Janet Lewis

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Janet Lewis I help entrepreneurs refine their ideas and get started moving forward. https://linktr.ee/janetlewis

Remember when businesses actually knew your name?I used to be a regular at 2 Cats in Toronto.And when I say regular… thi...
08/19/2026

Remember when businesses actually knew your name?

I used to be a regular at 2 Cats in Toronto.

And when I say regular… think Norm from Cheers. 😂

The bartenders and bouncers knew my name. They knew what I drank. I brought friends. I told everyone about the place.

One Christmas, I even bought the bartenders gifts.

I was the CUSTOMER. 😂

No points.
No loyalty app.
No automated emails.

I just loved the people, the experience and the place.

And more importantly...

I wanted the business to win.

That got me thinking:

Businesses have more data about us than ever before.

But do they actually know us?

And have we confused repeat business with genuine loyalty?

That's what I'm exploring in this week's The Connectavist.

Where are YOU a regular? Tag the business below. 👇 I'd love to know what they do that keeps you coming back.

🔗 Full article at the link in my bio.

08/14/2026

The sun was shining on Thursday, and East End Connected had another pretty magical morning. ☀️💕

This month we gathered at Venelle Courtyard, a beautiful new space on Queen Street East created by Christiane Tetreault. The courtyard will officially launch in September, featuring local artisans and vendors, and will also be available to rent for events.
For now, you can stop by, grab an ice cream from Little Moo, and enjoy this little oasis in the city.

But what I loved most—as always—was watching the women come together.

Every month, women show up with the genuine intention of getting to know one another. They share what they're working on, talk through challenges, exchange ideas, make introductions and
find ways to support each other.

I honestly get so much joy from watching it happen.
East End Connected can sometimes be a lot of work behind the scenes, but I wouldn't trade it for
anything.

Because this is how we create change.

We get women seen.
We support businesses in our own neighbourhoods.
We introduce people to someone they might never have met otherwise.

And then we take those connections back out into our own networks.

One introduction. One recommendation. One local purchase. One connection at a time.

That's what East End Connected is all about. 💕

Everyone seems to be chasing the next automation.✅ AI chatbots✅ Automated emails✅ Knowledge bases✅ Ticket systemsThe goa...
08/05/2026

Everyone seems to be chasing the next automation.

✅ AI chatbots

✅ Automated emails

✅ Knowledge bases

✅ Ticket systems

The goal always seems to be the same:

Make it harder for customers to reach a human.

I think we're heading in the wrong direction.

Technology should make serving customers easier.

Not make customers feel like an interruption.

I wrote about why I think businesses that create exceptional human experiences will have an advantage in the years ahead.

I'd love to know...

What's the best customer experience you've had recently?

And...

What's the worst?

👇 Tell me below.

"Hey, hey Janet 👋Honoring you for the business you've built..."I'd never spoken to this person in my life.Two days later...
07/29/2026

"Hey, hey Janet 👋
Honoring you for the business you've built..."

I'd never spoken to this person in my life.

Two days later, he had my follower count memorized. A guaranteed $30k. A 30-minute call to "make magic together."

I said nothing.

He tried again.
And again.
For three weeks.

He finally gave up — not because I said no, but because I said nothing at all.

If you're an entrepreneur on LinkedIn, you already know this message. I wrote about what it taught me. 🔗 Link in bio.

07/09/2026

Another amazing East End Connected.

This month we gathered at Boa Boutique on Queen Street East, and what a wonderful morning
it was.

I always love hearing the stories behind local businesses, and hearing Daphne share her journey of building Boa Boutique for more than 20 years was incredibly inspiring. She spoke honestly about the challenges she's faced, how the business has evolved over the years, and even gave us a little hint about what's coming next. 😊

I have to admit... it was a little distracting networking in a boutique filled with beautiful clothes!

Every time I looked around, I spotted another outfit I wanted to try on. I'll definitely be making another visit when I can spend a little more time browsing.

More importantly, mornings like this remind me why East End Connected exists.

When we gather in person, we aren't just networking.

We're strengthening our local economy.

We're learning from women who have built incredible businesses.

We're creating trust.

We're making referrals.

We're finding people who truly understand what it's like to run a business.

Community isn't built in one conversation.

It's built by showing up, month after month, and choosing to invest in each other.

A huge thank you to Daphne for welcoming us into Boa Boutique and to every woman who came with an open mind, positive energy, and a willingness to connect. You are what makes this community so special. 💛

If you're a female entrepreneur or business owner in Toronto's East End and you'd like to join us,
send me a DM with your email address and I'll add you to the invitation list.

Because when women support women—and support local—everyone benefits. 💛


07/09/2026

Another amazing East End Connected.

This month we gathered at Boa Boutique on Queen Street East, and what a wonderful morning it was.

I always love hearing the stories behind local businesses, and hearing Daphne share her journey
of building Boa Boutique for more than 20 years was incredibly inspiring. She spoke honestly about the challenges she's faced, how the business has evolved over the years, and even gave us a little hint about what's coming next. 😊

I have to admit... it was a little distracting networking in a boutique filled with beautiful clothes!

Every time I looked around, I spotted another outfit I wanted to try on. I'll definitely be making another visit when I can spend a little more time browsing.

More importantly, mornings like this remind me why East End Connected exists.

When we gather in person, we aren't just networking.

We're strengthening our local economy.

We're learning from women who have built incredible businesses.

We're creating trust.

We're making referrals.

We're finding people who truly understand what it's like to run a business.

Community isn't built in one conversation.

It's built by showing up, month after month, and choosing to invest in each other.

A huge thank you to Daphne for welcoming us into Boa Boutique and to every woman who came with an open mind, positive energy, and a willingness to connect. You are what makes this
community so special. 💛

If you're a female entrepreneur or business owner in Toronto's East End and you'd like to join us,
send me a DM with your email address and I'll add you to the invitation list.

Because when women support women—and support local—everyone benefits. 💛


TheBeachToronto EastEndToronto ConnectionWithPurpos

Why are so many of us searching for community right now?I don't think it's because networking suddenly became popular.I ...
07/08/2026

Why are so many of us searching for community right now?

I don't think it's because networking suddenly became popular.

I think we're trying to rebuild something we quietly lost.

For almost two years our routines changed.

We stayed home.
We worked from home.
We connected through screens.

Little by little, the spontaneous conversations disappeared.

The hallway chats.
The coffee breaks.
The "How are you really doing?" moments.

Maybe that's why communities seem to be everywhere today.

Networking groups.
Run clubs.
Pickleball.
Book clubs.
Church.
Weekly coffee with friends.

Maybe the activity isn't the point.

Maybe we're simply looking for each other again.

I wrote about this in this week's Connectavist article because I think we're underestimating how much our daily habits have changed—and how much we still need human connection.

❤️ Link in bio.

I'd love to know...

What community keeps you coming back—and why?

Some of the most important moments in my career were never scheduled.They weren't in a boardroom.They weren't part of a ...
07/02/2026

Some of the most important moments in my career were never scheduled.

They weren't in a boardroom.

They weren't part of a formal mentoring program.

They weren't even on my calendar.

They happened in the hallway.

Over coffee.

Walking back to my desk.

Stopping to say hello.

One unexpected conversation with a senior leader led to ideas, opportunities, and a relationship that helped shape my career.

It made me wonder...

What if some of the most valuable parts of work happen between the meetings?

Today we spend a lot of time talking about where people work.

🏢 The office.

🏠 Home.

🔄 Hybrid.

But perhaps the more important question is:

Where do people grow?

Because we don't just learn from courses.

We learn from people.

From watching.

From listening.

From asking questions.

From the conversations we never planned to have.

I explore this idea in my latest article on The Connectavist:

Conversations That Weren't on the Calendar

If you've ever had a mentor, a manager, or even a five-minute conversation that changed the direction of your career...
..I think you'll relate.

🔗 Link in my bio.

💬 I'd love to hear from you:

What's one unexpected conversation that changed your career?

I've been thinking a lot about work lately.Not careers.Not promotions.Not salaries.Work.The people we meet.The confidenc...
06/25/2026

I've been thinking a lot about work lately.

Not careers.

Not promotions.

Not salaries.

Work.

The people we meet.

The confidence we build.

The routines that give our days structure.

The mentors who change our lives without even realizing it.

The friendships that last long after we've left a job.

We spend so much time talking about what technology can replace.

But I wonder if we're asking the wrong question.

What are we losing when work becomes less human?

That question became the inspiration for my latest Connectavist article.

I'd love to know...

💛 What's one thing your best job gave you that had nothing to do with money?

📖 Read the full article
https://substack.com//note/p-203555511?r=bdvy&utm_source=notes-share-action&utm_medium=web

When did growth stop being the outcome.....and become the mission?I've been thinking about this a lot lately.It seems li...
06/17/2026

When did growth stop being the outcome...
..and become the mission?

I've been thinking about this a lot lately.

It seems like so many organizations start with the best intentions:

To solve a problem.
To help people.
To build something meaningful.

But somewhere along the way, the numbers start driving the decisions.

More users.
More revenue.
More engagement.
More growth.

None of those things are bad.

Until they're all that matter.

My latest article explores a question I think more leaders, entrepreneurs, and organizations should be asking:

What happens when growth becomes the mission?

The answer isn't about business.

It's about people.

💭 Swipe through the carousel and let me know which slide resonated with you most.

📖 Read the full article on The Connectavist on Substack.

https://substack.com/Janet Lewis | The Connectavist

✨ The Connectavist is where business, humanity, technology, and connection intersect.

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