A podcast, for entrepreneurs in the know.

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HAVE YOU HEARD The Go-To Podcast?

Dive into the minds of Canada’s leading entrepreneurs and get the inspiration & insider knowledge you need to see measurable business growth.

The Go-To: For Entrepreneurs in the Know is produced in collaboration with The Scotiabank Women Initiative™

Impactful conversations. Tangible resources. Experienced insights.

Each season they venture down a new learning path, giving you insights into the most relevant issues entrepreneurs face in today’s economy & sharing the go-to resources other entrepreneurs rely on for success.

Follow them on social & join the conversation with #TheForumGoTo
Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify today!

A top 50 entrepreneurship podcast on the Apple Canadian Podcast charts.

This podcast is produced in collaboration with Scotiabank Women Initiative

Global Entrepreneurship Week 2022 is wrapping up...

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Did you know…

GEW 2022 began on November 14 and will end on  November 20. 

GEW is an annual celebration of entrepreneurship in over 180 countries worldwide. 

Organized by the Global Entrepreneurship Network’s partners across the globe – including Futurpreneur in Canada – GEW enables businesses, non-profits, entrepreneurs, and ecosystem champions to organize events focused on key themes related to entrepreneurship:

  • Education    

  • Ecosystems

  • Inclusion      

  • Policy

This year, in-person and online workshops were held coast to coast, and in between too!

Sessions included “Entrepreneurial Insights”, Cash Flow Planning and Financial Resources, Navigating Social Innovation, Start-Up Zone, Economic Growth Recovery, and even a Fireside Chat!

Be ready for 2023. 

For more information on GEW Canada and to help promote entrepreneurship, raise awareness, and celebrate the impact of entrepreneurs across the country, click here.

International privacy and AI laws come into effect in 2023 - Is your small business ready?

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Be prepared for the Digital Charter Implementation Act.

On June 16, 2022, the federal government introduced Bill C-27, Digital Charter Implementation Act, 2022.

If passed, Bill C-27 would repeal Part 1 of the Personal Information and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and replace it with the new Consumer Privacy Protection Act (CPPA).

It would enact the Personal Information and Data Protection Tribunal Act (PIDPTA) which creates a new administrative tribunal to hear appeals of decisions made by the Privacy Commissioner (Commissioner) under the CPPA.

The Electronic Documents Act would remain as a separate act.

The Bill would also enact the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA) to regulate international and interprovincial trade and commerce in artificial intelligence (AI) systems.

The Bill is similar to the former Bill C-11, Digital Charter Implementation Act, 2020, which was introduced but not passed prior to the last federal election.

The Canadian government recently introduced the Digital Charter Implementation Act, 2022 (C-27) (the Act), a bill designed to bolster Canada's privacy and data protection legal framework and regulate artificial intelligence (AI) systems. The Act expands upon its predecessor draft bill introduced in 2020 (C-11) and is comprised of three proposed statutes:

  • the Consumer Privacy Protection Act (CPPA), which would repeal and replace sections of the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA);

  • the Personal Information Data Protection Tribunal Act (Tribunal Act), which would create an administrative tribunal that, among other things, can review decisions made by the Privacy Commissioner (the Commissioner) regarding violations of the CPPA; and

  • the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA), which would regulate the design, development, sale, and operation of "AI systems" and related data processing.

The CPPA and Tribunal Act would tighten restraints on how organizations process personal information and give individuals greater insight into and choices regarding such processing. Those changes would in some ways bring Canadian privacy law more in line with stringent data protection regimes in other jurisdictions, such as the General Data Protection Regulation of the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom. And the legislation would grant individuals a new private right of action for certain CPPA violations.

The AIDA would establish risk-based, Canada-wide requirements for AI systems and permit the federal government to prohibit the sale or operation of an AI system if there are "reasonable grounds to believe that the use of the system gives rise to a serious risk of imminent harm." At first blush, the legislation appears to be far less prescriptive than the proposed Artificial Intelligence Act (AIA) under consideration by the EU's co-legislators. However, the AIDA leaves many of the details of the requirements to the federal government to specify in future regulations, which might lead to a more burdensome regime.

Because the Act would have some extraterritorial effect, US and other non-Canadian businesses should watch the bill's evolution through the legislative process and consider the steps they would need to take to comply.

Canada Digital Adoption Program. Does your small business qualify for a grant?

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How Canadians do business has changed. To stay competitive and grow, small and medium-sized businesses need to adopt new digital tools.

In Budget 2021, the Government of Canada announced the $4 billion Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) to help get your business online, give your e-commerce presence a boost or help digitalize your business's operations. CDAP provides funding and support to businesses, as well as training and work opportunities for young Canadians.

Who is CDAP for?

The Boost Your Business Technology grant offers support to Canadian-owned small and medium-sized enterprises that want to adopt new digital technologies.

Are You Eligible?

  • Be incorporated federally or provincially, or be a Canadian resident sole proprietor

  • Be a for-profit, privately owned business

  • Have between 1 – 499 full time equivalent employees

  • Have at least $500,000 of annual revenues in one of the previous three tax years

Not sure where to start? For assistance with your Application, for a Digital Needs Assessment, or a Digital Adoption Plan, schedule a consultation with eCommerce, digital, and marketing experts at eCommerce Canada at ecommercecanada.com/contact/.

The WBE Canada 2022 National Conference is in Toronto this November!

WBE Canada:

The Annual National Conference in Toronto November 9 and 10, 2022

A great event for our Allies In Tech!

Attend this year’s event in Toronto:

  • WHEN? Wed, Nov 9, 2022 – Thu, Nov 10, 2022 (8:30 AM – 4:00 PM EST)

  • WHERE? The Toronto Congress Centre 650 Dixon Road Toronto, ON M9W 1J1

  • WHAT? WBE Canada’s 2022 National Conference, Canada’s leading event for women entrepreneurs & supplier diversity leaders.

About this event:

WBE Canada's 2022 National Conference is IN PERSON IN TORONTO - virtual attendance will NOT be available!

WBE Canada’s National Conference is Canada's leading event bringing together representatives of the top supply chains in Canada and the U.S. and some of the most innovative Canadian women-owned businesses. This year’s conference, “Roadmap to Success,” is being held “In Person” and includes Tradeshow featuring certified women businesses, a mix of keynotes, panels and presentations on topics such as supplier diversity, women entrepreneurship, business strategy, sustainability plus the 2022 Excellence Awards celebrating achievements in supplier diversity amongst the WBE Community and Corporate and Government organizations.

There is more opportunity in front of you than ever.

Whether you are a diverse supplier, corporate/government buyer and leader or champion of women-owned enterprises - This is the time to move from what you’ve done to what’s next.

A mix of keynotes, panels and presentations on topics such as supplier diversity, women entrepreneurship, business strategy, sustainability and more.


What you can expect:

  • Connect with 250+ certified Canadian Women Business Enterprises (WBEs), corporations and government procurement professionals and those championing supplier diversity.

  • Whether you are a current member, a certified women-owned business, a partner to WBE Canada or an organization seeking to demonstrate your diversity commitment or expand your reach in new markets, this event is for you!

  • The 2022 National Conference will feature a roadmap for supplier diversity programs, women-owned businesses and necessary networking opportunities to build connections and inspire action


The speakers lined up include:

CAROLYN STERN

President and CEO, EI Experience

Carolyn Stern heads an executive leadership development and emotional intelligence training firm. She is a certified Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Development Expert, professional speaker, author, and university professor.

JASMINE DAVIS

Senior Director, Global Content & Digital Marketing - Wealth Management, RBC

Based in Toronto, Jasmine leads a team of marketers that act as a centre of expertise for RBC Wealth Management’s businesses in Canada, the US, the British Isles and Asia.

MADELEINE BAKER

Board Chair, WBE Canada | Director, TELUS Business Solutions

Maddy joined TELUS in 2016 after relocating to Vancouver and after a decade in Procurement, recently moved to the Business Solutions team.

SILVIA PENCAK

President + CEO, WBE Canada

Silvia Pencak is the President & CEO of WBE Canada.

WBE Canada is the Organizer of Roadmap to Success: It Starts with Us

WBE Canada is the bridge between corporate and public sector procurement, and Canadian women business enterprises. As a quality third-party certifier of businesses owned, managed, and controlled by women, WBE Canada has been certifying Canadian WBEs and connecting them to the corporate supply chain since March 2009.

Visit them online at: www.wbecanada.ca

To learn more about the Conference, visit wbeconference.ca

GENERATION WOMEN Is Coming To Liberty Village!

WIT AND WISDOM FROM ALL AGES:

INTRODUCING GENERATION WOMEN CANADA

Sure to be of interest to our local Allies In Tech!

See the first show in Toronto:

  • WHEN? Tuesday, October 18, 7 pm

  • WHERE? Liberty Village - The Lounge At Live Nation Canada, 2 Snooker St

  • WHAT? Generation Women is coming to Toronto for a night of storytelling from women across six generations.

Launched in NYC in 2018, the show is based on a theme that brings together women across six decades to tell their own original stories. When Jennifer Baxendale and Kirstin Turnbull saw the show in the Big Apple, they immediately wanted to bring it to Toronto. Baxendale, sober since 2012, recognized the value of sharing wisdom and life experience regardless of age, given that she found the same within her sobriety community. As producers, Baxendale and Turnbull made the goal a reality.

The night’s theme will be Flesh and Bone, stories about the Female Body. Speakers are asked to turn their gaze to the site of so much female joy and anxiety: our bodies. As we move through life, our ever-changing relationship with it is fraught and fascinating, funny, and fearless. They’ll share a story about their body, whether a challenge or a triumph. The way it’s brought them pain, the pitter-patter of tiny feet, or better yet, pleasure.

The speakers lined up for the night include:

Team 20’s - Ghanwa Shahnawaz is a mental health advocate on a mission to redefine humanity by challenging what it personally means to us.  

Team 30’s - Raia Carey is a 3x Certified Life Coach and motivational speaker; Raia is passionate about encouraging others to tap into the confidence they never knew they had. 

Team 40’s - Karen Cleveland is a mother, marketing strategist and writer. She co-authored “The New Wedding Book.” 

Team 50’s - Apanaki Temitayo M is a Toronto-based multi-disciplinary artist. Born in Toronto and raised in Trinidad and Tobago. She is an author, spoken word poet, actor, multimedia artist and teacher. A bi-sexual, single mother of three, her canvas compositions express her Trinidadian heritage and spirituality.

Team 60’s - Team 60’s - Lee-Anne McAlear is an award-winning facilitator, educator, consultant, author and speaker. She is the Program Director at the Centre of Excellence in Innovation Leadership at The Schulich School of Business.

Team 70’s - Marcia McClung is a retired marketing communications professional. Marcia is the granddaughter of suffragist, reformer, legislator and author Nellie McClung.

Tickets will be $30 and can be purchased from www.generationwomen.ca. 

For more information or an interview, contact ladies@generationwomen.ca.

October 8th Meetup

Confidence & Public Speaking

Allies gathered this month to discuss Public Speaking - how this skill affects our careers, bias around different communication attributes and some tips & resources for improving. Whether you are addressing a room full of strangers - or a board room of peers, “Glossophobia” (fear of public speaking) is something the entire group agreed to experiencing at some point.

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Speaker: Jasmine Majdpour

We welcomed first time attendee, Engineer & Procurement Specialist Jasmine Majdpour to share her expertise & experiences on this topic. Jasmine is the President of the Liberty Leaders Chapter for Toastmasters International - a massive worldwide organization that has helped millions achieve their goals.

She is all too familiar with the uneven playing field between men and women, having experienced it first hand in varying forms. Jasmine grew up Libya, and moved to Saudi Arabia at a young age. Surrounded by a culture in which women were stripped of many basic rights such as driving, travelling, voting. At university, she studied engineering - a field that has traditionally been very male dominated, although in recent history there has been significant effort to engage women in engineering and sciences. Now at work, again she is in a field in which she is a minority. As she navigates through these experiences, she explains she is learning how to display her strengths and has found that being female has served as an advantage. “Diversity is important and learning how to leverage qualities that are inherently female to your advantage is so key, especially in a society in which we are so frequently being told to act more like men.”

We further explored this concept in an article from Gender & the Economy - Addressing the Gender Confidence Gap. Discussing how natural feminine attributes can actually be seen as positive. Ally David Machotka pointed out the differences he noted even during the meetup how women engage differently than their male counterparts - Men being traditionally competitive communicators and women being more on the cooperative side.

A large take away from this month’s meetup was FEEDBACK. Jasmine shared one of the major benefits of attending Toastmasters, either as a member or guest, was the valuable feedback & how it is delivered to someone trying to improve their public speaking skills. Seeking feedback from trusted individuals interested in your development, being aware of your “filler words” & finding your tone can make a huge difference on how your presentation lands.

October also marks our 12th consecutive Allies in Tech Meetup! We cannot thank our sponsors Beanfield Metroconnect & Regus enough for their allyship in helping making these events possible - along with all the attendees, speakers, volunteers & organizers for their vital and crucial contributions shaping this group into such a positive & necessary resource for the community.

Hoping to see everyone next month as we celebrate 1 full year of Allies in Tech!

September 10th Meetup

Access & Resources

This month we discussed some of the challenges faced when trying to grow your career or business. As Allies we champion for inclusivity & equality but find one of the biggest road blocks is meeting the criteria for one of the most valuable resources: Funding.

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Frequent attendee Cherryl Bird volunteered to help lead our discussion by sharing her knowledge & experiences. Cherryl is the publisher and executive editor of coremagazines.com, a digital publication that connects people around the world on local cultural issues that inspire meaningful change. Through the independently-owned publication, she seeks to highlight voices and viewpoints often missing from mainstream media. She built Core Magazines from its foundation as a creative outlet for her writing. Her stories have reached a high of 1,500 views per day and through syndication, each article has a viewing potential of over 80 million people per month. Thanks to her collaboration with CNW, a newswire service with a broad, global distribution network that feeds into broadcast, print and digital media outlets.

“Know what you don’t know.” There are actually SO many online & in-person places offering support & skill building at little or no cost to women and other minorities. These organizations understand the hurdles under represented groups face when it comes to funding & self development. The problem is, most of us don’t even know they exist - or where to look. Additionally, statistics have shown that unless a woman meets all - or almost all, of the criteria for a job or program they won’t pursue it. Quite often there are exceptions or modifications that can be made to ensure everyone has access to the resources they need.

There are some excellent local resources - Check them out!

AWS - Training - FREE - https://aws.amazon.com/training/

Codeademy  https://www.codecademy.com

Parkdale Centre for Innovation - https://www.parkdaleinnovates.org/

General Assembly https://generalassemb.ly/

 Khan Academy - https://www.khanacademy.org/

Bridge School - https://bridgeschool.io/

And of course Allies in Tech & our amazing sponsors Beanfield Metroconnect & Regus!

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Couldn’t attend this month? No worries - Allies in Tech meets the 2nd Tuesday of every month!

Save the date - Tuesday, October 8th!