We Thrive BC is a program designed to support women entrepreneurs across British Columbia — especially newcomers, racialized women, and equity-deserving groups — through gender-informed, culturally inclusive business training and peer support. We offer free workshops and personalized one-on-one consultations to help you start, strengthen, and grow your business. This program is funded by the Government of Canada’s Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, in partnership with WeBC.
Cohort 2 is now open for registration.
After a successful first cohort, We Thrive BC returns with a new lineup of facilitators, refreshed topics, and updated content shaped by what our participants told us they needed most. Whether this is your first session or you’re coming back from Cohort 1, you’ll gain practical tools you can use right away, insight from new expert voices, and a community of women building their businesses alongside you.
Cohort 1 alumni are warmly welcome — the content is new, and so are the connections waiting for you.
Coming Workshop
Session 4: Business Financing and Planning
📅 Monday, October 26
🕔 5:00–6:30 pm PT
💻 Online | Free
Thinking about a loan or grant, or just wondering whether your business is ready for funding? This session is for you.
Join Archana Samtani, Business Advisor with WeBC, for a practical, down-to-earth look at how financing works for small businesses. Archana works with women entrepreneurs on business planning, financial readiness, and access to capital, and she brings both professional and lived experience to the conversation.
You’ll learn how to:
-Understand what lenders look for, including credit, cash flow, and your own investment
-Check how ready you are for financing, and close any gaps
-Build a basic business plan and work out how much funding you need
-Map out clear next steps to grow your business
Whether you’re still at the idea stage or have been running your business for years, you’ll leave knowing where you stand and what to do next.
✅ Already registered? You’re all set, so no need to register again. Please keep an eye on the email you registered with for any updates.
📝 Not registered yet? Register Now!
Any questions? Feel free to reach out to events@occabc.ca
We Thrive BC Free Workshops - Cohort 2
Session 4: Business Financing and Planning
Monday, October 26 | 5:00–6:30 pm PT 💻 Online | Free
Thinking about a loan or grant, or just wondering whether your business is ready for funding? This session is for you.
Join Archana Samtani, Business Advisor with WeBC, for a practical, down-to-earth look at how financing works for small businesses. Archana works with women entrepreneurs on business planning, financial readiness, and access to capital, and she brings both professional and lived experience to the conversation.
You’ll learn how to:
-Understand what lenders look for, including credit, cash flow, and your own investment
-Check how ready you are for financing, and close any gaps
-Build a basic business plan and work out how much funding you need
-Map out clear next steps to grow your business
Session 3: In-Person Gathering | Kelowna
📅 Saturday, October 24 | 2:00–4:00 PM
📍 Spice Garden Asian Fusion, 1030 Harvey Ave, Kelowna
🎟️ Free, but seating is limited. Scan the QR code or email events@occabc.ca to save your seat.
We’ve been seeing each other’s faces on Zoom for weeks. Now it’s time to sit at the same table. Join fellow women entrepreneurs from the OCCA Women Entrepreneurs Support Program for a relaxed afternoon of conversation, connection, and light refreshments.
No presentations and no pressure. Just good company and real conversations about where you are with your business, what’s working, and what you need next. You’ll also meet local people and resources who can help you along the way.
-Meet your cohort: put faces to the names from our Zoom sessions
-Share your journey: talk openly about where you are with your business
-Grow your network: connect with local people and resources who can help
Session 2: AI for Content Marketing
Oct 6 , 2026 | 6–8 PM PT | Zoom | Free
You know marketing matters. The challenge is finding the time to actually create the content.
Between serving customers, managing orders, handling admin, and running your business, writing posts, emails, and short videos can easily fall to the bottom of the list.
That’s what our next free workshop is designed to help with.
You’ll learn how to:
• Build an AI marketing assistant that understands your style
• Turn one idea into multiple posts, emails, and short videos
• Tailor content for Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and more
• Streamline scheduling and publishing
• Spend less time creating content and more time running your business
Led by Yao Song, Founder of NextAgent AI Solutions
Session 1: From Chatbox to AI Employee
Sept 29, 2026 | 6–8 PM PT | Zoom | Free
AI shouldn’t just answer questions. It should get work done.
Learn how AI can become a practical part of your business—not just something you occasionally ask questions. In this live session and following sessions, the speaker will demonstrate real-world ways AI can help small businesses:
-Websites that win customers: Turn visitors into enquiries and bookings
-Content & video, made faster: One idea, drafted for every platform, and you approve it before it goes out
-Systems that run your business: Replies, documents, spreadsheets, bookings, and meeting notes
-Your own method, automated: no change
Led by Yao Song, Founder of NextAgent AI Solutions, with nearly 10 years of AI and technology experience and 10+ production AI systems deployed.
The Program Sponsored by:
