We're Invested in You: Spotlighting the Women Building Canada's Future
This Women's Entrepreneurship Day, we're spotlighting the incredible achievements of women entrepreneurs across The Forum community and the impact that comes from investing in their success.
Every November 19, Women's Entrepreneurship Day celebrates leaders who are building businesses, creating jobs, and driving innovation. This year's theme, Invest in Her, recognizes a powerful truth: Supporting women-led businesses means investing in thriving communities and a stronger Canadian economy. In fact, supporting equal opportunities for women could add $150 billion to Canada's GDP.
But investing in women entrepreneurs isn't just about economics, it's about building a future where every woman with a vision has the resources, community, and support she needs to bring it to life.
Passing the Mic to You
Investing in women entrepreneurs takes many forms. Our work at The Forum is guided by three pillars: Educate, Activate, and Elevate.
Educate: Providing you with laser-focused training in business finance, AI, capital readiness, entrepreneurship fundamentals, and more.
Activate: Connecting you with mentors who get it and helping you gain access to funding, partnerships, and opportunities.
Elevate: Amplifying your success and proving what women entrepreneurs can achieve.
We're honouring that commitment by celebrating you. That's why we asked you to share your proudest moments as business owners this year—those times that captured your growth, your courage, or the impact of your work.
The responses flooded in! You shared stories of perseverance, breakthroughs, quiet victories, and bold leaps forward. Each one of them is a testament to the resilience, creativity, and determination that define women entrepreneurs.
Your Proudest Moments
Launching New Ventures
Caroline Mastropaolo of FemXchange shared: "My proudest moment this year has been launching FemXchange—a skill-exchange marketplace that makes growth possible for women who face financial obstacles—while raising a toddler and being six months pregnant. The idea came from my own experience of how motherhood can magnify barriers to opportunity. I wanted to create a space where women could trade skills and services with one another—bottling up that incredible, innate drive we have to help each other in a fair and scalable way. Now, just three weeks postpartum, I'm watching that vision come to life. Women are showing up for one another, building confidence, sharing expertise, and growing in ways that once felt out of reach."
Lydia Emanuel of Ayela celebrated a milestone many entrepreneurs dream of: "I just incorporated my consultancy!!!"
Abbey Jackson of Up Coast Digital Products, Inc. found pride in a seemingly small moment: "This sounds dumb but getting my very first business bank card in the mail. There was something about it that made me feel really proud of myself to actually be doing this. It said to me 'this is real!'"
An anonymous community member shared that they're "starting a publishing program to write a book!"
Bringing Creative Visions to Life
Megan Holley of Elixir of Notes saw her dream materialize: "The journal I have been creating is finally done and for sale locally and on Amazon called 'Inspired to Be Me Journal.' This has allowed me to start offering workshops called 'Finding the Magic in You.' My dream is coming true!"
Lisa Simone Richards of Pearl Spark Pages experienced a full-circle moment: "In September 2024, I stood in Indigo with an idea to create a guided business journal. This October, I was in that very same Indigo, doing my first in-store author event with my creation, the Female Founders Journal!"
Laura Chodola of Elec'trik Kids reflected on seeing her product in action: "My proudest moment this year has been seeing Elec'trik Kids out in the world—at school, on the field, and in little hands staying hydrated. Knowing we're helping families build healthy habits and making hydration fun for kids has been the best reward. Seeing our vision come to life in such a real way has been incredibly fulfilling."
Building Meaningful Impact
Margaret Osakwe of ADA HAIRITAGE shared a powerful story: "One of the most meaningful moments at Ada Hairitage Braids & Beauty Supply came when a young girl visited the store with her mother for her first professional braiding experience. At first, she was shy and uncertain—unsure how her natural hair would look when braided. As our team guided her through choosing products and explained how to care for her hair, her confidence began to grow. After her appointment, her face lit up as she admired her braids in the mirror. With a big smile, she said, 'I look like me—but better.' That simple moment captured the essence of what Ada Hairitage stands for. Our mission goes beyond beauty—it's about heritage, confidence, and empowerment."
Jody Steinhauer of Kits For A Cause, a division of Bargains Group Ltd. stepped up when it mattered most: "Earlier this year, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada lost their national sponsor for back-to-school kits, leaving thousands of kids without the supplies they need to start the year with confidence. Almost at the same time, Amazon reached out to Kits For A Cause wanting to host kit-packing events in 11 hubs across Canada. The result? Over 11,000 back-to-school kits packed by thousands of Amazon employees from coast to coast—all delivered to 35 Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide. Amazon employees felt proud, connected, and inspired, knowing their employer cared enough to give back where they live and work. And kids across Canada walked into classrooms feeling seen, supported, and set up for success."
Noha Gerges of Foodies in the Kitchen celebrated the ripple effects of her work: "Having quit my decade-long career in research and innovation to start a meal prep coaching business to help busy people eat better nine months ago, I've had many heartwarming moments. One of my proudest was when a client told me how her life was changed once she understood basic principles of prepping food ahead. After a simple 60-minute session with me, she's felt the health effects of implementing simple approaches for over six months. Learning how to fit cooking into a busy schedule meant choosing health over convenience and has led to her feeling better on all fronts. Knowing that I can have this kind of impact on people's lives makes me very proud. I'm looking forward to helping create a healthier world, one simple meal at a time!"
Erica Nye of The Career Design Studio & Connect Therapy and Career created something to change patterns for the next generation: "My proudest moment this year was launching The Career Design Studio, a program I built to help high school and university students choose meaningful paths with confidence. In my therapy and career counselling practice, many adults come to me because they realize they chose careers for the wrong reasons and ended up in roles that never truly fit. I wanted to create something that could change that pattern for the next generation. Seeing the first group of students finish the program and finally feel clear, capable, and hopeful about their future made every late night of building it worth it."
Chris Palis of KosziE™ found validation in an unexpected place: "One of my proudest moments as a business owner was receiving the People's Choice Award during our End-of-Term Pitch at the Seneca Polytechnic HELIX Program. I honestly didn't expect my idea to resonate the way it did, but seeing the audience connect with it was incredibly meaningful. It reminded me why I started: to create something genuine and purposeful that could make a difference. That moment became a quiet but powerful push to keep building my venture slowly, intentionally, and with heart."
Amplifying Voices and Building Visibility
Parul Yadav of North Wave Media celebrated helping others shine: "One of the most meaningful moments in building North Wave Media, an integrated media agency, came when a client shared that our storytelling helped them land their first national media feature, a milestone they once thought was out of reach. That message reminded me why I started: to help small brands, founders, and changemakers see themselves as worthy of big visibility. Growing North Wave Media has been truly inspiring. I’m trusting my voice, pitching ideas that feel human, and building a space where authenticity and strategy meet."
Maiden Manzanal-Frank of GlobalStakes Consulting expanded her reach: "This year, I have made public outreach as a major marketing tool for my consulting, book, and speaking work. This made me learn about messaging, building instant credibility with the buyer, and how to conduct effective networking."
Colleen of Lucidity Transformative Coaching found strength in visibility: "I am most proud of repeatedly putting myself out there this year (reaching out for collaborations, connecting with potential clients, spreading word about my offerings). It gets easier and easier and I'm so proud of what I've accomplished as a result!"
Alannah Smith of SQUEEZE discovered the power of authentic connection: "Easily one of the proudest moments was getting a message from a complete stranger on Instagram—a fellow mom trying to juggle life, work, and kids said that I inspired her to start her own business. We ended up hopping on a virtual coffee chat the following week, and we’re now planning to meet in person next month. Building a business is hard and scary. Opening up on social media is sooo scary too, but this moment reminded me that entrepreneurship is all about connection and showing other women it's possible to build something bold while raising tiny humans."
Growing and Scaling
Shaughnessy King of Success by Ness achieved a long-held goal: "I've always had a goal of having a team of seven for my virtual assistant agency and it finally happened. Yay! I'm grateful I have amazing women on my team and that we get to support awesome women founders too."
Kimberley Hiebert of DOOR GURUS celebrated expansion: "We operationalized three franchise units successfully."
Rachael Frankford of New Pathways Therapy Centre invested in foundational growth: "This year I took the reins on two things for my business: my finances and learning about AI. It took me a year to get my finances in order and learn financial literacy as a business owner. I also took the leap to learn about AI and I am now developing some systems that will help me with the flow of operations for the business. All of this is in service of me being a better therapist and clinic director so that my team and clients are happier and getting better service."
Perseverance and Breakthrough
Iran Irani shared a moment of extraordinary determination: "I had a deadline to give an online pitch. On the same day, I faced a family emergency. I went to the bathroom and cried a lot, then I washed my face and started recording my video in a stairwell at University of Victoria. At the time I was proud of myself that even on the loneliest day of my life, when I felt I lost everything, I managed to finish a pitch and submit my application before the deadline. That pitch and that hope of winning was a light in complete darkness."
Amanda Laird of Slow & Steady made her dream a reality: "Launching a small group advising program for solo, creative women entrepreneurs—this has been my dream since launching my business in 2022!"
Melissa Maltais of The ConnectHers + Co. reflected on resilience: "My sister and I unintentionally started a tech startup. What began as a simple idea in 2022 evolved into something much bigger—a matchmaking platform designed to amplify visibility and connection for women entrepreneurs. Over the past three years, we hit more roadblocks than we ever imagined. Funding challenges, tech hurdles, countless pivots—you name it. By 2025, we finally had our platform built, only to realize we still had more work ahead before we could officially launch. It felt like the end of the road, and we genuinely considered walking away. But staying true to who we are, we chose to stay open. Within weeks of that 'maybe it's time to let go' conversation, the right person showed up—someone who believed in our vision and offered to help us bring it to life. Looking back, I'm incredibly proud of our perseverance, our resourcefulness, and our willingness to keep showing up—even when things felt uncertain. The greatest lesson I've learned? Success doesn't always look like what you imagined. Sometimes it's the quiet resilience, the adaptability, and the decision to keep your heart open that pave the way for what's next."
Investing in Community
Kristin Hartigan of Square Key Digital found fulfillment in giving back: "Mentoring with The Forum in 2025 was an absolute highlight of my year and I can't wait to do it again. There was absolutely nothing more rewarding than working with my two mentees throughout the year and ultimately witnessing their personal and business growth. It's an honour to watch other women entrepreneurs challenge themselves, overcome roadblocks, and succeed beyond their wildest dreams."
You Inspire Us
These stories show the diverse and powerful ways that women entrepreneurs define and achieve success.
This Women's Entrepreneurship Day and always, we celebrate every woman who's taken a bold step, built something meaningful, and shown others what’s possible. Thank you for being a part of this movement!
Ready to connect with a community that’s invested in you? Join The Forum for programs, events, and opportunities designed to help you thrive at every stage of your journey.