Through a year full of challenges, we at EnPoint wanted to highlight and focus on the positive things this month. Our Marketing and Operations Coordinator, Raf Peligro, sought out the positives and success from within the company by interviewing CEO Chantal Brine, and Client Success and Communications Manager, Julia Brine.
Raf sat down with Chantal and Julia, captain and co-captain of the small-but-mighty EnPoint team, to reflect on their lessons learned, successes in the company and their personal lives, and what they’re excited about in the coming year!
Raf: Describe this past year in three words.
Chantal: Resilience. Relationships. Hope.
Julia: Defining. Growth. Community.
Raf: What has kept you motivated this year, despite the difficulties we have faced?
Chantal: It would be the relationships built coupled with a foundation of just doing what’s right to help people. To help our clients help their students, their alumni, their people. I didn’t do so because it was going to be a sale, or because it’s our business, but because it was the right thing to do, just to be human. To be human through connection, being real with our clients, and supporting them in their efforts to help others.
None of us knew what we were doing or getting in for at the start of the year! I believe it’s important to be transparent and vulnerable and to show mutual respect in conversations. Our mantra became “We don’t know where it’s going to go, but we’re still committed to the same goal of helping people build meaningful careers.” It was and is important to not lose sight of that because the world around us is going into chaos.
In fact, we know that people need our clients more than ever. This is our foundation and a source of strength whenever the energy tank got low. I remember early on, our team sat down and talked about small but meaningful things we could do, whether that’s through content on social media or conversations with people who we may not have been able to work with in other circumstances. We were intentional with curating content through the lens of “let us help.” When we layered in the impact of the mass shooting in Nova Scotia in April and the social movements across North America this year, a lot of challenges and the need to do things differently were being brought to light. How else can we move through events and times like these, except through building meaningful relationships and conversation?
Julia: Fundamentally, it’s the fact that what we do [mentorship] is universal. Many things have changed this year — the way that we do business and work, the implications of AI, the push towards digitalization, and societal awareness. Globally, we’ve changed how people understand people.
Supporting others through mentorship, to create careers that they love, as well as connections, skills and confidence, will be universally needed as we move forward. Despite the changes this year has brought, I firmly believe that community is the solution. That’s what keeps me motivated. We’re supporting our clients in building their community. Mentorship is relationship based, and relationships and coming together is the only way to get through this. This is not a new theory by any means, but this is why mentorship has lasting power and positive effects — it can truly be life changing.
Raf: This month, we’re celebrating successes. Aside from EnPoint turning 2 this year, are there any company successes you want to highlight?
Chantal: Success is an interesting word for an entrepreneur. I was just speaking to another entrepreneur, and they commented that they are having a better year this year than in the past. We’re fortunate to be in that category at this point as well. We had a goal for this year, in terms of impact and reach, but clearly the universe had other plans. We had to adapt and we’ve survived. While that relies heavily on the strength of our client relationships, I would argue being adaptive, resilient, and hungry for new ways to add value and bring mentorship in different ways contributed as well.
These new ways are reflected in many of our client and partnership projects, such as the one with DeepSense. Through collaboration and shared pursuit of supporting students whose learning opportunities vanished, we helped students gain mentorship, applied knowledge, and the confidence to pursue career opportunities in Nova Scotia. The magic of being in the same room with people like Jennifer [LaPlante, Executive Director of Deepsense] who share the same values and purpose, that is what I consider a success, every single time that happens.
Even though it didn’t look like I wanted it to, we’ve had exciting wins in the form of community projects this year come because of the need to just figure it out. The Rethinking Employment: Creating a Successful Path for Young Professionals in a Pandemic World project, was a way for us to put some ‘good’ into our region through action, not just words. By working with eager young professionals and partner organizations (Atlantic Lottery Corporation, Halifax Innovation District, Halifax Partnership, Volta, Two Igloos), I think we produced some great work and impact that will live beyond the project itself. Exploring the Future of Youth In PEI — A Vital Conversation, the event we facilitated for The Community Foundation of PEI where we got to talk about hope with youth — that was huge. I love it when people, especially young people have the passion, drive, and energy to “show up”, be vulnerable, and come up with solutions. Participating in and being a catalyst for these events is success to me.
We also launched our new EnPoint Mentorship Platform in March. Talk about timing! We launched this new version with amazing clients doing inspiring work — like the YWCA’s Business Builders, Techsploration’s Alumnae Mentorship Program, Black Business Initiative’s Diversity Employment Network project, and the Schulich School of Law’s Weldon Mentorship Program to name a few. They are all doing great work to change our communities and that’s pretty freaking cool!
For me to see bite-sized pieces of how one person helps another person and its trickle down effect, that’s ultimately the long term success we’re trying to build. You never know how far the ripples go and that’s the best part.
Julia: For me, a big success is the deep understanding of EnPoint’s foundation. Coming from a non-business background seeing the strong connections, networks, and relationships Chantal and the company have built has been inspiring. I think that it is important to celebrate the fact that we kept going, kept building connections, becoming closer with our clients, and being able to support them. We had different ways of showing up, such as the resilience workshops (with Karen Furneaux) and helpful project pieces to give to clients’ mentees and mentors. Rallying around the idea of supporting our clients was certainly pivotal — we did a good job of not losing sight of that.
We also continued to work towards improving our business through training and professional development. There was always consistent work towards improving as opposed to letting the challenges take over, or standing still. I attribute that to Chantal’s leadership and her mentors’ advice, which has trickled down to the company. We continued to practice what we preach, including hiring co-op students, and working with clients and partners on projects that reflect the values of EnPoint. Again, going back to one of my three words, defining. This year has helped to continue to define and highlight EnPoint’s values of community, value, connection, and relationships.
This year has helped to continue to define and highlight EnPoint’s values of community, value, connection, and relationships. - Julia Brine
Raf: We can’t go by without celebrating your personal successes as well! What were some accomplishments that you are proud of?
Chantal: Getting into the [Wallace McCain Institute’s] Entrepreneurial Leaders Program (ELP) and the [Women of Influence] What Now program were definitely big highlights for me. Despite the many challenges we’ve faced, these were opportunities that couldn’t have happened at a better time. Accessing a system of support of people going through the same thing has been great. You can just come into the room, drop all pretense, be vulnerable and truly work on your leadership. That’s pretty special. I don’t think I’ve scratched the surface of the full force and effects of that yet, but I know I’m a little different every time I come away from the group. To echo someone else’s words: “It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.” As for the What Now program, to be one of 12 out of 150 women in Canada to be chosen, and learn from award-winning female entrepreneurs who are doing some kick ass stuff — it’s been an honor!
Also, having built a team, as small as it is, of people who can step up when required, for me, that’s the ultimate success of a leader. Our team, made up of our contractors, consultants, co-op students, and Julia (as my cousin by blood, sister by heart) is full of excitement and passion and that’s contagious!
Julia: I don’t have a business background. My degree is in PR, and I spent years in the professional cosmetology industry. Customer service is my jam, so when it came time to transition into my role as Client Success Manager, it was a natural fit. Some of the key attributes I bring to the table are empathy, relationship-building, problem-solving, curiosity, and coaching skills.
Taking on this role and defining it, while navigating the pandemic, feels like an accomplishment. Startup life means I wear many hats, so refining my strengths and then using them to support the company feels pretty great. If 2020 has taught me anything, it’s that relationships and the ability to support those around you are incredibly valuable. I feel proud to bring that element to the EnPoint community, and can’t wait to continue to build community and relationships in 2021.
If 2020 has taught me anything, it’s that relationships and the ability to support those around you are incredibly valuable. — Julia Brine
Raf: This year, our society has realized more than ever how our relationships with friends, family, and coworkers matter. Is there anyone you’d like to give a shoutout or a thank-you to?
Julia: I want to thank all of our clients who believe in people, and who believe in helping others. I recognize that organizations and people like our clients just don’t work with a company like us, unless you believe in those things. It’s a beautiful thing they provide for their students, employees or members, and it doesn’t go unnoticed.
A massive shout out to Chantal who is my family, my coworker, and a mentor. I want to thank her for her patience, guidance, and relentless drive to help other people succeed. She truly emulates what she puts out there in the world. Seeing that in the leader makes it easy to do the work and stay focused.
I also want to acknowledge everyone out there who doubled down in 2020. Those who continued to support small businesses, provided support in the way of education, guidance or respite to those who needed it. I am very grateful for the ability to hire co-op students through Venture for Canada (all of our students were/are amazing), and for the support for the provincial government. I am very grateful to be an Atlantic Canadian.
Chantal: If we were going to do this one-by-one it would take too long and I’d surely miss someone- after all I’m only human! But I would say thanks to all of our clients, because each and every one of them teaches us something. To every single co-op student, consultant, and contractor who has joined our cause; they have gotten us one step closer to the company’s next big steps.
Clearly mentors and mentorship are key, not only to EnPoint’s mission, but to my life and career. I’m forever in gratitude to my mentors who help me get out of my own way, peer mentors who I can lean on for no BS guidance, and to mentees who give me the privilege of helping them see themselves more clearly, as my mentors do for me.
Each time we iterate on something and challenge ourselves to think, ‘How can we do more? Do better?” is because of our team and supporting organizations like Venture for Canada, Wallace McCain Institute, Volta, Halifax Partnership, Symplicity Designs, Impulsion Sales, the Nova Scotia provincial government, and other partners who support us in ‘becoming’ better along the way.
I’m grateful to the organizations that help us make a difference — no matter how big or small. We are stronger together.
Raf: At EnPoint, we love to share our big “Aha!” or learning moments in our social posts. What were the biggest lessons you learned this year?
Julia: I learned a lot about the role of technology through our work of exploring what the future of work will look like in the coming years. Understanding the changes in technology and how we use it will affect all industries, from education to healthcare.
There is a huge move towards digitalization, but I’ve also learned the important role of the uniquely human parts we bring to it, which is empathy, creativity, and relationship. Having this idea of finding “humanity” in our move to digitalization was a consistent “Aha!” moment for me this year.
I learned that what I value most is connection. It is important for our health, businesses, and communities to thrive. Over 2020, I learned all of the different ways that we can look to create connections. Everything from my book club to morning team meetings made this year a little bit easier. A lesson I will never forget!
Chantal: One of the lessons I learned is knowing when you might need to slow down to go fast. The company is at a pivotal stage in growth where we’re getting ready to amp up the volume as we enter our third year. That requires us to reduce the noise and distraction to help us reach those goals.
Another lesson I learned is the importance of being vulnerable. I still remember the feeling of coming down from the MSVU stage after my first TED talk and thinking, “Wow- I just told a bunch of people stuff I’ve never said out loud!” It’s an odd feeling, being vulnerable. We have come to an understanding, vulnerability and I. I now know it is not a weakness. It is actually just being human and sometimes that means being uncomfortable. And that’s ok, because I’m being “me”, the good, bad, and messy. This understanding has allowed me to show up authentically in all parts of life and make no mistake we only get one. I am grateful for the lesson of living my one life with authenticity and vulnerability.
My last lesson is sitting with the discomfort and the unknown, otherwise known as the messy middle. I haven’t fully learned how to do this yet, but I’ve learned how to move through the messy middle — through the mud, if you will — knowing that there is not a damn thing you can do right now. You just have to keep trudging forward and eventually you can come through. As an entrepreneur, the unknown is a constant, but this year has amplified that messiness. When you’re trying to figure out how you can create and achieve the impact that you desire, that messiness can get frustrating. It can be paralyzing at times. (Thank goodness for mentors who help pull you up and through them!) I know I’m suspended in the unknown, can’t plant my feet anywhere but I also know I have to keep moving. I have big dreams for EnPoint and nothing’s going to get in the way of that!
I now know [vulnerability] is not a weakness. It is actually just being human and sometimes that means being uncomfortable. — Chantal Brine
Raf: We often ask our clients’ mentees to share with us their goals. Share with us a goal or goals you’re aiming for in 2021.
Julia: My career goals for next year are to continue to build a community of like minded people, to continue to strengthen my skills in client success, and to support our clients so that they can make a serious impact through their mentorship programs. On a personal note, I want to start my dream of building a tiny home.
Chantal: My focus is amping up the volume in EnPoint — I’m looking at how to serve more of the right clients, and in turn support more of the right people. We’ve got exciting things that are in the exploratory stage, including more community projects. We’ll continue to respond to our community’s needs so while the shape these initiatives may take may change, my goal remains the same: to make sure that we reach the people who need mentorship and connection most.
Raf: As we enter the holiday break and the New Year, what are you most excited about? Is there anything we should be looking forward to from EnPoint?
Julia: We’re excited about having more support on the technology side so that we can iterate and focus on what we’re offering, which is the EnPoint Mentorship program. I’m looking forward to doing some more community projects, especially how we can build a community around mentorship. We want to continue what we’re doing with clients and their respective mentorship programs, but also explore how we build that community around mentorship to more people and integrate that in our world. That’s something we’re going to be playing with in the long run.
We’re looking forward to all the fun things in 2021. In case you didn’t know, January is Mentorship Month! Stay tuned for news about our initiatives in our January newsletter.
Chantal: I’m looking forward to some planned, intentional time to dream up new community projects, new partnerships, and new ways to showcase what we’re doing. This dreaming phase is important! It’ll be a time of reflection — “How do we support more of the right people and help them access the power of mentorship?” “Who are the people who are not getting that kind of support?” “Who are those that don’t have the connections and those who don’t have confidence to reach out?” These are the kind of questions I think about often and am excited to tackle!
We’ve also got some exciting changes to our mentorship platform in the works that will make for more meaningful relationships for our mentors and mentees and support more individuals by next year. Stay tuned for details!
I’m also excited to see what 2021 brings as what I’m learning in ELP settles in. We’re also looking forward to adding our first technical person to the team! And of course, more time with family and friends.
We’d love to hear what your biggest lessons were in 2020! Are there successes, big or small, that you went through this year? Let us celebrate with you in the comments!
Learn More
EnPoint specializes in creating unique mentorship programs for organizations, institutions, nonprofits and associations using the EnPoint Mentorship Platform and our mentorship expertise. For more information on EnPoint visit www.mentorshipchangeslves.com or check us out on social media: LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!
