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.

Choose a topic for the first 35 minutes and move on to another topic for another 35-minute round!

1. Branding 101: Stand out from the competition with a strong, innovative brand – Catherine Chartrand, Impressions Design (in French/bilingual)
2. Thinking Outside the (In)Box: Using email marketing to connect with your customers – Chantal Tranchemontagne, Big Catch Communications
3. Building Authentic Connections – Chris McMartin, Scotiabank Women's Initiative (in English)
4. From Doubt to Decisiveness: Harnessing the power of your Intuition – Josianne Laplante, Holistic Coach (in French/bilingual)
5. The Art & Science of Exiting Your Business– Diana Lidstone (English)
6. Attracting Clients Without Social Media: Fact or fiction? – Diana Lidstone (English)
7. Protecting Your Time & Peace as a Busy Mom & Entrepreneur – Leah Lindeman, Author & Writing coach (English)
8. Incorporating: Salary vs. Dividends? Advantages, disadvantages & tax consequences – Maria Bambara, Manulife | MapleTree Private Wealth (in English/bilingual)
9. Women and Financial Planning: How is it different? – Maria Bambara, Manulife | MapleTree Private Wealth (in English/bilingual)
10. Cyber Protection Made Easy – Mélissa Martel, BrokerLink (in French/bilingual)
11. Commercial General Liability Insurance and Your Homebased Business – Mélissa Martel, BrokerLink (in French/bilingual)
12. Using AI to Market Your Business – Tracey Blanchfield-d’Aviero, Your VA Mentor (in English)
13. The Trauma of Money – Shulamit Ber Levtov, The Entrepreneur's Therapist (in English/bilingual)
14. Being Fair in Hiring: Avoiding "first-impression" traps – Véronique Dupont, CSEPR (in French/bilingual)
15. Communication Strategies in Moments of Tension – Vicky Papineau, Gold Centre Coaching (in French/bilingual)
16. The Quantum You – Jennifer Jane Young, The School of Intuitive Leadership (in English/bilingual)
17. Understanding Your Business Structure: Sole Proprietorship vs. Incorporation – Carla Colonna, Rodina Professional Corporation (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 bilingually, in collaboration with the Clarence-Rockland Chamber of Commerce

A dynamic exchange with trailblazing women entrepreneurs, based right here in our region, who 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.