Empowering Canadian SMBs: A Mission to Unlock Digital Potential
The author of this piece is Katie Ferguson, who oversees the Small and Medium-Sized Business (SMB) segment at Cisco Canada and is dedicated to enabling these organizations to thrive in the digital landscape.
Fostering Connection Through Giving
Maya Angelou once articulated that “giving liberates the soul of the giver,” a sentiment experienced by our Canadian SMB team and partners recently.
In June 2024, our team collaborated with Kelly Carter from Cisco Meraki Canada to host our inaugural Partner Summit for Canadian SMB allies in Toronto, where we welcomed over 50 key partners to discuss product innovations and network effectively while emphasizing our vision of an inclusive future for everyone involved.
Making a Difference Together
A highlight beyond business achievements was the strong community spirit cultivated through volunteer efforts during the summit designed specifically for charitable outreach initiatives related to Kits for a Cause—an organization that links individuals eager to help with nonprofits like Dixon Hall that aids vulnerable populations in Downtown East Toronto.
This event marked a groundbreaking occasion as the first SME Partner Summit hosted by us in Canada; knowing we needed deeper connections with participants prompted us to include a charity component which allowed us not just as an organization but personally too—promoting engagement through acts of kindness while building camaraderie together packing kits side-by-side became impactful moments shared by all attendees.
A Positive Ripple Effect on Community Engagement
The addition of giving back proved fruitful as feedback from participants reflected how valuable they found this experience—many conveyed it resonated deeply within them personally! Notably inspiring were outcomes such as seeing some partners taking initiative too—they began integrating similar volunteer activities into forthcoming events after participating at summit facilitations including Insight’s collaborative work with charitable organizations that hit close-to-home issues warranting support!
Cultivating Joy Through Kindness
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Sparking creativity among peers occurred when Elise Coppola—a senior partner manager at Insight attending specific sessions reflected inspiration toward constructing similar benevolent activities organized alongside their upcoming Insight Cisco GO campaign aiming children facing adversities directly sending joy pathways throughout communities could emerge together!
“Childhood should be filled with delight—the desire was there thus underlined motivations towards spreading joy amidst challenges therefore highlighting what drives our purpose.” – Elise Coppola
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