Press

Articles
Ready to launch New program helps entrepreneurs take their businesses to the next level click here
By Jennifer Ormston, Business, Waterloo Chronicle, Oct 01, 2008

Press Kit

Profile

What now sometimes seems like a life time ago, Heike Mertins firmly established herself as a leader, team builder and innovator. At the age of 25, she had moved quickly up the corporate ladder, and was the Assistant Store Director/Acting Store Director of Toys R Us Canada Inc.’s number 2 store. Not surprisingly, shortly after GAP International entered the Canadian market, they came calling at her door. Ready for a change and new challenge, Heike joined the rapidly growing international company. Within a year and a half, she was the recipient of the company’s Award for Outstanding Achievement. Together with her team, she had successfully set-up and overseen the transformation of one of the company’s underperforming stores into Canada’s first GAP Clearance store, increasing store sales in excess of 200% and directly impacting the overall profitability of the company’s Canadian division.

Having always wanted to effect change on a broader scope, Heike returned to university at the age of 29. After graduating with honours from the University of Waterloo, she embarked upon a Master Degree program where she studied charismatic leadership and its effects on organizations and societies.

After the birth of her daughter, Heike chose to invest the next 5 years ensuring her daughter received the best possible start in life. When her daughter entered the school system, she began taking on projects on a part-time basis. She would spend the next 6 years pursing her love of research and learning through writing market assessment reports on new inventions in over 20 different industry sectors. Her on-going love of big projects would see her take on the role of Assistant Festival Coordinator for the K-W Multicultural Festival (the Region’s 2nd largest festival, second only to Oktoberfest) and involved as a key figure in the promotion, program development and partnership building of the City of Kitchener’s Tapestry: Celebrations of Diversity Festival (a 17 day festival promoting cultural diversity).

After working for years in these two sectors Heike decided it was time for some creative deconstruction. The end result was the re-creation of Idea Alternatives as a company designed to support women committed to creating their own extraordinary lives. Based on lessons learned and insights gathered, the Idea Alternative course system provides women with the knowledge and the plan they need to succeed both in business and in the other areas of their lives. Whether it is through integrating creative learning techniques, providing expert guest speakers or through Idea Alternative’s systemized approach to developing individualized personal plan programs, Idea Alternatives has much to offer all women committed to building their own extraordinary lives.

To contact Heike and learn more about what is happening at Idea Alternatives send us an e-mail. Requested information will be sent to you directly.