How do you respond when someone challenges your idea or pushes back at work? This guiding question shaped Lean In Vancouver’s Handling Objections at Work event on Thursday, November 13, 2025. The focus of the evening was learning how to embrace objections with clarity and confidence. 

Real Conversations, Real Growth

Our power-packed panel featured:

• Tammy Rea, Regional Manager, Professional Practice Finance, TD
• Prachi Jatania, Co-Founder, Immigrant Women Initiative; Associate Director, Communications & Media Relations, Sauder School of Business, UBC
• Matthew Housser, CEO and Co-founder, Simuhealth; Co-founder, Convergence

Together, they broke down why objections happen, how we can respond more effectively, and how to stay grounded when the conversation becomes uncomfortable. Their combined perspectives helped attendees see objection handling not as confrontation but as an opportunity for alignment, understanding, and growth.

L to R: Tammy Rea, Prachi Jatania and Matthew Housser

 

Tammy Rea: Understanding the “Why” Behind Objections

Tammy guided the audience through the deeper reasons behind our reactions to objections. One insight that resonated strongly was the role of the desire to be liked, which often leads to hesitation. Tammy also provided a clear and practical toolkit that attendees could apply immediately in their own workplaces. Her warm and authentic delivery created a welcoming space where attendees felt safe sharing their own real scenarios during the Q&A. Her presence helped open up the room and encouraged deeper conversation.

Prachi Jatania: Advocacy, Communication, and Lived Experience

Prachi’s insights added nuance to the conversation. In particular, she shared how she has learned to move through disagreements with confidence, advocating for her ideas even in challenging rooms, and noted that these moments can feel different for women and people of colour. She also introduced the “3C” approach, which includes curiosity, clear communication, and compassion. This approach has helped her navigate difficult conversations with greater ease and intention. Drawing on a book she had read titled Unleaning Silence, Prachi emphasized how often we hold back what we truly think and instead offer what we assume others want to hear. When that happens, we lose ideas that could move a team forward, along with meaningful chances to contribute. Prachi’s reflections reminded the audience that handling objections is not only a matter of technique, it is shaped by identity, context, and the courage to share one’s authentic voice. 

Matthew Housser: Practical, Data-Driven Insights for Handling Objections

Matthew’s storytelling highlighted how leaders can create environments where people feel supported through challenging periods rather than discouraged by them. Drawing from his experience raising capital, he shared detailed, quantitative insights from his interactions with investors, including the number of pitches, rejections, and successful outcomes. This data-backed perspective provided attendees with a clear understanding of persistence, resilience, and how to interpret feedback in high-stakes situations. His reflections, combined with his executive experience at Simuhealth and Convergence, grounded the strategies in real workplace realities and offered tangible takeaways for navigating objections and difficult conversations.

Celebrating Community Impact

A few highlights from the evening include the following.

• More than 30 attendees
• Strong engagement throughout the panel and Q&A
• Connections formed across industries and backgrounds

With Gratitude to Our Venue Partner

A heartfelt thank you to Convergence for hosting us in their beautiful downtown office. This event reflects the values Lean In Vancouver stands for: confidence, equity, community, and connection.

Celebrating Our Lean In Vancouver Team

Our thanks to the incredible events and marketing teams, whose dedication made this program possible. Our Events Team, including Co-Leads Ling Weng and Yumeng Zhang, and Coordinators Marisol Sauceda Miranda and Nav Garcha, carried out the planning and execution that brought the event to life. 

Equally essential was our Marketing Team: Una Mladenović, Marketing Team Lead; Priyanka Kuka, Copywriting Coordinator; Daria Amaral Braga, Marketing and Communications Coordinator; Nibras Sharar, Social Media Coordinator; and Amanda Saralegui, Graphic Coordinator. From developing a reimagined event banner, to building awareness, spreading the word, and engaging the community, their work was instrumental in ensuring strong participation. 

We also wanted to extend our appreciation to Priya Garg, Volunteer Engagement Lead, whose thoughtful preparation of speaker gifts added a meaningful touch that helped make the event feel truly special.

Lastly, we want to recognize Sheker Mammetgurban, Circles Co-Lead, for leading and curating such an insightful panel session that received positive feedback from community members and sparked meaningful conversations throughout the evening.

A Special Acknowledgement of Leadership

This event marked the final program led under the guidance of our outgoing President, Amrita Aggarwal. Over her six years with Lean In Vancouver, Amrita brought strategic vision and a unique perspective that consistently helped the team identify blind spots we might have otherwise missed, improving how we approached program delivery. She centered inclusion and equity in our work, and her warm presence and distinctive way of thinking have shaped how our team approaches community-building. While we are sorry to see her step back, the legacy she left paves the way for the network’s growth for the years to come. We wish her all the very best as she embarks on the next exciting chapters of her career. Thank you, Amrita!

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Contact Us

For enquiries about this blog, please contact Priyanka Kuka at priyanka.kuka@leanincanada.com

For general enquiries about Lean In Canada Vancouver Network, please contact Nemo Anyudan Zhao at nemo.anyudan.zhao@leanincanada.com or vancouver@leanincanada.com