momstown.ca Breeds Innovation & Change at Courtyard Marriott Niagara Falls

Its no secret that twice a year, the whole momstown.ca team gathers for an 3 day, intensive and focused conference.  We make this a priority within our teams, communities, families and budgets to attend, participate and grow.  We are a brand.  We are a business. 

We are always fortunate to have sponsors that love having us taking over the facility for a couple of days, and foster our growth and innovation.  They love partnering with a business that can bring them value to their direct target market, and we love being able to help with exactly that.  It is what we do after-all.  This November, we were overjoyed to be staying at the Courtyard Marriott in Niagara Falls.  This hotel comes complete with a Keg Steakhouse right in the hotel that spoiled us with fantastic food!  We were able to even conference right in the hotel.  We all had ample Wi-Fi, fed to all of our hundreds of devices, and could connect flawlessly.  What I loved about this location, was that while we were away for focused growth and innovation, we could walk to the Falls and many other tourist spots, without worrying about driving or parking.  

The first thing many of us did on Friday, after having lunch, was head down to the Falls and experience Journey Behind the Falls with Tourism Niagara.  I have been to Niagara Falls many of times, and still had never done this attraction.  We had so much fun, in our yellow raincoats, getting completely drenched and loving it.  I think we were completely awe-struck at looking at the falls from behind the water - what a view! 

 
After some play time at the Falls, a hot shower and some gathering, we got ready for our Inaugural Awards Ceremony.  The majority of awards are peer-nominated and I was honoured to receive this award, the Overcoming Adversity Award for 2013.  Although I am humbled to receive this from peers, my hope is that I won't even have to be nominated for this in 2014!

As a team, we do take advantage of being together twice a year, in the same room (or hotel!).  It can be isolating and challenging being a single proprietor and entrepreneur and we love having the chance to connect in person 2 times a year.  There is always board games involved, babies and some relaxing activities too.  Our social time is almost as important as our focused business time.  We motivate and inspire some much in each other, that this conference gives new meaning to business development. 





Sunday night, as our finale night, we headed over to Chateau Des Charmes for wine-tasting and tours with the Bosc Family in Niagara-on-the-Lake.  Cherie-Lynn Buchanan was on hand too to capture brand new headshot photos for us, preparing for our new website launch!
We spent a intense weekend of talking innovation and change.  As momstown.ca heads into our 7th year of business, we will be launching a new website, and bringing a whole new level of value to our momstown program pass holders as well as to our clients and sponsors.



I am so honoured, and thrilled to be a part of this momstown movement and the fantastic team that it fosters.  We are all completely invested in our businesses, our visions and aspirations for the brand.  We are all-in and love what we bring to our communities.  If you feel our passion and would love to join our team, you can find more information here.

The Courtyard Marriott wants to make sure you get a chance to relax and enjoy their facilities as well, so they are giving away a Holiday Getaway to one lucky mom.  Expires Nov 30th!

Enter Here

Wonder where else we have been for a conference and what we have taken away?  Read about "Standing in our Truth", The Boardroom at Fern Resort, and what I mean by "Inspiration and Perspiration".

momstown.ca Stands In their Truth at Fern Resort for Spring Conference

It's no secret to my peers, members and momstown community that I love the bi-annual momstown conference and the professional development I gain from it.  I also love the camaraderie and close connection it gives us momstown owners (and head office) as well.  We are after all, all about connecting and supporting moms, so its important for us to connect and be supported within the momstown family too.  I could go on and on at length about how much I love this group of women, how committed they are, what they sacrifice and what they stand for, but you probably have a good sense of that.  What I want you to know is how fortunate we are as an organization to be sponsored by amazing brands, family resorts like Fern Resort and to have each other.  Why?  Because they believe in us, as much as we believe in ourselves.  They see our impact and reach.  They know our value.  And they simply just want to be a part of it.

 

momstown.ca loves Fern Resort.  They are a great partnership for our business - they are an ALL-INCLUSIVE Family Resort that also accommodates business conference and meetings seamlessly.  After 2 conferences at Fern, I can tell you that they know how to keep a team fed (very well), focused and comfortable.  I am not kidding when I said family resort, the archery and recreation coordinator is the exact same friendly guy that keeps our beverages and sweets stocked in our conference room.  Awesome right?  And awesome doesn't end there for Fern.  I am amazed at the amount of activities and recreation available and organized for the kids and families that come to visit.  Just amazing.  There is SO MUCH TO DO!  When I think of Fern, I think of the cottage on the lake, where I don't have to lift a finger.  Simple, family fun. 

Highlights of this particular conference include an eye-opening and soul-searching coaching session with Jen Bodenham from Dreaming and Gleaming.  Who knew Feelings and Business go together?  And how important it is to Stand In Your Truth (my key take away from the weekend and my new mantra).   Another favourite highlight for me is the Mattel Games Night, where I usually have way too much fun with Apples to Apples (momstown style!).  These game nights always give us memorable moments that keep us giggling until we can see each other again.  Plus, while we are focusing, playing, learning and sharing, we keep stocked with little snacks too from Quaker Canada and Twistos!  We couldn't get enough of the Baked Snack Bites and the Quaker Harvest Crunch Treats..

Can you tell we were happy, relaxed yet focused while still enjoying the resort and each other?

If all this momstown love and growth wasn't fun enough, we got to take home a swag bag of goodies too! It was overflowing with gifts like: Brushes & Fab Hair Accessories from Goody Canada, Personalized Labels from Mabel's Labels, Pasta from Barilla,  Cereal from Post Foods (Alphabits!), Notepads and conference supplies from Walmart Canada and some yummy vitamins from Adult Essentials. 

I love every momstown conference and come back with even more passion that when I went (if that's possible), but this one holds a special place for me.  I vowed to find my true self again personally and I feel safe saying that out loud in my special momstown community.  I love this team, this group of women and all the wonderful things we learn and achieve together.   Stand In Your Truth.

Read more about our conferences here in the Inspiration & Perspiration and momstown Heads to the Boardroom at Fern Resort posts.



momstown.ca Heads to the Boardroom at Fern Resort - Its Conference Time!

This weekend momstown.ca mamas (owners/licensees) are off to Fern Resort in Orillia for our bi- yearly momstown conference which prompted me to write this:


We come together as one. Twice a year. Some old, some young. Some new, some veterans. Regardless of our background, we unite. Some come from far, some close, some west. ...we are momstown.

We have struggles and challenges, hopes and dreams. And we bring them all to this table. The "boardroom" table where we talk about where we have come from and where we will go. Where we put ourselves in a corporate mindset, not the local playgroup or playground.

We are so many things to so many moms and we set goals to make sure we can fulfill all of them. We set targets also so that we can fulfill all the things we want for ourselves, too.


Unlike most other businesses, we have so many facets. We have an online presence, an offline presence, a social media presence, a blogging presence, a partnership presence with other businesses and then of course, a community presence. None of this can be achieved without an immense amount of organization, planning and support. Support that comes from our head office, our communities and each other. We don't stand alone and we don't succeed alone. We progress together and we grow together. We are a team, a family, a force. We go forward, despite all challenges, because we have Pride, Purpose and Passion. We are all fortunate because we get to do something that we love. And we do this awesome momstown stuff, solely because we love it. It's our heart and soul. It's why we get up everyday. We mother our business the way we mother our children.

So, this weekend, just like we do every May and November, we will head off to sit at the table together, shares goals and aspirations together, cry together (yes we do that) and leave ambitious, inspired, tired and with a feeling of camaraderie like none other.

Thank you momstown.ca and Fern Resort.