Guest Speakers
We are very excited to share with you our lineup of guest speakers and topics for our March 8, 2025 event.
Samantha Gernhart
Clarity Marketing & Design
Samantha, owner of Clarity Marketing & Design, started her business at the young age of 18. Her educational background is in Marketing Management and Web Development. She loves to share the knowledge and has been teaching since 2014.
In her session, she will be talking about reasons why you DO need a website, what questions to ask when you are shopping around for a new website for your business, event or even a non-profit, and go over the different type of website platforms and which one would be best for you depending on your needs, goals, and budget.
Topic: Why you DO need a website
Time: 10:00am – 10:45am
Stacey Bester
SWEET Bakery / SWEET Occasions TV Show
Stacey Bester is the owner of SWEET Bakery and the host and 7 seasons of her ROGERS TV Baking Show, SWEET Occasions. Stacey is also currently writing her first cookbook called “A SWEET Story”.
You will enjoy hearing Stacey’s journey from Easy Bake Oven, to Bakery owner, while she also shares all of the secrets of her SWEET success along the way!
Stacey will look forward to answering any questions about baking and running a small business, at the end of her chat.
Topic: Secrets of My SWEET Success
Time: 11:00am – 11:45am
Nadine Kelly
SPRINGSS
From CEO to COO/CMO, Nadine has spent nearly a decade building and scaling businesses — streamlining operations, growing revenue from $0 to multi-6 figures, and fostering deep connections with digital audiences.
She is the founder of SPRINGSS, a business operations and marketing consultancy that equips vision-driven entrepreneurs with the education and execution needed to grow and evolve sustainably. But before SPRINGSS, Nadine built something from the ground up — literally.
She founded Breakfast Lunch & Deener, an e-commerce/meal manufacturing company, with just $350 and a bold vision. Over the years, she and her team transformed it into Northwestern Ontario’s largest meal manufacturing company, serving countless customers and selling over 50,000+ products.
After relocating to Southern Ontario in 2022 and closing the chapter as CEO, Nadine shifted her focus to becoming the business partner she wished she had — helping entrepreneurs scale without burnout, execute without hesitation, and market themselves with confidence.
In her talk, “The Business of Being Seen: How Microdosing Visibility Leads to Confidence & Consistency,” Nadine will share how small, intentional actions can help women build confidence, overcome self-doubt, and develop a sustainable habit of showing up online. Through a blend of storytelling, strategy, and real-time action, attendees will learn how to leverage Instagram Stories as a low-pressure way to start practicing visibility — because success isn’t just about what you do — it’s about showing up so the right people can see it.
Topic: The Business of Being Seen: How Microdosing Visibility Leads to Confidence & Consistency
Time: 12:00pm – 12:45pm
Korrenne Jensen
Afterglow Psychotherapy
Korrenne (Kory) is the founder and clinical director of Afterglow Psychotherapy established in 2023. She began her career as a psychotherapist in a hospice setting at the height of the 2020 global pandemic.
Prior to her career in counselling she worked in the travel and tourism industry after her undergrad in psychology. Kory worked as a youth director for Carnival Cruise lines and a flight attendant for Air Canada Rouge. She recently ran a series of therapeutic crafting events at the Brantford library and hopes to offer more workshops in the coming year.
She will be speaking on the topic of readiness, and how to approach doing something before we feel prepared. She will explore some of the myths around motivation, our nervous system through a psychology lens and touch on the barriers to productivity such as neurodiversity and other mental health concerns that can impact functionality.
Topic: Before motivation: doing difficult tasks before you’re ready
Time: 1:00pm – 1:45pm
Taylor McConnachie
Embodied Sexual Wellness
Taylor McConnachie is a Registered Psychotherapist and holistic Sex Therapist based in Simcoe. As the founder and owner of Embodied Sexual Wellness and Psychotherapy, Taylor and her team provide comprehensive, holistic sex therapy and sexual wellness support.
With a commitment to empowering women, Taylor focuses on helping them transform and redefine their relationships with sex and sexuality. Her goal is to guide women in reconnecting with their bodies and rediscovering their sexual and sensual selves.
Driven by the belief that every woman deserves a safe environment for sexual healing and education, Taylor established Embodied Sexual Wellness and Psychotherapy to address significant gaps in sexual wellness services. She is passionate about creating a nurturing space
where discussions around sexual wellness are welcomed rather than stigmatized. By offering
specialized therapeutic support centered on holistic sex therapy, Taylor assists women daily in becoming more empowered in their sexual experiences.
In this session, Taylor will delve into the topic of sexual self-esteem and the journey of reconnecting with our sexual selves. Her aim is to inspire openness and curiosity about
redefining one’s relationship with sex and intimacy, leading toward the embodiment of sexual
wellness and self-intimacy.
Topic: Reconnecting to Your Sexual Self
Time: 2:00pm – 2:45pm
Laura Dickson
Dickson Wynperle Associates
Born and raised in Scotland, UK, Laura moved to Canada in 2008. Laura earned her L.L.B in Scots Law from the University of Glasgow, Scotland, in 2007. After moving to Canada, she completed her NCA qualifications at the University of Toronto. Laura completed her training with Allen Wynperle in 2011/12 and was called to the Bar in 2012. It was only a matter of time before Laura and Allen would once again join forces in creating Dickson Wynperle Associates in 2024.
Laura chose a career in law to help those most vulnerable. Laura practices exclusively plaintiff civil litigation with experience in all aspects of Life and Disability claims, wrongful or constructive dismissal claims, critical illness denial claims, estate litigation matters, statutory accident benefit matters as well as claims resulting from auto accidents, slips and falls, and brain and spinal injuries.
Laura is passionate about her home community of Brantford and enjoys volunteering with several great organizations in Brantford, Hamilton, and surrounding areas.
In this session, Laura will talk about her journey of working for someone else and taking the leap of faith to becoming her own boss and the road blocks and lessons that came with it.
Topic: Taking the leap of faith: my journey to becoming my own boss
Time: 3:00pm – 3:45pm
