Woman with shoulder-length dark hair in a black top smiles at the camera.

With over a decade of experience in corporate risk and governance, Elena Endter saw the toll that high-performance environments have on those in the industry firsthand. After years of working heavy hours across multiple time zones, she made the leap into self-employment with Cove to Sky, a holistic coaching practice that considers all aspects of wellbeing—physical, mental, and emotional—to help clients thrive in both their personal and professional lives.

"I always had lots of ideas," Elena explains. "Through The Forum E-Series, I worked through those ideas to build a digital platform to support my coaching and automate many of my processes." But Elena's entrepreneurial journey doesn't stop there. Today, she's launching a new venture, a tech startup focused on workplace wellbeing. This shift was a strategic evolution, supported by the community, confidence, and resources provided by The Forum.

Finding The Forum Family

Elena first discovered The Forum through a close friend who had been part of the community for years and recommended exploring the resources available. Her first exposure was at The Forum Entrepreneur Summit. "Being in a male-dominated industry for so many years and then being in this space with hundreds of women, all like-minded, all visionary—it just blew my mind," she recalls. "Seeing so many visionary women made me believe my own ideas were possible too.”

That sense of belonging and possibility became the foundation for everything that followed. Elena became deeply involved in The Forum community, participating in multiple programs that would shape her entrepreneurial journey, including:

The Forum Entrepreneur Summit and Semi-Final and Finale Events for The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch: Connected her with inspiring stories and like-minded entrepreneurs.
The Forum E-Series Presented by RBC: Gave Elena the foundation to think like a tech founder and apply her experience in a new way.
The Forum Mentor Program Presented by The Scotiabank Women Initiative: Offered one-on-one guidance that adapted as her vision evolved.
Weekly Virtual Connects: Gave her ongoing community support and peer connections.
AI Skills Lab Canada: Currently arming her with the knowledge and tools to guide the strategy for her new venture and communicate effectively with her technical team.

The Forum's Impact: Educate, Activate, Elevate

Through The Forum's comprehensive support system, which focuses on three core social impact pillars—Educate, Activate, Elevate—Elena found exactly what she needed to leverage her advisory background and transition into leading a tech venture.

Educate: The Forum's educational foundation proved invaluable as Elena transitioned from a service-based business to a tech startup. “E-Series helped me understand what it really takes to build a tech platform. It gave me the clarity and confidence to think like a tech founder,” she says. When Elena needed to deepen her understanding of the technical aspects of building her AI-powered platform, AI Skills Lab Canada provided the targeted support she needed. "The program has given me the fluency to guide my product strategically and communicate with developers. It’s also shown me how I can streamline operations with AI–something that makes me feel much more confident in building Ilixur step by step.”
Activate: The Forum's extensive network was instrumental in Elena's business development. She found her developer through The Forum community, and through other connections, she was introduced to the North Forge accelerator program, which helped her continue the development of her new business. “The Forum’s network gave me access to knowledge and connections I couldn’t have found elsewhere,” Elena explains. “Each person I met shared a puzzle piece—whether expertise, resources, or partnerships–that helped me put together the bigger picture of building Ilixur.”
Elevate: At The Forum Entrepreneur Summit and Semi-Final and Finale events for The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch, Elena was deeply inspired by the women founders who took the stage to share their journeys. “What inspired me most was realizing that every successful business begins with a small idea. Watching those women scale theirs gave me the confidence to do the same with mine.”

Bridging Industries and Launching Ilixur Intelligence

Applying the experience she already had in the industry and stepping into the role of tech founder was streamlined by Elena’s involvement in The Forum community. "The Forum gave me the confidence to guide a tech product strategically,” she reflects.

This growing technical fluency, combined with her corporate expertise and the support of The Forum, positioned Elena to launch Ilixur Intelligence Inc.–a science-backed, AI-powered platform that integrates wellbeing seamlessly into professionals’ daily workflows. “Our goal is to help professionals feel better and perform better by developing small, science-backed habits that are sustainable over time,” she explains. “It’s about creating lasting impact, not quick fixes.”

Group of professional women in an event space are talking and mingling.

The Power of Persistent Support

What sets The Forum apart in Elena's experience is the constant nature of the support available through its network. "Since joining The Forum, I’ve felt an ongoing layer of support–even when I’m not actively seeking it. I know I can lean on the community for trusted advice. Along the way, I’ve built genuine friendships as well.”

The reciprocal nature of the community particularly resonates with Elena. "I love joining Weekly Virtual Connects on Wednesdays, where we're asked to share what we can provide before taking something back. We always have this mindset of 'How can I help you?' Not just 'How can you support me?'"

Accelerating Her Journey

Looking back, Elena believes her entrepreneurial timeline would have been dramatically different without The Forum's support. “I might have eventually pieced it together on my own, but The Forum gave me the clarity and confidence to move faster and to pursue this vision with conviction.”

The Forum didn't just provide resources—it provided the foundation and confidence needed to pursue an ambitious vision. “Not only did my experience with The Forum help me in refining the concept but it helped me chart the path forward. That support has accelerated my journey as I bring Ilixur to life.”

Advice for Fellow Entrepreneurs

For women entrepreneurs considering similar pivots or joining The Forum community, Elena shares: “There are so many components—financing, marketing, sales, business planning. As a founder, you can select the pieces most relevant to your stage and build momentum as you go.”

Elena’s journey shows how a supportive community enables founders to build on their expertise and confidently step into new industries. As she launches Ilixur Intelligence, she carries with her not just technical skills and business knowledge, but the confidence that comes from being part of a community that sees opportunities where others might see obstacles.