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Advancing Women Conference - Why Making Time Matters.

Jun 24, 2015

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Here’s why making time for this conference matters.

(And, it’s not just our opinion!)

By Advancing Women Conference

Advancing Women is the premier symposium where women in agriculture join a community of their peers to listen, learn, network and grow. Our next conference, on October 5 & 6 in Toronto will help women invest in themselves by learning about life and leadership skills.

http://www.advancingwomenconference.ca/

We recently caught up with Kathryn Doan who is the Director of Global Business Development & Technology for AgCareers.com and has been working in agricultural employment services for twelve years. Kathryn is responsible for the Business Development for the company including business planning, strategy and the technology.

Kathryn will be attending the Toronto Advancing Women Conference, and we wanted to find out why she’s making this conference a priority this fall.

We know the fall can be a busy time to attend a conference when many sectors are involved in harvest. Why do you think women in agriculture need to take the time to attend this conference?

This time of year is never easy. Like any business owner, planning and education needs to be key to developing viable businesses.

Why is it important for women in agriculture to come together with peers at an event like this?

Although the conference is aimed at women, it’s really relevant to all professionals in all kinds of organizations. I’d go as far as saying it’s also relevant to male managers seeking to recruit and retain employees within a workplace.

Online networking today can bring amazing results as you must see through AgCareers.com. What are the benefits of attending an event like this for face-to-face networking?

Face-to-face interactions break down the barriers of isolation that people may feel. Agriculture encompasses a broad geography and crosses many rural areas. Unfortunately, not all women in agriculture have a network of peers close by. That’s why taking time to be together in one space will be very exciting. I am equally excited about the networking that will happen outside of the program speakers.

You mention the importance of networking at a conference like Advancing Women. How can attendees get the most from their conference experience?

Like any conference, people need to set goals prior to attending an event. For example, some may want networking, while others will seek technical knowledge, and others may be looking for empowerment. All those things are available at a conference like this, if you are open to it.

Is this conference just for agri-business people? If someone runs a winery, egg farm or greenhouse, will they find topics of interest at the conference?

Yes! This conference is aimed at all people involved in the agriculture value chain. Farms are typically family-owned units, so farm business and general life are intermixed. Too often, people that work in the agri-business sector get opportunities of professional development, but it is equally important to have farmer owner/operators attend, too. Any size of farm business can use the expertise offered at the conference because all will have invested significantly in their business and can always improve the skills needed to market products, deliver services or manage people.

What are you hoping to get out of the conference?

This is a completely unique opportunity to bring together a diverse group of people where everyone is free to ask questions and be engaged. Although the agriculture sector is broad, we often stay inside our own sector. For example, I have a strong network in the turkey and dairy sectors but not the greenhouse or crop sector, yet we all live, work and operate in the same area. I’m looking forward to coming together to talk about what we all have in common: similar human resource issues, the pressures of urban influence, and more. This is a great place to do just that.