It will be a packed house at this year’s edition of the Women in Business Conference (WIBC), as hundreds of women are expected. Founded in 2007, the WIBC has established itself as the premiere conference for business women here in Ottawa. The driving force behind the conference is Sandra Tisiot, a mortgage agent, author, speaker, and founder of the WIBC. Tisiot says the conference has filled a need, in an area that was previously lacking in the nation’s capital.
“Now in its 10th year, WIBC started with 3 girls in the financial industry who were tired of going to Toronto for any professional development and networking. Then in 2013 I took the event over solely and grew it from 60 to 300. The growth required a rebrand and it went from a Women’s Charity Conference to the Women in Business Conference.”
The Women in Business Conference is built on four key pillars: connect, celebrate, inspire and learn. With this mandate in mind, Tisiot has carefully selected a diverse group of conference speakers who address mind, body and spirit, as well as business and financial interests.
“I get very ambitious, but I try to offer speakers on an array of topics that will help in business life and personal life. I am always on the look-out for a notable successful woman, typically an entrepreneur, that has gone through the hardships and can share her success story.”
This year’s line-up of speakers includes Manjit Minhas, the Co-founder of Minhas Breweries and newest Dragon on CBC’s Dragons Den, as well as Hana Abaza, the Head of Marketing for Shopify Plus, Susan Stewart, a comedian and author, and many more notable names.
In the wake of the recently founded ‘Me Too’ and ‘Times Up’ movements, it seems opportunities to further empower women in business hold more relevance than ever before. While Tisiot says the WIBC is not making a statement in regard to those important movements, the conference is all about providing those kind of empowering opportunities.
“I believe if we hear stories that inspire and strengthen, if we provide great role models, and if we can find those that will help and mentor us, we are being of great service to women.”
It’s a message that has resonated. Attendance numbers have grown year after year and Tisiot says women keep coming back because of the valuable nuggets of information they receive on both a personal and professional level.
The WIBC will be held on Thursday March 8th – International Women’s Day. It takes place at the Ottawa Conference and Event Centre. Tickets are still available via www.womeninbusinessconference.ca.
“This will be the largest conference we’ve ever had, almost 500 women strong. It is a great testament that there is a need, that we are better together, and that Ottawa is a force.”
