Chéticamp (N.S.) - Friday October 3, 2025 : The CDÉNÉ Business and Entrepreneurship Services team held the second edition of the Rise & Shine conference on September 26 and 27 at the Canton Culturel in Chéticamp. Two days rich in learning, networking, and inspiration around women's entrepreneurship in Acadie.
A festive launch
The conference began the day before, on Friday, September 26th, with an entrepreneurial networking evening at the same venue as the conference. This relaxing event provided an opportunity to meet various players in the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem, as well as several entrepreneurs from Acadie and the surrounding area.
Adèle LeBlanc and André LeBlanc opened the evening with an inspiring welcome speech, highlighting the vital importance of women entrepreneurs in the Acadian regions and their ability to grow, flourish, and prosper even in sometimes difficult circumstances. Yvette Comeau, from
Avant-Garde a magazine published by
Le Courrier de la Nouvelle-Écosse, then spoke about their business magazine. Yvette also took this opportunity to unveil the theme of the next edition :
women's entrepreneurship.
Yvette Comeau, from the magazine Avant-Garde of Le Courrier de la Nouvelle-Écosse.
Adèle then moderated a roundtable discussion featuring three inspiring female entrepreneurs from Nova Scotia (two of whom are from the Chéticamp region). The topics discussed—family entrepreneurship, work-life balance, challenges, and successes—led to rich and authentic exchanges, bringing the evening to a wonderful close.
Adèle LeBlanc from le CDÉNÉ presents the panelists.
Hands-on, interactive workshops
On Saturday morning, members of the Business and Entrepreneurship Services (SAE) team, Alain Belliveau, Arona Diop, and Réanne Cooper, led a workshop on the Sustainable Business Model Canvas and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), where participants brainstormed new projects and filled out their Business Model Canvas. The collaboration highlighted the potential for positive and sustainable change in local businesses in very real ways.
Next, Jeannine Riant (Fully Align Studio) and Lynn MacMichael (BConnected) gave a combined presentation on financial support and peer circles on the one hand, and best networking practices on the other. It was an opportunity to discover concrete tools to support and propel women in business.
Adèle LeBlanc (CDÉNÉ), Nicole Deveau (École de musique Raveston), Jeannine Riant (Fully Align Studio) & Lynn MacMichael (BConnected). Inspiring testimonials
At lunch time, keynote speaker Ingrid Deon, founder & CEO of word-craft.inc, shared her entrepreneurial journey and invited participants to “change their deck of cards” to push beyond their limits. This was Ingrid's first time in this role, and she captivated the audience. She encouraged participants not to limit themselves to the hand of cards they believe they have been dealt, but to reinvent their game to exceed their initial dreams.
Ingrid Deon, founder & CEO of word-craft.inc
In the afternoon, Myriam Hébert, co-founder of Nxtelligence, shared concrete, easy-to-adopt tools, illustrated with relevant examples. The session was highly interactive, and participants left with concrete ideas for optimizing the productivity, growth, and efficiency of their businesses.
Myriam Hébert, co-founder of Nxtelligence.
Inspiring testimonials
A valuable networking opportunity followed this AI workshop: participants were able to discover 27 vignettes of inspiring women entrepreneurs displayed in the conference space, and 25 “champions” of the entrepreneurial ecosystem displayed on the walls. This visual display provided benchmarks, role models, and tools to explore at all stages of business creation and growth.
At the end of the day, a surprise moment transformed the energy of the gathering: Marielle and Mohamed from Wontanara Drum & Dance led a session of dancing, singing, and drumming to the rhythm of traditional Guinean music. This festive surprise allowed everyone to move, laugh, sing, and recharge their batteries—a wonderful way to end the day on a note of unity and fun!
A session of dancing, singing, and drumming for the participants with Marielle & Mohamed de Wontanara Drum and Dance.A very concrete element enriched this exchange: the SAE team coordinated contact between the artists and local stakeholders, which enabled Marielle and Mohamed to offer a free session the following day at the Raveston Music School. This is a lasting benefit - both social and economic - that came out of the conference.
Marielle & Mohamed of Wontanara Drum and Dance.
Both events were made possible thanks to funding from the Government of Canada and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA).
A lasting impact for the region
- More than 20 people attended the cocktail reception and 30 participated in the conference.
- The event was offered in both official languages.
- More than 25 local businesses were involved: caterers, accommodation, technology, services, and gifts.
- The local Girl Guides troop supported the flow of the day and seized an entrepreneurial opportunity by selling their traditional cookies to participants, thereby facilitating intergenerational exchanges.
The participants of the second edition of the Rise & Shine conference in Chéticamp.Stay tuned for more!
The Rise & Shine conference continues to grow and strengthen ties between women entrepreneurs, partners, and the ecosystem throughout Acadie, Nova Scotia. The SAE team is highly motivated to continue this momentum and is already thinking about the next edition of this conference - stay tuned!
The members of the SAE team of le CDÉNÉ: Arona Diop, Réanne Cooper, Adèle LeBlanc, André LeBlanc & Alain Belliveau.
