Entrepreneur Komal Minhas inspires Algonquin College students during Third Thursday event

Komal Minhas came to Algonquin College on Nov. 17 to speak to students on how to protect their well-being and build confidence as ambitious students as a part of The Third Thursday series at the AC Hub.

Minhas, an executive coach and speaker who worked on the Dream Girl documentary, was interviewed by Algonquin College journalism student Magan Carty. Minhas spoke to the audience about resiliency, work ambition and future projects.

Minhas talked about being diagnosed at 26 years old with a rare form of skin cancer and having to go between Ottawa and New York for treatment.

“What I learned through that entire journey, through starting my business, through pivoting and meandering through my career is that our resiliency is our through line,” said Minhas. “It is a muscle we can build.”

Minhas said she found reconnecting with her community one of the best ways to find her resiliency.

“Reconnecting with the people that know us well, who have been with us through hard times, is a key way to be resilient,” she said.

To keep up with one’s community, Minhas explained it was important to find small ways to stay connected and to build those interactions in our daily schedule.

While answering questions from the audience, Minhas explained the importance of balance. Look at life like an athlete does, she suggested.

“Athletes have their pre-season, their in-season and their off-season,” she explained. “We have to think about that, as students, your semester is your in-season, this is when you are going hard and going all out.

“When holidays come this can be your off-season. This is when you really allow yourself to replenish,” Minhas continued. “At your pre-season those first few days before the semester starts, then is when you get yourself prepared for the semester ahead.”

As for future goals, Minhas said, “I really want to explore the opportunity of entering politics in the next five years.”

When asked what kind of politics she would enter, Minhas said she wasn’t ready to publicly say.

The Third Thursday series at the AC Hub features speakers who inspire students and create conversations.

The next Third Thursday is scheduled for Jan. 19 with Julia Slanina, an entrepreneur and CEO of Treehouse, an app designed to help organize family healthcare providers.