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w w w .i n si d eH A LT O N .c o m O A K V IL LE B EA V ER Fr id ay , S ep te m be r 23 , 2 01 1 2 4 Artscene The Burlington Public Library is hosting an evening with Oakvilles Sally Armstrong on Wednesday, Sept. 28. Armstrong is a human rights activist, humanitarian, docu- mentary filmmaker, journalist and novelist. Shes won inter- national awards, is a five-time honorary doctor and a Member of the Order of Canada. Her book, The Nine Lives of Charlotte Taylor, is the 2011 One Book One Burlington selection. The book is the story of an 18th century frontier woman and is based on the life of one of the first women settlers of New Brunswicks Miramichi region Armstrongs great-great-great grandmother. The event will take place at Port Nelson United Church, 3131 South Dr., at 7 p.m. The evening event was originally slated to take place at another location but was moved to a larger venue due to high demand. The church will be accepting donations of unexpired canned food items to benefit a local food bank. The event is free but advance tickets are required. Tickets are available in per- son at the third floor Information Desk of the Burlington Central Library and at other Burlington branches. Burlington library hosts chat with Sally Armstrong Executive coach reveals secrets to success By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF What started out as a means of garnering exposure in the U.S. in hopes of landing a television deal, the publication of a book has turned into a new career path for an Oakville woman. Sheeba Varghese, an executive coach by profession, has just pub- lished her first book, Sheebas Secret: A formula for more success through greater self-awareness. Already running her own online program at www.morefocus.tv, Varghese was trying to go even further in the talk-show world. I got some producers in the States and shot a pilot down in the States," she said. "These producers shopped it to networks. It was Fox and NBC who said, Hey, were looking for a new face. This is somebody who is new. Shes got a different angle. But if she had a book it would really help substanti- ate her. The networks wanted someone who would be more recognizable for a show, so she wrote the book. But now that shes finished, shes putting plans for a television career on the side burner. I dont want to go there any- more, she said. Now, what I want to do is focus on being a speaker and doing more writing, maybe, and focusing on my kids. Varghese has worked with CEOs and senior executives across North America. Over the last 10 years, she was the president of a well-known executive coaching firm. She was also nominated for The Globe and Mails top 40 under 40 and she was active on the prime ministers task force for women entrepreneurs. Also, after Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo appeared on her show, the band wrote a song about her. But just because her career has revolved around helping executives become more successful, the author says the book is for every- one. The book is for anyone who wants more happiness in their life, anyone whos not satisfied with the life theyve currently got, or the level of success theyve been able to generate for themselves, she said. More success in life will be real- ized when we stay true to who we are. The more effort and time we can spend understanding ourselves and knowing ourselves, the better poised we are to have more success. Varghese said there is a tendency for some people to try to be some- one else, but happiness can only come when people permit them- selves to be who they truly are. I use a formula with my clients and in the book itself. Its a formula for success. What I say is that self- awareness, plus focus, plus strategy equals success," she explained. "Whenever we dissect any of those three, the part that people are always asleep on the wheel at is the self-awareness part." Without self-awareness, people will not get good results in their ventures, she added. Having a career as an executive coach and an education in the field is only a start, as Varghese brings uniqueness to her methods. I do have a unique perspective, she said. I feel as though Im able to understand so many different people because I come from so many different demographics myself as a visible minority, an active member of society, a single mom, a successful entrepreneur, an executive coach. Varghese's book is priced $19.95 and is available at Chapters, other bookstores and through online retailers such as Amazon.ca. KEY TO SUCCESS: Oakville author Sheeba Varghese was at the Oakville Chapters bookstore to promote her book, Sheeba's Secret, last weekend. ERIC RIEHL / OAKVILLE BEAVER