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About the workshop:

Are you curious about how business can be used as a force for good? Join us for an in-depth webinar that explores the world of social enterprise – a unique and growing business model that blends entrepreneurial strategies with a mission to create meaningful social, environmental, or cultural impact.

In this session, you’ll gain a detailed understanding of what defines a social enterprise and how it differs from traditional for-profit businesses and non-profits. We’ll explore the key characteristics and models of social enterprises, and learn about important legal and operational considerations, such as choosing the right structure, balancing profit and purpose, and measuring social impact.

The webinar will also feature real-world examples of local social enterprises, highlighting how they operate, generate revenue, and deliver measurable benefits to their communities. Whether you’re considering starting your own social enterprise or simply want to understand how they work, these stories will provide inspiration and insight.

Additionally, we will cover the support resources available to aspiring social entrepreneurs, including funding opportunities, mentorship programs, business development services, and local networks.

This session is perfect for entrepreneurs, community leaders, non-profit professionals, students, or anyone interested in building a more sustainable and equitable future through innovative business models.

Don’t miss this opportunity to explore how you can turn your passion for social change into a viable and impactful enterprise.

About CSED:

The Centre for Social Enterprise Development (CSED) offers a continuum of support for social enterprises in the Ottawa area, including access to technical expertise, coaching, learning communities, training, and cross-sector partnerships. CSED works with its clients to develop their social enterprise plan and provide them with the tools, strategies and support to perpetuate positive social change and grow profitably.

www.csedottawa.ca

About this workshop:

Led by Coca-Cola alumni, Lubna Forzley, Founder of Stories, this session will delve into the intricacies of niche development and client acquisition. Drawing upon proven methodologies and industry expertise, we will equip entrepreneurs with the tools and insights needed to carve out a distinct niche in the market and effectively engage their target audience.

What You Can Expect:

• Dive deep into the fundamentals of niche development, understanding how to intricately define and refine your niche to resonate with your target audience
• Gain clarity on your niche, identifying the pains and gains inherent to your target market through guided exploration enabling you to tailor your offerings to meet their specific needs and desires
• Unlock the power of your business model by mastering the Value Proposition Canvas, a strategic tool that helps you align your products with customer needs and create compelling value
• Leverage innovative approaches and the relevant Marketing platforms to maximize your reach and impact

Don’t miss the chance to gain the insights as we unlock the secrets to niche dominance and unleash the full potential of your brand. Walk away with actionable strategies and newfound clarity on how to position their brand for success in today’s competitive landscape.

About the speaker:

Lubna is the Founder and CEO of Stories, a coaching and mental health platform that was proudly recognized as the Most Innovative Mental Health Tech for 2023 by Mentl. With a unique career spanning marketing and coaching, she combines her expertise to grow organizations, while growing their leaders.

A passionate advocate for growth and transformation, Lubna is an ICF-accredited (PCC) coach and a certified practitioner in Dr. Gabor Maté’s Compassionate Inquiry Program. She has worked with royalty and leaders from Fortune 500 companies—including Coca-Cola, Google, American Express, BP, Bayer, and Square, BASF, US Department of Airforce, Federal Aviation Administration and CVC Health Corporation

With over 20 years of leadership and consulting experience, Lubna has held regional executive positions at Coca-Cola, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and BNP Paribas, as well as advising startups across various industries, including e-commerce, FMCG, banking, and human development. As a Coca-Cola alumna, she spent years building the iconic brand and driving impactful initiatives.

Speaking and Thought Leadership:

Lubna is a globally recognized speaker, having delivered hundreds of talks worldwide, including two TEDx talks. She has engaged with organizations like Johnson & Johnson, Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center, Endeavor, Invest Ottawa, and TiE, among others. She has hosted global conferences and roundtables featuring luminaries such as Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, Dr. Gabor Maté, and over 40 household names. Additionally, she has shared stages with notable figures like Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple.

Published Work and Media Features:

Lubna is the author of Enhancing Business Community Relations, published by the United Nations Development Programme, and is currently working on her next book, Crack It, which delves into the power of transformation. Her insights have been featured in major outlets, including Associated Press, Fast Company, and Entrepreneur Magazine, as well as in the book Something to Believe In: Creating Trust and Hope in Organizations.

Advocacy and Personal Life:

As a board member for griefstories.org, Lubna continues her mission to foster meaningful change. A tireless advocate for women in leadership, she is also a proud mother of three, balancing her professional and personal life with grace.

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About the workshop:

Are you leveraging the full value of your designs? Whether you’re creating innovative product designs, packaging, or graphical user interfaces, protecting your industrial designs can give your business a competitive edge. But protection alone isn’t enough – having a well-structured IP strategy is key to long-term success.

In this webinar, we’ll explore the fundamentals of industrial design protection – what qualifies as an industrial design, how to protect it, and why it matters. You’ll gain a solid understanding of how these rights differ from other forms of IP like patents, trademarks, and copyrights.

More importantly, we’ll introduce you to the importance of having an IP strategy. You’ll learn:

• Why an IP strategy matters for businesses of all sizes
• How industrial design protection fits into your broader business goals
• What steps to take to begin developing an IP strategy tailored to your products and markets
• Real-world examples of how companies use design protection to differentiate and strengthen their market position

Whether you’re a startup founder, product designer, entrepreneur, or part of a growing business, this session will help you start thinking strategically about your intellectual property.

We’ll leave you with practical takeaways, useful resources, and a roadmap to begin building an IP strategy that supports innovation, growth, and brand value.

About the speaker:

Elizabeth Collinson has worked with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) for more than 20 years.

While working with CIPO, Elizabeth has held various positions including a Trademarks Examiner, a Business Development Officer, a Project Manager and now as an IP Advisor.

Elizabeth has successfully passed the Trademark Agent examination and is listed as an inactive Trademark Agent on the Canadian Patent Agent and Trademark Agent (CPATA) register.

About CIPO:

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) is a special operating agency of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. We deliver intellectual property (IP) services in Canada and educate Canadians on how to use IP more effectively.

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About the workshop:

You’ve validated your idea and taken the first steps toward launching your online store – now it’s time to grow!

In this follow-up to our ‘Intro to E-Commerce: From Idea to First Sale in Ten Steps’ session, we’ll dive deeper into what it takes to build and scale a successful e-commerce business.

This workshop will focus on the three foundational pillars of e-commerce: acquisition, conversion, and retention. You’ll learn how to attract the right customers, turn visitors into buyers, and keep them coming back – all using proven strategies tailored for small businesses operating in today’s fast-moving digital marketplace.

Whether you’re in the early stages of building your store or already making sales, this webinar will equip you with practical, actionable insights to help you strengthen your brand, improve performance, and grow sustainably.

REGISTER HERE

About this workshop:

Canada’s newest major trade agreement, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), offers Canadian businesses significant opportunities for growth and diversification. This agreement – signed with 10 Pacific nations (Australia, Brunei, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam) – reduces trade barriers and opens the door to dynamic international markets.

Join us for this informative workshop to learn what the CPTPP means for Canadian companies, particularly those involved in the trade of tangible goods.

We’ll explore:

• Key provisions of the agreement
• How to leverage its benefits
• Practical strategies for reducing dependence on the U.S. market

Whether you’re currently engaged in international trade or looking to enter new global markets, this session is ideal for importers, exporters, and anyone interested in expanding their business across the Pacific region.

About the speaker:

Following a + 30-year international logistics career, Christian Sivière started a Montréal-based import-export consultancy in 2010, Solimpex, active in two areas:

• consulting to help SMEs grow internationally; and
• training on the regulatory, customs and logistics aspects of Importing and Exporting, Free Trade Agreements and Supply Chain Optimization.

Christian is a subject-matter expert and lectures for the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association in Toronto, gives seminars and webinars for various trade organizations like the Montreal Chamber of Commerce, Export Québec, Invest Ottawa, Supply Chain Canada and similar, and personalized training for importers and exporters. He publishes articles in Inside Logistics and Supply Professional.

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About this workshop:

Did you know that your Google Business Profile is one of the top things that influence your ranking and how you show up in search engines results?

Indeed, reviews, pictures, categories, and many more Google Business Profile items contribute to your position on Google.

But as you are reading this, maybe you’re wondering “what is this Google Business thing I’ve never heard of?”. If so, we’ve got you covered.

If you have an account, this seminar will show you how to leverage it by learning easy to follow techniques designed to boost your profile so that it can generate awareness and engagement and get plenty of clicks, and ultimately, more leads and sales.

If you don’t a Google Profile account, the session will teach you how to create your free account and get Google to notice it.

What you will learn:

• How to set up a Google Business Profile account
• What to do to optimize your account so it is shown more frequently
• How to increase your visibility on Google Maps

About the speaker:

David Bird is the Founder and Principal of Bird’s Eye Marketing, an Ottawa firm that specializes in getting NPOs and other organizations found on Google. He has been managing Google Ads (formerly AdWords) accounts since 2012 and is a recognized digital advertising and promotion expert.

David is certified with Google Ads with specializations in search, display and mobile advertising. He also has a Certificate of Achievement in Web Analytics from the University of British Columbia and has completed coursework in E-Marketing with the Canadian Marketing Association.

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About this workshop:

What’s your impact, and how do you know?

In today’s world, businesses and organizations are increasingly expected to do more than just turn a profit – they’re expected to create real, measurable social and environmental value. But how do you track that impact? And why does it matter?

In this foundational workshop, Social Impact 101: Incorporating Social Impact into Your Business Model, you’ll explore the benefits of measuring your social impact and learn how it can help guide decision-making, build trust, and strengthen your mission.

We’ll dive into several practical tools and frameworks used globally, including:

• B Corp certification
• Social Return on Investment (SROI)
• Theory of Change

You’ll also gain insights into how to integrate social impact into your business model, and examine hybrid business structures (like social enterprises, co-ops, and nonprofits with earned revenue streams). Through local and international case studies, we’ll explore what works in balancing profit with purpose.

Whether you’re just beginning your impact journey or looking to deepen your current efforts, this session will give you the clarity and tools to move forward with confidence.

Join us for Social Impact 101 – and start measuring what truly matters!

About CSED:

The Centre for Social Enterprise Development (CSED) offers a continuum of support for social enterprises in the Ottawa area, including access to technical expertise, coaching, learning communities, training, and cross-sector partnerships. CSED works with its clients to develop their social enterprise plan and provide them with the tools, strategies and support to perpetuate positive social change and grow profitably.