Perm Jawanda - She is strong

"IT IS CRITICAL TO A STRONG RELATIONSHIP AND PARTNERSHIP TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT YOU RECIEVE."

Born and raised in Surrey to Sikh pioneer parents, Perm Jawanda draws her strength from her humble upbringing and instilled values. Her journey is intertwined with the joy of motherhood and the never-ending support of her husband, Jas Jawanda, a successful developer and construction industry entrepreneur. Their wonderful children, Jessica Sidoni and Joshua Jawanda complete their loving family.

Having recently concluded a successful 31-year tenure at Rogers Communications, she is proud of various milestones, notably as the first South Asian Women Vice President. She has played a pivotal role in the launch and growth of the Chatr Mobile brand, now Canada’s largest prepaid wireless brand. Acknowledged as a builder of great teams and someone who consistently delivers on business results, Perm served as the Executive Sponsor for the Rogers women’s network, mentoring and raising visibility for women, and fostering a vibrant community as Consumer Business Lead for BC.

Recognized as one of the 10 most influential South Asian women in BC by Darpan Magazine in 2020, she is humbled by the recognition she has received from numerous individuals related to her impact on their professional and personal development. Navigating challenges in a male-dominated industry, she learned the importance of authenticity, risk-taking, lending a helping hand, staying true to her values, and cultivating a great team and support system. Now, as she takes a bit of a break and assesses the next chapter, she is focused on mentoring and empowering women, contributing her time to non-profit organizations close to her heart, and assessing what boards she may want to lend her expertise to. Above all, taking the time to create and cherish moments with loved ones remains her utmost priority.

What they think:

Q1. Do you believe that having a supportive partner can contribute to a person’s success? In your opinion, what qualities or characteristics make a man or woman a strong and supportive partner?

In my opinion, a supportive partner contributes to a person’s success. A supportive partner plays a significant role in so many areas. When things aren’t going as planned, a supportive partner is key to helping you remain positive, look on the brighter side, remind you of other tough situations you have overcome and can get you to evaluate other perspectives you may not have contemplated. They celebrate your accomplishments like their own. Additionally, giving their significant other space and time when they need it. Some of the qualities that make a man or woman a supportive partner are: Encouragement and appreciation towards the other partner, mutual respect, good listening skills, honesty and respecting each others’ boundaries

Q2. How important do you think it is for successful individuals to acknowledge and appreciate the support they receive from their partners?

It is critical to a strong relationship and partnership to acknowledge and appreciate the support you receive. This is literally a human need for both men and women. In my situation as it is my husband who has supported my career growth and success over the years, it is certainly more important as men typically, just like my husband, are fueled by it. Appreciating and acknowledging what my husband does for our family makes him feel valued and good about our decisions and his efforts towards the family. My positive acknowledgement regarding him helping to run the household, the immense help with the kids when they were young, being their taxi driver, the amazing cook that he is, while being a successful entrepreneur has allowed me to spend more time and focus on my career.

Q3. What advice would you give to other women who are in a similar position of being supported by a successful man while also pursuing their own goals and ambitions?

It begins with striving for an open and honest relationship, as it is not easy to balance two strong people who want to be successful, without it defaulting to the priority of the husband. Start with understanding each other’s dreams and visions, building a plan together that works for both of you, knowing that the plan will need to be fluid, as life has a way of throwing curve balls at you when you least expect it. Important things to know about each other for this to really work are what motivates each of you, makes you happy, fills your cup, frustrates, derails or sets you back etc. Then build a plan around roles and responsibilities related to the household, kids and family vs. just “winging it”, as that’s when problems arise, as someone thought the other one had it, and this only needs to happen a few times before you both start to struggle, not just at home, but also professionally.

Q4. Can you share a specific example of a time when your husband’s support and encouragement made a difference in your success?

I was asked by our Executive Vice President at the time to take on a new role responsible for sales and distribution for a new brand, Chatr, that Rogers Communications was going to launch. The role would require me to be in Toronto 3 weeks a month for 1 to 2 years, and at the end of it I was not guaranteed a role back in the organization, they would assess how I did. At that time, our daughter was an absorbed teenager, and our son was involved in multiple sports. I was ready to say no, as I was very worried about how our household could manage all of this, and the uncertainty with my future role. To my surprise, after the initial shock my husband focused on the upside of the opportunity for me and my career and said he would handle the family home situation and work through it with my support. He felt I would do such a great job that there was no way Rogers would not find me a role at the end of this. Those 2 years were tough for all of us, with me working long hours and traveling and so much going on with the kids. The Chatr brand was a huge success, and I was promoted to General Manager after it was done. Without the support and encouragement from my husband, I would have walked away from this once in a lifetime career opportunity for me. In addition, even more importantly our kids turned out great!

Q5. Do you think the concept of a supportive partner applies equally to all types of relationships regardless of gender or sexual orientations?

n my opinion, the concept of a supportive partner is fundamental in all types of relationships, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. Supportive partners play a crucial role in providing emotional, practical, and sometimes financial support to their significant others. This support can manifest in various ways, such as being a good listener, offering encouragement during challenging times, and actively participating in shared responsibilities as you can see from my other answers. In relationships of any kind, having a supportive partner can foster trust, intimacy, and mutual growth and respect. Regardless of the nature of the connection, individuals seek and benefit from supportive relationships that make them feel valued, understood and fulfilled.