As a visionary sponsor of the Empowering Women in Business (EWB) 2025 Conference on March 7-8, Sheridan EDGE marked International Women’s Day by supporting women entrepreneurs – and offering networking opportunities for its students.
At the two-day conference, Sheridan EDGE facilitated a sales workshop, a panel on inclusive leadership, an interactive session on well-being to prevent burnout and a booth to promote Rise to help women entrepreneurs innovate and grow.
Sheridan EDGE also offered our Rise entrepreneurs and Sheridan students the opportunity to attend the conference and volunteer. Thirty-five Sheridan students attended the conference and benefited from experiential learning, while 10 signed up as volunteers, gaining work experience.
“Our goal as a visionary partner and in-kind sponsor of the Empowering Women in Business Conference was to amplify Sheridan EDGE’s entrepreneurship supports available to the community, offer Sheridan students an impactful learning experience and provide women entrepreneurs a platform for their innovative businesses and opportunities to network with the Southern Ontario entrepreneurial ecosystem,” says Noreen Javed, Director of Entrepreneurship and Changemaking at Sheridan.
“Engaging with industry leaders and hearing from inspiring experts gave our entrepreneurs and Sheridan students long-lasting connections that will shape their journey.”
Student attendee Juliette De Jesus says, “Attending the EWB event was truly inspiring, especially with Manjit Minhas’s keynote speech on the power of mentoring. As a newcomer and international student, I’m incredibly grateful to have found mentors within the supportive ecosystem of Sheridan EDGE. These connections have been priceless for my personal and professional growth.”
“The conference pushed me out of my comfort zone, allowing me to learn and connect meaningfully with inspiring women.”
Sheridan EDGE’s interactive panel featured Audrey Rochette, Associate Vice-President of Indigenous Engagement and Education, Noreen Javed, Interim Director of Entrepreneurship and Changemaking and Firuzan Mistry, EDGE’s Marketing and Communications Manager. They discussed strategies around fostering equity and decolonization, building supportive environments, leadership through lived experience, mentorship and allyship and addressing barriers to personal and professional fulfillment for women in business, which was well-received.
Conference attendees included eight Sheridan Rise members. Two were speaker Janany Jayanthikumar, founder of the Centre for Social Work and Education, and Nasim Naderi, cofounder of INTOCHARGE, who participated in a panel on sustainable manufacturing. INTOCHARGE is a licensed electrical consultant and contractor firm specializing in sustainable energy solutions.
Janany’s business specializes in trauma-informed mental health education for businesses and professionals. She delivered a one-hour session sponsored by Sheridan EDGE, sharing her insights on managing the mental load and preventing burnout. She was able to showcase her venture to hundreds of attendees, made possible by her membership in the Rise program.
“The community and coaching I received through the Rise program offered by Sheridan EDGE have allowed me to scale up my business and present my venture at conferences like EWB. For that, I’m grateful,” says Janany.
Rise members Jennifer Benedict and Bolanle Adewusi won the Emerging R.I.S.E Entrepreneur Award and the Newcomer Woman Entrepreneur Award winner, respectively.
DoGood Funding and Aidvisor, two other ventures supported by Rise, ran booths at the conference. DoGood Funding specializes in writing effective grant proposals, while Aidvisor provides expert guidance on developing an AI strategy.
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- Standing up for future leaders: Firuzan Mistry (L), EDGE’s Marketing and Communications Manager, offers her perspectives at the Empowering Women in Business Conference 2025 on March 7-8. Also pictured are Audrey Rochette, Associate Vice-President of Indigenous Engagement and Education (centre) and Noreen Javed, Interim Director, Entrepreneurship and Changemaking.
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- Audrey Rochette, Associate Vice-President of Indigenous Engagement and Education (L) and Noreen Javed, Interim Director, Entrepreneurship and Changemaking, two of the three interactive panelists at the Empowering Women in Business Discussion, enjoy an animated discussion about leadership. Topics of discussion included fostering equity, new leadership approaches, and addressing barriers to personal and professional fulfillment for women in business.
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- Firuzan Mistry (L), EDGE’s Marketing and Communications Manager, looks on as Audrey Rochette, Associate Vice-President of Indigenous Engagement and Education takes the mic at the Empowering Women in Business Conference 2025 on March 7-8. They were two of three interactive panelists who discussed fostering equity, new leadership approaches, and addressing barriers to personal and professional fulfillment for women in business.
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- Noreen Javed (L), Interim Director, Entrepreneurship and Changemaking, and Firuzan Mistry (R), EDGE’s Manager of Marketing and Communications, speak with Whilna Stewart-Franklin from UPS Foundation
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- Entrepreneurs from Sheridan’s Rise program ran several booths at the Empowering Women in Business Conference 2025 on March 7-8. Rise supports social entrepreneurs looking to scale up revenue and impact. Funded by the Government of Canada through FedDev Ontario, Rise offers personal coaching, mentorship, networking opportunities and a community of entrepreneurs.
