Upcoming Events

StrikeUP On Demand

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Sell It With Confidence: Pricing, Packaging & Closing the Deal

Presented by The Scotiabank Women Initiative® & Export Development Canada

For many women entrepreneurs, the challenge isn’t vision – it’s confidently charging what they’re worth. This session will give practical strategies for building offers, setting smart pricing and clearly communicating value to customers or investors. Panelists will share how they’ve moved past self-doubt, learned to negotiate and turned conversations into contracts.

Speakers: Lindsay Whiston-Babcock, Chris McMartin & Jillian Climie

Workshop 1: The Blank Slate Effect: How to Use an Entrepreneurial Mindset to Win in Business

Presented by The Scotiabank Women Initiative®

The mindset of an entrepreneur is a unique set of qualities that positions startups to be more resourceful, take more risks and view their business and its marketing plan as a blank slate rather than a set of established rules. In this session, Erin Bury will draw on her decade of experience working with high-profile startups to define the entrepreneurial mindset and show you how to implement that mindset within your own organization.

Speaker: Erin Bury

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Workshop 2: Scaling Up: Growth Strategies for Women-Owned Businesses

Presented by Export Development Canada

Each business owner is at a different stage of their journey, but all share how preparation, research and a clear growth strategy helped them scale their companies and expand into new markets. To support other women-owned small- and medium-sized businesses looking to grow globally, they’ll offer insights and advice.

Speakers: Gwladys Tapsoba, Belinda Thornhill, Nicole Smith & Shelby Taylor

Workshop 3: From Vision to Victory: Build for Growth and Future Opportunities

Presented by BDC

Join BDC’s Karen Sytnick and Laurie Klassen, the CEO & Co-founder of Level Ground Coffee Roasters, for a dynamic conversation on creating a business with a strategic vision from day one. Discover why preparing as if you were going to sell can strengthen your growth mindset and resilience. Whether you’re dreaming of your first venture or scaling an existing one, this session will give you practical insights to anticipate challenges, maximize value and seize opportunities with confidence.

Speakers: Karen Sytnick & Laurie Klassen

Workshop 4: Beyond Borders: Strategies for Export and Diversification Success

Presented by The Trade Commissioner Service

Join Global Affairs Canada’s Marie-Michelle Poulin in a fireside chat with KC Goundiam who has expanded her market reach beyond Canada, exploring the steps taken to get there and the benefits of diversification.

Speakers: Marie-Michelle Poulin & KC Goundiam

Workshop 5: The Rockstar Confidence™ Kickstart

Presented by Nventure

Adrianne Fekete has spent her life walking into rooms she was not invited to and building empires on the other side. An award-winning media expert for icons like the Rolling Stones, U2, and WWE, North America’s first female private investigator agency founder, and a human behaviour expert, she now helps others do the same.

In this high-energy workshop, Adrianne will help you claim your own rockstar confidence so you can stop second-guessing yourself and start leading boldly in your business.

Speaker: Adrianne Fekete

Workshop 6: How Entrepreneurs Can Use AI to Simplify Marketing and Save Time

Presented by DELIA, The Loan Fund for Women Entrepreneurs

Are you curious about how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can make your marketing easier and more effective? In this hands-on session, we’ll share practical tips for incorporating AI into your marketing workflow and offer recommendations to ensure your messages are compelling to your audience.

Speaker: Amanda Parker

Closing Ceremonies

A wrap-up of StrikeUP 2026 featuring female founder spotlights and a look at what’s in store for the rest of the year. 

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Chantal Lavergne

PANELIST

Founder, Oh Colour Me

Chantal Lavergne is the founder of Oh Color Me, a Canadian company creating simple and bold coloring books designed to make creativity more accessible and less overwhelming. Inspired by her family’s experiences with ADHD and autism, she developed a collection of mini coloring books that encourage people of all ages to unplug, slow down, and enjoy moments of calm.

Drawing on more than a decade of entrepreneurial experience, Chantal has grown Oh Color Me into a brand carried by over 300+ retailers across Canada and the United States in less than 2 years. Passionate about creativity, innovation, and building businesses with purpose, she enjoys sharing her journey as a founder and advocating for products that support well-being and connection.

Ina Maria Toncescu

Panel Moderator

Founder & CEO, noLMIT Marketing

Ina Maria Toncescu is a marketing strategist with over 17 years of experience helping businesses grow with focus, purpose, and measurable results. Across small business, non-profit, and government sectors, she’s led transformative marketing strategies, built systems that last, and landed multi-million-dollar deals using the same frameworks she teaches today. As the founder of noLMIT Marketing, Ina works with clients through corporate marketing training, digital strategy building, website development, search and AI engine optimization, email marketing, and more.

 

Her philosophy is simple: in a world obsessed with AI and flashy branding, the businesses that win are the ones that get the foundations right, storytelling, strategic systems, and genuine connection with the people they serve.

Géraldine Jippé

PANELIST

Founder, Bloossoming House/Co-Founder at AssetsWaves

Géraldine Jippé is the founder of Bloossoming House, a curated ecosystem empowering female founders to thrive and access capital, the creator and host of the Female Founders Networking Breakfast, and the co-founder of AssetsWaves, a blockchain-based platform designed to facilitate digital asset investments.

Domenique Mastronardi

PANELIST

President, Beck’s Broth

Domenique Mastronardi is the President of Beck’s Broth, an innovative collection of bone-broth-based drinks including hot chocolate and coffee. Her specialty is developing and commercializing sustainable foods that are healthy, delicious, and profitable. She heads up Finance and Operations at Beck’s Broth, and just closed their $500K seed round!

Vivian Kaye

Keynote Speaker

Founder, KinkyCurlyYaki

Vivian Kaye is a serial entrepreneur and business educator who bootstrapped KinkyCurlyYaki, a beauty product-based e-commerce brand, to seven figures without outside funding. With over 15 years of experience in operations, inventory management, and digital commerce, she has mentored 1300+ entrepreneurs through programs with Amazon, Shopify, Toronto Public Library, and Humber College’s Longo School of Business.

Featured in The New York Times, Toronto Star, and on CityTV’s Cityline, Vivian has partnered with brands including American Express Canada. Porsche Canada and Desjardins Bank. She brings practical, founder-to-founder insights on building sustainable businesses, scaling without massive budgets, and staying authentic while growing. Her direct, no-nonsense approach cuts through the noise and focuses on what actually works.