Women’s rights advocate and former politician Maryam Monsef is partnering with local business leader Gail Moorhouse to present a one-of-a-kind workshop designed to give emerging leaders in the community the tools and confidence to succeed.

Held on Monday, October 23rd from 1 to 4 p.m. at Peterborough’s Market Hall, the half-day workshop is a guiding and developmental opportunity for young and emerging professional leaders, especially women. For a cost of $125, attendees will hear from and network with local female powerhouses and get updated, resume-worthy headshots from a professional photographer.

“If we look at our community and the number of executive vacancies that happened over the last few years, we really want to make sure that the people who are working for the organizations are being considered, because that’s the first step for people moving up,” says Moorhouse, a former executive director of Community Futures Peterborough. “I would rather see us working to help the people who have already invested time in our community, so we need to build a younger generation who has the skills.”

Now the CEO of her own consulting practice Recharge Solutions, Moorhouse specializes in helping rural non-profit organizations develop and thrive through guidance in board governance, strategy, and leadership. Working so closely with community leaders, she recognized the need for young professionals — especially women — to see themselves in a leadership capacity. She connected with Monsef, who works towards the same goal at ONWARD, the initiative she founded to connect and inspire women leaders.

“The need has always been there,” says Monsef, adding that there are lots of women in the community who both shoulder and lead organizations. “These same women, who are often the face of an organization or quietly running them, are often either overlooked for promotions or don’t see themselves as the natural next person in charge. And the result is that we all lose out.”

Even prior to ONWARD, Monsef has been a changemaker and leader for women’s equality at both a national and local level, having held a seat as Member of Parliament for Peterborough-Kawartha and served on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Cabinet from 2015 to 2021. By establishing Canada’s first full department for Women and Gender Equality, delivering powerful speeches, and contributing to social justice files, Monsef has been recognized as a global influencer on gender equality.

Together, Monsef and Moorhouse have collaborated to develop and present the workshop through ONWARD, offering it at cost for the “most affordable price possible,” says Monsef. The workshop will also include professional headshots from local photographer Jengish Odigineyev of Odigski Media, and nutritious refreshments catered by Lisa Dixon of Black Honey.

While the workshop is open to anyone who is interested in advancing their careers, Moorhouse and Monsef explain it is particularly beneficial for young professional women and for employers looking to build leadership within their own companies.

“We’re hoping those companies and organizations who are building succession plans and developing their staff — which is a really great way to retain your staff at a time when labour challenges are real — consider sending a few members of their team to the event,” explains Monsef, adding that it’s been proven that diversity in general on leadership boards make better decisions.

In addition to Monsef, panellists for the event include AVIT Manufacturing and Palette Skills CEO Rhonda Barnet, RM23 owner and chief strategist Vanessa Ferreri, Community Futures Peterborough executive director Devon Girard, BDC senior client partner Dawn Hennessey, Elmhirst’s Resort spa operator Martina Linde, Peterborough Regional Health Centre president and CEO Dr. Lynn Mikula, and kawarthaNOW CEO and publisher Jeannine Taylor. Visiting speaker Corina Moore, the former CEO and President of Ontario Northland and now the CEO of Moore Leadership, will also be attending to share her experience in becoming the first woman CEO of a Canadian railway.

“These are women who have made it — often in male-dominated (industries) — to executive positions,” Monsef points out.

“We’ll talk to people who have been there, who’ve gone through it, who know what’s required and can set a path for women to develop the skills and knowledge that’s necessary to get them where they need to be,” adds Moorhouse. “With Rhonda coming from manufacturing, Dawn coming from banking experience, Devon from not-for-profit and community work, we’ve got that variety of women that come from all different organizations.”

The panellists will also be speaking to what they look for when hiring for executive positions and will give advice on what to expect during the interview process, which can be vastly different than that experienced at an middle management level.

Moorhouse and Monsef explain attendees will be able to do more than just listen to speakers, as there will be interactive opportunities to talk with the leaders in smaller group settings and even to begin to market and position themselves for executive roles in the community.

“Often we hear from younger women, women who are not in executive roles, or women who are emerging executives that they have imposter syndrome,” says Monsef. “So we’re building up that confidence and hearing directly from these women, and being able to practice some of what they’ve learned.”

In addition to connecting with female leaders, attendees will also be able to network with their peers similarly aiming to advance their careers.

“There’s something validating about knowing you’re not alone in your struggles and that it’s not personal,” says Monsef. “There’s a system too often working against women in leadership positions, but hopefully there will also be problem solving and practical tips for overcoming those barriers in that room.”

As another long-term benefit, Moorhouse adds, the workshop will help encourage a community of emerging professionals who are supportive of one another.

“Through our network, you’ve got a million other eyes helping you see,” she explains. “As women, we don’t see in a lot of cases the ability to transfer our skills, because we’ve never developed a brag file. We’re too timid about our successes.”

Monsef notes the workshop will help attendees understand how they can transfer their skills into leadership positions.

“We’ll hopefully address the terrible but very real challenges that prevent these great women in our community from seeing themselves in those top roles and from being seen for the value they bring to the organization,” she says.

For more information about ONWARD and to register for the emerging leaders workshop, visit www.maryammonsef.com. To learn more about Recharge Solutions, visit gailmoorhouse.com.

Community Futures Peterborough is focusing on the “futures” part of their name with a free breakfast seminar designed to get business owners thinking ahead to the transition, succession, or sale of their business.

Held on Tuesday, October 17th from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Peterborough Golf and Country Club, the morning seminar will provide participants with a free breakfast while they listen to and engage with industry experts. Hosted in partnership with the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) during Small Business Week, the seminar includes a fireside chat, panel discussion, and question-and-answer session.

Offering professional guidance and direct access to experts, the workshop is designed for those aiming to transition their business to the next generation, those looking to do so within the next five to seven years, those wanting to understand the valuation of their business, and those looking to purchase an existing business.

“In Peterborough, we do a really great job in our entrepreneurial ecosystem of getting businesses launched,” says Devon Girard, executive director of Community Futures Peterborough. “With this seminar, we’re looking at how we can better serve entrepreneurs in our small business community once they’ve done that expansion phase.”

Since 1985, Community Futures Peterborough has been supporting community economic development in the city and county of Peterborough by helping small businesses through flexible financing and advisory support.

Girard explains that with the region’s aging population, Community Futures Peterborough wants to ensure that owners looking to pass on their business have the knowledge, connections, and tools to do so — and that they begin thinking about the process early.

“What we’re hearing is business owners are ready to sell their business without recognizing and knowing the work that should have been done five to seven years before the sale of their business,” she explains, adding that the work of structuring businesses for valuation and the most tax-efficient sales should come years before an owner is ready to sell.

“It’s become apparent that there’s a need for better understanding of that process and how it works, and we’re just trying to do our best to help facilitate that conversation in our community.”

The event will begin bright and early with doors opening at 7:30 a.m. While participants are enjoying the free breakfast, a fireside chat will be moderated by Heather Hallahan, a senior account manager at BDC, with local serial entrepreneur John Gillis sharing his experience and insights.

Following the fireside chat will be a facilitated panel discussion featuring Darrell Wade, a family enterprise advisor and co-founder of Park Place Financial, and Nicole Truman, a partner and lawyer specializing in business and corporate law at Fox Law. Matt Holmes and Michael Riseley, co-founders of Holmes Riseley CPAs and Tax Advisors, will also be in attendance, sharing their combined three decades of experience in business valuation, tax planning, and business planning.

“We really want to start with offering a thorough education to the community and introducing them to professionals in the area who are there to help,” says Girard. “Then we will really begin to educate them on how they can work with their own advisory team and learn a little bit about what’s expected.”

Girard explains that bringing in these local industry experts will further highlight the services that are available right in the city and county of Peterborough.

“This is work that should be done by professionals and Peterborough is really lucky with a wide variety of professionals who do provide expert service,” says Girard. “This work doesn’t have to be done from lawyers and accountants in Toronto. We have great professional services right here.”

The discussion will end with a question-and-answer period, before participants are given the opportunity to sign up for a series of workshops led by the experts that will take place every two weeks beyond the seminar.

Workshop topics will include valuation services led by Riseley and Holmes, government and legal structure with Truman, and financing the purchase or sale of a business with Wade.

“Our goal is twofold,” explains Girard, “We want people to come to this event and get inspired, but we’re not just leaving them hanging. We will provide those logical next steps with presentations over those six weeks so that they have an actionable road map for how they can start this process and learn more about those specific areas of business sale and business transition.”

A few seats are left for the October 17th seminar, with priority going to business owners. The number of professional advisors in attendance has been limited to ensure more seats are available for business owners and those looking to purchase a business. There will be no media present. To register, visit eventbrite.ca/e/722082025777.

For more information about Community Futures Peterborough, and for updates on future workshops in the succession and valuation series, visit communityfuturespeterborough.ca.