Business Sisters Conference 2024

Are you a woman entrepreneur looking to connect with other Eastern Ontario business owners for QUALITY business education and networking?

Then you belong here!

Women in small towns and rural areas are under-served when it comes to networking and business education opportunities. We need to get to know one another, because as a group, we are incredibly strong. Come and find your community of Business Sisters!

By attending this event you will walk away with:

• Timely and practical information to help you feel empowered and more at ease in your business
• Sound approaches to support your mental health as you ride the rollercoaster of running a business, often while managing family & caregiving obligations
• Connections with partner agencies and professionals willing to invest time and money in you and your business success

BONUS: you get to network with other Business Sisters and strengthen a community!

Agenda: (Subject to change without notice)

8:00         Registration + healthy breakfast - Presented by BrokerLink

8:45         Opening: The State of Women's Entrepreneurship in Eastern Ontario

Bilingual presentation of the latest data from The state of women entrepreneurship in Canada, with Sabine Soumare, Executive Director, Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub & Doreen Ashton Wagner, Founder, Business Sisters | Consœurs en Affaires

9:15         Riding the Emotional Rollercoaster of Entrepreneurship - presented in English by The Entrepreneur's Therapist

Navigating the emotional rollercoaster of business and life is not for the faint-hearted. Between the normal ups and downs of entrepreneurial life, studies show that the mental health of women entrepreneurs is particularly vulnerable, as they often carry a heavier emotional load outside the business. This session will be facilitated by Shulamit Ber Levtov, MSW, MA, who has been an entrepreneur for over 27 years and a mental health professional for over 15 years.

10:15       Break & visit exhibitors – presented by Scotiabank Women's Initiative

10:45       Rapid Fire Sessions (bilingual)

• Small Business Ownership & the Law, with Sophie Reitano and Stéphanie Murray, Reitano Law
• Never Waste Money on Marketing Again: Instead, Become an In-Demand Brand, with Diana Lidstone, Diana Lidstone Coaching & Consulting
• From Chaos to Clarity: Navigating Small Business Finances, with Carla Colonna, Rodina Professional Corporation

12:30     Buffet lunch (vegetarian and gluten-free options) – presented by Manulife | MapleTree Private Wealth

13:15      Expert tables - Lively discussions on practical, hands-on topics – presented by BDC

Choose a topic for the first 30 minutes and move on to another topic for another 30-minute round!

1. Operating as a Sole Proprietorship – How are you taxed?  Financial planning on earned net income – Carla Colonna, Rodina Professional Corporation & Maria Bambara, Manulife | MapleTree Private Wealth (in English/bilingual)
2. You are Incorporated: Now what? Making the best decision regarding compensation.  Salary versus dividends, withdrawing from your Corporation – Carla Colonna, Rodina Professional Corporation & Maria Bambara, Manulife | MapleTree Private Wealth (in English/bilingual)
3. Branding 101: Stand out from the competition with a strong, innovative brand – Catherine Chartrand, Impressions Design (in French/bilingual)
4. Thinking Outside the (In)Box: Using email marketing to connect with your customers – Chantal Tranchemontagne, Big Catch Communications (in English/bilingual)
5. Building Authentic Connections – Chris McMartin, Scotiabank Women's Initiative (in English)
6. From Doubt to Decisiveness: Harnessing the power of your Intuition – Josianne Laplante, Holistic Coach (in French/bilingual)
7. The Art & Science of Exiting Your Business– Diana Lidstone (English)
8. Attracting Clients Without Social Media: Fact or fiction? – Diana Lidstone (English)
9. How to save for retirement when you run a small business - Jessica Sarrazin, AskJessica.ca, Carte Wealth Management Inc. (in English/bilingual)
10. Protecting Your Time & Peace as a Busy Mom & Entrepreneur – Leah Lindeman, Author & Writing coach (English)
11. Cyber Protection Made Easy – Mélissa Martel, BrokerLink (in French/bilingual)
12. Commercial General Liability Insurance and Your Homebased Business – Mélissa Martel, BrokerLink (in French/bilingual)
13. Using AI to Market Your Business – Tracey Blanchfield-d’Aviero, Your VA Mentor (in English)
14. The Trauma of Money – Shulamit Ber Levtov, The Entrepreneur's Therapist (in English/bilingual)
15. Being Fair in Hiring: Avoiding "first-impression" traps – Véronique Dupont, CSEPR (in French/bilingual)
16. Communication Strategies in Moments of Tension – Vicky Papineau, Gold Centre Coaching (in French/bilingual)
17. The Quantum You – Jennifer Jane Young, The School of Intuitive Leadership (in English/bilingual)
18. Unlock Your Business Potential by Simplifying Your Payroll – Nina  Kandola, Desjardins (in French/bilingual)
19. Secure Your Future: Commercial Mortgage Solutions avec Mireille Lemire, Desjardins (in English/bilingual)
20. A Business Bank for ALL Canadian Entrepreneurs - Engineering your Growth & Development with Finance and Advisory Solutions: Justin Côté and Patrick Ferguson, BDC (in English/bilingual)

14:45      Break & visit exhibitors – presented by the Eastern Ontario Training Board

15:15       Fireside chat with Trailblazing Women Business Owners – presented by Desjardins, in collaboration with the Clarence-Rockland Chamber of Commerce

A dynamic, bilingual exchange with trailblazing women entrepreneurs, based right here in our region. They will share their views on success, failure and the judicious balance needed to take care of business, loved ones and oneself!

16:30       Closing remarks - Draws (bilingual)

17:00       Cocktail reception (choice of wine, beer or non-alcoholic beverage, selection of hors d'oeuvres)

This Conference is proudly supported by The RiverRock Inn.

IMPORTANT:

• Please note that we like to take photos at our events, and reserve the right to use them in social media posts and on this website.
• Thank you for advising us if you have severe food allergies (e.g. nuts, gluten, seafood) or dietary restrictions (vegetarian, vegan). Our aim is to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for all participants. At the same time, we ask for your understanding as a responsible consumer if you have any severe allergies, as cross-contamination is always a risk.
• Refunds will be provided with notice three days prior to the events, minus a processing fee of $20. Within three days, you are welcome to pass on your ticket to a Business Sister. We may be able to facilitate a transfer of tickets, with advance notice. Partial refunds or rainchecks may be provided at our discretion.
• This networking event is open to anyone who owns or operates a business or wishes to work with women, entrepreneurs, with a special invitation to business owners from rural areas and small towns throughout eastern Ontario and beyond. Allies are always welcome.

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