- Building Your Brand Series III - The Emotional Roller Coaster

The Emotional Roller Coaster

(Canadian Immigrant Magazine January 2012 Issue)

In my last article (December 2011), I spoke about the 30/60/90 day plan for new Canadians.

While that has its place and there is a regime that one needs to set up, I would like to share something else that goes on in parallel.

The emotional Roller Coaster. And if you have been on a real roller coaster, you will know what I mean.

In the first three months after arriving in Canada, the number of emotions I never knew existed manifested themselves. Sure, I face new emotional issues even today but have now learned how to live with them compared to the early days.

We landed here on a high, a real high, excitement of finally being in Canada, it was so surreal, we could not believe it. It had taken us so long to get here; we had lost hope at times and finally we were really physically here. What a feeling, we had arrived, we now belonged, this was our new life.

Then the next emotion hit me.

So what, nobody cares, nothing against me personally but life goes on, people have their lives to lead and so I found that unless I made the move, I stayed in one place. The party was over, ground reality hit me, I have to look for a job and I discovered new things. Lack of Canadian experience, credentials are not recognized, savings diminish quickly and the relative high cost of living. All hit me like a pile hammer bringing home a new truth. Get up, get going or get left behind! No time to rest on my high, feeling proud for making it to Canada but it was time to be noticed, time to stand and to be recognized.

A different set of emotions takes over – anger, depression, helplessness, anxiety all bundled in one. Why did I come here? What am I going to do? Questions that hit me again and again. But I realized I was not alone.

I could sit back and lament about it or I could get up and do something about it, and chose the latter. I spent my early days going to the gym staying fit and active, volunteering at some organizations so got to meet new people, writing articles for the media for mental stimulation, starting a blog and a self help group. All this helped take away my negative emotions and I found my mood and my enthusiasm pick up as each day passed. My circle of friends and my network increased and I soon moved from being a nobody to being somebody.

Then a new realization begins, a sense of belonging, I realized that I was not a guest in this country but one of its population. This was now my home and I have to take charge of my life and move ahead.

That is the next emotion that came to me, the one of belonging and one where I realized that the future is mine to make. I knew I did not have the luxury of time unlike those born here so had to move faster. There was a lot to learn and imbibe. Learning about doing things in the Canadian way and that had begun to seep in.

Giving back, sharing my knowledge and operating from a positive sense of mind with patience and perseverance.

Canada was my country now, the bed where I put lay my head to rest at night, the nation where I must make my mark and that gave me inner strength. So shall it be for you.

---------------------------xox-----------------------------

– Building Your Brand Series II - The 30/60/90 Day Plan

The 30/60/90 Day Plan

(Canadian Immigrant Magazine December 2011 Issue)

What is the 30/60/90 Day Plan?

It was not Camp Obama, but this was as serious to me as it must have been for them.

Landed in Canada, a new land of opportunity but where do you go? I needed to put down a plan, a guideline to move forward, a template to follow.

Having a corporate management background, I put on my thinking cap. My plan would have to be as strategic as when I was leading a team that re-engineered a 4000 strong organization some years ago.

Simply put, it was going to be my 30/60/90 day plan for Canada.

The first 30 days, I decided, was going to be spent primarily putting all my ducks in a row: Opening a bank account, getting a credit card, getting my SIN number, driving license, cell phone, new connectivity, calling cards and such formalities. And I realized, I needed to understand the terrain that I was operating in, the lay of the land.

A TTC pass and a flask of hot coffee and I was equipped for the days to come. Every morning, I would get ready and leave the house at 0830 hours and catch the TTC - no book to read, no iPod to listen to and no cell phone to talk on, I was out with a mission. The mission was to map out the lay of the land in Toronto, and a Toronto map was my only companion. I spent 3 to 4 hours those initial days going up one end of the subway to the other, getting familiar with the route. Soon confidence had grown and I would venture out and connect on a bus route crisscrossing the city getting familiar with the place I now had to call home. My eyes and ears were open, taking in the ambiance, watching how life went on by and listening to a multitude of languages and variety of English accents.

Occasionally, I would get an opportunity to speak to a fellow passenger and that would add to my knowledge of the terrain around me.

Yes, this was the first 30, as any general worth his salt would do - understanding the terrain before deploying your troops.

Now that I was a little familiar with the landscape, the next 30 days would begin my networking. I had identified several networking groups during my initial month and now was time to reach out. My initial homework was done online and connectivity was one of my initial investments as it allowed me 24 hours access to the internet.

Then I ventured out and physically attended the networking meetings assessing several things – who were the members, what was their background, what were they looking for, how could I leverage my skills, how often did they meet, did I get a warm vibe and was it expensive?

The answers helped me select a few that were closer to my field and my area of expertise. And then I began my involvement. “If you are taking the trouble to belong to a group, give it all you have”. I did not sit in the back row nor waited for things to happen. I put up my hand, got involved and ensured that I made a mark there. “Giving back is an integral part of networking and so I volunteered my time and my aptitude to the groups I was involved in”. I made friends, got involved with their events and began to slowly shape up a brand personality for myself. Gautam Nath soon was moving away from being a mere statistic and an unknown face to a human being with a face and a name and a slow network of Canadians who were beginning to see what I could offer.

At the end of my 60 days, I was offered a marketing advisory role in two organizations, however on a voluntary basis. But this helped me build my Canadian experience.

The next 30 days to my 90 day target was all about meeting more and more people, my confidence grew as I volunteered my time and my familiarity with the ways of life here became easier. I travelled outside the city when I could and slowly was able to see differences between the city of Toronto and some other smaller towns like Kitchener, Waterloo, Kingston, Hamilton, Georgetown and even got to Ottawa, Montreal and Vancouver.

And surely, by the end of my 90 days, i had met many people, not all but some were in relation to finding a job and soon was in serious dialogue with the President of a well regarded Canadian firm, one that would take me into their fold for the next two years. More to come in my next month’s column.

Building your Brand Series I - Building your Personal Brand

Building your Personal Brand 

(First published in the Canadian Immigrant Magazine)

1095 days, or 26280 hours, or 1576800 minutes or 94608000 seconds ago, my feet touched Canadian soil at Pearson International Airport, Toronto.

From being a full Indian citizen, in a few minutes from now, I would achieve landing rights and formally, Permanent Resident status.

It took me 5 and a half years to get here, no I was not crossing the Sahara desert, I was merely a statistic in the skilled worker queue, a faceless file, lying on a shelf in the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi before they breathed life into it. It seems so very long ago but here I was, in true live blood and flesh, standing at the doorstep of my new home, Canada.

A wait, a real long wait, one many of us have experienced in our own journey between application and finally receiving the PR visa stamped in our passport. While the wait was long, the period after receiving the visa had its own share of anxieties.

We were now in the queue, there was a limited number of months within which we had to land in Canada and like many others, we too had nights of panic and days of anxiety. Were we doing the right thing? Could we unattach ourselves from our well settled life? Could we leave the cocoon of family and friends that provided us behind? Do we liquidate a lifelong of belongings and fly half way across the world? So many choices, so many decisions and so much emotion.

We took the plunge, closed up shop and moved - literally 6 weeks after receiving the visa, and were on the flight to Canada. A clean cut heals the fastest they said.

Many who came before us and those who followed share the emotions that emerge after getting the visa in your hand. What was a vision earlier turns into a reality and a mixed bag of excitement of the adventure ahead yet fear of the unknown.

And soon enough, here we were, in a taxi with our limited baggage going down the streets of Toronto to what would be home for the next 8 months.

That was October 2008, this is November 2011 - three years have passed under the bridge and much water. I landed a mere statistic, a stranger in a new country and without any safety net. I am now a partner in a leading multicultural strategy & communications firm based in Toronto; I received the Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award 2011 and have been felicitated by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.

This column is all about how one navigated the waters in this new country of choice, how one overcame the barriers of settling in a new country and how one rose from being a mere statistic to a recognized individual. I hope to be able to place before you my journey, my learning’s, my experiences for you to take away what fits your path. Far from over, many more miles before I sleep, please join me in my journey as it unfolds.

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     Note: Gautam Nath is Partner at Monsoon Communications and serves on several Boards and Committees across Toronto. He is one of the earliest newcomers to Canada to be featured on CBC National Television on Canada Day as well as receive the Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award in 2011. Follow his bi monthly column in the Canadian Immigrant magazine, where he shares his journey underlying the importance of building a personal brand and the value of giving back in Canada. Stay tuned.

Monsoon has been BAD

Monsoon has been BAD

Thursday Feb 23: Toronto – It finally happened, what we all feared, Monsoon Communications finally went BAD.

The North York Civic Centre was buzzing with anticipation to hear what Daisy Wright, renowned career coach & the author of the bestseller: 'No Canadian Experience, Eh?‘ had to say in her bold presentation topic, BAD.

Gautam Nath, Partner, Monsoon Communications, was there to listen and take away what Daisy so neatly packaged as BAD – Be Bold, Be Audacious and Be Dynamic.

Applying her philosophy to the business, it was apparent to him how Monsoon had been BAD.

BOLD - in setting up shop in Toronto to address strategic & communications needs for organizations interested in the Multicultural Markets. With fluctuating budgets, changing scenarios and diverse consumer needs, it was indeed a BOLD step to set up shop. We go where no man has gone before.

AUDACIOUS - in getting out there and taking steps to be involved at the forefront. It was Monsoons fearlessness and drive to venture out and be noticed that helped the company rise from being a new kid on the block to someone to be reckoned with. Monsoon today, stands tall among 15 or 20 year old veterans in this market and is equal to the best. We bring mainstream advertising standards to ethnic markets.

DYNAMIC – With the dynamic nature of the customer and Canada’s immigration numbers, we are nimble and we are quick. We stay at the edge of technology bringing both traditional and new age media to our clients. We understand smart technology and its advantages and challenges.  

We are BAD and we believe in going forward with one mission – when you think multicultural marketing, you think of Monsoon Communications.

Daisy helped set the room on fire. Everyone was challenged into thinking how BAD they could be. Eager to go back into the world and be BAD, eager to show Canada how we newcomers were not just BAD and far more BAD than we were ever before.

The discussions got quite interactive with CAMP (Communications, Advertising and Marketing professionals) members asking Ms. Wright clear and direct questions straining to gain insights from her every word. They hung on to her experiences and her powerful stories  as a newcomer to Canada. It is always good to hear from someone who has been there and done that.

Rogers Television crew were on site, capturing every moment to sharing with a broader audience at a near future date.

Everyone was upbeat, with batteries recharged and eagerly waiting to get out there and to be BAD.

One anecdote that I found quite cute from a marketing perspective was a story Daisy mentioned she had heard about, a prospective employee purchased and sent a prospective employer a shoe. Yes a shoe! Neatly wrapped and sent along with a note and a resume. The note said, “They told me to get a foot in the door. Now that I have my foot in the door, I request if you could read my resume because I think I am a great fit for your organization and can contribute to your present and future success". The employer was so taken aback by this approach, that she made it a point to go through the resume and to meet the person face to face.

Thank you Daisy for an insightful evening, thank you CAMP for bringing it all together and when you think of multicultural marketing – Think of Monsoon Communications.

Internationally Educated Professionals (IEP) 2012 Convention Toronto

IEP 2012 came and went, organized by PCPI Canada, this annual event saw 1700 registrations yesterday.

Silma Roddau and her team brilliantly organized yet another smooth operation that left every delegate breathless.

The day started early at 0830 hours with Christopher Alexander, the Chair of PCPI, opening the convention followed by an address by the key sponsors.

Then came the keynote speaker Lionel Laroche, who entralled the audience with his effective and humorous presentation. Lots of food for thought and sparkles were left behind for the audience. CBC Television captured the moment and broadcast a short clip the same evening.

AnneMarie and Dwight Drummond, entrees from CBC eminence, mCeed the day with their charm and eloquence. CBC rocks!

Then three IEP's were invited to share their journey and yours truly was one of them.

Samuel, Gautam and Vinod, 3 IEP's had our moment in the sun and shared our golden nuggets with the large audience. They hung on to every word as we represented their vision and their journey ahead.

Break time followed and the group then broke into the breakaway sessions. Eminent speaker panels led each session and the delegates divided themselves among the rooms to imbibe knowledge on their subject areas.

The marketplace was buzzing with over 50 booths representing agencies and colleges all aiming at enriching the newcomer experience in Canada.

The lunch boxes were a welcoming break after such intense sessions that they were devoured in an instance. Then, with satiated stomaches, the delegates ventured forth to attend the afternoon keynote address.

Donna Messer is no novice, she immediately had everyone up in their seats, buzzing with excitement and eagerly hanging on her every word. Truly an eventful day, no one wanted it to end and yet, there was another surprise, an afternoon breakaway session for skills building that delegates had difficulty deciding which one they wanted to attend.

Rhonda capped it all with her culture cover and some happy souls left with prizes for Their day of discovery.

The IEP convention gives every attendee some fresh food for thought, a few new contacts and hope in their hearts. Don't think they met their soul mates even if Valentines Day is around the corner but surely showed them the light at the end of the tunnel.

We welcome the first white weekend of the season, temperatures are ever so cold, love lies in the heart and good food in the stomach. We are proud to be snug at home and look forward to our new and beautiful life in Canada.

Thank you IEP for keeping us warm.

Monsoon goes Camping

Not the one you are thinking of up at Lake Simcoe but CAMP in this case is Toronto’s leading network of Internationally Trained Professionals with a Communications, Marketing or Advertising background.

This networking group of like minded professionals meet every month to share common interests and look at ways to give back and to prosper in their new life in Canada.

Gautam Nath, Partner, Research & Agency Branding at Monsoon Communications was invited to speak at the 2012 inaugural event held on Jan26th at the North York Civic Hall.

In his one hour conversation with a tightly packed room of professionals, Gautam shared some insights into Canada’s multicultural profile and then followed by his 30/60/90 Day Plan as a newcomer settling into Canada. His journey as a newcomer over the last two and a half years that resulted in being awarded the Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award 2011 motivated the audience and energized them in their quest to success. There were many simple tips and learning's shared as he unfolded the story of his Canadian adventure.

Rogers Television crew was on location to film the event for a documentary they intend to release shortly on newcomers to Canada.

This is one of the many ways that Monsoon gives back to the fraternity, keep watching for more.

Monsoon Floods the Rosewater in Toronto

January 12, 2012: The queue reached the bottom of the stairs when there was a sell out event on multicultural marketing held at the Rosewater Supper Club.
The event, held by the American Marketing Association and sponsored by Monsoon Communications was attended by over a hundred participants from Corporate Canada.
Michael Adams, Chairman of the Environics Group, opened with a brilliant overview on the evolution of multiculturalism in Canada and presented a historical panorama of its development over time. This was followed by an active and lively panel discussion on multicultural marketing challenges and successes by 5 key panellists - Bobby Sahni (Rogers), Camon Mak (RBC), Gautam Nath (Monsoon Communications), Kamal Baig (Rubicon Foods) and Robin Brown (Environics Research Group) and moderated by Roxanne Tsui (Sensu Communications).
Interactive in nature, the AMA format then saw 5 breakaway groups, each cover one pertinent topic and revert back to the full audience with their consensus.
The concluding remarks by Craig Lund, President of the AMA Toronto Chapter formally announced that multicultural marketing had now been sanctioned formal recognition as a special interest group within the AMA and we would now be seeing regular subjects being featured under this umbrella. Monsoon was proud to have been associated with this inaugural event and looks forward to bringing you more news on latest developments in multicultural marketing in the future.