A business conference for women will celebrate the businesses run by women with a special emphasis on education and networking — both of which can be all too hard to come by in rural areas. The conference – called “Business Sisters” – takes place on Saturday, November 3 at the Glengarry Sports Palace and organizer Doreen Ashton Wagner says that women from Kingston to Vaudreuil and every rural town in between will gather together for business education and networking. Ashton Wagner, host of ForLoveAndBusiness.com, promises that the day will be filled with highly interactive and engaging sessions, networking and of course, plenty of fun!
“One thing I noticed working with women entrepreneurs, is that women in Vankleek Hill didn’t necessarily know of the women running wonderful businesses in Alexandria or Lancaster,” said Ashton Wagner.
“The idea for Business Sisters was to celebrate entrepreneurship. If you look at Alexandria, for example, local women entrepreneurs are a big reason our little main street has come alive again, and it’s the same for Vankleek Hill and other small towns.” Ashton Wagner went on to say that economic development and community development are often led by women and her event will celebrate that.
For Love and Business emerged from Ashton Wagner’s own personal experience and crisis. While she worked as a catering coordinator for Chateau Laurier in her early twenties, it was then that she met her husband, Heinz, who was the hotel’s executive chef at the time. Years went by and even though she was a success in the corporate world, the birth of her daughter was the motivating factor that led her to become an entrepreneur. The constant travel and high demands of the corporate world did not allow her to be the mom that she wanted to be. So she left her position and the husband and wife team opened a consulting firm. In 2012, Doreen started burning the candle at both ends, as juggling family, marriage, and business became too much. Being partners with her spouse proved to have its own set of challenges and by 2013, everything unraveled. During that difficult season, the couple went through major health issues, a marital breakdown, and ultimately something had to be done. Personal and professional decisions as well as lifestyle changes were made and as a result, For Love and Business was birthed.
“Although becoming an entrepreneur wasn’t necessarily easier, it allowed greater flexibility and opportunities to be in my daughter’s life,” said Ashton Wagner.
“As nurturers, women have to balance both — taking care of their family and managing their business. Ultimately, it’s about balance and self-care, by creating boundaries where we take care of ourselves first, otherwise we are of no value to anyone else.”
“At the end of the day, the biggest goal for Business Sisters conference is to bring people together. It’s not about becoming the biggest business or growing your revenue but about meeting your definition of success,” said Wagner. Business Sisters will hopefully draw rural entrepreneurs who are scattered geographically because they don’t have the same educational and networking opportunities that bigger centers have to offer. The conference will have a trailblazer panel of four “Ted” style talks from local women entrepreneurs who will share their personal stories, struggles and successes.
“That way we can all learn from one another” said Wagner.
Wagner has gone back to school to study and research female entrepreneurship. She continues to speak to organizations about the subject and hosts ongoing workshops and one-on-one coaching.
You can register or find out more about the Business Sisters Conference here.
