OUT and ABOUT with Seeker Chick Mai-Liis celebrating Women Entrepreneurs at the International Women’s Day High Tea!

On Friday, March 7th, the Cornwall & Area Chamber of Commerce and the Cornwall SDG Business Enterprise Centre hosted a fabulous International Women’s Day event, the 2nd Annual Women’s Day High Tea, at the Cornwall Civic Complex and as always, it was an absolute pleasure to be surrounded by so many incredible women entrepreneurs.

Being in a room full of inspiring businesswomen was already a treat, but add in a classy High Tea Luncheon catered by Prestige Catering and an engaging guest speaker, and you’ve got a recipe for an unforgettable afternoon.

The Welcoming speech was done by Angela Bero, General Manager of the Cornwall and Area Chamber of Commerce and Kat Rendek, Cornwall SDG Business Enterprise Centre. Cynthia Batchelor spoke about O’Farrell Wealth & Estate Planning and City of Cornwall Councillor, Sarah Good introduced the keynote speaker, Karla Briones, an award-winning business strategist, entrepreneur, and champion for immigrant business owners. As the founder of the Immigrants Developing Entrepreneurs Academy (IDEA) and Immigrant Entrepreneur Canada (IEC), Karla works to empower newcomers, BIPOC, and underrepresented entrepreneurs to build and scale their businesses.

Her own journey is nothing short of inspiring. Originally from Chihuahua, Mexico, Karla and her family emigrated to Canada in the late 1990s to escape the increasing dangers of their home country. While her father was a veterinarian in Mexico, he faced an uphill battle getting re-certified in Canada, which took eight years and came with many challenges. Watching her father struggle financially and professionally ignited Karla’s passion for helping immigrants succeed in business.

One of the biggest hurdles immigrant entrepreneurs face, she explained, is networking. In many cultures, women are not encouraged to engage in conversations with men they don’t know, which can make traditional networking events intimidating. That’s why creating spaces like Invest Ottawa’s Immigrant Women Entrepreneurs Meetup is so important.

Beyond her advocacy work, Karla and her husband own Global Pet Foods franchises in Kanata and Hintonburg. She is a well-known voice in Ottawa’s business community, particularly in the realm of small business advocacy and immigrant entrepreneurship. She has even written columns for the Ottawa Citizen, tackling topics like rental policies, taxation, and pandemic measures.

Another exciting highlight of the luncheon was the presentation of the brand-new “She Inspires Award” by the Chamber. This award recognizes individuals who have been a source of inspiration for others, and the inaugural recipient was Emily Millar! Martha Woods, Executive Director of Eastern Ontario Training Board introduced Emily and was quite emotional doing so. Emily, a Registered Psychotherapist, has spent over a decade supporting the mental well-being of children and teens. Her innovative MOOD Kits, developed during the pandemic, have already made a meaningful impact in local schools, and her upcoming online program for parents and educators promises to extend that reach even further.

After a short break, we were treated to an incredible panel discussion featuring inspiring women entrepreneurs. Moderated by Farhana Meghji, the panel featured a diverse group of women, each with a unique and powerful story to share.

From L to R: Angela Youngs, founder of Ground Soap, a plant-based organic soap company with international success. Her commitment to sustainability and innovation has helped Ground Soap expand to markets in Canada, the U.S., and France. Karla Briones, our fantastic guest speaker. Niio Perkins, a renowned Mohawk designer from Akwesasne known for her breathtaking raised Haudenosaunee beadwork jewelry. Her work has been featured in major publications like Vanity Fair, Vogue Canada, and Elle Canada. Sylviane Lalonde, owner of Ferme Butte & Bine Farm and President of the Eastern Ontario Agrifood Network. A former translator who transitioned into farming, she has successfully built a diversified farm and café business in Williamstown and Béatrice Noel, co-founder and director of Cornwall Connector, a local bus service that has been transforming transportation in Cornwall for the past eight months. Born in Haiti, Béatrice’s tech background and passion for sustainability have helped her create an accessible and eco-friendly transit solution.

And of course, what’s High Tea without a proper tea experience?

That was expertly handled by Angela Dawn Parker, founder of A Cup of Kindness Tea Company assisted by her niece. Not only did Angela ensure we enjoyed a premium tea experience, but she also brings her passion for sustainability into her work, balancing her tea business with full-time sustainability project coordination, leadership in the non-profit sector, and studies to become a certified tea sommelier.

Thank you to all who were involved in the organization of this wonderful event especially L to R: Sydney Smith and Kat Rendek of the Cornwall SDG Business Enterprise Centre and Angela Bero, General Manager of the Cornwall and Area Chamber of Commerce, and Ross Butterworth, Projects and Events Coordinator at Cornwall and Area Chamber of Commerce.

Katie Hope from Balloon Babes did a great job creating the backdrop for photo taking.

All in all, it was a truly inspiring afternoon, filled with engaging conversations, networking, and a chance to hear first hand about the trials, triumphs, and wisdom of some of our region’s most remarkable women entrepreneurs. And let’s not forget—the room was filled with so many other amazing women with equally inspiring stories just waiting to be told and hopefully throughout 2025 we will be telling some of these stories in the SDG&A Cornwall Seeker. As you can see there were also a few men present, notably Eric Duncan MP, Cornwall Mayor Justin Towndale and the new CEO of the City of Cornwall, Tim Mills.

In fact, if you have someone who has a story that we need to highlight, please email us at: [email protected] and let us know.

Being a woman in media comes with its challenges—Julia and I have experienced this firsthand. Conversations about media and news often feature male-dominated panels, yet here in SDG&A, The Seeker continues to provide a unique perspective as a locally owned, women-led publication.

What began in 2010 as a small black-and-white classified paper has evolved into a full-colour, monthly news magazine dedicated to delivering “Your much-needed dose of positive news.” Over the past two years, our coverage has expanded to include Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry, with growing reach into Akwesasne as well.

Running a publication with just two people is no small task, but it wouldn’t be possible without the support of our incredible Advisory Board, 16 dedicated contributors, and the many community members who share their photos and event coverage. Their involvement truly makes The Seeker a publication by the community, for the community.

A little-known fact: in our early days, we actually published three newspapers—the Cornwall Seeker, Massena News, and a Montreal West End edition. It’s hard to believe how much we juggled back then!

On this International Women’s Day, we want to take a moment to appreciate the journey so far and, most importantly, to thank the community that continues to support local media.

Until next time, keep supporting, uplifting, and celebrating the incredible women in our community, whether they be in business, our mothers, sisters, daughters, step family members and friends – together we are a strong force to be reckoned with!