More than 150 women entrepreneurs gathered at the Rose Theatre on March 8 for an event marking International Women’s Day 2016.
Comedian and actor Kate Davis was the headline attraction, delivering a keynote address on Balancing Life with Humour, inspiring participants with new approaches to use humour to balance busy work and home life demands.
The Brampton Entrepreneur Centre (BEC) hosted the event, with the support of the Province of Ontario and generous sponsorship by RBC Royal Bank.
The message about humour resonated with Snigdha Malik, owner of Cooking and Yoga with Snigdha Malik and a financial planner. “Humour is a life skill, and running a business is rewarding, but stressful. De-stressing is important, and humour is one way to do that.” She started working with BEC 16 years ago, and has maintained connections with them ever since. “The Brampton Entrepreneur Centre helped me tremendously, and played a strong role in helping me get started in business. They continue to do great work supporting the entrepreneurial community and helping businesses grow.”
Judy Whale, owner of Splendiferous Handmade Fine Soaps, has attended a few BEC events previously. “They are always very uplifting. I always feel good when I leave. As a small business owner, it’s easy to get locked into your own space – it’s important to commit to participating in the wider business community.” Judy has been working with the advisors at BEC for a number of years, most currently as she transitions a previous business into the handmade soap venture recently started.
Diane Michaud finds BEC’s events and support becoming even more important. “There will be a lot more people moving to small business in the coming years,” she says. “It’s important to connect with other entrepreneurs to get new ideas and inspiration. And it’s great to see how women entrepreneurs are very active in Brampton.” Diane has been working with BEC for about 15 years and is the owner of A Spa Feeling, a mobile massage service.
BEC runs events throughout the year to support business and connect entrepreneurs. They also offer individual consultations and advice, and are the access point for funding and programs to support start-up and established businesses.
For more information on BEC’s services and events, visitwww.brampton.ca/bec.