We Thrive BC is the program designed to support women entrepreneurs across British Columbia—especially newcomers, racialized women, and equity-deserving groups—by providing gender-informed, culturally inclusive business training and peer support. We provide free workshops and personalized one-on-one consultations to support you in starting or thriving in your business. This program is funded by the Government of Canada’s Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, in partnership with WeBC.
Join us and build a successful business together. Click to join us.
Workshop Topics include:
• Access to Capital & Financing Readiness + Starting a Business
• Business plan writing
• Cash flow management
• Marketing and communications
• Customer service & sales skills in a Canadian context
• Building partnerships and connecting with local communities
• Starting a business in BC
• Digitalization, technology & AI tools
Who should attend:
Women or individuals who self-identify as women and are currently starting or running a business, particularly those located in the Okanagan region and other communities outside Metro Vancouver and Victoria.
Important Note:
Registered women entrepreneurs will receive exclusive online classroom access details for each session two weeks, one week, and three days in advance via email.
We Thrive BC Free Workshops
📌 Second Session | Live Online Workshop
Main Topic: Turning Headwinds into Opportunity
Speaker: Siobhan McManus, BDC Inclusive Entrepreneurship BC & North
Date and Time: Friday, January 30 | ⏰ 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Participants who have already registered for previous sessions do not need to register again.
> More about the session
Speaker: Siobhan McManus
Siobhan McManus is the Regional Manager for Inclusive Entrepreneurship in BC & North, supporting entrepreneurs and advancing equity by removing barriers for underrepresented groups. She brings extensive experience in philanthropy—where she managed major fundraising campaigns for a hospital foundation—and more than a decade in commercial lending, helping businesses expand domestically and internationally.
She is a Term Professor in a business degree program and holds a B.Comm from Royal Roads University. A Forty Under 40 award recipient, she is an active community leader and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Canadian Mental Health Association in Kelowna.
Siobhan has also represented Canada as a semi‑elite masters athlete at the Tokyo International Marathon (2018) and cycled across the country to raise funds and awareness for pediatric cancer (2010).
Program Sponsor:
Previous Workshops:
OCCA, in collaboration with WEBC (Women’s Enterprise Centre of BC) and BDC (Canada’s official government financial agency for entrepreneurs), is conducting an initiative to better understand and help the needs of small and medium-sized business owners, as well as individuals planning to start a business across British Columbia.
This session will provide practical guidance and expanded 1-on-1 support for women entrepreneurs and racialized minority founders.
Date and Time: December 3rd, 2025 | ⏰ 10:00 am - 11:30 am
Venue: BDC Boardroom, Kelowna Innovation Centre
We Thrive BC is a three-month program designed to support women entrepreneurs across British Columbia—especially newcomers, racialized women, and equity-deserving groups—by providing gender-informed, culturally inclusive business training and peer support.
📌 First Session | Live Online Workshop
Finance for Women Entrepreneurs: Access to Capital & Financing Readiness + Starting a Business
Speaker: Archana Samtani Singhania, WeBC
Date and Time: Thursday, January 15 | ⏰ 6:00–8:00 pm
In a time of economic uncertainty and shifting market conditions, entrepreneurs need practical strategies, local insight, and the confidence to turn challenges into momentum. This interactive workshop is designed to help aspiring and existing business owners in BC understand their options, identify opportunities, and take informed next steps in 2026.
📌 Second Session | Live Online Workshop
Turning Headwinds into Opportunity: How to Start, Buy, and Grow a Business in BC (2026)
📅 Date: Friday, January 30, 2026
⏰ Time: 10:00–11:30 am (Pacific Time | Kelowna)
💻 Format: Online (Zoom)
👩🏫 Facilitator: Siobhan McManus
