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MEET THE 2023 COHORT
Welcome to the ELLEvate Women Entrepreneurs Pre-Accelerator, an inspiring program curated by YES Employment + Entrepreneurship. This exceptional initiative aims to uplift and empower 10 high-potential women-led startups from diverse sectors, each equipped with a feasible idea or product and the vision to scale their business to new heights.
Funded by: In partnership with:
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ALEXANDRA PAPAVRAMIDI
Founder & Creator, LOVJOY Pilates
Alexandra Papavramidi embarked on her Pilates journey in 2007, and quickly found that a daily Pilates practice not only helped prevent back aches from lifting her severely disabled son in and out of his wheelchair but also assisted her in effectively managing her demanding work schedule. Following the birth of her second child, Alexandra pivoted her career towards Pilates, and in 2015 she earned her Pilates diploma, marking the beginning of her professional journey in the wellness industry.
As the visionary founder of LOVJOY Pilates, Alexandra has made it her mission to empower women, particularly busy mothers, to discover strength, exibility, and joy in both their bodies and lives. Her innovative approach to teaching, which includes the development of a mobile application, has made Pilates accessible to a diverse range of clients, breaking geographical boundaries.
In addition to her digital offerings, Alexandra teaches Pilates to mothers and is in the process of extending her teachings to caregivers of disabled children. This work embodies her philosophy of self-care and body positivity, re ecting her dedication to uplifting and nurturing the well-being of others.
ALEXANDRA SHIELD
Alex Shield Design is an interior design rm specializing in sustainable interiors and eco-friendly home décor, passionately designed and created by Alexandra. Beyond her design prowess, Alexandra also aims to educate others on the negative impacts of the interior design industry as well as the available solutions to these issues, through seminars and online training.
Having completed her studies in Interior Design at Lasalle College, along with sustainability courses at Concordia University and NYC’s Fashion Institute of Technology and serving as a Sustainability Focal for Pratt & Whitney Canada’s Sustainability Department, Alexandra combines her knowledge of sustainability and design to create products and design spaces that are environmentally friendly and free of harmful chemicals. Alexandra works with suppliers who share the same values, ensuring sustainability in every step of the process and throughout the supply chain.
As a devoted mom of two young boys, Alexandra is passionate about having a healthy home for her family, and makes it her mission to design beautiful, health-conscious spaces that bring us joy, all while reducing our negative impact on people and the planet.
Founder & Lead Designer, Alex Shield Design
EMILIE PLANTE
Founder, Emilie Plante Coaching
Emilie Plante is the founder, speaking coach, and course creator of Emilie Plante Coaching, an online business dedicated to transforming professionals into exceptional speakers. She launched her business in 2022 to help others master the art of communicating both online and in person after recognizing that with the right guidance, anyone can become a phenomenal presenter.
She now combines elements of teaching with her theatre training from Dawson College and creative writing studies at Fleming College to create a unique approach that leverages acting, improv, and storytelling techniques. By incorporating fun and playfulness into her teachings, Emilie empowers entrepreneurs, freelancers, and leaders to step outside their comfort zones, build con dence, and tap into their passions to cultivate an authentic voice.
Emilie's expertise extends beyond the realm of individual coaching to helping tech start-up founders re ne their pitches and assisting teams across diverse industries to enhance their day-to-day communication and public speaking capabilities. She strongly believes that turning individuals into powerful and empathetic communicators positively impacts entire communities.
FANG WANG
Founder, iLoveDanceShoes
Fang Wang combined her love for dancing and entrepreneurship and founded iLoveDanceShoes, a business that offers well-made, fashionable, and personalized dance shoes at reasonable prices without compromising on quality, comfort, or durability.
Fang's journey began when she noticed a lack of personalized, comfortable, and affordable dance shoes while dancing Argentine Tango. Unsatis ed with the options available locally, she traveled to China, Italy, and Buenos Aires, exploring various manufacturers and meticulously developing a plan to introduce handcrafted, unique, and personalized dance shoes to North America.
Fang's professional and educational background in Import and Export, Supply Chain Management, Purchasing, Logistics, and Communications has played a vital role in her business journey. To realize her vision, Fang established an e-commerce store for easy access to her products and also sells directly at dance studios, as well as at event and competition showcases. Each pair of iLoveDanceShoes re ects the passion and dedication of a dancer, artfully combining style, comfort, and affordability.
KALIFA RODRIGUEZ
Founder, Kalifa Rodriguez NutritionKalifa Rodriguez is a registered dietitian and the author of the award-winning children’s book Eating These Foods Makes Me…, an educational resource designed to introduce young minds to the wonderful world of nutrition and foster a healthy relationship with food.
Throughout her career as a clinical nutritionist, and now as a devoted mother, Kalifa has witnessed the challenges faced by pregnant and postpartum moms and is driven to help them regain their energy, strength, and con dence. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Nutritional Biochemistry and Biology and a master's degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from McGill University, as well as a certi cation as a breastfeeding specialist and prenatal nutritionist.
Kalifa's approach is distinct in that she takes a holistic view, incorporating mindset and body-esteem into her frameworks. Kalifa Rodriguez Nutrition offers a comprehensive range of services and resources that aim to optimize nutrition, overcome breastfeeding and milk supply issues, and elevate overall quality of life by making nutrition and lactation support accessible to all mothers.
PATRICIA BRAVO
Founder, ÉLO - ÉlodieThe ÉLO journey began when Patricia arrived in Montreal and encountered challenges in nding reliable language exchange partners to practice her French. This inspired her to create a system, ÉLO, to improve her own French skills, which she has successfully tested with Quebeckers. Motivated by her own experiences, Patricia’s goal is to share this solution with others, speci cally immigrant women who face similar language learning challenges.
With over 10 years of experience as a digital product designer in advertising and technology companies, Patricia excels in graphic design and product management, and is passionate about creating exceptional user experiences. As a strategist, she focuses on usability, interaction, and the visual design of innovative app features.
Patricia’s specialization lies in the employment sector, as she has noticed a lack of modern, Quebec-speci c resources for job seekers. ÉLO strives to ll this void by catering to the needs of immigrant women in Quebec, providing linguistic support and addressing their speci c employment needs.
By empowering immigrant women through language skills and employment resources, ÉLO sets out to make a positive and lasting impact on their lives, contributing to their successful integration and growth in their new community.
SUSAN HAMILTON
Founder, Végé-TropicaleSue Hamilton is the owner of Végé-Tropicale, a Vegan Jamaican Patty company that uses local organic ingredients. Her entrepreneurial dream became a reality when the pandemic lockdown began and gave her the time to recharge and focus on building her business. Sue enrolled in multiple entrepreneurship training programs, which supported her in developing her business plan, pricing her products appropriately, and structuring her business strategy.
In 2021, Sue decided to use her cooking talents and love of baking to begin experimenting with vegan llings to use inside Jamaican Patties. Through trial and error and feedback from her loved ones, she created mouthwatering Vegan Jamaican Patties ready to share with the public. After completing the MAPAQ food and hygiene training, Sue was ready to test the market and participated in some neighborhood pop up events.
The overwhelming interest in vegan patties was a revelation for Sue, as it became evident that a growing number of people were eager for more avorful vegan snack choices. Her philosophy is to always challenge yourself, create and share your gifts with the world.
SYNCIA CHAN
Founder & CEO, ExpAcrossSyncia Chan is the founder and CEO of ExpAcross, a homestay placement provider that launched in 2019 and has since built a strong network of homestay families, agencies, and educational institutions. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Design Arts from Concordia University and has experience in various elds including graphic design, website development, event planning, marketing coordination, and program management. She has also had the opportunity to work in diverse industries ranging from import/export and distribution, to IT consulting and the nonpro t sector.
Syncia’s experience working at a non-pro t organization that focuses on facilitating connections between international students and local communities has broadened her understanding of the challenges faced by international students and fueled her passion for supporting these students throughout their academic journey.
ExpAcross aims to offer support to international students, homestay families, and educational institutions through services such as assisting students in nding suitable housing options, supporting homestay families in promoting their services, helping educational institutions effectively reach their target audience to promote their programs, and designing personalized programs tailored to the interests and needs of speci c student groups.
TERESA D’AGOSTINO
Founder & CEO, Pawsome ConciergeTeresa D'Agostino founded Pawsome Concierge with a vision of providing exceptional services for pet owners who consider their furry friends as cherished family members. Her life changed when she met Coco, a chocolate Labrador who became a catalyst for healing and personal growth in Teresa's life when, in 2020, she went through an arduous journey of struggling with mental health and multiple diagnoses.
During her long recovery, Teresa realized the profound impact Coco had on her well-being. Determined to give back the love and care she received from her loyal companion, she set out to create a company that would elevate the standards of
With Pawsome Concierge, Teresa aims to revolutionize the pet care experience across the country. Her personal journey, marked by healing and transformation, drives her commitment to ensuring that every pet receives the utmost care, attention, and love they deserve. Teresa's love for animals and her desire to make a positive impact have become the guiding principles of Pawsome Concierge's mission.
VALERIYA EGOROVA
Founder, MACSY.appValeriya, the founder of MACSY.app, moved to Canada in 2004 and has since immersed herself in the beauty industry, managing and administrating a chain of medical-aesthetic spas and an online store of professional cosmetics. With this valuable experience under her belt, she set out to revolutionize the way beauty businesses build and maintain their online presence. Additionally, she created the rst supportive community for medical-aesthetic clinics and spas.
MACSY.app offers custom websites through a subscription model, allowing clients to pay a monthly fee and receive a modern, beautiful website in under one week. They also provide ongoing technical support and updates to ensure that your website evolves alongside your business. Valeriya understands that as your beauty business grows, your online presence needs to adapt seamlessly.
Furthermore, MACSY.app specializes in developing cutting-edge marketing processes to enhance customer engagement, retention, and acquisition. Their services encompass branding and design, engaging content creation, expert consulting, and digitalized management.
MACSY.app is deeply committed to supporting and empowering beauty businesses with comprehensive digital solutions, community engagement, and professional development opportunities.