Meet the People Behind the Youth Social Entrepreneurship Program

The students of the Youth Social Entrepreneurship Program attended an intensive training program that consisted of workshops offered by partner organizations. Partners included student organizations such as Front Row Ventures and SEIZE as well as national or provincial organizations such as CPA Canada and YES Montreal. Workshop topics offered in the program were: how to register their business, how to borrow money from lenders and banks, how to build a business plan, how to brand their business, and so much more. In total, there were 13 workshops. Learn more about the people that helped our entrepreneurs reach their business milestones! 

Introducing the YEP facilitators

SEIZE

Olivia Champagne facilitated the Business Plan Fundamentals 1 & 2 workshops on behalf of the Socialist Economy Incubation Zone (SEIZE). Previously, Olivia worked in various sustainability offices of Concordia, spending several years as the Project Coordinator of Sustainability Action Fund Concordia. They studied Economics and Environmental Studies at the University of Victoria and most recently obtained a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from Concordia University. 

YES Employment

Caroline Schaedler is a Business Coach in Employment + Entrepreneurship Proactive for YES Montreal and led the workshop on Market Research. She has 15 years of experience in client relationship management in Canada, Singapore and Switzerland. 

Farshad Rouhani is a Business and Innovation Coach for YES Employment. Previously, he worked in the technology sector and worked in various capacities such as product and program management. A self-proclaimed serial entrepreneur. The latest venture is Enmiamo, a digital platform built for Content Creators. Rouhani led the workshop on Social Media. 

Robert Therriault is a Business Coach at YES Employment + Entrepreneurship and led the Registering your Business for YES Employment. As a former executive with extensive investment, financial and administrative experience, he is particularly interested in helping Quebec entrepreneurs clarify and focus their ideas and bring them to fruition. 

Futurpreneur 

Kevin Dugal, the Manager of Entrepreneurial Communities at Futurepreneurs shared with the student entrepreneurs the financing and services available to them at Futurepreneurs with an Info Session. Futurpreneur is a national, non-profit organization that provides financing, mentoring and support tools to aspiring business owners aged 18-39. Its mentoring program matches young entrepreneurs from a network of volunteers with business acumen. 

Professors from Concordia University also shared some of their expertise with the student entrepreneurs. Professor Matthaeus Tekathen, the Department Chair & Associate Professor in Accountancy led the workshop on Operational Planning.

Professor Shannon Lloyd is part of the John Molson School of Business and the Gina Cody School of Engineering led the workshop on How to Measure the Social & Environmental Impact of a Business. 

CPA Canada

Rubin Ma is a professional accountant with Financial Management and Project Management experience. She’s worked in the field of finance for companies of various sectors in China, Quebec and Ontario. As a financial literacy volunteer at the CPA, she led The Money Side of Business for the YEP entrepreneurs. 

Ikram Zouari, Chief Financial Officer for the National Arts Center, brings her financial expertise to the general public by volunteering her time as a Financial Literacy Volunteer for the CPA. For the YEP’s student entrepreneurs she led the Understanding Financial Statements workshop. 

Shambhavi Sharma is a financial literacy volunteer at the CPA Canada and led the Getting Money: What Lenders and Investors Want workshop. She currently works at Brookfield Renewable as a Senior Accountant. Previously, she worked as an audit manager for various accounting firms in India. 

Thank you to all our facilitators! To learn more about the mentors of the YEP program, we have an excellent Instagram post summarizing their bios and expertise.