About Us

Think of us as your go-betweens, your guides, and your Sisters in solidarity

Our Story

Business Sisters keeps it real

We’re a community of women entrepreneurs in rural Eastern Ontario who show up to help each other build better businesses. We know that the best support comes from women who have started, run, and grown businesses—so we get together to share what we’ve learned.

Through our bilingual, community-led social enterprise, we’re building a new model of entrepreneurship that values longevity over hustle, makes room for ambition without burnout, and defines success in ways that leave room for real life.

Be a part of Business Sisters however and whenever you can.

Whether you’re a startup founder, a farmer, a side-hustler, a Main Street shop owner, or a manufacturer, you’ll find support here.

Advice + Connections

Need a sounding board? We’re ready with free, practical advice and hard-earned insight—plus connections to people who can help you take your next step.

Events + Annual Conference

We host regular meetups in local, women-owned spaces across Cornwall, SDG Counties and Prescott-Russell—plus our annual Business Sisters Conference—where we exchange ideas and form new alliances.

Workshops + Learning

We pull in the best experts to show you how to alleviate your frustrations. Need help writing your operating procedures, creating a social media strategy, or balancing your business and mental health? We might have a session for that!

Ongoing Connection

In 2025, we launched our Inner Circle, a private online space where women can maintain ongoing connections outside of in-person gatherings. They can use this private online space to check in with each other, ask questions, attend exclusive events, and find trusted resources. 

Have time to share your experience or expertise?

Welcome! I’m so happy you’re here.

Meet Doreen Ashton Wagner, founder of Business SistersMeet Doreen Ashton Wagner, founder of Business Sisters

I’m Doreen Ashton Wagner, founder of Business Sisters. 

For years, I built and led a successful business and learned firsthand how rewarding entrepreneurship can be. At the same time, I also found out how lonely it can feel, especially in a rural community. What I could have used during my most challenging times was a circle of women who really understood the weight of running a business while trying to balance the demands of real life.

That’s why I created Business Sisters. What started as something I created has since grown into a community-led organization shaped by women who are willing to share their hard-earned knowledge and show up to support other women entrepreneurs. 

Together, we’re building a stronger and more supportive way for women entrepreneurs in Eastern Ontario to do business. 

I hope you’ll join us.

Doreen