Member News – Centre for Women in Business

Meet Ashley MacDonald, Business Advisor – Cape Breton

webmaster — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:22:36 +0000

Born and raised in Cape Breton, Ashley brings a strong blend of community connection, entrepreneurial experience, and marketing expertise to her role as Business Advisor (Cape Breton region) with the Centre for Women in Business.

Holding both a degree in Political Science from Cape Breton University and later a Business Administration Diploma from Nova Scotia Community College, Ashley is a lover of the arts who is passionate about music, books, and theatre.

Professionally, her journey began in the start-up world, where she spent ten years working for two local start-ups. Often wearing many hats, earning her the title of “Master of Making it Happen.” “You really have to dive in and get your hands dirty. I did almost every job function you can think of in this environment – marketing, sales, customer support, inventory management, grant writing, legal, international travel & tradeshows, liaising with local industry and government, HR, and more. These experiences provided me with a unique, “on the ground” type of experience that I think translates well into the role at CWB. I’ve also worked closely and networked with dozens of local entrepreneurs in this role – my connections as vast.”

Ashley then spent over five years in the tech sector, specializing in data storage and IT. In this role, she continued to develop her skills in marketing, technical writing, webinar facilitation for global audiences, and cross-border event management.

Outside of work, you can find her enjoying Cape Breton’s vibrant music scene or working at the beautiful Savoy Theatre, “I’m keen to find new opportunities to volunteer and serve my community.”

She’s also a proud dog mom to her rough collie, Luna, and loves spending time outdoors; whether hiking, walking, or heading to the beach. Summer is her favourite season, often spent “Out on the Mira” with friends.

Joining the CWB is a natural fit. “Women’s empowerment, women’s success, women helping women, inclusion, diversity all of this just aligns for me from a moral compass perspective. They’re all incredibly important and fundamentally what I believe at my core. I’ve always wanted to work for an organization like CWB, and the lucky stars aligned when this role opened. Between my community connections, my work for start-ups in the past and the general business skills I’ve acquired, I took the leap and applied. Now, here I am! And I couldn’t be more excited to help serve and support all women entrepreneurs in the Cape Breton Region.”

As a lifelong resident of Cape Breton, serving the region is both meaningful and motivating. “I’m looking forward to building true, meaningful relationships. I’ve got an incredible team of women at CWB, helping me find my footing and I know the community of women entrepreneurs in Cape Breton are incredible, capable, talented, and inspiring. They are excited to grow and flourish – whatever that means for them, no matter their journey/stage.”

“To help women succeed, to find their calling, to grow and to thrive all of this means the world to me and is an honour to help “advise”.

Virtual Trade Mission to Puerto Rico October 2024

webmaster — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 00:16:09 +0000

The Centre for Women in Business, together with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Beyond Ventures and M&C Latin Consulting, will host a virtual trade mission to Puerto Rico in October 2024 for up to 8 Atlantic Canadian companies. The multi-sectoral trade mission may be of interest to new exporters and/or experienced exporters. This mission is not gender specific and open to all companies.

Trade missions help business explore international markets to create new business opportunities. We provide you with the support and resources to help you begin to develop relationships with potential clients.

MISSION TIMELINE:

June 10 2024 – Applications open
June 20, 2:30pm – Information session
July 8, 2024 – Matchmaking process begins
October 21 – 30, 2024 – Virtual Mission

SECTORS:

Primary & Processed Food & Beverages and Technologies;
Infrastructure: Energy and Water:
Tourism Education and Technologies;
Blue Economy

COST: $750.00 plus HST

INCLUDES:

Matchmaking services including 1:1 expert support and coaching;
6-8 qualified 1:1 virtual meetings;
Networking event

Interested? Contact Nora Perry nora.perry@msvu.ca

Trade Mission to Florida and Jamaica 2022

webmaster — Sun, 10 Apr 2022 00:13:40 +0000

Looking to grow or expand your markets in the Caribbean and Latin America?

The Centre for Women in Business, together with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Beyond Ventures and M&C Latin Consulting, will host an in-market trade mission in late September 2022 for up to 10 Atlantic Canadian companies. The multi-sectoral trade mission may be of interest to new exporters and/or experienced exporters. This mission is not gender-specific and open to all companies.

Why Miami, Florida?

Miami is the gateway to both the Caribbean and Latin America. One-third of all US exports to these regions are shipped from or through the State. It is an ideal location to foster relationships with partners and distributors who can help you move your products into the region.

Take your business to Jamaica?

The following sectors offer the greatest opportunities for Canadian companies: agricultural and processed foods; education; information and communication technologies; infrastructure, building products and related services; sustainable technologies.

Timeline*:

Sept 21-23 – Miami, Florida

Sept 26-28 – Kingston, Jamaica

Sept 29-30 – Montego Bay, Jamaica

*Choose one or all three markets

Cost:

$500 plus HST

Includes: 6-8 qualified 1:1 meetings; export mentoring support; networking events; in-market transportation while in Jamaica only

Does not include: airfare, hotels, meals, in-market transportation in Florida

NOTE: This mission is now full.

For more information please contact:

Tanya Priske
Centre for Women in Business
(902) 759-0313
tanya.priske@msvu.ca

Craig Williams
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
(902) 802-2704
craig.williams@acoa-apeca.gc.ca

Virtual Trade Mission to Boston 2021

webmaster — Sat, 10 Apr 2021 00:09:23 +0000

Nova Scotia Business Inc (NSBI), in collaboration with the Centre for Women in Business (CWB), is coordinating a virtual multi-sector trade mission to Boston, Massachusetts, for high growth, women-owned or women-led businesses, planned for February 8-26, 2021.

Virtual trade missions continue to provide companies in Atlantic Canada the opportunity to assess new markets by meeting a number of pre-qualified potential customers, partners, agents, distributors and other key industry contacts in each market.

Meet the delegates

Margaret Chapman, Narrative Research
Shivani Dhamija, Shivani’s Kitchen
Cynthia Giles, Capstone Management
Lori Kennedy, Louisbourg Seafoods
Tara Milburn, Ethical Swag
Jo Napier, Great Women Productions
Susan Power, PowerUp Leadership
Joanne Schmidt, Galloping Cows
Harriette Schumacher, Big Leap Leadership
April Stroink, Money Coach

Attending the virtual mission and events for the CWB are executive director, Tanya Priske and business advisor, Courtney Schmidt.

Virtual Trade Mission to Jamaica and Miami 2021

webmaster — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 21:34:05 +0000

With support from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and with BEYOND Ventures Group Inc. the Centre for Women in Business led a multi-sector business-to-business trade mission for a group of Atlantic Canada businesses to Kingston, Jamaica and Miami, Florida.

Our virtual trade mission continued to provide companies in Atlantic Canada the opportunity to assess new markets by meeting a number of pre-qualified potential customers, partners, agents, distributors and other key industry contacts in each market.

We were pleased to welcome the below 10 companies to our inaugural virtual mission that took place throughout the fall of 2021.

Meet our delegates.

Highlights from the information session for this mission can be viewed below:

Tom Jennegren, Maritime Paper
Yasmin Chong & Lesley-Ann Ennevor: Canadian Trade Commissioner Services, Jamaica
Sandra Glasgow: BzTacticsTM Limited
Questions & Answers: Moderator: Doug Phelan – Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Maria “Bugsy” Delesalle: Nexus Coastal Resource Management
Jeff Myles: Surette Battery Company Ltd.

10 Women Entrepreneurs Doing Business in Boston

webmaster — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 21:36:19 +0000

From finance and leadership coaching to agri-food and digital media, Nova Scotia women-led businesses are finding success across multiple sectors.

Meet 10 of these engaging entrepreneurs during the Virtual Trade Mission to Boston for Women owned/led Businesses. Organized by Nova Scotia Business Inc. in collaboration with the Centre for Women in Business, the virtual mission occurs February 6 to 28, 2021.

Continue reading at Nova Scotia Business Inc.

Challenge accepted: Women across Nova Scotia pitch business ideas for $5K

webmaster — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 12:05:04 +0000

Every morning we accessorize. We pick out an outfit, jewelry, shoes. What some people may not consider as an accessory though, is hair. For some of us, that means how we style it. For those experiencing hair loss, whether that is through cancer, alopecia, or another condition, it’s more than that. Today, there is still stigma around wearing a wig. There can be a feeling that because a wig is not your own hair, you are lacking something. For Apie N’Da, this is not the case.

On Saturday, November 28, 2020, we hosted the second annual Start Up Challenge pitch competition. The challenge provides immigrant women in Nova Scotia the opportunity to develop their business idea, receive one-on-one coaching, engage with women leaders, and participate in a final pitch competition for a $5,000 award. Delivered by the Centre for Women in Business, Ryerson University’s Diversity Institute, and the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub, the Start Up Challenge is part of the Workforce Innovation and Inclusion Project (WIIP)’s series piloting innovative approaches to supporting economic inclusion for newcomers, including entrepreneurship. The projects are funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

We were inspired by the ambitious pitches across industries – from online galleries to skills centres, bakeries to co-housing communities, art classes to women’s health support. It was no easy task for our judges.

We are #CWBproud to announce Apie N’Da as the pitch competition winner.

When Apie gave birth, she suffered from post-partum alopecia and started losing her hair, like one in three women in Canada who suffer from hair loss in their lifetime. While wearing hair extensions is common in the Black community, finding the right texture and style proved to be a significant challenge. Another challenge was the lack of Black hair salons, of which there are only five in Halifax. With these two challenges in mind she thought, “I can be the one to do this.”

Apie took that initial burst of confidence and went back to school, joining an apprenticeship program with the Cosmetology Association of Nova Scotia (CANS) and the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency (NSAA). Through this program, she learned the trade of Hairstyling through traditional classroom learning and on-the-job learning (3,600 hours) with mentors at OBB on Gottingen and First Choice HairCutters in Clayton Park. Then, she challenged and passed her Red Seal Certification exam to become certified hair stylist in September 2020.

Combined with her previous interest and knowledge of wigmaking through personal experience, Apie used what she learned in theory and in the classroom to perfect her wigmaking technique and launched Apie the Wigologist (ATW) in October 2020. Her mission is to empower people to continue their natural hair journey through premium wig and hair textured extensions, created specifically for the Black community.

Apie participated in the Start Up Challenge in November 2020 to receive additional business support and in hopes of winning the competition to support purchasing inventory and growing her online presence. She attended the weekly training, worked one-on-one with her program mentor Allison Thorne, an international trade consultant with Kisserup International Trade Roots Inc, and delivered a final pitch that both impressed and inspired the judging panel.

When asked what’s next, it was to continue – continue creating, continue working on her craft, continue building her vision. Apie is a strong believer of using work as a way to show who you are and reflect yourself and your passions. Her vision is to become the premier beauty and hair care extension brand in Canada.

While the Start Up Challenge may be over, it is just the beginning for these women and their business ideas. We can’t wait to see what’s next for Apie and for each of these women who have chosen Nova Scotia as their home.

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Do you know an immigrant woman in Nova Scotia with a business idea? Encourage them to apply for the next cohort of our Start Up Challenge beginning on January 23, 2021.

The gift of membership and community

webmaster — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 14:00:44 +0000

At a time where being together has not been possible, it has become clear that connection is critical to our well-being both personally and professionally. For most, that sense of connection comes from family, friends, and often colleagues. For business owners, this can look very different. In Nova Scotia, 73% of women business owners are solo entrepreneurs. So where can these women feel that sense of connection while they are at work? For many, it is by connecting with other women business owners.

Last year, Kerri Trainor, owner and operator of Cole Harbour Trophies & Awards was gifted a one-year membership to the Centre for Women in Business. It is a gift that has kept on giving. She has taken advantage of membership benefits that have allowed her to connect with other women, grow the business and reach business goals.

Kerri is originally from Calgary, Alberta and moved to Halifax with her husband and four kids in 1998. In 2004, they purchased Cole Harbour Trophies & Awards – now a one-stop-shop for customized trophies, apparel, and promotional products.

When Kerri purchased the company, it was a small shop with one engraving machine. Over the years, she invested in equipment and expanded her inventory and suppliers. In 2007, she purchased Brenmar Sportswear & Promotion growing the business to provide custom apparel for companies, sports teams, and entire leagues.

“My membership is one of the best Christmas gifts I’ve received in years,” Kerri says. “I’ve attended so many events and workshops, including my favourite which is Coffee Talk. I look forward to it every week. Where I work from home, it’s nice to connect and see familiar faces each week.”

Along with attending almost every Coffee Talk, Kerri has completed two certificate training programs – one in digital marketing and one in financial essentials. Kerri has had multiple business advisory sessions with Nora Perry, CWB Business Advisor and Learning and Development Specialist. “Nora has helped me strategize and is wonderful to talk through questions I have about my business,” says Kerri. As a Women in Business Implementation Fund (WiBIF) recipient, she is working with Louis Buhrmann Accounting Services on designing & implementing Quickbooks Online to better understand the impacts of COVID-19 and set herself up to see future cash flows and productivity.

As a workshop and event participant, Kerri has met and built relationships with CWB members. She hired Anita Williams of AMac Photography to take product pictures for her new website (coming soon!) and is taking a Profit First course with April Stroink. Outside of work, she is planning a trip to Lunenburg for tour with Nancy Rogers from Seaweed Tours and thinking about redesigning her kitchen so connected with Louise O’Haran from Kitchen Design Plus.

“There are so many options and tools available to you with your membership, and so many great people!” says Kerri. “You get to hear what other business owners are doing and know that your challenges are not unique to just you.”

When asked if she would renew her membership for another year, Kerri replied “Absolutely!”

We are #CWBproud to have Kerri as a member of our community and look forward to continuing to support her on her business journey.

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Connect with Kerri through our CWB Business Directory.

Give the gift a community to a woman in business or aspiring entrepreneur in your life. Email cwbmembership@msvu.ca and Colleen will be happy to help you.

Current member? Participate in our newly launched PAY IT FORWARD campaign and nominate a woman to receive one of three complimentary memberships for 2021.

Melanie Taljaard now one of three Certified Hubspot Trainers in Canada

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 14:08:00 +0000

Congratulations to Melanie Taljaard of More In Store on becoming a Hubspot Certified Trainer! There are less than 100 Certified Trainers around the world, with two other agency partners in Canada with employees with this certification.

While the certification is new, Melanie has been training individuals and teams on Hubspot as part of her core offering for a long time – she has been using Hubspot since 2012! Keep an eye out for more Hubspot training options and formats in 2021.

Continue reading about Melanie’s accomplishment on her blog.

Connect with Melanie through our CWB Business Directory.

Elsie Morden named one of Atlantic Canada’s Top 30 Under 30

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 15:37:26 +0000

Long-time member Elsie Morden has been named one of Atlantic Canada’s Top 30 Under 30 this year by Atlantic Business Magazine in recognition of the positive impact she is making through story and song. Congratulations, Elsie! We are #CWBproud of you!

Continue reading about Atlantic Canada’s 30 Under 30 innovators

Connect with Elsie through our CWB Business Directory