Press Release | Vancouver welcomes the Self-Made Breakfast Tour, continuing its mission to uplift women entrepreneurs across Canada

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 2, 2026

Vancouver closes out the Self-Made Breakfast Tour with bold vision and coast-to-coast celebration

Final stop of the Canadian Tour caps off a powerful year of impact, insight, and unstoppable momentum for women entrepreneurs across the country

Vancouver, B.C. – The Self-Made Breakfast Tour wrapped up its cross-country Canadian event series in Vancouver this week with a grand finale that brought together more than 180 women entrepreneurs for a morning of connection, courage, and celebration. As the final stop on this award-winning national Tour, the Vancouver event struck a powerful chord, showcasing just how much can happen when women come together with purpose and are met with real access to support, connections, and social and financial capital.

From its first stop in Toronto to its last in Vancouver, the Self-Made Breakfast Tour has ignited a movement, responding to the real challenges women entrepreneurs face with tangible resources and strategic guidance. The Vancouver edition built on that energy, delivering thought-provoking panels, personalized business support, and spaces designed to empower women-led businesses as they scale.

Hosted by award-winning marketing agency Sinclair Creative Agency Inc.  (SCA) and presented in partnership with PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise-Canada (PARO Canada), the event captured the energy and innovation of Canada’s West Coast business scene, uniting local leaders, founders, and partners in a vibrant finale. The Vancouver experience was brought to life alongside a strong network of partners, including the official Financial Partner CIBC Business Banking, Fintech Partner Intuit QuickBooks, Digital Journal Partner Writeway, Impact Sponsor 99designs, Official Printing Partner The Printing House, Venue and Catering Partner The Vancouver Club, AV Partner Showkraft, Legal Partner IP Goldmine, and Local Content Partner The Daily Edge.

A powerhouse lineup took to the Cloud 9 stage, including Rosalind Lockyer, Founder & CEO of PARO Canada, Roisin Collins, Canada Marketing Lead, of Olly , Aisha Yang Co-Founder, CEO of Herbaland, Cynthia Sanlian,  Vice President, CIBC Business Banking, Kelsey Irvine CEO of Birch Babe, Andrea McDougald Sr Product Designer of Writeway, Miranda Lievers, Co-Founder of Thinkific, Hina Khan, Peak Performance Mindset Coach of Hina Khan Worldwide Inc. Each speaker shared stories of grit and growth, business lessons learned the hard way, and their visions for a more equitable entrepreneurial future.

“I am still buzzing from the energy of the event, it was truly spectacular.” - Anila F 

"I’m still buzzing from the event yesterday, it really was beyond expectations. I truly enjoyed the atmosphere, and the quality of the connections and resources I found was top-notch. Thank you guys for putting so much effort into such a high-caliber day." - Dror B

The day’s programming reflected the depth of the tour’s mission: from expert-led panels and intimate advisory sessions to PARO’s signature Collaboration Innovation Tables (CITs): peer-driven roundtables that surfaced real-time solutions to the barriers women face in business. Funded in part by Women and Gender Equality Canada, the CITs also fostered trade discussions and connections across provinces.

Programming highlights included an expert panel, one-on-one advisory sessions, and the Collaboration Innovation Tables (CITs): peer-driven roundtable discussions hosted by PARO Canada, designed to unpack barriers and co-create solutions for women in business across the country. Funded in part by Women and Gender Equality Canada, the CITs also developed interprovincial collaboration, spotlighting the shared challenges and wins between women entrepreneurs across Canada.

At each stop along the tour, founders contributed valuable insights that shaped a broader national perspective, with Vancouver serving as a key moment to bring these findings together. PARO Canada’s Founder & CEO and Keynote speaker, Rosalind Lockyer, highlighted three persistent challenges facing women entrepreneurs: 

1. Misaligned money - Funding systems are poorly matched to the financial realities and risk profiles of women’s businesses;

2. Systems that exhaust - Fragmented regulations and shifting program rules create “bureaucratic exhaustion”; 

3. Ill-fitting infrastructure - Infrastructure is built for scale and urban centres. Rural/coastal founders face high shipping costs and co-packing minimums they cannot meet

Together, these insights underscore a critical need to redesign financial and institutional systems to better support the diverse ways women build and scale businesses across the country. The incredible work of PARO is helping shape future policy and funding for women entrepreneurs across the country. 

“From St.John’s, NL to Vancouver, we’ve seen what’s possible when women entrepreneurs are given not just a platform, but a plan,” said Rosalind. “At each stop, the CITs sparked new conversations and pathways forward. This final event in Vancouver was a culmination of so much hard work, and the momentum we’ve built together doesn’t stop here.”

The Learning Lounge was once again a standout experience, offering entrepreneurs one-on-one sessions with seasoned advisors on everything from capital strategies to operational growth. These personalized meetings often sparked mentorships, partnerships, and new clarity on next steps.

As always, the AMEX Founders Lounge: Small Business Connections, offered attendees a chance to explore a curated marketplace featuring activations from standout brands, including  PARO Canada, CIBC Business Banking, Intuit QuickBooks, Writeway, Dawna Boot, Made up Beauty, Living Cosmetics, OHME! Foods, Nature Bee, Olly Canada, The Cookie Dror, Dawna Boot and Birch Babe. It wasn’t just a place to shop, it was a celebration of Canadian innovation and the power of women-owned businesses.

Inside were two dedicated financial spaces, giving women entrepreneurs a chance to connect, recharge, and access expert advice. The CIBC Business Banking Lounge, hosted by the official Financial Partner of  the tour stop, offered personalized guidance, resources, and one-on-one conversations.  

"Vancouver marked a powerful and fitting close to the Self-Made Breakfast Tour, bringing this incredible journey to life in such an iconic setting. From Toronto and Calgary to St. John’s, Ottawa and Vancouver, each stop highlighted the ambition, resilience, and momentum of women entrepreneurs across Canada. At CIBC Business Banking, we’re proud to have been part of this journey—creating space for meaningful connections, sharing insights, and supporting opportunities for growth. It has been an honour to engage with so many inspiring founders across the country, and we remain committed to championing their success long after the tour concludes.” — Cynthia Sanlian, Vice President, CIBC Business Banking

Right next door, the Intuit QuickBooks Financial Café served as an inviting space where founders could take a break, grab a coffee, and dive into candid conversations about managing money in business.

"Connecting with so many passionate women entrepreneurs in Vancouver is inspiring, and hearing their stories only further solidifies our commitment to helping this incredible community grow and prosper. We are proud to witness firsthand their achievements and to see how Intuit QuickBooks is playing a role in empowering them to navigate their finances with greater confidence and positively impact their journeys towards success.” - Sarah Triantafillou, Director of Communications, Intuit QuickBooks, Canada/LATAM.

“Vancouver was more than a final stop; it was a full-circle moment,” said Anna Sinclair, Founder and Creative Director of Sinclair Creative Agency Inc. “The conversations were bold, the energy was electric, and the women in the room showed us exactly why this movement matters. We didn’t just end the tour on a high; we sparked something that’s only just beginning.”

What began as a five-city Canadian tour has quickly grown into something bigger. The Self-Made Breakfast Tour will expand into new regions and continue its mission in 2026, with more stops, more voices, and even greater opportunities for women in business.

“With each city, the impact grew deeper. The connections, collaborations, and confidence we’ve seen across this Tour have been incredible and we’re only getting started,” added Sinclair.

For more information on upcoming Tour dates and what to expect in 2026, visit www.selfmadebreakfasttour.com.

About Sinclair Creative Agency Inc.

Sinclair Creative Agency Inc. (SCA) is an award-winning, creative marketing agency founded in 2014. SCA specializes in event production, virtual programming, and unforgettable brand experiences that build community, amplify reach, and drive meaningful impact through a heart-centred approach.

Blending communications, creativity, and technology, SCA powers purpose-driven brands through best-in-class experiences and viral content that deliver extraordinary results. From digital storytelling to innovative programming, the agency connects audiences with brands that stand for something, sparking engagement across diverse industries.

As a market leader in creative strategy and award-winning execution, SCA constantly challenges the status quo, delivering full-service solutions that fuse art, culture, and technology. Every project is rooted in intention, with bold ideas and results-driven outcomes at the heart of every client partnership.

About PARO Canada

For 30 years, PARO Canada has been a driving force in empowering women entrepreneurs through funding, mentorship, and community support - helping thousands break barriers, access millions in funding, and achieve financial independence. Their impact extends beyond Ontario, collaborating with organizations across Canada to ensure women entrepreneurs have the tools, resources, and networks to succeed. PARO believes that when women succeed in business, entire communities thrive.

About CIBC

CIBC is a leading North American financial institution with 15 million personal

banking, business, public sector and institutional clients. Across Personal and

Business Banking, Commercial Banking and Wealth Management, and Capital

Markets, CIBC offers a full range of advice, solutions and services through its

leading digital banking network, and locations across Canada, in the United

States and around the world. Ongoing news releases and more information about

CIBC can be found at  www.cibc.com/ca/media-centre.

Media Contact

Anna Sinclair 

anna@sinclaircreativeagency.com