Meet Ashley MacDonald, Business Advisor – Cape Breton
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 two 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”.