Ep. 9 with Dr. Gina Grandy from the Hill | Levene Schools of Business

Barb 0:00
Welcome to The Secret Life of entrepreneurs. Stay tuned to meet today’s guest and hear their story of what makes them tick. What drives them to succeed, and their role in growing a thriving business community. The Secret Life of entrepreneurs chronicles the success and secrets of locally owned businesses and owners listening live as we discuss their secrets and learn how they are making a positive impact in their community. You’re listening to your host, Barb McGrath, business leader, entrepreneur, and founder of the Get found on Google program. Let’s get started. Our guest today is Dr. Gina Grandy. From the she’s the Dean of the Hill and Levine Schools of Business at the University of Regina. She’s going to talk to us a little bit about building an entrepreneurial spirit in young women in particular. Welcome, Gina.

Gina 1:00
Thank you very much, Barb. It’s a pleasure to be here.

Barb 1:03
Absolutely. Well, let’s start there. Tell us a little bit about yourself, and how you got to be the dean of two of the most prestigious schools in our university.

Gina 1:16
Great, thank you. So I’m originally from Newfoundland, which will become very clear as I continue to speak, and your listeners hear my accent. I grew up in Newfoundland, I moved to Regina to the U of R. Book five years ago. Now. I grew up in a small town in Newfoundland. And it’s interesting how we get to where we are when we talk about sort of those paths that I ended my my dad is a retired teacher and my mom, a retired nurse. And so business wasn’t necessarily really things that were talked about in my household that much. But my guidance counselor at the time, told me I had three options. I could be a nurse, I could be a teacher or I could go into business. Okay. And i said i i asked him about being a nurse. I said, Well, could I be a doctor, but I was a bit kind of weak. When it came to looking at blood. My I liked the idea of teaching. But I had said, I’m not sure I want to teach little people. Okay, and, and so I said, Well, I guess I’ll do business, because that appears to be my only option. And so went into business. And after I had my first work term in particular, I would say that the interest was sparked. And, and it started from there.

Barb 2:31
So first work term. Tell us a little bit about that.

Gina 2:35
Yeah, so my first work term was with a magazine company that produced oil and gas related magazines in downtown St. John’s and I was responsible for marketing for distribution and circulation. And it was a teeny, tiny entrepreneurial firm, okay, led by a woman entrepreneur. Excellent. And it was really, for me, perhaps one of the first times I have an insider look at what it was to be an entrepreneur, and the autonomy and flexibility and hard work that comes with that.

Barb 3:08
No kidding. Isn’t that the truth? Absolutely. So just before we start to dig too much into your story, today, of course, is Halloween. You know, Halloween, Newfoundland, I would say five or maybe 10 years ago since you last live there.

Gina 3:25
Longer than that.

Barb 3:26
We’ll go with that today. What What was life like? Out in St. John’s at that time?

Gina 3:33
Sure. So I studied in St. John’s, but grew up in a small rural community about three and a half hours from St. John’s, on the Burin Peninsula of Newfoundland and small communities next to each other very close. And so there was a lot of trick or treating. And so a lot of costumes, I remember vividly, I was the youngest. And somehow my brother and sister were able to go out on their own. But my father, for some reason, didn’t feel that I should. And so two and three and four friends of mine would go together, and he would drive us in the car. And so for a long time, there was trick or treating. And in fact, I would say in those days, people tended to trick or treat probably at an age well beyond what they should really be doing. It doesn’t happen as much now, but that sense of security and fun and so it kind of you know, you did it probably much later in life than then you would now or when kids do it now.

Barb 4:37
You know, and so few kids come I think we’re prepared for maybe 20 kids tonight. We’re just not expecting very many to show up at the door. And in fact, you know, last year we bought the nice big box and we were ready, and it just added to our waistline. Next year, right.

Gina 4:54
So yeah, it’s one of the things I will say very similar to here. Would Be the cold weather. So I vividly remember when I was really young, having fantastic costumes that my mother would help make, and all those things salutely. And you could wear them to school. But when the evening came, you had to wear extra pairs of pants, and jackets, and kind of that that costume that you were able to wear during the day just didn’t exist at night, if you were going to survive. And so that’s probably a similar experience to people in Regina who think about Halloween and who trick or treat even now.

Barb 5:33
Well, and you know, the funny thing is you get your kids dressed up in their costume. And then by the time you put the layers on that they need to stay warm for as long as they want to be out there. Nobody has any clue what they are. They just simply know that they’re standing there with a bag and they know what they want. And they fill it up and the kids keep going. So yeah, it’ll be interesting to see how many layers the kids have to wear tonight.

Gina 5:54
And how many candies we end up eating ourselves ourselves?

Barb 5:56
Yes, exactly. Well, I have to be honest, today is the last day so the 31st Cinnamon, I will have gone entire month without sugar. And like on one hand, oh, it’s Halloween, like great, but I’m not craving it. Now I know we’re completely digressing from our conversation, but I’m not craving it at all.

Gina 6:18
And so we’ll see how long I know. We’ll see. Yeah, we’ll see.

Barb 6:22
Exactly. All right. So let’s talk a little bit more. So Doctor School of Business, I mean, you are clearly a very driven woman. What is it? What drives you? What keeps you going?

Gina 6:37
I think there are a number of things that keep me going you would ask me as well, kind of what led me to this particular position. And I think it’s important for, in particular for women. And I say this because one of my areas, women in leadership. And so I know what the research is, I know how people often experience it’s not everyone. But in deciding to move forward even to apply for this job. I remember thinking I’m not sure it’s what I really want. I say what many women say I’m not sure I’m ready. Um, life was pretty good. But in reflecting at that time, as to and I thought a lot about whether I would even apply a couple of things that struck me BB that I knew was important. One was I teach, and I do research on women and leadership. And I encourage other women to step up to consider those options, whether it’s their own business, or whether it’s a senior leadership role in organizations they work in, okay. And I thought, How can I tell other people and encourage other people that we need to see more women leading organizations? If I’m not willing to do it myself? That’s right. And I think the other thing that really drove me to that decision was my deep concern and care about our students and our education systems. Okay, so getting to your question around what drives me, probably not all that surprising for listeners for to hear an academic say that, really, that they’re, I have a thirst for learning, a thirst for personal growth, and always looking for a challenge and a stretch. So something that’s going to stretch me and I do have a curiosity to understand different perspectives. And and I think, you know, when I think about me, taking that step forward, to apply for the Dean ship, and what drives me in the decisions, I make that curiosity and that deep desire to hear from other people to understand other people is part of that. I think it’s probably fair to say, Barb that I have also a discomfort with the status quo. Okay. And, and with that, I think means that you’re willing to take on new challenges. You want to be able to try something new. Yes. And I’m not sure Mina at University of Regina, we talk about service, and service to others. And I think perhaps that’s one of the reasons I was drawn to the university and like it there so much, okay, but being that advocate for others, whether that happens to be for a group of people, whether that happens to be people underrepresented, whether that happens to be a woman student who’s looking for advice, or whether that happens to be any student looking for advice and helping them have a better path and even some small way, that’s what’s important to me.

Barb 9:36
So would would your high school teachers have said, Yep, genius path like either academia or, you know, she’s always looking out for the underdog. She’s going to be an advocate, or is this something that grew in you as your education and teaching and research continued?

Gina 9:54
I don’t know what they would say it’s funny when you think back I mean, there was never any talk of being In an academic in my my high school that was never really anything that anyone talked about. I was always highly active in all kinds of activities. So whether it was sports drama, whether it was student council, any type of activity, I was heavily involved. So I don’t think they would be particularly shocked that I would be still engaged in a number of different activities. I think that this notion of the advocacy in many ways, always there, I think there’s always been a commitment in my family to service to others. So both my mom and my dad have spent a lot of their life with community groups and continue whether that’s the Lions Club, the SPCA, and I remember from a very young age, going out to do door to door canvassing. And so I think in some, I think, my, my path in regards to how that manifests so being sort of firm or active with particular individuals and groups, it has developed over time. But I would say that it’s something that I grew up with in my family that has always been important that service to others.

Barb 11:18
Yeah, it’s always been there. Yeah, I know, I often hear from family from friends, looking back, and sort of where my own path has gone. I’ve done a lot of change management work. And that absolutely resonates with who I’ve always been, I’ve always, I’ve always been that person who, let’s change it, we can make it better, we can make it work faster, we can, you know, help someone, right? Kind of to the point where people are like, okay, and we are right, but but somebody has to be that squeaky wheel to make change. So So kudos to you. There was a recent announcement, I think I saw it maybe on your LinkedIn page. And just your comments earlier about, you know, moving women into a leadership position and some of those sorts of things. Can you talk a little bit about this women executive in residence program, and I believe we’re now going to learn a little bit about our second recipient of that honor. So So tell us a little bit about that.

Gina 12:16
Sure. The Helen Levine schools are very fortunate to have some generous support from RBC. And two years ago, they put forward a significant amount of money to support the RBC woman Executive in Residence. To my knowledge, it is the only one across the country. So I know of another university that has a woman Executive in Residence in a women’s leadership area, but it’s not specifically you know, I think it’s intuitive to think it will be a woman. But to my knowledge, we are the only one or one of few that have a woman Executive in Residence. And we’re delighted. Oh, absolutely. So Pat, us walk was our inaugural woman Executive in Residence and have you finished her term? Yes. And we’ve just made this announcement, as you’ve said this week, that Valerie sleuth will be our our new new executive and she will and so Valerie starts this week. Okay. And of course Valerie is the CO is the founder and CO principal with Praxis consulting. She serves on a number of boards in our community heavily involved in economic development, and has served as a mentor.

Barb 13:37
Welcome to Night views. The Secret Life of entrepreneurs on 91.3 FM CJ ter Regina community radio. We’re live with a local business owner who’s making a difference in y QR. Stay tuned to learn their secrets. What makes them tick? What helped them become successful and their role as a leader in our business community. You’re listening to your host, Barb McGrath, business owner, founder of get found on Google Live and a marketing expert who helps businesses succeed with ease using their website social media and online reputation. Our guest today is Dr. Gina grandi. from the University of Regina schools of Hill nope, he’ll see you that’s what I right we’re gonna try that all over again. Okay. So it’s not you’re not going to be the problem today I am.

Gina 14:29
Well I haven’t started yet. Barbara.

Barb 14:33
Okay. Welcome. Tonight views The Secret Life of entrepreneurs on 91.3 FM CJ ter. We’re live with a local business owner who’s making a difference in y QR. Stay tuned to learn their secrets about what makes them tick. What help them become successful and their role as a leader in our business community. You’re listening to your host, Barb McGrath, business owner founder of the Get found on Google Live program, and marketing expert who helps businesses succeed with ease, using their website, social media and online reputation. Our guest today is Dr. Gina Grandy. From the she’s the Dean of the Hill and Levine Schools of Business at the University of Regina. She’s going to talk to us a little bit about building an entrepreneurial spirit in young women in particular. Welcome, Gina.

Gina 15:26
Thank you very much, Barb. It’s a pleasure to be here.

Barb 15:28
Absolutely. Well, let’s start there. Tell us a little bit about yourself, and how you got to be the dean of two of the most prestigious schools in our university.

Gina 15:41
Great, thank you. So I’m originally from Newfoundland, which will become very clear as I continue to speak, and your listeners hear my accent. I grew up in Newfoundland, I moved to Regina to the U of R. Book five years ago. Now. I grew up in a small town in Newfoundland. And it’s interesting how we get to where we are when we talk about sort of those paths that I ended my my dad is a retired teacher and my mom, a retired nurse. And so business wasn’t necessarily really things that were talked about in my household that much. But my guidance counselor at the time, told me I had three options. I could be a nurse, I could be a teacher or I could go into business. Okay. And I said, I, I asked him about being a nurse. I said, Well, could I be a doctor, but I was a bit kind of weak. When it came to looking at blood. My I liked the idea of teaching. But I had said, I’m not sure I want to teach little people. Okay, and, and so I said, Well, I guess I’ll do business, because that appears to be my only option. And so went into business. And after I had my first work term in particular, I would say that the interest was sparked. And, and it started from there.

Barb 16:57
So first work term. Tell us a little bit about that.

Gina 17:01
Yeah, so my first work term was with a magazine company that produced oil and gas related magazines in downtown St. John’s, and I was responsible for marketing for distribution and circulation. And it was a teeny, tiny entrepreneurial firm, okay, led by a woman entrepreneur. Excellent. And it was really, for me, perhaps one of the first times I had that insider look at what it was to be an entrepreneur, and the autonomy and flexibility and hard work that comes with that.

Barb 17:34
No kidding. Isn’t that the truth? Absolutely. So just before we start to dig too much into your story, today, of course, is Halloween. You know, Halloween, Newfoundland, I would say, five or maybe 10 years ago, since you last live there.

Gina 17:50
Longer than that.

Barb 17:52
We’ll go with that today. What was life like? Out in St. John’s at that time? Sure.

Gina 17:59
So I studied in St. John’s, but grew up in a small rural community about three and a half hours from St. John’s, on the Burin Peninsula of Newfoundland and small communities next to each other very close. And so there was a lot of trick or treating. And so a lot of costumes, I remember vividly, I was the youngest. And somehow my brother and sister were able to go out on their own. But my father, for some reason, didn’t feel that I should. And so two, and three and four friends of mine would go together, and he would drive us in the car. And so for a long time, there was trick or treating. And in fact, I would say in those days, people tended to trick or treat probably at an age well beyond what they should really be doing. It doesn’t happen as much now, but that sense of security and fun. And so it kind of you know, you did it probably much later in life than then you would now or when kids do it now.

Barb 19:02
You know, and so few kids come I think we’re prepared for maybe 20 kids tonight. We’re just not expecting very many to show up at the door. And in fact, you know, last year we bought the nice big box, and we were ready. And it just added to our waistline. Next year. Right?

Gina 19:21
So yeah, it’s one of the things I will say very similar to here would be the cold weather. So I vividly remember when I was really young, having fantastic costumes that my mother would help make and all those things salutely And you could wear them to school. But when the evening came, you had to wear extra pairs of pants and jackets, and it kind of that that costume that you were able to wear during the day just didn’t exist at night if you are going to survive and so that’s probably a similar experience to people in Regina who think about Halloween and who trick or treat even now.

Barb 19:59
Well in You know, the funny thing is you get your kids dressed up in their costume. And then by the time you put the layers on that they need to stay warm for as long as they want to be out there. Nobody has any clue what they are. They just simply know that they’re standing there with a bag and they know what they want. And they fill it up and the kids keep going. So yeah, it’ll be interesting to see how many layers the kids have to wear tonight.

Gina 20:19
That’s right. And how many candies we end up eating ourselves ourselves?

Barb 20:22
Yes, exactly. Well, I have to be honest, today is the last day. So the 31st of the month, I will have gone entire month without sugar. And like, on one hand, it’s Halloween, like, great, but I’m not craving it. Now, I know, we’re completely digressing from our conversation. But I’m not craving it at all.

Gina 20:44
And so we’ll see how long I know. We’ll see. Yeah, we’ll see.

Barb 20:48
Exactly. All right. So let’s talk a little bit more sure. So doctor, School of Business, I mean, you are clearly a very driven woman. What is it, what drives you? What keeps you going?

Gina 21:03
I think there are a number of things that keep me going, you would ask me as well, kind of what led me to this particular position and think it’s important for, in particular, for women, and I say this because one of my areas, women in leadership. And so I know what the research is, I know how people often experience it’s not everyone. But in deciding to move forward even to apply for this job. I remember thinking I’m not sure it’s what I really want. I say what many women say I’m not sure I’m ready. Um, life was pretty good. But in reflecting at that time, as to and I thought a lot about whether I would even apply. Okay, a couple of things that struck me BB that I knew was important. One was, I teach, and I do research on women in leadership. And I encourage other women to step up to consider those options, whether it’s their own business, or whether it’s a senior leadership role in organizations they work in, okay. And I thought, How can I tell other people and encourage other people that we need to see more women leading organizations? If I’m not willing to do it myself? That’s right. And I think the other thing that really drove me to that decision was my deep concern and care about our students and our education systems. Okay, so getting to your question around what drives me, probably not all that surprising for listeners for to hear an academic say that, really, that they’re, I have a thirst for learning, a thirst for personal growth, and always looking for a challenge and a stretch. So something that’s going to stretch me and I do have a curiosity, to understand different perspectives. And and I think, you know, when I think about me, taking that step forward, to apply for the Dean ship, and what drives me in the decisions, I make that curiosity and that deep desire to hear from other people to understand other people is part of that. I think it’s probably fair to say, Barb that I have also a discomfort with the status quo. Okay. And, and with that, I think means that you’re willing to take on new challenges, you want to be able to try something new. Yes. And I’m not sure Mina at University of Regina, we talk about service service to others. And, and I think perhaps that’s one of the reasons I was drawn to the university. And like if they’re so much, okay, but being that advocate for others, whether that happens to be for a group of people, whether that happens to be people underrepresented, whether that happens to be a woman student who’s looking for advice, or whether that happens to be any student looking for advice, and helping them have a better path and even some small way, it’s what’s important to me.

Barb 24:02
So would would your high school teachers have said, Yep, Gina’s path, like either academia or, you know, she’s always looking out for the underdog. She’s going to be an advocate, or is this something that grew in you as your education and teaching and research continued?

Gina 24:20
You know, what they would say, it’s funny when you think back, I mean, there was never any talk of being an academic in my, in my high school, that was never really anything that anyone talked about. I was always highly active in all kinds of activities. So whether it was sports drama, whether it was student council, any type of activity, I was heavily involved, so I don’t think they would be particularly shocked that I would be still engaged in a number of different activities. I think that this notion of the advocacy in many ways Always there, I think there’s always been a commitment in my family to service to others. So both my mom and my dad have spent a lot of their life with community groups and continue whether that’s the Lions Club, the SPCA, and I remember from a very young age, going out to do door to door canvassing. And so I think in some, I think my, my path in regards to how that manifests so means sort of firm or active with particular individuals and groups it has developed over time. But I would say that it’s something that I grew up with in my family that has always been important that service to others.

Barb 25:43
Yeah, it’s always been there. Yeah, I know. I often hear from family from friends, looking back and sort of where my own path has gone. I’ve done a lot of change management work. And that absolutely resonates with who I’ve always been, I’ve always I’ve always been that person who, let’s change it, we can make it better. We can make it work faster. We can, you know, help someone, right? Kind of to the point where people are like, okay, and we are right, but but somebody has to be that squeaky wheel. To make change. You’re at a time, I’d like to thank you for joining us today on The Secret Life of entrepreneurs. As always, if you’d like to be a guest on the show, please email me at barb@google girl.ca or reach out on Facebook and Instagram, at abovethe fold.Ca. Just a reminder, you can even submit questions in advance of the live show on any of our social media channels. I’m your host, Barb McGrath, local business owner, digital marketer and Google girl. Remember, you worked hard for your success. Don’t keep it a secret. Bye for now.