Angie McLeod

As women entrepreneurs - as humans really – we are constantly setting boundaries around what is and is not okay in our lives. For many of us – especially those of us who have chosen to be our own bosses – one of the boundaries we’ve set for ourselves is that we want to be in control of our future. We don’t want others to be able to cap our earnings, or shape our life, based on what they see as being important or relevant. We want to control how we live our lives, how we run o

We often talk about trusting others; however, how often do we examine whether or not we trust ourselves? In my work with women entrepreneurs, one of the most consistent realizations clients have is that in some areas of their life and business, they simply do not trust themselves. Imagine a woman entrepreneur who has grown her business successfully over the past five years from a kitchen table endeavour to one that serves a multitude of retailers. An expanded product line, ne

If you find yourself burnt out at the end of the day, you’re not alone! Almost a quarter of Canadians report high levels of stress on a regular basis.[1] Females generally report higher levels of stress, and those aged 20 to 54 report the highest levels. Sound familiar? The first week in May is Mental Health Week.[2] To honour this important event, we’ve decide to compile a list of ways we can help deal with a very common mental health issue: stress. A little bit of stress is

The beginning of March is a tricky time. We keep hearing that spring is just around the corner, but that can be hard to believe when we keep receiving snowfall warnings! If you feel that your energy level is below normal, you’re not alone. Thankfully, there are some simple ways to put more pep in our step, in a healthy way. Along with getting enough sleep and increasing our activity level (even a brisk walk can be immensely helpful!), nutrition is a great way to boost our ene

February has been all about leading with love: Family Day, Valentines Day, Random Acts of Kindness Day. But it isn’t all about hearts, love, and kindness… with February 22nd being World Thinking Day, it’s also about using our minds to get things done. As a woman, I carefully balance the many roles that I play: mother, wife, friend, daughter, business owner, volunteer, etc. I get tugged this way, and that way – often with in the space of 10 minutes. I am constantly strivin

Systems. BOOORING. They aren’t my thing! However, not having systems in place leads to CHAOS. Simple, easy to implement systems can help you get the job done while maximizing time and energy consumption; always important in business. As a planner, backing up my plans with systems ensures that the time spent planning is maximized. A good system streamlines the process and makes it simple, and easy to use; important considerations for busy people. Consider your business. Wher

“Your only limit is you.” I found this quote as I was scrolling through Pinterest, looking for inspiration for this article. Looking for something that I could link with the work that I do and that truly reflected a challenge that my clients face; something that would make my readers pause, consider, and reflect… This quote is like a well-placed punch. OUCH! Your only limit is you…. True. In the past two years, I’ve faced down some of my own fears, internal messages, and

I am listening to How Successful People Think by John C. Maxwell. It is an interesting listen, and I am finding that many of the concepts resonate with me and are reflected in how I operate my business. In particular Maxwell’s idea of “strategic thinking is the bridge that links where you are to where you want to be.” As a strategic thinker (and someone who uses pictures and images to focus on), Maxwell’s visual of the bridge works really well for me. I’ve spent the last thre

I don’t love networking. I know that those of you who know me are likely saying ‘yeah, right Angie!?!” And I get that as most people see me as outgoing and extroverted. However, I find networking in its’ traditional sense to be incongruent and uncomfortable. Too often I find myself in a networking situation where I’m chatting with someone, wanting to learn more about them and the conversation ends invariably ends up being a “sales” pitch from one or the other of us. And th

I have long been a proponent of the power of food in creating connections, opening up doors, and breaking down barriers. Food is a natural connector. Food is a shared basic need required to survive and thrive. Food is the natural common denominator that helps us bond with each other. For me, food is a necessary ingredient at all of my events. It helps to put individuals at ease and it provides an easy topic of conversation: who made this wonderful dish? can I have the reci