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Pivot 2020

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Pivot 2020 – DSA Canada Virtual Summit


DSA Canada’s Virtual Summit, Pivot 2020, will be an opportunity for learning, inspiration, fun and insight on the current issues facing the direct selling industry in Canada.

Pivot 2020 is a members-only online event taking place on November 19, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm EST.

Join Pivot 2020 hosts Peter Maddox, Gina Bresciani and Jackie McClements for an educational and fun three hour event. Pivot 2020 will look at how direct sellers are surviving and thriving during this most unusual of years, and what they are planning for the future.

1:00 PM
Opening Introduction and Overview from Hosts
1:15 PM 
Member Insights

Speaker Joe arrow rv

Making a “Sharp” Turn – How the Switch from In-Person to Virtual Sales Happened at Cutco/Vector

Joe Cardillo, General Manager at Cutco Cutlery/Vector Marketing Canada, will share the strategies that Cutco/Vector have used to shift their selling model. This change has helped achieve a year of tremendous sales growth.

1:35 PM
Award Presentation – Industry Innovation Award
1:40 PM
Legal Panel

Legal Panel: Exploring Key Issues Impacting Direct Sellers

Legal Panel Eamonn3 Legal Panel wendy name3 Legal Panel jack 3 Legal Panel Lewis2

Our panel of legal experts will address some of the key issues that are impacting direct selling companies operating in Canada.

2:05 PM
Award Presentation – Making a Difference Award
2:10 PM 
Member Insights

Joni Rogers-KanteInsights on the Pandemic and Future Plans

Join Joni Rogers-Kante, Founder, CEO, and Chairwoman of SeneGence. Joni will discuss how SeneGence has managed the challenge of the pandemic, recognized the opportunities, created and built future plans. She will also talk about her experiences and success in the direct selling channel.

 

2:30 PM
Award Presentation – Partnership in Progress Award
2:35 PM
Featured Speaker

Building Inclusive Leadership and an Equity Practice for Direct Sellers

Silvia rv4

What does an equitable workplace culture look like for Direct Sellers?

How will you and your team know when you have successfully achieved an inclusive work environment for all?

Equity Consultant, Dr. Silvia D’Addario, will provide direct sellers with best practices on how to identify and address systemic bias and inequitable practices. By engaging in the content and recommendations, you will be able to identify and adopt key tenants of inclusive leadership and use these principles in order to shift from a commitment to diversity into impactful and transformative action for change.

3:00 PM
Award Presentation – Community Spirit Award and Mark of Distinction Award
3:10 PM
Advocacy

Legal Panel huw3

Government Relations Update

Huw Williams, of Impact Public Affairs, will update participants on recent government actions and opportunities for advocacy by the direct selling industry.

3:30 PM
Member Insights

Kristine WidtfeldtFrom Launch to Lockdown: Perspectives on Year One in Canada

Chalk Couture, a direct seller of high-end DIY home decor products, launched its US operations in July 2017 and launched in Canada in May 2019. Kristine Widtfeldt is the CEO of Chalk Couture and will talk about the whirlwind of the past three years, particularly her company’s experiences entering the Canadian market and facing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

3:45 PM
Award Presenation – Ivan P. Phelan Award
3:50 PM
Event Wrap-Up and Fundraising Update
4:00 PM
Pivot 2020 Closes

Download the Pivot Agenda.

Meet our Speakers

Joe Cardillo

Speaker Joe

Joe Cardillo, General Manager at Cutco / Vector Marketing Canada

Joe was a part of the team that brought Cutco to Canada in 1990 and he now leads the Canadian organization as its General Manager, from their base in London, Ontario. He is responsible for growing all four sales channels in the Cutco/Vector model.

Dr. Silvia D'Addario

Dr. Silvia D'AddarioDr. Silvia D’Addario, Equity Consultant

Dr. Silvia D’Addario (she/her) is a passionate human rights advocate. For more than two decades, Silvia has provided education and leadership in equity and inclusion to diverse organizations across the country.

Silvia is currently the Manager of Global Citizenship, Equity and Inclusion at Centennial College where she provides leadership on inclusive practices in higher education.  She currently works with a team to strategically lead the integration of organizational practices that ensures safe, inclusive and accessible working and learning environments. Silvia has a strong interest in gender equity, racial justice, gender-based violence and building inclusive working and learning spaces. Silvia is a seasoned facilitator and speaker on issues related to equity and inclusion and has published her work widely.

For more information or to contact Silvia visit: silviadaddario.com

Eamonn Flaherty

Legal Panel Eamonn2Eamonn Flaherty, Partner, Miller Thomson LLP

Eamonn’s experience covers a wide range of corporate and commercial matters, including a special focus on the direct selling industry. He works with a diverse group of clients and has significant expertise with anti-pyramid provisions of the Competition Act and has had many dealings with the Competition Bureau. He regularly assists direct selling companies with their Canadian operations, including providing advice on licensing issues, policies and procedures, compensation plans and marketing literature.

For more information or to contact Eamonn, visit: Miller Thomson LLP

Wendy Hulton

Legal Panel wendy name2Wendy Hulton, Partner, Dickinson Wright LLP

Wendy has over twenty-five years of experience assisting direct selling companies with their expansion into Canada as well as helping those companies to operate successfully in Canada. Wendy has particular expertise when it comes to navigating the Canadian regulatory requirements.

Wendy is one of the leading lawyers who advises direct sales companies in Canada. She also offers cost effective legal advice to many direct selling clients in both the US and in Canada.

For more information or to contact Wendy, visit: Dickinson Wright LLP

W. Jack Millar

Legal Panel jack 2W. Jack Millar, JD, LLM, QDJM, Senior Partner, Millar Kreklewetz LLP

Jack is the senior partner at Millar Kreklewetz LLP, a Canadian tax law firm with a specific focus on the direct selling industry. For over twenty-five years, Jack has been working with DSA Canada and many of its members focusing on all aspects of their business. Jack assists direct selling companies in establishing their business in Canada, including advising on the appropriate business structure, cross-border planning and licensing and regulatory compliance requirements. Jack also assists clients in their on-going business operations, including competition law, income tax, GST/HST and sales tax, customs and trade, and regulatory matters that arise on a day-to-day basis.

Jack has served on the DSA Board and has been awarded the Ivan P. Phelan Award for his outstanding contributions to the direct selling industry in Canada. He also received The Queen’s Diamond Jubille Medal which honours significant contributions and achievements made by Canadians.

For more information or to contact Jack, visit: Millar Kreklewetz LLP

Lewis Retik

Legal Panel LewisLewis Retik, Partner, Gowling WLG

Lewis a partner in the Gowling WLG’s Ottawa office, practicing primarily in the area of corporate commercial and regulatory law. Lewis and his team provide advice on direct sales, multi-level marketing, regulatory licensing, product distribution, manufacturing, advertising, packaging and labelling.

He has worked with companies of all sizes, from startups to large international companies in a variety of industries, and he regularly interacts with senior government officials from Industry Canada, Health Canada, The Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and Environment Canada.

For more information or to contact Lewis, visit: Gowlings WLG

Joni Rogers-Kante

Joni Rogers-Kante no arrowsJoni Rogers-Kante, Founder, CEO, and Chairwoman of SeneGence

Joni Rogers-Kante is the visionary and driving force behind SeneGence®. Her dream of developing a company that gave women an opportunity to build their own business regardless of age, background, or education has become a phenomenal success, with offices in five countries and hundreds of thousands of Independent Distributors across the globe.

Joni’s guiding principle for the company every step of the way has been, “Choose to Live Life in Love and Abundance, and Then Work for It!”

In the early days of the company, Joni traveled around the world with a team of scientists and botanists to find ingredients for SeneGence’s unique skin care and cosmetic formulas. Currently, Joni oversees the company’s overall vision and more than 500 employees in SeneGence’s U.S. offices, and she is actively involved with trips, events, and the development and marketing of new products and training programs.

In 2020 alone, Joni became a Board Member of the Direct Selling Education Foundation, and The Orange County Business Journal named her one of the area’s most influential business leaders and the owner of the largest woman-owned business in the county. In 2018, she received Direct Selling News’ Bravo Award and the Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award by the Orange County Business Journal. Joni is the Founder of SeneGence’s nonprofit organization, The Make Sense Foundation®, and is an active member of the Orange and Creek County communities. She is also the author of Million Dollar Lips.

Kristine Widtfeldt

Kristine Widtfeldt SpeakerKristine Widtfeldt, Chief Executive Officer at Chalk Couture

Kristine Widtfeldt is the CEO of Chalk Couture, a direct seller of high-end DIY home decor products. The company is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah and launched its US operations in July 2017, with Canada launched in May 2019.

Prior to Chalk Couture, Kristine has spent more than 20 years in a variety of leadership roles, primarily in consumer brands. She has been CMO of Miche Fashion Co. (women’s accessories), Vice President of Close To My Heart (papercrafting), President of Axiom Press, an academic publisher, as well as leading a marketing agency.  She has also authored a number of books and programs on personal finance and nutrition, and appeared on several television programs, including the ABC News program 20/20.

In her off hours, she’s running trails in the canyons near her Utah home, perfecting her sourdough bread recipe, and hanging out with her three adult children and patient husband, Pete.

Huw Williams

Legal Panel huwHuw Williams, President, Impact Public Affairs

Huw specializes in government and media relations and has extensive experience in print and broadcast media. He frequently appears as a corporate spokesperson on CBC and CTV National News. Huw’s government experience is diverse, having served as Acting Chief of Staff to the Deputy Prime Minister of Canada; as a Senior Assistant to the Minister of Constitutional Affairs; and as a Legislative Assistant to the Speaker of the Alberta Legislative Assembly.

He has been named Worldwide Public Affairs Professional of the Year finalist by PRNews Magazine, won the CSAE Griner Award for outstanding “Business Excellence,” is one of The Hill Times’ Top 100 lobbyists in Canada, and the Ottawa Business Journal’s “Top 40 under 40 Award” for professional success and community involvment.

For more information or to contact Huw, visit: Impact Public Affairs

During the Summit, we will be announcing the winners of our 2020 DSA Canada Awards, including the prestigious Ivan P. Phelan Award, our highest honour. Join us to recognize and celebrate the best in direct selling.

As a live Zoom event, Pivot 2020 will provide attendees with the ability to participate, network and to reconnect with DSA Canada members and industry friends.

Please register today to book your spot at our Virtual Summit, Pivot 2020.

There is no cost to attend this event and it is open to all active DSA Canada members and supplier members only, including all of their employees.

We look forward to seeing you there!

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Pivot 2020 Sponsorship Opportunities

All sponsorship opportunities for supplier members have been reserved. For more details contact Tara at tara@dsa.ca.