About Vice-Principal ResearchFunded and led by Queen’s Partnerships and Innovation, the WE-CAN Project inspires and empowers existing and aspiring women-identifying entrepreneurs by providing them with tools, resources, expert mentors, networks and community building to expand existing businesses and to launch new ventures.
On Thursday, November 7th, 2024, the WE-CAN community held an inspiring in-person workshop for women entrepreneurs at Stauffer Library on Queen’s University campus. The workshop, titled “Setting Your Authentic Marketing Goals for 2025,” focused on building a clear, purpose-driven approach to marketing in the coming year. About 40 women gathered for the event, eager to strengthen their marketing visions for 2025 and establish goals aligned with their unique business purposes.
Led by Cheyanne O’Driscoll of CO’ Marketing, the session encouraged participants to think broadly about their business potential while refining their marketing goals to be both achievable and impactful. O’Driscoll emphasized the importance of moving beyond what she called “random acts of marketing,” a phrase that resonated with attendees who sometimes find it challenging to stay consistent in their marketing efforts. This goal-focused approach resonated deeply with the group, as many women expressed relief at having a structured, supportive environment in which to outline goals for the new year.
The morning kicked off with a big-picture discussion on the potential of each attendee's business vision, followed by insights into setting strategic marketing goals that reflect their values and unique markets. O'Driscoll shared tools and frameworks to help participants break down larger marketing visions into actionable steps, encouraging them to create goals that felt not only realistic but also authentic to each entrepreneurs’ individual brand.
“As a WE-CAN client myself, I’ve seen firsthand the benefit of these events,” says O’Driscoll. “Since joining the community, I’ve participated in many online events including the sharing circles and networking events. Having the opportunity to lead this in-person workshop for my peers really means the world to me.”
One of the attendees, Lisa Jeans of Studio Lisa Jeans in Kingston, shared her thoughts on the experience, saying, “I had started working on draft business goals for 2025 already, but marketing is not one of my favorite parts of business. The last thing I want to waste time and energy on is ‘random acts of marketing,’ so it was great to learn the goal-focused structure and actually make a draft set of measurable marketing goals.”
This workshop is part of WE-CAN’s broader mission to foster community and growth among women entrepreneurs. By holding regular events and providing resources, WE-CAN empowers its members to pursue their business goals with clarity and confidence. The community has become a vital network for entrepreneurs in the region, providing opportunities for skill-building, collaboration, and mutual support.
“This is a great time for WE-CAN clients to define their vision and approach for the coming year,” says O’Driscoll. “I hope that participants left the event with sense of purpose as they move their business forward, no matter stage they are in.”
“While the majority of our workshops are virtual, it’s always meaningful to come together in-person and create face-to-face connections within the WE-CAN community,” says Kerry Ramsay, Project Manager of the WE-CAN Project. She adds that many of the entrepreneurs were meeting each other offline for the first time. “In addition to thinking about and starting to draft our marketing goals, events like this allow our community to strengthen their network to support them along the way.”