Why do we have so many smart people, so many diploma holders, so many Bachelors Degrees, Masters, and PhD’s with no job or doing token jobs?
The answer to this question will see your finger point forward to blame someone else. Today, I will suggest you keep that finger pointing at the person, persons, or organization you think are responsible, as well as, add another finger pointing backwards at yourself.
Yes certainly we should take some of the blame because there are things we can do ourselves to improve our lives and move forward in anything we want to do. It’s your individual responsibility to convert our education into a talent or a skill to solve a particular problem, such that someone will hire you. Well, you can also be offer a hand to help lift you up, if and only if you will take the hand.
As someone who has been lucky to interview thousands of people through my work with Diversity Magazine, read hundreds of bios for AC and Diversity Awards, the problem I see all the time is that some people who do so many wonderful things are horrible at selling themselves. A few people in different industries have figured it out and have done well for themselves. Those who are doing well certainly know somethings that the majority does not know. If you are doing well while the people around are not, you need a meeting with yourself to figure out how to share your wisdom and awaken the people around you – “A New Awakening”.
Changing mindsets and the way of thinking – a new-awakening, is always a good place to start to help you to re-brand yourselves. At AC Awards 2019, scheduled for November 22, 6 PM – 11 PM at 11113 113 Street in Edmonton, we have crafted an hour long discussion on re-branding yourself with four people who gets it.
The only black Dean of a Business School in North America, Dr. Wanda Costen, the youngest CEO of a Canada’s 500 fastest growing companies with yearly revenues of over $3 million Dollars, Fahad Khan, someone who played a role to re-brand cannabis from a drug that gets you jail time, to a Billion Dollar industry that it is today. This session will be facilitated by one of Edmonton’s brightest branding expert, Najib Jutt.
Meet the Host – Najib Jutt
Consultancy should be disrupted, and often. Gone are the days of looking at the client’s watch and telling them what time it is; recommendations must be evidence-based, rooted in data. Our industry should be the benchmark, held to a higher standard than any other – let’s innovate, implement and move forward.
As a Management and Marketing Consultant, I assist my clients with innovation and growth strategies while also helping them to build healthy, productive work environments. My brand management background includes working on some of the largest consumer brands in the world. I connect investors with opportunities and help my clients to acquire or divest themselves of properties or businesses. Whether it is advising on re-branding, or facilitating an executive retreat, my approach is to take care of the people first, if you do that, the rest becomes achievable.
Over the past 15 years, I’ve also worked as a Political Advisor and Strategist on many campaigns locally and abroad. I believe in running disciplined and well organized campaigns, and working with candidates that share the values of their supporters, and those who are dedicated to serving the communities in which they live.
I believe in giving back and serving my community. I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of many community initiatives as a co-founder or a frontline volunteer.
I’m always up for a chat, I enjoy meeting people and I am constantly working to grow my network and connect with people.
Meet the Panelists
Wanda Costen, PhD, MBA, Dean, School of Business, MacEwan University, Edmonton
Dr. Wanda Costen brings a depth of experience and expertise to her role as Dean, School of Business.
Her teaching expertise extends to areas including strategy, human resources, organizational behaviour, law and diversity. Her research interests encompass racial and gender inequality in organizations, women and leadership, strategic human resources, managing diversity, and ethnic minority student experiences.
Dr. Costen earned her PhD from Washington State University and an Executive MBA from Pepperdine University. She completed her undergraduate degree at the United States Military Academy at West Point. During the 2013/14 academic year she served as a Fulbright Scholar with the University of the West Indies – Mona, in Kingston, Jamaica.
Fahad Khan
A beautiful office with an internal landscape architecture, overlooking the North Saskatchewan River, in the beautiful Edmonton River Valley is the new office location for Canada Prime Marketing led by Fahad Khan.
Fahad Khan, one of the youngest CEO in Edmonton led the launch of their new river valley office location for Canada Prime Marketing on October 15, 2019. After founding the business at the age of 23, he led the business into the list of Profit 500 and Growth 500, 2017 and 2018 fastest growing business in Canada. As the CEO and Founder of Canada Prime Marketing, Fahad is also a Certified Business and Life Coach, as well as Tony Robbins Platinum Partner.
Fahad and his team partners with Fortune 500 companies such as Telus, SodaStream, Zomaron merchant services and Elavon to provide them their marketing skills, serving them for over a decade to achieve greater success.
Fahad is dedicated to his growth and the people he serves and also an International Certified Coach by “Brian Tracy International”. Some of Fahad’s other mentors include John Maxwell, Jay Shetty, Gary Vaynerchuk, Tom Hopkins, Daymond John, Grant Cardone and many more.
Fahad has been honoured as Brand Ambassador for NAIT 2018 and continues to mentor and coach the students at NAIT. He was a Panelist and keynote speaker at LIFT Pakistan (Largest entrepreneurship conference in Pakistan with over 20,000 students attending) and a speaker at many universities. With his initiative “Today’s Youth, Tomorrow’s Leader” his goal is to inspire millions of youth in emerging countries.
Fahad strives to help people stop buying into the limiting beliefs that are placed on them, “stories do protect us from pain, but the same repeating stories may kill our hunger and drive to achieve ultimate success”. “New belief systems can propel you to new heights and challenge your social conditioning,” Fahad Khan.
Nathan Mison
Nathan Mison is the Vice President of Government and Stakeholder Relations at Fire & Flower. Prior to joining Fire & Flower, Mr. Mison was the Principal of Mison & Associates, a national consulting firm that focuses on government relations, stakeholder consultation and executive counsel. Nathan is the co-chair of the National Cannabis Working Group for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the Chair of the Alberta Cannabis Council. founding member of NorthCanvas, an ancillary cannabis incubator, a member of the Alberta Cannabis Stakeholder Group and a founding member of the Alberta Cannabis Retailers Association. Nathan volunteers his time as the President of the Valley Zoo Development Society and is the co-founder of Politics on Tap. He is married to Stacey for 16 years and has 3 incredible children.
