Cue: the GroYourBiz Fall Harvest – this is a chance for you to grab a beverage, kick-back, and test-run those jokes you’ve been saving up through quarantine.

Choose from four dates, ranging from September through November, and register here. 

Support for Black entrepreneurs. The federal government along with Canada’s big banks (including BMO!) have partnered to create the Black entrepreneurship Program – this will provide $221 million in credit and services to Black entrepreneurs to address systemic barriers to success.

Securing PPE. An agreement between the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario and 3M Canada has been made to expand a manufacturing facility for N95 respirators – it is expected to produce 50 million N95 respirators per year for a total of five years.

Vaccine doses on the way. Canada has added another two leading vaccine candidates to its list of agreements – the PM announced that agreements have been reached with Johnson & Johnson and Novavax to supply millions of doses of experimental Covid-19 vaccines. This is in addition to those already reached with Pfizer and Moderna.

Safe Return to Class. Canada will provide up to $2 billion in support to provinces and territories in order to ensure the safety of students and staff members as they return to school. Adapted learning spaces, improved air ventilation, and increased hand sanitation & hygiene are all measures that the fund will help schools to implement. The PM also announced an additional $112 million to support First Nations in a safe return to school on reserves.

Guaranteed basic income. Liberal MPs have identified a guaranteed basic income for all Canadians as their top policy priority, which guarantees that it will go directly to the November 12-15 convention for debate and vote.

As schools across the country carry out their plans to reopen, novel considerations are arising for parents and teachers alike.

Learning pods. Concerns over inequality rise as some families embrace private learning pods this fall.

Lunch bag 2020. Curious what your child needs in their school bag this year? Learn how to pack for your child though through the pandemic.

A little comic relief. What happens when a teacher’s screen freezes in a 2^nd grade online class - Click to read through this amusing saga.

A.B. – Since Alberta schools opened at the beginning of September, there have been 24 cases of Covid-19 reported at 21 schools across Alberta.

B.C. – September 10^th marked the first day back to school for kids across BC. Masks in common areas, revised school hours and different entry and exit points are all components of the new transition. Dr. Bonnie Henry said she did not ‘foresee a situation’ where the schools would shut down again.

O.N. – Amid tense talks between Premier Doug Ford and the province’s teacher’s union, teachers are posting some chilling photos of what their classrooms will look like as they reopen. Nonetheless, most Ontario high schools are set to open on September 17^th, with a few schools opening two days earlier.

Q.C. – After an early September reopening, Québec reported 118 cases of COVID-19 at 70 of its schools as of and including September 3d. They have since suspended their daily updates, stating that its system is ‘undergoing adjustments’.

PEI – Educators on Prince Edward Island have declared an ‘awesome start’ to returning to in-class learning, which began on September 8^th. All 56 individual school plans can be accessed here.

NU – In some communities in Nunavut, students have been back at school since the beginning of August. So far, back-to-school has been a success in the only region in Canada with 0 Covid-19 cases. 

The first memorial. Plans for the 1^st monument to remember the victims of Covid-19 are underway in Uruguay, where the World Memorial to the Pandemic is designed to push visitors to “confront their relationship with the deadly potential of nature”

Masks throughout history. The Royal Ontario Museum is taking a different approach to memorializing the pandemic – through a collection of masks.

Rise of the dark store. More and more, retailers are converting their physical store locations into mini warehouses used solely to provide pick up or delivery services for online orders. Whole Foods, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Walmart are all making the shift– read on to see how robotics fits into this new trend.

Tech makeovers for drive-throughs. With drive-through usage climbing steadily through 2020, companies like Starbucks, Chipotle, Shake Shack and Taco Bell are fast-tracking upgrades with AI solutions.

Holiday shopping takes a turn. Retail shopping through the 2020 holidays will be a little different than previous years - expect optimized floor plans, personal shopping assistants, more focus on gifts for the homebody, and a surge in returns. 

Rising numbers of WBOs. According to Allbright’s new study, 1 in 4 women are setting up their own business as they emerge from the pandemic, while 61% are planning a total career pivot. Major growth sectors include health & fitness, publishing, finance and beauty.

Mental health in Canada. According to Morneau Shepell’s Mental Health Index report, Canada has had a consistent negative mental health score for the 5^th consecutive month (vs pre-pandemic levels), with August scores declining from July levels.

In a recent study reported by Liverpool and Reading listing 194 countries, researchers found that “COVID-outcomes are systematically and significantly better in countries led by women”. This latest study on how women leaders have handled the pandemic shows how brilliant women leaders around the world have managed COVID better than any male leaders. No male leaders have been able to do what women leaders have done for the crisis and the deaths are low. There has been a huge difference in the way women deal with the crisis. And it is not just Merkl in Germany and Jacinda Arden in New Zealand, but also many other women led countries such as Bangladesh, Denmark, Caribbean Islands, Taiwan, Iceland, Norway and a State in India, led by the amazing Health Minister, K.K. Shailaja, referred to as a rock star and the Coronvirus Slayer!  Earlier this summer, the UN honoured Kerala’s Health Minister K. K Shailaja for her strategies on curbing the spread of the virus. Praised for maintaining low mortality rates due to early intervention, Shailaja was instrumental in flattening Kerala’s curve. Watch the video.

Measuring for both death and case tolls, whether leaders took action to lock down, along with clarity of communication, the study found women-led countries were “measurably better off”. Why are Canadian leaders and other countries not following their lead? Let’s see if we can channel some of that proactive, compassionate energy in our day-to-day. 

Patience is a virtue. By embracing patience in your leadership, you can actually spur more creativity and collaboration among your direct reports. How to get there? Start with gratitude – it will help you create a sense of calm as you gear up for new challenges.

The contempt attack. When exasperation, frustration and an urge to roll your eyes take the wheel, you could be in the midst of what HBR calls a ‘contempt attack’. When you feel one on the rise, ask yourself, who do I want to be right now?

Hocus pocus, I need focus. Directing your full attention to the next task at hand can be difficult when your focus is pulled in so many different directions. But by grouping modes of attention into a triad of awareness – focusing on yourself, on others and on the wider world – you can learn to master your attention and direct it at your will.

Hone your decision making. Overcome barriers and maximize value - sounds easy, right? Just leave it to the methods of Daniel Kahneman, a notable psychologist and economist renowned for his work on judgment and decision-making. Step 1: learn to distinguish between intuitive and deliberate thinking.

Top WBOs are sharing their success secrets – what helped them to run the fastest growing companies in the U.S.? Establishing a simple morning routine, investing in customer research, and asking for more in negotiations, to name a few.

9 founders share their most pressing leadership advice: practice forgiveness, detach from the future outcome, initiate conversations about roles and responsibilities when it comes to race, be real and let people come to the table.

Becoming a more patient leader. Leading effectively — especially during a crisis — takes patience. How to lead patiently (gratitude, redefining speed.

Join the challenge – Cooperathon 2020. The largest Open Innovation challenge in Canada, Cooperathon 2020 seeks to connect citizens, communities, entrepreneurs, researchers, academics & large institutions to develop innovative projects with a strong impact. All you need to start: an idea. You can register here. GroYourBiz is proud to be a partner for this Challenge.

Technology & Empowerment. This live stream discussion, in conversation with Vital Voices and the Rockefeller Foundation, engages with the concept of technology as a means of achieving greater gender equity, both through the pandemic and after. Hosted on September 16^th at 11:00 am EDT, it will feature a live panel that will answer pre-submitted questions. You can submit yours here.

Feeling overwhelmed? In this 57-minute video in conversation with NYT best-selling author Daniel Pink, you’ll learn how to channel a frantic mindset into actionable steps that will leave you feeling more grounded and connected. One tip: start with the small wins.

Direct-to-Consumer Success. Distribution tips from a Shark Tank success story? Sign me up! In this free webinar, Billy Thompson, President of Thompson Tee, will discuss effective strategies for the direct-to-consumer model. Tune in on September 24^th at 9:00 am PDT.

Brand building through a pandemic. Approach every decision with intention. Create consistency in the customer experience. Take steps to feel your best self. These are just some of the nuggets of wisdom shared by Drybar founder Alli Webb as she sheds insight from her story.

This week, the spotlight is on the incredible Debbie VanGrieken, whose company Moyaa Shea Products is the answer to everyone’s dry, hand-sanitized hands.

Moyaa Shea Products is an importer of Organic Shea Butter from the Pader region of Northern Uganda. Through a partnership with a local entrepreneur named Margaret, this social enterprise works to connect the producers who harvest Shea fruit in Uganda with a market of Canadian buyers. Through this Fair-Trade model, Debbie and Margaret have created a sustainable supply chain of natural and soothing wellness products, empowering local communities along the way.

From each of the five UN nations, these impactful business leaders work to support and inspire communities throughout the globe. Today, we are beyond thrilled to announce them as awardees.

From the entire GroYourBiz community – a HUGE Congratulations! Not only do we applaud your stunning achievements, but we wish you the best of luck on your upcoming pitch competition! Hosted by philanthropist & activist Dianne Von Furstenberg, the competition will feature awardees as they present their businesses for the opportunity to receive a $20K grant.

Share in this thought process with our fleet of experienced facilitators – by participating in our 1HR free trial virtual advisory board, you’ll experience how like-minded women leaders can help you not only grow your business, but speak to your business challenges with valuable insights.

Here’s what’s coming up. You can register here.