Meet Johanna Lau, 

2022 VFC Intern and BCom student at McGill University majoring in Sustainable Business Strategy and minoring in Business Analytics.

We sat down with Johanna to learn more about the impact of her internship, the projects she’s been working on, and the entrepreneurial skillset she has developed. 

As an intern, Johanna is working at the Canadian Accelerator and Incubator Network (CAIN) as a Member Manager where she coordinates events and strategizes how to create value for CAIN’s members. She is also a Junior Analyst for ESG McGill and the Director of Communications Relations for McGill’s Fashion Business Uncovered club. Johanna’s dream is to work on sustainability in the fashion industry. In the meantime, she loves spending her free time exploring Montreal on the hunt for the best food spots. 

To begin the interview, we covered arguably, the most important question of all.

What is your favourite snack? 

This is probably the most difficult question I’ll have to answer for this interview! I have a hard time picking favourites for anything – it really depends on what I’m feeling for that day. And today, I’m craving tteokbokki, which is a Korean dish of these little rice cakes served with fish cakes, boiled eggs, and scallions, all drenched in a spicy sauce. Delicious!

What has been the most impactful part of your internship so far? 

I was really thrown into the deep end with this internship – on my first day, the onboarding process was really quick since we had a three-day national summit coming up the next week. Without a full understanding of CAIN’s activities, I was suddenly emailing members, meeting with speakers, and running all the technical elements for the summit. 

Learning how to take initiative has been really valuable. At the beginning, I remember feeling very unsure about the amount of freedom and trust I was given to make decisions. Stacey Wallin (Executive Director, CAIN) and Chris Diaper (Managing Director, CAIN) were always there to answer any questions I had, but I was also given a voice and opportunity to lead initiatives, to execute my ideas into fruition. I got to build my own plan for the summer and be very involved in restructuring CAIN’s member relations strategy, which is a higher level of work than I expected to be doing this summer. This internship has been such a great growth experience. I’m not only learning to trust in my own abilities, but also in the fact that young people have fresh, valuable perspectives to offer – a reality that many companies are beginning to take into consideration. 

What project at CAIN are you most proud of? 

I’m very proud of all of the projects I’ve had the opportunity to work on, particularly because of how I feel my voice and feedback is valued. One project I’ve spearheaded over the summer is CAIN’s Peer Groups, which was a role-based mentorship program. It came very organically from our membership. We had a lot of requests for networking opportunities, building deeper relationships, and sharing ecosystem learnings. I’m all for collaboration, especially in a space that supports innovation. One of the great things about CAIN is that our programming takes shape through discussions with our members. Though we’re no longer running the Peer Groups now, I was able to take members’ insights and adapt them into more effective offerings, some of which are currently in the works!

What has been the biggest eye-opening moment for you? Have you had any newfound career clarity? 

The working world is so wide. I went into university thinking that I had my career path all figured out, and I’m now realizing how many different positions there are that most students aren’t aware of simply because we’re not exposed to them. I’m now taking a discovery approach to my studies and career. Every summer internship, every club I join, every elective I take – it’s all a conscious choice to open new doors and see where the experience leads me.

“Some things I’ll try and love, others I’ll really dislike – and there’s no shame in leaving something that’s no longer serving any value. I’m learning to like the idea of not knowing what my future job may be.”

What pieces of advice would you offer to students entering the workforce? 

There’s a lot of cliché advice which I feel all has its grains of truth – always be open to networking, build your skills and experiences, be involved in your community, etc. However, what I’m personally discovering is that it’s particularly important to take the time to explore yourself and what you enjoy. 

Being open to new experiences and taking the time to actually try out new things will help you to understand what you enjoy and where you want your career to go. I’m sure many of you understand what it’s like to be under a lot of pressure to make a decision on what to do with your career. But, if you make a decision on what you want to do so early in your life, you become restricted to only that one pathway. 

“I believe it’s important to have a general idea of what direction you’d like your career to take, but to also give yourself the room and the self-assurance that your life is a fluid journey.”

You might find yourself working in spaces that you had no idea existed when you were in high school – I had no idea what a business accelerator and incubator were before this summer! But if you know yourself well, then you’ll be able to choose opportunities that suit you and help you grow in the direction you want to go.

Why do you believe entrepreneurial skills are vital for our economy? 

Skills like taking initiative and being flexible are vital to dealing with ambiguity. Growing up and entering the workforce can be a daunting feat because it always feels like there are more problems than answers. But I truly believe that given the opportunity to grow ourselves and develop our skills, my generation will be a generation of problem solvers. Just look at our passion! These skills are not only important to the workplace but also in sparking real and lasting change.

However, while we have big dreams to change the world, we have to start somewhere. It can be really helpful to have a bit of guidance – I’m really lucky to be doing this internship through Venture for Canada, because the training library has been that safety net when I’m feeling confused or overwhelmed. Being able to search for a webinar on a specific topic like time management or leading projects provides that extra bit of guidance while I’m figuring out how to take initiative. 

Entrepreneurial skills really help to shape us as young people – we have so much to offer, and by investing in opportunities like this, companies are assisting us in realizing our full potential so we can contribute to building a better tomorrow for generations to come.

About Venture for Canada 

Venture for Canada is a national charity that fosters entrepreneurial skills and mindset in young Canadians. To be entrepreneurial is to act upon opportunities to create value for others. We recruit, train, and support young people to work for innovative Canadian small businesses and startups. Through our programs, participants develop the network, knowledge, and entrepreneurial skills to have more impactful careers. 

Learn more about Venture for Canada’s Student Programs: https://ventureforcanada.ca/programs 

About the Canadian Accelerator and Incubator Network (CAIN):

CAIN is a Canada-wide network of business accelerators and incubators with 140+ members. Through digital events and national data projects, we support member networking and collaboration in the innovation ecosystem. Our community is driven by members’ participation, and there is no cost for membership. 

Learn more about CAIN: https://cainetwork.ca/