July - August 2021: volunteering
Contents
Editorial: Letting go, not jumping ship
Dr. Nancy Ellen Miller, editor of The Buzz and PIC’s acting director of communications, offers her perspective on doing "karma yoga" for PIC.
Join the fun of steering PIc
Learn about what goes on behind the scenes of the executive board of PIC and see how you can get involved!
PIC Personality: Meet Arlene Amitirigala
Sue Horner welcomes Arlene Amitirigala, our new chair. Learn about this professional communicator extraordinaire and why we're lucky she's aboard.
1.
Editorial
Letting go, not jumping ship
By Dr. Nancy Ellen Miller
I’ve never been a fan of the word “volunteer.”
The root of the word volunteer first appears in English circa 1600. It refers to someone who offers himself to military service. Since I prefer acts of non-violence, I like to think of myself as practicing karma yoga at PIC. Karma means “action” in Sanskrit. Karma yoga means "selfless action," or to act without an attachment to the fruits of your actions.
When I sat down to write this editorial, I’d intended to write about all the great things (or fruits!) that volunteering for PIC has brought to my table and will bring to yours.
It’s brought me experience and community. It’s brought me opportunities to polish my skills. But I think the best thing about being a karma yogi for PIC is that it’s enabled me to engage with my work in a way that is increasingly rare.
When I choose projects to work on, I often think: “Is this worth my time?” “How much money will it bring in?” or “What does it do for my brand?”
And those questions are all valid. As an indie, I must budget my time, make ends meet and build a name for myself. The gig economy often leaves me feeling it’s on me to sink or swim.
But PIC has taught me there are folks out there to teach me new strokes. And there are boats to invite folks aboard if any of us feels like we’re sinking or swimming alone.
Helping to steer PIC’s ship has led me to work on projects that matter to me. In the past year, the communications team has put out issues of The Buzz on Diversity and Inclusion, Reinvention and Networking.
Our events team has hosted workshops and webinars on creative ways to market your independent business, on the journey involved in taking over a travel website and on how to bring presence and patience into business communications.
In working with this team, I’ve learned to think outside my own box. I’ve learned how to collaborate and build meaningful professional relationships.
Given all the good aboard PIC, I’m not jumping ship. But I’m inviting new people — new perspectives — to help steer The Buzz in 2021.
I’d especially love it if immigrants to Canada, recent graduates and people going through a career change joined the executive team. PIC/IABC is a great way to build a solid support network and to develop your skills. It's also a way to share your distinctive view on the world of business communications.
I want to read your words here. I want to see your name at the masthead.
Give me a shout at hello@insighted.ca if you’d like a hand at the helm here at PIC/IABC. The PIC exec is here to support you, to guide you, whether you want to step in as a director or co-director of communications, design, social media, membership or professional development.
2.
Join the fun of steering PIC
And learn what goes on behind the scenes
With the changing of IABC/Toronto’s board, PIC’s executive is also changing. We welcome new chair Arlene Amitirigala, and are grateful to keep Nkiru Asika on as past chair. Sue Horner is also staying on, but Judy Irwin, Kathy Lim, Sharon McMillan and Nancy Miller are in a temporary advisory role until we transition to new people. Could you be one of those people, either in a sole role or a shared position?
To give you a better idea of what being on the PIC executive involves, we talked to Nkiru, Sue, Judy, Kathy, Sharon and Nancy. Here’s what they said:
What prompted you to volunteer for the PIC exec?
Nkiru: I joined IABC in June 2018 a few months after my arrival in Canada from Nigeria. Having been self-employed since 2004, I wanted to continue working independently and PIC was the selling point for me to join IABC/Toronto. I emailed then chair Sharon Aschaiek, who invited me for a chat before a PIC social at the Duke of York Pub (remember those days?). That chat led to her recruiting me as the new membership director on the spot, a role I served in for a year before she recommended I replace her on the IABC/Toronto Board as VP Special Interest Groups (SIG) and chair of PIC.
Judy: I’ve been a member of PIC since I started as an independent, almost 20 years ago. When I saw the email looking for two directors for professional development three years ago, I jumped at the chance to engage with PIC again.
Sue: I’ve been a member from the beginning, too. I got involved in the communications portfolio because I remembered feeling unconnected during the years when having small children made it hard to get to in-person events. I wanted to help PIC members learn about each other and make connections, even from a distance.
Sharon: Being able to contribute to the PIC programming and services I had benefited from was a wonderful way to ensure independent communicators continue to receive the exceptional professional development that had been so integral to my development.
Nancy: I met some of the team at my first in-person PIC/IABC event in February 2019 soon after moving to Toronto. The warmth and shared sense of purpose on this team is palpable. I wanted to be a part of it — to contribute my skills and to learn from others.
Kathy: I first learned about PIC two years ago. Nkiru had invited me to one of the events and I was impressed by the panel, the wonderful community and the excellent networking opportunities. When she later asked if I would join her on PIC’s executive committee, I said yes.
WHAT WAS YOUR ROLE AND WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE?
Nkiru: As VP Special Interest Groups, I was chair of PIC and supervised the Senior Communicators Circle and the Student Communicators Circle. I was fortunate to both lead the seasoned PIC team and launch these two brand new circles. My role involved advocating for the SIG portfolio at the board level, partnering with other portfolios, working closely with my brilliant volunteer team on our various offerings, from programming to communications to membership, hosting monthly events, liaising with the chapter office and creating and managing the strategic plans and budgets of the SIG portfolio.
Sharon: I was co-director of programming with Judy. The position required us to develop program topics for the year ahead and to secure speakers and locations for each event; these events became virtual ones during the pandemic. Throughout the year, we also planned and coordinated a number of PIC socials.
Judy: Sharon and I developed the professional development events tailored to independent communicators, both in-person and on Zoom. We also organized social events for networking and socializing. Before the pandemic, these were held at a centrally located pub in Toronto. Lately, they’ve been held on Zoom, but we think they’re almost as fun as the in-person ones!
Sue: I’ve been in the communications portfolio the longest, but I switched to social media last year. I help promote our events, spotlight PIC members and share information that helps those of us in indie businesses, on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Nancy: I work with the communications team to edit and design The Buzz, PIC’s monthly newsletter. Along with Sue and Kathy, I help to inform members of what’s happening in the community and write and curate relevant content to support their careers.
Kathy: My role as director of membership has been to promote the benefits of being a PIC member. Newcomers are encouraged to sign up for our newsletter, join our online groups, attend our events and stay connected. I invite members to be profiled in The Buzz and arrange to have them listed in PIC’s member directory to attract more business. I also help in some of the logistics at our events.
WHAT HAVE YOU ENJOYED THE MOST ABOUT BEING ON THE EXEC?
Judy: Getting to know other indies, both on the executive itself and through PIC events. Keeping up-to-date on the topics and trends that are relevant to indies. Getting the chance to organize PD events, and meeting people who are independent communicators, who are thinking about becoming independent, or who just want to check out a PIC event. Getting to know the IABC/Toronto board.
Sharon: I truly enjoyed the brainstorming sessions and camaraderie we shared as an executive, working together to address the challenges and opportunities of being an independent communicator. Those solutions included presentations and events with a focus on professional relevance, engagement and social connections for our PIC members.
Sue: Being on the PIC exec gives us visibility that makes it easy to meet people and grow our networks. It feels good to have a hand in helping independents. And I’ve enjoyed getting to know the others on the executive.
Nancy: As an indie, I’ve missed working with a team. I enjoy putting together The Buzz, and it would be nice continue, but there are a couple of large projects on the horizon that will dominate my time in 2021. Being a part of PIC is also a wonderful learning experience, which has boosted my confidence and my career.
Kathy: I’ve been inspired by the enthusiasm, talent and teamwork among the executive team. It’s meaningful to know that our goal is to help independent communicators thrive in their businesses and find a sense of community.
Nkiru: As a new Canadian resident with no social or professional network in the country, I found volunteering allowed me to meet new people, develop my leadership skills and gain some insight into the dynamics of business and work life in Canada. I've really enjoyed the camaraderie with the exec team and I've been inspired by their talent and dedication. Volunteering with PIC has been a great experience all-round and I highly recommend joining us!
Want to know more about a role you might be interested in? Feel free to contact any of us!
Seen at the social!
3.
PIC Personality
Meet Arlene Amitirigala
By Sue Horner
Arlene Amitirigala is principal of Truly Arlene Communications, and PIC’s new chair. She’s a senior communications consultant passionate about employee engagement, inclusion and diversity and navigating change. Connect with her on LinkedIn, follow her on Twitter (@trulyarlene), visit her website or email arlene.amitirigala@gmail.com.
When did you launch your independent business and how did it come about?
It’s very new. I’d been working in corporate communications for several years, most recently with Diageo, a multinational beverage alcohol company headquartered in London, England. I was living in the U.K. when my husband got a role in Canada. We moved to Toronto in July 2020 — yes, in the middle of the pandemic! This was my big opportunity to work on projects in areas where I had a strong interest and to explore more creative endeavours than I had in the past, like creative writing, blogging and podcasting.
So I started a website and a podcast. These weren’t necessarily geared to getting business, but I have been getting work through word of mouth and connections. I’m currently working on contract with UNESCO as editor-in-chief of an upcoming Resilience Report, and have also done communications training, social media marketing plans, scripting, podcasting and writing for other clients along with moderating live virtual events.
What do you enjoy most about being an indie?
The variety. I enjoy being able to flex my range of skills as I work on different projects with various clients.
What don’t you like about being an indie?
It’s no fun having to figure out so many things on my own! In a corporate environment, you work with a team and people are assigned various pieces. When you work for yourself, you end up doing a lot of brainstorming and sourcing on your own to deliver the best solutions for your clients. Negotiating rates is also tricky.
What advice would you give someone else new to independent life?
Having a network is indispensable, so work at building it. You need good sounding boards and you need to be networking consistently. I really value my network of peers, friends, former schoolmates and colleagues from various jobs and IABC connections; even family can be important connections.
How long have you been an IABC member and what value do you get from your membership?
I joined IABC and PIC in January 2021 and I’m delighted to be part of this group of dynamic professional communicators. I appreciate access to all the fantastic resources, like the webinars that help generate new ideas and keep you on your toes.
Being a member also offers great opportunities to volunteer. Being a volunteer enables you to build new skills, hone leadership capabilities and contribute your talents in new ways. I’m on the IABC/Toronto board this year and we’re looking for members with enthusiasm and ideas to join our PIC executive for the new board year, starting now. Please do reach out to me if you are interested — come work with our awesome team and have fun getting to know other members and expanding your network!
Changes to the PIC member list due August 27
As a PIC member, you can promote yourself at no charge on the PIC member list on the IABC/Toronto website. Send your updates to PIC’s director of membership, Kathy Lim, at kathy775@gmail.com, by August 27. For new profiles, send your name, company name, city, email address, telephone number, website and LinkedIn URLs, social media accounts and a brief description of your business (about 40 words). Existing members, does your listing include your LinkedIn profile?
Coming next month
Watch for a “3 on 3” on volunteering next month. We wish our interviewer, Alix Edmiston, ABC, a speedy recovery after she broke her wrist in a freak accident on the golf course.
See you on social media!
Who we are
Professional Independent Communicators (PIC) is a special interest group of IABC/Toronto. PIC's mission is to support independent IABC/Toronto communicators through professional development, networking and marketing. IABC connects communicators from around the world with the insights, resources and people they need to drive their careers and their professions forward.
The Buzz informs members about upcoming events, shares professional development tips from past meetings and keeps us connected.
Editor and Designer: Nancy Miller
Executive team
Chair: Arlene Amitirigala | Past Chair: Nkiru Asika | Communications: Nancy Miller | Membership: Kathy Lim | Programming: Judy Irwin, Sharon McMillan | Social Media: Sue Horner |