just sayin’ I am writing this as Ontario, my home province, lifts the proof of COVID-19 vaccination requirement and abolishes capacity limits. It’s a day I—and the business events industry—have been dreaming about for two years. But it’s the reality, not the dream, that we must focus on now. We’ve come out of this wiser and braver, but also cautious and a little traumatized (if I ever hear the terms self-isolation or contact tracing again, it will be too soon). So where do we go from here? There are many answers to that question, as I’ve learned by reading the posts submitted in the #ReintroducingMe LinkedIn Challenge (see page 38). An overriding theme is the need to share knowledge and collaborate. In fact, the challenge itself was a study in collaboration. Back in January, Tami Adams, founder of TA Speakers Management, posted this on LinkedIn: “I want to kick-start the year strong and re-introduce myself to some of you who already know me and to the others who I haven’t had the pleasure to connect with yet and get to know better. Hi, I’m Tami. I am 35 years old, bubbly, energetic, passionate, and love making my impact on the world in the best way I know how; using my voice to help others raise theirs…” Samantha Mele, founder of The Creative Connoisseur, was so inspired, she contacted Tami and told her they needed to find a way to expand on the idea. Tami then reached out to me. Group Effort I brainstormed with the Ignite team and after a Zoom meeting with Tami and Samantha, the #ReintroducingMeChallenge on LinkedIn was born. During the month of February, there were hundreds of submissions and an avalanche of encouraging, thoughtful comments on those posts. While the posts themselves are inspiring, so too was the process itself: so many people had a hand in the program’s success and it was all about propping each other up and celebrating where we’ve been and where we are going. In this era of uncertainty, I know this to be true: This industry is full of industrious, enthusiastic souls who are determined to recover—together. Debbie van der Beek Publisher [email protected] Me and the Ignite team—excited for the industry’s recovery. Spring 2022 | Ignitemag.ca | 3
