Janice Cardinale, 62, is a self-described "heart-centric entrepreneur" and the founder of Cardinale Creative and the Event Minds Matter community. She's based in Toronto.
How I got here:
I built two successful businesses from scratch and sold them both. I am a woman of privilege and am fortunate enough to be able to support others through various missions. My greatest mission of all is establishing Event Minds Matter, a community that is building brave spaces to amplify the industry's conversation on mental health.
Greatest career accomplishment:
Definitely building the foundation for Event Minds Matter. We have managed to get the attention of event professionals from around the world. We are attracting a lot of young people just entering the workforce because we are creating what a mentally fit workplace should look like in the future. We are rewarding companies that practice mental fitness. We are helping a new generation to look for the right culture and [know] what to ask for in terms of mental health benefits. We are burying the roots that brought us all here one day at a time.
My commitment and dedication to this industry will be the changes we made as a community to stop rewarding bad behavior and acknowledge the responsibility of C-suite leaders, employers, and managers to lead with kindness, empathy, and heart for the future of this industry.
A specific improvement I’ve made:
As the board chair for Seneca's event management and creative design program, one of the greatest joys in my life is mentoring the students on their major project each year, which is a tabletop competition. From inception to creation to execution, it's like watching the metamorphosis of a butterfly. The confidence that students get from our board members is valuable and purposeful, and that is the role of an event industry veteran.
The biggest change I've observed in the industry:
There is no question that this moment in history is having the greatest impact on everyone. No one is unscathed by the demands of our day-to-day lives. The changes that continue to take place have had a huge effect on the mental health of our colleagues, our financial health, and the survival of the fittest.
Finding new practices is vital to the heartbeat of the industry. I believe that the next generation, if given the resources, will change the badge of the "most stressful job" to the most mentally fit. This would be the greatest accomplishment that I could ever give back to the industry that honored me.
What I do outside of work:
I am a volunteer with the MPI Toronto chapter on professional development. I write with the team at MPI Global and am currently executing a four-part series on mental health. I also write for Canadian Special Event magazine and United Colours of Design. I love to speak and facilitate meetings, conferences, podcasts, and webinars, to name a few. I love to bike and garden, and my greatest joy is being a grandmother to four.
My No. 1 piece of career advice I'd give my younger self:
Adopt a mentor. Get as much professional development as you can. Network with one association of your choice. Volunteer to network with other like-minded event profs. Do not be afraid to speak up, and do not take on more than you can chew—it will eat you alive.
Connect with Cardinale on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
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