Accelerator Program

This all rounded Startup Accelerator is a 6 week part- time virtual training and coaching program designed specifically for Canadian women who are ready to step into their purpose and fulfill their goals of becoming entrepreneurs. The program duration and timing of the classes were made with YOU in mind. It is ideal for those who are students or who are still entrenched in the corporate world.

This accelerator program be simple yet effective. The components are below: 

1. Weekly workshops hosted by industry experts on varying startup subjects. Each course has 2 workshops, one held virtually during weekdays and the second during the weekend.
2. A Virtual Pitch day in which all participants get to pitch their current business or future business idea with the goal of simulating a pitch to future investors in case you would like to seek funding in the future. This will be your opportunity to receive feedback in order to improve your pitch. 
3. Access to mentors throughout the program to provide clarity during the startup process
4. Access to partner resources
5. Access to a shared private Facebook Community strictly for Accelerator participants 

Upon completion of this program, you will have: 

• Acquired all of your necessary business vocabulary to easily navigate conversations with industry professionals. 
• A very clear idea on what your next steps should be to start your entrepreneurial journey or improve the state of your business. 
• Accumulated a very sound business acumen and best practices.

You will also have the ability to:

• Easily read and interpret financial accounting statements. 
• Make a difference between Marketing and Brand Management.
• Conduct a competitive environmental analysis. 
• Craft a concise strategy for your business.
• Make better and ethically informed business decisions. 
• Make compelling and engaging speeches to convince your investors or inspire your employees. 
• Identify reasons why your startup is currently stagnant or mistakes to avoid failure of your future startup. 
• Bring out the leader and identify the leadership style appropriate for your business. 
• Understand the sales process and how to increase lead generation and conversion rate. 
• Expand your professional network. 

APPLICATION ELIGIBILITY:

• Be a resident of Canada
• Be 18 years of age or older at the time of application
• Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada
• If there are two or more partners in the business, the partner applying must have a 51% minimum ownership to participate
• Not be a commission based or franchised business

Accelerator Outline

There will be weekly live and pre-recorded workshops covering the following topics: 

• Marketing
• Brand Management
• Strategy
• Public Speaking
• Public Relations
• Accounting Foundations
• Startup Basics
• Sales

Program Schedule:

The program runs from Wednesday March 22nd to Saturday April 29th.

Time: Wednesdays from 6PM ET – 8PM ET  &  Saturdays from 1PM ET – 3PM ET

Location: Virtual (Online)

Wrap-Up Day:

To celebrate, there will be a wrap-up pitch event where each applicant will get a chance to present their business idea in pitch format. This isn’t a competition, but rather a way for you to apply the concepts learned throughout the 6 week program and to gain insightful feedback from our panel of experts.

Successful completion of the course will result in an official Certificate of Completion as well as up to $1,000 per participant.

**Successful completion requires participants to attend 10 of 11 workshops over the 6 week period and they MUST attend and participate in the Wrap-Up Day Pitch competition**

**Active participation in workshops and in the private Facebook group is strongly encouraged**

Meet Our Facilitators

Candace Huntly

​Candace Huntly is the Founder of SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency that helps businesses find their voice in the world of Social Media, Public Relations, Branding, and Marketing. She believes strongly in using both traditional and non-traditional tactics when it comes to building strategies for brands, merging the digital and face-to-face worlds. Candace has run successful strategies for both individual experts and organizations leading to increased brand awareness, community engagement, influencer buzz, and widespread media coverage in top tier print, digital, and broadcast media outlets. Her influencer and media relations campaigns have garnered millions of impressions for both large and small startup brands.

Some of her current and past clients include LEGO Star Wars, Hilton, emla, The Grand Order of Divine Sweets (The GOoDS), The Baby Show, Coppertone, iögo, and The Princess Ball.

An active member of the Canadian startup community, Candace also works with TorontoStarts, The Fashion Zone at Ryerson University, Women’s Entrepreneurship Hub, and Newcomer’s Entrepreneurship Hub as a Mentor, Business Advisor, and Educator.

Kimesha Walters

Kimesha is the CEO of Oasis Integrated Communications, a PR firm with operations in Canada and Jamaica, and a focus on helping businesses to find their paradise. She’s a seasoned PR professional with a passion for crafting meaningful stories that connect with people. An eternal optimist who thrives on perfecting solutions that marry creative brand experience with consumer engagement, she believes in tapping into the core values of a company and tailoring strategies that share their narrative and find affinity. Her experience spans public relations, corporate communications, marketing, social media and advertising across a range of industries. She has executed projects in Toronto, New York, and Jamaica where she has deftly managed some of the foremost brands across North America and the Caribbean.

Gaby (with one “b”) Mammone

Gaby with one “b” is an award-winning business executive recognized as an advocacy leader in the  charitable and not-for-profit sectors. She is a career and speaking coach and successfully helps  individuals transition to a role that aligns with their passions, skills, and values.  

She provides guidance, organizes events, and assists with other fundraising and awareness campaigns.  She is a philanthropist and takes pride in supporting charities; it’s no surprise that her company is  appropriately named, Kind Projects. Gaby is an inspirational example of someone who has overcome  adversity.  

She believes in togetherness and has inspired audiences to believe that we are all here to give and help  each other. Gaby is full of energy; her sense of humour is entertaining and her laugh is contagious.

Argentina Beltran

Argentina is a Brand, Sales and Marketing Strategist who partners with CEOs, executives, and solopreneurs to grow their personal and professional brands, human-to-human. 

After spending over a decade working in sales and marketing for Fortune 500 companies and startups in Canada, and coming from a family of entrepreneurs, she knows what truly drives conversions—and it’s not mastering the marketing flavour of the week. It’s how well you connect with the heart-beating people you’re trying to help and communicate your understanding back to them.

Argentina holds a BA in Communications and Broadcasting with a major in Marketing and she has interned with one of the biggest news networks. 

She brings her wealth of experience and expertise to the table to help businesses and brands effectively communicate their message to their audience authentically.

Thank you to our Sponsors