey.  By this I mean, I’m a black or white kinda gal. I’ve never done well with grey– be it turtle neck or poker face, it just doesn’t look good on me.  I gave up tap dancing when I was 12 and I suck at lying. I need to deal with matters head on, direct is the only route and honesty is the only policy. Any time either of these are out of balance disaster usually results.

I’ve been doing a lot of cold calling lately and it’s really opened my eyes up to this whole topic. Rejection is never easy to deliver or receive, but regardless it’s always best straight up. Even then it can get lost in translation as one party hears what they want to hear and continues to try to win-back the other.

I’ve always been a dreamer who sees the possibility in every situation…some might argue that’s essentially embracing grey, but I disagree.  In order for dreams to unfold or innovation to occur, change and action is required, which means decisions need to be made and risks need to be taken.  More often than not that requires clear cut yes or no answers and because it’s rare that we operate in isolation, usually a degree of sensitivity and gracious delivery of tough love is required because feelings can be at stake.

As entrepreneurs we are often rejected more often than we care to admit, but we persevere because we believe in our purpose; which effectively makes each no purposeful, because it means we are closer to the yes. That being said, I hold a lot of respect for people who can tell it like it is and have the patience to deliver rejection graciously and patiently– in black or white terms. Acceptance on the other hand is a whole other post!

Here are two lists of phenomenal female who I am willing to bet have had their share of rejection and have had to deliver their fair share. I’d love to know how they feel about grey. We’ll chat more about these lists in coming posts, just thought you might like to see them if you haven’t already!

Canada’s Top Female Entrepreneurs for 2013

Fortune’s 50 Most Powerful Women in business

Instead of dwelling on the receiving end of things, focus on the action side of things, where can you be more straight up, black or white in your decisions this week?

Unleash YOUR amazing!

Have a great week!

Audrey

http://www.makingshthappen.com

No pessimist ever discovered the secret of

the stars, or sailed to an uncharted

land, or opened a new doorway

for the human spirit.
– Helen Keller

Happy Monday Friends!
This week we’d like to share with you our MSH rant…this is more than a list of adjectives, it’s inherent in all that we do as ambitious change agents, it’s what fuels the moments that make us shine, it’s the boot that kicks us in the ass when we feel sorry for ourselves, it’s a reminder of why we get up everyday….whatever it is to you…embrace it, unleash it, be it!

The Spirit of Amazing Women Inspiring Action:
We’re passionate
We’re fiercely independent
We’re powerful
We’re the face of integrity
We’re proud
We’re pioneers
We’re forward thinkers
We’re doers
We’re creative
We’re innovators
We’re tenacious
We’re fighters
We’re dreamers
We’re leaders
We’re decision makers
We’re creators
We’re daring
We’re giving back
We’re making a difference
We’re the heart of our community
We’re leaving legacies
We’re our own boss
We’re doing it our way
We’re believers
We’re about business
We’re living the dream
And I am an entrepreneur

We will not go quietly into the night…
We will not lie down we will unite…
We will not back down without a serious fight…
We’re not fighting for our independence…
We’re fighting for our rights to live the dream…
We are the backbone of this economy…
And all of our futures depend on us.
That’s why we are making shit happen

Unleash YOUR amazing!

Love,

Sheena xo

http://www.makingshthappen.com

what we truly are, far

more than our abilities.

-J. K. Rowling

Happy Monday Friends!

I am so excited to finally share this post with YOU!  I was fortunate to attend TEDxToronto las week and I’ve been on an inspiration high ever since. Just reeling since thursday with so much motivation and amazement at the incredible stories & people TED brings together.

To be honest, going into the event I was super nervous, wondering who would be there and how I would jump into conversations. I was also nervous about how I would communicate the million things I have going on – my life’s purpose/mission – there were several versions I had in my head that I wanted to share…which elevator pitch would it be?

I signed in, got my badge and swag bag strolled upstairs into a room of new faces….suddenly I realized I was home!! Everyone in the space – whether I heard from them directly throughout the day or felt their energy – was there to be part of something much greater than themselves, and I was too!! I started to feel that these conversations were more about life stories, purpose & passion and our conscious decisions to ‘CHOOSE’ to live, be and impact the world around us – WOW these conversations weren’t crafted, we were living each one uniquely as it happened.

Throughout the day, after each conversation I would jot down some thoughts that I wanted to remember – takeaways I had from this experience…

– choices are conscious & subconscious – we are directed by our life’s purpose/mission

– when we can’t seem to find the answers follow your gut/intuition and step forward

– everyone is afraid of the unknown – smile and accept one another that we are all on our own life path and its much more fun & exciting if we go together

– if you feel something must be done and know you have ideas and solutions that must be shared with the world – you must not worry about what others are doing and move forward

With every speaker though I chose to listen only and be present during their talk – let it all sink in and I knew the parts that were most important to me would stick with me. This process was an emotional experience for me – I wasn’t sure why, so I focused on listening and engaging – trying to keep my mind still. Each and every speaker touched me in a deep and special way…and it took me all weekend to figure out why that was.

Each speaker shared their personal life story and it was each of their own personal experiences that brought them to where they are today – creating the future of technology, fighting for the freedom of others, showing people that they matter. It was then and only then that I realized how important my life story was, it brought me here today and has empowered me to do the things I do daily and the things I dream of for tomorrow.

Too often we shy away from our own personal story to tell a more crafted, edited version – why? It is here where we are all unique, our ideas are one of a kind and we have no reason to do and be anything but our true amazing selves. When we craft our stories we all start to sound the same. I believe that the more we all become comfortable in sharing our authentic selves, we will inspire others to explore theirs – proving there is room in this world for everyone to build and live in greatness.

Whether it’s a TED talk , an exchange with a stranger in the street or a heart to heart with yourself, embrace the motivation you receive this week and share it widely…you’ll be glad you did– I sure am!

Love,

Sheena xo

http://www.makingshthappen.com