I’ve discovered that for many successful business owners, our grandmothers might have (okay, they definitely did) started our businesses in their wombs. They birthed them into grown women, men and non-binary CEOs and Chairpeople who are changing the world one entrepreneurial venture at a time.
On Sept 14, 2023, I had the absolute honour of attending the Black Cultural Centre and Halifax Chamber of Commerce luncheon celebrating 40 years of Black excellence in Mi’kma'ki-Nova Scotia. It was a joy to have keynote speaker and CBC Dragon’s Den star Wes Hall bring his energy to Halifax. Wes is the Chairman of Kingsdale Advisors, one of the premier shareholder advisory groups in Canada, and an investor in my previous work-family (and still in my heart) BIPOC Executive Search through WeShall Investments.
The event took place during hurricane seasons in the first-floor ballroom of the stunning Westin Nova Scotia, a member of the Marriott Bonvoy hospitality family. I shook off the rain in the lobby and received wonderful directions from the Westin staff who were prepped and ready to receive some of the most influential people in the Halifax business and political scene all in one place. I made my way up the art-deco style marble staircase (they also have an accessible elevator) up to the ballroom with chandeliers that give major abundance vibes.
The opening speakers’ lineup featured all the heavy hitters from the African Nova Scotian business and change makers community in Halifax including Anne Divine, Russell Grosse, and Alfred Burgesson. Ann Divine, Founder of Ashanti Leadership Inc., started by honouring her granddaughters, and called us in to celebrate the appointment of Twila Grosse, “the first woman of colour to serve in the Nova Scotia provincial cabinet” since its foundation 175 years ago. I share this particular section of the opening remarks as Twila’s story reminded me of my own impetus to run for politics, specifically the Vancouver City Council in 2018. The first person of South Asian ancestry to be called to municipal council on the West Coast was Dr. Setty Pendakaur, elected in 1972, and a major proponent of the now-famous Sea Wall in Vancouver. Circling back to Ann and Twila, I’m reminded of the cyclical nature of this work and the continued movements that people are making with the support of our communities. Cheering you on Twila!
After the opening remarks, we all took a break to feast together. The lunch, prepared by the staff at the Westin Nova Scotia, was an absolutely delicious chicken with lemon cream sauce, roasted potatoes, and green beans with chopped nuts. Dessert was a rich, gorgeous chocolate mousse topped with berries that put a huge smile on the face of my ovaries (y’all know me and my love of all things chocolate).
Following lunch, Wes Hall took the stage to share his story through mediums of photographs, voice, and a few diagrams that struck my ‘nerd’ cord in the best of ways. One thread of his presentation included a major shout-out to Ronald Sutherland, a Queen’s University alumnus and “the first university student and graduate of colour in Canada.” Wes noted that Sutherland left his entire estate of $12,000 to the academic institution and saved them from the brink of bankruptcy. As you all could probably guess, the highlight of the keynote for me was Wes’s grandmother Mama Hall who raised him along with his other siblings in a tin shack in Jamaica. He dropped the gem and title quote, “I work as hard as I do because this woman sacrificed everything.” I really resonated with the connection he spoke of between his desire to pursue entrepreneurship, provide for his grandmother, and pave the way for many more.
From a menstrual cycle standpoint, much of our genetic makeup as humans comes from our maternal lineages. Through the process of something called “DNA methylation” or adding a -CH3 group to the DNA double helix, our maternal ancestors can add to and have a say in what goes down when our genes are expressed. In this way, the words, “biji/grandmother told us we have to!!!” takes on a whole new meaning. To this day, whenever I doubt myself for continuing to build and grow I’m With Periods, I’m reminded of my biji/dadiji (my dad’s mom) and my naniji (my mom’s mom) and everything they and their menstrual cycles went through to get me to this point in life. Both of them grew up in Punjab during British rule, survived through Partition, the drawing of a colonial border between India/Pakistan, and the Indian Independence Movement. I’m so honoured that my mission on earth is to pass along the ancestral knowledge of the 4 Seasons of Menstrual Cycles. All of it has come from our grandmothers, and the ultimate matriarch, the Earth.
Circling back to the beginning of this blog post, the event reinforced the importance of continual self-development, self-awareness, and self-love required to strive for excellence as entrepreneurs and in our own wellness. We’re doing this for you grandma.
With love,
Taq
ਤਕਦੀਰ ਕੌਰ Dr. Taq Kaur Bhandal is the CEO of I’m With Periods. To learn from her, enroll in her online courses for women and partners (husbands, fiancés, boyfriends, etc.). She also has a guidebook called Self-Care Down There for all genders and sexualities with gender-neutral language. She is physically based in Halifax, Nova Scotia on Mi’kmaq Treaty Territories and spends an abundance of time on the west coast of Canada close to Vancouver, British Columbia with her family. Her ancestors and parents are from the Punjab region of India and Pakistan. She is passionate about long walks in the forest with her fiancé and dog, and reading rom-coms in the bath.