EmpowerHER Entrepreneurship Accelerator

EmpowerHER is a transformative 10-week program that supports women-led businesses in Orillia and Lake Country. Run in collaboration between the Henry Bernick Entrepreneurship Centre and the City of Orillia, EmpowerHER provides mentorship, community connections and entrepreneurial tools to help founders build and refine their businesses.

This program is an excellent fit for female entrepreneurs in the Orillia area who are starting or currently running a small business (under 5 employees). You should consider joining if any of the following applies to you:

• you're early on in your entrepreneurial journey and are looking for guidance and resources for your business
• you're new to the Orillia area and looking to connect with the entrepreneurial community
• you've been running your business for a while now are are looking for fresh ideas and new connections

The program will be delivered in-person over 10 Thursdays, starting March 12, 2026

• March 12 - 11:00am – 1:00pm - Growing Your Network
• March 19 - 11:00am – 1:00pm - Understanding Your Customers
• March 26 - 11:00am – 1:00pm – Applying Design Thinking
• April 2 - 11:00am – 1:00pm – Meet a Guest Entrepreneur
• April 9 - 11:00am – 1:00pm – Building and Evolving Your Plan
• April 16 - 11:00am – 1:00pm – Getting Real With Financials
• April 23 - 11:00am – 1:00pm – Understanding Intellectual Property
• April 30 - 11:00am – 1:00pm – Meet a Guest Entrepreneur
• May 7 - 11:00am – 1:00pm – Preparing Your Pitch
• May 14 - 10:00am – 2:00pm – Delivering Your Pitch

"Not only did I meet amazing women through this experience but I learned a ton about myself, my goals and how to get where I need to be for success! The team of experts and leaders who led the meetings each week were so knowledgeable and made an effort to get to know each and every one of us in the group. I feel like not only did I grow professionally, but in my confidence and bravery!"

"When I joined EmpowerHer, I was still inside an organization, quietly telling myself, “I want to be an entrepreneur.” I didn’t realize the hardest part wouldn’t be building the business, but breaking free from decades of seeing my worth in hours and job titles. The shift came not just from strategy, but from being surrounded by women who see you as who you’re becoming — not who you’ve been. That’s what took me from side gig to fully owning who I am as an entrepreneur."

"This program was inspiring and practical. I'm very passionate about my business but I was feeling a bit stuck. Focusing on my business plan, costumer discovery, hearing from other successful entrepreneurs and 1:1 discussions with the facilitators helped me with clarity and concrete steps."

The Henry Bernick Entrepreneurship Centre

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