Lipstick Lifestyle

Sylvie Poirier looks 20 years her junior. But this bustling editor has the life experience under her belt that - without seeing her gorgeous complexion - would make her seem 20 years her senior. Working as an editor at magazines such as L’Essentiel, Clin d’Oeil and Elle Québec, has garnered Poirier into a household name in the Québec magazine industry. With teaching certificates from the University of Québec at Chicoutimi and the University of Québec at Montreal, a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in French Literature from the University of Montreal, Sylvie Poirier has the patience of a teacher and the creativity of a film producer. It is her experience in these fields that opened her up to the magazine industry. Now, as the editor-in-chief of Vita (More Québec), Poirier has more than 20 years experience behind her and a long road of success ahead of her.

Taryn Weinstock met up with Poirier at the Women of Influence Luncheon in Montreal, and asked her to share with us what inspires her and how she juggles family life while being a leading lady in the Québec magazine industry. (more…)

Pat McNamara founded APEX Public Relations in 1998, and has been instrumental in building the company from the ground up. With over 20 years experience, she has provided senior client counsel in consumer marketing and corporate communications with several leading corporations such as BMO (Bank of Montreal), Nike and Levi’s. In addition to being one of Canada’s Top 100 Women Business Owners and Chair of the Canadian Council of PR Firms, McNamara is a recipient of national and local mentor recognition awards.

McNamara shares with us what makes a successful entrepreneur, and the challenges of being a leading businesswoman. (more…)

Leanne Grechulk is the founder of HealthyGirl, an online wellness company for women, whose main goal is to inspiring women to find better balance in their lives.

Leanne shares with us what it is like to be an entrepreneur and how we can become successful.

When you were a little girl, what did you want to be?
A dancer!

Where did the idea for HealthyGirl come from?
After working as a marketing and sales manager for many Fortune 500 companies over the past 10 years, I was burnt out, my friends were burnt out and I literally woke up one morning and decided enough was enough. I have always been passionate about health, fitness and entrepreneurship - HealthyGirl was born!

What type of women are you hoping to help?
Corporate women as well as entrepreneurs who would like to maximize their business/results and recognize that improving their health improves their energy, self-esteem, posture and their business.

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Carol Mason is a charming British gal with one published novel under her belt-The Secrets of Married Women, and her 2nd-Send Me A Lover -releasing this fall. Carol shares with us what it is like to be a writer and why she left England to live in Canada…

When you were a little girl, what did you want to be?
First a pathologist, then a physiotherapist, then a journalist. Then I woke up and realised I was very bad at biology and I hardly ever read a newspaper!

How long have your been a writer?
I think off and on for a very long time. I wrote two Harlequin Romances (unpublished) when I was 25, then ended up packing that in and working as an advertising copywriter (does that still count?). But as a person seriously committed to getting published, I’d say about 6 years.

Where do your get your story ideas from?
Weird places. Things people tell me — have to heavily disguise the source of those. Things brewing in my own mind. Sometimes from just the craziest conversations between family and friends that inspire some hint of an idea. In the case of my book 2 - Send Me A Lover - it was from something my husband once said, and then from the words of a Celine Dion song I heard while driving…the two just melded, and I had an idea.

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