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Note: This event page is for the in-person option of our hybrid model. Click here to go to the virtual event page.

About this workshop:

Are you struggling to create a marketing strategy that truly connects with your audience?
Do you find yourself facing roadblocks that prevent you from building brand loyalty and driving consistent revenue growth? In today’s fast-paced, AI-driven market, entrepreneurs need more than just a great product – they need a strategy that uses AI to build lasting relationships with customers, delivering personalized experiences at scale.

Invest Ottawa is excited to host Lubna Forzley, Founder and CEO of Stories, for an exclusive deep dive into AI-powered marketing strategies. Drawing from her experience with Coca-Cola – an iconic global brand – Lubna will guide you through the critical elements of developing a 360-degree marketing plan.

Discover how AI can amplify your storytelling, streamline your content strategy, and personalize customer experiences, transforming your brand’s presence and driving sustainable growth.

Key Takeaways:

• Learn from Coca-Cola’s Success: Gain insights from Lubna Forzley, Founder of Stories and Coca-Cola alum, as she unpacks the strategies behind building a brand that resonates globally.
• Harness AI for Smarter Marketing: Explore how AI tools can supercharge your content creation, customer segmentation, and real-time data analysis.
• Build a 360-Degree Marketing Plan: Leave with an actionable roadmap – integrating AI and traditional strategies – to elevate your brand’s influence and grow your business.

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.

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

Note: This event page is for the virtual option of our hybrid model. Click here to go to the in-person event page.

About this workshop:

Our Free Trade Agreement with the United States and Mexico (CUSMA, or NAFTA 2.0) has seen challenges, but the US is still our first trading partner, both as an export market and as a supplier.

This seminar will explain the content and updates of this major Trade Agreement and what it means for Canadian businesses, how to benefit from it, focusing on the trade of goods and the changes contained in the new agreement. This session will be of interest to companies and individuals wanting to get involved internationally, in particular importers and exporters of tangible goods.

About the Speaker: Christian Sivière

Following +30-year in international logistics, 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 International Trade, Free Trade Agreements and Supply Chain Optimization.

Christian lectures for the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association, gives seminars and webinars for various trade organizations like the Montréal Chamber of Commerce, Invest Ottawa, Impact Hub, Supply Chain Canada; and personalized training for importers and exporters. He publishes articles in two Canadian publications: Inside Logistics and Supply Professional.

REGISTER HERE

Note: This event page is for the in-person option of our hybrid model. Click here to go to the virtual event page.

About this workshop:

Our Free Trade Agreement with the United States and Mexico (CUSMA, or NAFTA 2.0) has seen challenges, but the US is still our first trading partner, both as an export market and as a supplier.

This seminar will explain the content and updates of this major Trade Agreement and what it means for Canadian businesses, how to benefit from it, focusing on the trade of goods and the changes contained in the new agreement. This session will be of interest to companies and individuals wanting to get involved internationally, in particular importers and exporters of tangible goods.

About the Speaker: Christian Sivière

Following +30-year in international logistics, 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 International Trade, Free Trade Agreements and Supply Chain Optimization.

Christian lectures for the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association, gives seminars and webinars for various trade organizations like the Montréal Chamber of Commerce, Invest Ottawa, Impact Hub, Supply Chain Canada; and personalized training for importers and exporters. He publishes articles in two Canadian publications: Inside Logistics and Supply Professional.

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 the workshop:

If you’re launching a new business or developing a fresh idea, your intellectual property (IP) could be one of your most valuable assets, yet it’s often one of the most overlooked. In today’s fast-moving, innovation-driven world, having a clear IP strategy from the start isn’t just smart – it’s essential.

This webinar is designed for entrepreneurs, startups, and early-stage business owners who want to understand how to protect and leverage their ideas. We’ll walk you through why it’s important to think about IP early, how it ties directly to your business goals, and the steps you can take to build an IP strategy that supports your long-term success.

You’ll learn:

• Why IP matters for new businesses and business ideas
• How IP strategy fits into your overall business planning
• What kinds of IP you may need to protect (patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets)
• How to start building a strategy that aligns with your vision and resources

Whether you’re developing a new product, brand, service, or technology, this session will give you the foundational knowledge and practical tools to begin protecting your ideas and setting your business up for growth.

Don’t wait until someone else claims your idea – join us and learn how to take control of your IP from day one.

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.