Making It Work: How Rise Marked International Women’s Day 2026
To mark International Women’s Day 2026, Rise hosted Making It Work: Balancing Business and Mental Health as a Woman+ Entrepreneur—a candid panel conversation about the realities of self-employment, mental health, and what it means to build a business sustainably.
Featuring Voices From Across Canada in English and French
The panelists reflected a wide range of lived experiences and perspectives. Across both sessions, they shared their reflections on burnout, managing expectations, setting boundaries, and learning how to define success in a way that supports both personal well-being and professional growth.
Our English panelists were:
Nicole Richard, founder of Wax Pencil in Kelowna, BC
Aisha Addo, founder of Power to Girls in Toronto, ON
Summar Bourada, Unsinkable storyteller and founder of gldn grl in Ottawa, ON
Motivational speaker and entrepreneur Dhorea Ramanula moderated the conversation.
Our French panelists were:
Greguyschka Félix, founder of Feeliks Leadership Group in Ottawa, ON
Audrey Dupuy, entrepreneur based in Vancouver, BC
Miriam Bekkouche, founder of Brain Spa in Montreal, Quebec
Coach and entrepreneur Camila Duarte moderated the discussion.
Honest Conversations About Entrepreneurship and Well-Being
In both languages, the insights shared pointed to the same larger truths: there is no one way to build a business, and there should be more room for entrepreneurs to define success on their own terms. Rather than focusing only on polished versions of success, Making It Work created space for honest discussion about the pressures that often come with entrepreneurship.
A common thread amongst panelists was the idea that mental health cannot be separated from entrepreneurship. For many women+ entrepreneurs, building a business means navigating uncertainty, responsibility, and pressure all at once.
Panelists spoke about the tension between ambition and rest, the challenge of carrying so much at once, and the importance of creating systems and routines that support long-term well-being.
Miss the event? Watch here:
English:
French:
Making It Work: Balancing Business and Mental Health as a Woman+ Entrepreneur was delivered in conjunction with Rise’s Women+ Entrepreneurship Program, funded by the Government of Canada's Women Entrepreneurship Strategy.
Our thanks to the WE-CAN Project for its support of the Women+ Entrepreneurship Program and to Unsinkable for its support in developing and promoting these events.
