Tracy Folorunsho-Barry

In Inspiration July 27, 2023 By Esther Ijewere

I Started GROW Foundation To Raise Women Leaders-Tracy Folorunsho-Barry

Tracy Folorunsho-Barry Is breaking boundaries in North America, lifting other women and helping them find their paths in life. The Nigerian-born amazon is the founder of GROW Women Leaders and GROW Foundation. During her migration to Canada from Nigeria, she faced struggles with integrating into the country and lacked the proper guidance and support she needed as an immigrant.

Barry also found that her struggles were common for other immigrant women in Canada and decided to take action after freeing herself from a limited lifestyle. She took the initiative to start helping other women, especially immigrants, reach their full potential and access new opportunities regarding their careers. Since then, she has dedicated her career to helping thousands of women, especially immigrants, get hired and advance their careers.

In 2017, under GROW Foundation, she launched Project150: Accomplished Immigrant Women in Canada and the Speak Out Women series where she began gathering stories from more than 200 immigrant women across Canada who have overcome adversity to achieve success in their careers and lives. They shared their stories and expressed that they wished they had known about the knowledge, resources and guidance available for them to succeed in Canada.

She collated these stories and published the book; Untold Stories of Immigrant Women in Canada. Later in 2018, Barry founded GROW Women Leaders (GROW), a career leadership development and advancement platform designed to help women get hired and advance their careers.

In 2021, she opened GROW space, a socially conscious 7000sq ft facility that houses Nurture café, lounge, co-working space and more. For her contributions and community involvement, she has been honoured with various awards and recognitions such as; Top 100 Black Women to Watch In Canada, Top 6 Immigrant Women of Inspiration, and a notable recognition by Mayor Don Iveson and the City of Edmonton in 2020.

She shares her inspiring story with Esther Ijewere in this interview.

Childhood Influence

Growing up, I loved helping people as it came to me naturally, even though I had no idea what I would do when I grew up, I guess it has played a major part in who I am today. For example, my mother had a grocery store, and through that grocery store, I was able to help people who I thought were in need within the community. I think staying true to oneself has a way of showing up in one’s career path.

Inspiration Behind Grow Women Leaders

Coming to Canada as an immigrant and not having guidance, I didn’t know anyone. I had to go through the integration process on my own. The name came about when I began Project150: Accomplished Immigrant Women in Canada and the Speak Out Women series as Gradual Rising of Women (G.R.O.W.), where I began gathering stories from more than 200 immigrant women across Canada who have overcome adversity to achieve success in their careers and lives.

They shared their stories and expressed that they wished they had known about the knowledge, resources and guidance available for them to succeed. While collecting their stories of resilience, I realized the wealth of knowledge these women possessed and the valuable insights that they could share with other immigrant women and their communities. Thus, the book, Untold Stories of Immigrant Women in Canada was published. I wanted to inspire other women like me, and from there it grew bigger. While hearing others talk about their stories, it changed my life and I knew it was something much bigger I began GROW Women Leaders and I had to figure out a way to help more women to become women leaders as it is their careers that set them apart.

It is the idea of helping women and empowering women. But in this case, I’m doing it by helping women connect to companies. I want to grow people and build them up to become women leaders.

The Journey So Far

No one prepares you for the entrepreneurship journey. It hasn’t been easy and still isn’t easy but the positive impact my work has on others makes it all worth it.

Being At Forefront Of Helping Immigrant Women In Canada Find Their Voice And Purpose, And Project 150

What started as a project has become so much more. I believe that if you have gone through challenges and you succeed, it is important to help others the way so that they don’t have to go through the same challenges that you have been through. It is the idea that I’ve gone through it and I want you to be able to succeed. This is the reason I do what I do today which has stemmed from Project150: Accomplished Immigrant Women in Canada and the Speak Out Women series through Gradual Rising of Women (G.R.O.W.), where I began gathering stories from more than 200 immigrant women across Canada who have overcome adversity to achieve success in their careers and lives. They shared their stories and expressed that they wished they had known about the knowledge, resources and guidance available for them to succeed. While collecting their stories of resilience, I realized the wealth of knowledge these women possessed and the valuable insights that they could share with other immigrant women and their communities. Thus, the book, Untold Stories of Immigrant Women in Canada was published.

Also Read: I Want Immigrant Women In Canada To Have A Voice

My Aspiration For Black Women In Canada, Especially New Immigrants Trying To Integrate Into Society

For those who are trying to integrate into society, it is knowing your worth. If you know yourself, other people can’t define you, I see that as a community of immigrant women. You may not know what you’d want to do but once you understand what your worth is, Canada will give you a space to do what you want to do. Canada has a lot of opportunities and the world is waiting for you. Follow your passion, and you will find your path. For every purpose, people are depending on it. I took an unconventional career path and I was able to help more than just my family, I helped my team, the women who use GROW’s services and more.

The GROW Space And Its Impact Since 2021

The GROW Space, is a socially conscious 7000sq ft facility that houses a Nurture café, lounge, co-working space and more. Nurture is more than a social lounge, we are a socially conscious in-house kitchen & cafe located within the GROW Space serving brunch, meal prep, catering, cocktails and more. Proceeds generated go back to supporting the women at GROW, supporting women, especially immigrants, to get hired and advance their careers. The impact that our space has had since 2021, it has been a space that is open for the public as well as our candidates to work and lounge in our space, while the Nurturers have access to amenities to help them develop and advance their career.

Challenges

I experienced a lot of challenges, especially since I was doing something unconventional. I never knew that there were negative connotations behind the word ‘ambitious’ until I started pushing for my goals to build a company that helps others. Ambition can truly be a terrible, terrible thing because for a society that pushes women to do more, can also be the same to say that you’re doing too much! With that being said, I didn’t receive much support and I had to prove myself a lot especially since I was trying something from nothing. People usually support what they understand and unfortunately, for a creative like me, it takes time for others to understand your work before they support you.

Being Recognized As One Of The Top 25 Canadian Immigrants

To be recognized as one of Canada’s top 25 immigrants, is very exciting as it is a validation of my work and my journey to it.

Also Read: Hawking At Age 10 Made Me More Determined

One Thing I Wish I Could Do To Make The World A Better Place For Women, Especially Black Women

It’s what I’m doing right now, which is ensuring that everyone gets equitable employment, especially women. Although it is getting better, there is still a lot of work to be done for gender parity.

Being A Woman Of Rubies

I am a visionary. It is one thing to be a visionary, but then it can execute the vision.

To Young Women Who Aspire To Be Where I Am But Lack The Opportunity And Support

Keep pushing, push until something good happens. Your vision and idea are valid, stick to what you want.

Women Who Inspire Me And Why

Individuals who inspire me, are the everyday women who are usually unsung heroes that are constantly striving to create a better home, and build a better community and world at large. These women are the ones working in entry-level, mid-level, to senior-level jobs.

For Women Who Want To Join the GROW Community

GROW Women Leaders is a leadership development and advancement agency helping women get hired and advance their careers. It is FREE to join so SIGN UP NOW! Our digital talent platform is dedicated to helping women, especially immigrants, get connected to the workforce. We will connect you to our partner companies. Join us now! https://growwomenleaders.com/ See you on the inside where we all grow together.

In Career Gems March 27, 2023 By Esther Ijewere

16 Inspiring Nigerian Women Making A difference In Canada

Nigerian Women In Canada are breaking boundaries, and making the motherland proud. Being a women’s advocate and new Immigrant In Canada, the first thing I did was to check out women whose work and life would inspire me to dare to be different, and stay focused. I have celebrated some of these women for their work and global achievements on my platform as “Women of Rubies”, and I followed their work closely.

These women have been able to break the barrier that prevents black women from reaching the top of their careers. They have been celebrated for their accomplishments, and recognized for changing narratives and making room for other women to thrive through their various endeavors.

In no particular order, here is our “Part 1” Women of Rubies list of 16 Nigerian women In Canada who are making us proud.

Dr. Adeola Olubamiji

Adeola Deborah Olubamiji is a Nigerian-Canadian technologist specializing in 3D printing (3D printing (also known as metal and plastic additive manufacturing). She became the first Black person to obtain a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering in 2017 from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada. She is the chief consultant at D-Tech Centrix, an education and career consulting company, located in Ontario Canada, and Indiana USA.

Dr. Addy is also the Founder of STEMHub Foundation, a Canadian non-profit that empowers and teaches science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education to students and early career professionals. In addition, she seats on the board of Health Science & Innovation Inc. Indianapolis, Indiana as the Secretary of the board.

She was recently recognized as one of the 100 Accomplished Black Women In Canada. She is a multi-award winner and mentor to several young people.

2. Dr. Rita Orji

Rita Orji is a Nigerian-Canadian Computer Science Professor, a Canada Research Chair in Persuasive Technology, and the Director of the Persuasive Computing Lab at Dalhousie University in Canada.

Rita has contributed some amazing things to Canada, including founding and directing the Persuasive Computing Lab at Dalhousie, and conducting research on designing interactive technologies that empower people, improve lives and contribute to solving many societal problems. “As a professor, she conducts research, teaches, supervises, and mentor students, write grants, and gets involved in many community services.

Due to her passion for mentoring the next generation of youth and female tech leaders, promoting research excellence, equity, diversity, and inclusion in STEM, Professor Rita founded the Education for Women and the Less Privileged Foundation, NGO, and she recently launched a YouTube channel, “Time with Prof. Rita.” She was recently recognized as one of the 100 Accomplished Black Women In Canada.

3. Brenda Okorogba

Brenda Okorogba is an award-winning service and learning experience designer. She has a gift for creating targeted public services and learning solutions that address relevant classroom, workplace, community, career, and business needs in advancing opportunities for equity-deserving groups in particular.

Her client-centered approach and dignity-informed methodologies have resulted in over $40 million in grants for nonprofits, small business owners, and startup entrepreneurs. Students have successfully secured more than $80.4M in college funding, transitioned into dynamic career paths, learned specialized skills, built positive personal identities, increased their social and emotional learning skills, and improved their leadership abilities.

She currently serves on the Board of Directors of social-impact-driven Canadian Charitable organizations where she contributes her time and ideas on issues focused on gender equity and social inclusion, youth education and employment, workforce development, immigrant women, affordable healthcare, and housing.

4. Tracy Folorunsho-Barry

Tracy Folorunsho-Barry is a multi-award-winning career strategist, recruiter, Founder, and CEO of GROW Women Leaders and GROW Foundation. During her migration to Canada from Nigeria, Barry faced struggles with integrating into the country. She lacked the proper guidance and support she needed as an immigrant. Barry also found that her struggles were common for other immigrant women in Canada and decided to take action after freeing herself from a limited lifestyle.

She took the initiative to start helping other women, especially immigrants, reach their full potential and access new opportunities regarding their careers. Since then, she has dedicated her career to helping thousands of women, especially immigrants, get hired and advance their careers.

In 2017, under GROW Foundation, Barry launched Project150: Accomplished Immigrant Women in Canada and the Speak Out Women series where she began gathering stories from more than 200 immigrant women across Canada who have overcome adversity to achieve success in their careers and lives.

Later in 2018, Barry founded GROW Women Leaders (GROW), a career leadership development and advancement platform designed to help women get hired and advance their careers. In 2021, she opened The GROW Space, a socially conscious 7000sq ft facility that houses Nurture café, lounge, co-working space, and more. Proceeds from the facility go directly towards supporting women, especially immigrants, to get hired and advance their careers – the public is encouraged to use the facility to work and study in.

For her contributions and community involvement, she has been honored with various awards and recognitions such as; Top 100 Black Women to Watch In Canada, Top 6 Immigrant Women of Inspiration, and a notable recognition by Mayor Don Iveson and the City of Edmonton in 2020.

Tracy Folorunsho-Barry- Grow Women leaders — Tracy Folorunsho – Barry

5. Patricia Bebia Mawa

After launching a successful career as a TV personality in Nigeria as the host of the show Lunch Date, Patricia Bebia Mawa relocated to Canada and essentially started her media career from scratch. She’s now the executive vice president of the Afroglobal TV channel as well as host and producer of the long-running TV show, Planet Africa, which is broadcasted across Canada on OMNI TV and syndicated to Europe and Africa.

She is also the executive vice president and editorial director of Afroglobal parent Silvertrust Media, which she co-founded with her husband, Moses. Their media empire includes magazines, TV shows, awards, and an expanding online presence.

Listed in the Who’s Who in Black Canada, she is a recipient of the Toronto Police Community Service Award, the International Women Achievers Award, the Martin Luther King DreamKeeper Award, and a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.

6. Ehi Ade-Mabo

For over 10 years, Ehi has inspired and empowered men and women of all ages and walks of life to rise above their challenges and be the best they can be. Whether you struggle with finding your sweet spot in your purpose, relationships, finances, brand, and self esteem, or you just know life should be more exciting than it is now, you are not alone. Ehi Ade Mabo has continued to encourage and coach people of all ages to find the zeal, power, and Passion to rise above their current struggles, and live the life of their dreams.

Ehi Ade Mabo Is a life Coach, blogger, writer, speaker, and author. She has impacted thousands all over the world with her teaching and mentorship.

Ehi Ade-Mabo- Nigerian Women In Canada — Ehi Ade-Mabo

7. Adebola Adefioye

Adebola is a Child Development Practitioner. She holds an Honours Bachelor’s degree in Child Development from Seneca College, a Master’s in Child and Youth Care, from Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), and a Certificate in Advancing Women’s Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding for Community Development from Coady Institute, Canada. She is a final semester student in a Graduate Certificate program in Mental Health Intervention (MHI). Adebola has worked with children, women, and families in different settings (child care, school, shelter, crisis line, and community). Adebola is passionate about building authentic relationships with racialized, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and Person of Colour) children, families, and communities and collaborating with them to reduce inequities, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and improve mental health and wellness.

Adebola works for a provincial non-profit agency on a project that focuses on understanding the impact of COVID-19 on racialized mothers and educators in Ontario. The project will inform recommendations for feminist, child care, and family program policies in Ontario, Canada.

She is also actively involved in Anti-Racism, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) work. She offers training, workshops, and public education programs to various organizations. She is the founder of the Afro Women and Youth Foundation, a non-profit organization providing leadership, empowerment and mentorship programs to Black immigrant women and youth in Toronto and Sudbury, Ontario.

Adebola has won many awards.

Adebola Adefioye- Nigerian Women In Canada — Adebola Adefioye – Seneca

8. Ariyike Akinbobola

Ariyike Akinbobola is a Nigerian Author and Amazon Canada Best Selling Author, content creator, foreign trained Lawyer currently working as a Senior Business Immigration Analyst in Toronto. Her work experience spans over a decade in the Media, Entertainment, Consulting, Immigration and Not-for.Profit Industries. Through her entertainment Platform, Ariland Entertainment, she hosts Moving Abroad: Immigrant Success Stories, an immigrant talk show where she interviews Immigrants succeeding globally. She also showcases African culture, fashion, lifestyle and Immigrant experiences through storytelling.

Ariyike started creating content on her Youtube channel (Ariyike Akinbobola channel) in 2012 and she was among the first set of Youtubers recognized by Youtube at the Youtube stars event where 5 Youtubers were recognized in Lagos, Nigeria. She is a Professional MC and has successfully hosted events globally and she has also moderated sessions on Diversity and Inclusion, Kindness, Digital Media, Entertainment Law, Communications and TV Presenting.

Ariyike has a Certificate in Child Protection: Children’s Rights in Theory and Practice from Harvard X and she also coaches Immigrant families relocating abroad on expectations and how to navigate their new reality and she consults for aspiring authors who want to learn how to self publish their books on Amazon. Through her Ariyike Arise Initiative Africa, she has helped to fund the education of Children in disadvantaged communities in Africa. In 2020, they donated 1000 facemasks to People in disadvantaged communities in Ajegunle, Lagos, Nigeria. She believes the world would be a better place if everyone did more for others.

In 2021, Ariyike became the first winner of the Immigrant Leader award at the Universal Women’s Network Women of Inspiration Award. As an advocate for Female Genital Mutilation abandonment in Nigeria, she volunteered as a digital advocate for UNFPA / UNICEF and was recognized as the UNFPA / UNICEF Frown Award – Female Genital Mutilation Abandonment Advocate of the year amongst other recognitions.

Ariyike also volunteers as a Literacy Ambassador for Project 99A in Canada and a Mentor with the Canadian Multicultural Group. Her books, Beautifully Coloured and The Cost of our Lives, both Amazon Best selling books are available on Amazon. She enjoys spending time with her family, writing, dancing, meeting new people and creating content on her YouTube channel. Ariyike is married with Children.

Ariyike Akinbobola- Nigerian Women In Canada — Ariyike Akinbobola

9. Ejibola Adetokunbo Taiwo

Ejibola Adetokunbo-Taiwo is an entrepreneur, an entrepreneurship consultant, a business coach, and an advocate for women entrepreneurs who is passionate about encouraging, empowering, and supporting women to use entrepreneurship as a tool for leadership and economic advancement.

She’s the CEO of Simply Ejibola Inc., the Founder and Principal Consultant at de Sedulous Women Leaders, and has also been the lead creator of several entrepreneurship initiatives like femImmiGRANTS, a grant specifically for BIPOC female entrepreneurs in Canada, the iiNTEGRATE NEXT program for newcomers in Canada, the iLaunchHERproduct, a program aimed at connecting women-owned businesses with big box retail stores in Canada, and the Rise Up Pitch Competition, a national grant program for Black Canadian women entrepreneurs.

Ejibola has been recognized for her work by several organizations like the Grande Prairie Chamber of Commerce, Canadian Immigrant Magazine, Diversity Magazine Canada, 2022’s 100 Accomplished Black Women, and she is also one of our 2021 Top 25 Women of Influence Awards recipients.

Ejibola Adetokunbo Taiwo- Nigerian Women In Canada — Ejibola Adetokunbo Taiwo

10. Deborah Ojo

Deborah Ojo is the founder and CEO Deborahomes, A multi million dollar real estate investor and an award winning real estate broker devoted to serving the needs of real estate buyers and sellers throughout the Greater Toronto Market . When she is not investing into real estate, she is helping her client start or continue to achieve their financial freedom through Real estate.

Deborah is known for her honesty, highest level of client service and 100 % determination to help you achieve your goals no matter what. Deborah has built an incredible network of fellow agents that makes Deborahomes a natural repertoire of dynamic qualities that set her apart and enable her to successfully procure the goals of the buyers and sellers she represents.

With over 10 years experience In the Real Estate sector, she has taught over 63 seminars and counting to minority communities on how to Own their own piece of real estate free of charge as a way to give back to those communities, and helping women who have passion for the business find their path and earn a living.

11. Dr. Onye Nnorom

Onyenyechukwu (Onye) Nnorom, family physician, specialist in public health and preventive medicine (born 27 February 1981 in Montreal, Quebec). Nnorom is the associate director of the residency program in public health and preventive medicine at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health. She also leads the Black health curriculum at the university’s medical school. Her work addresses the health inequities that racialized and immigrant communities face.

Onye Nnorom’s work focuses on health equity and the impact of racism on health. In particular, she studies anti-Black racism as a driver of health inequities in Canada.

Since 2016, Nnorom has led the University of Toronto’s efforts to build education on these issues into its medical school curriculum. In February 2020, Nnorom was appointed the first ever equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) lead of the University of Toronto’s Department of Family and Community Medicine. She advises the department’s executive on policies that impact EDI for faculty, residents, students and staff.

Nnorom is the creator and host of the Race, Health & Happiness podcast. She launched the show in 2020 to help racialized people stay well, thrive and find joy. Its first season coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, which disproportionately affected Black and other racialized peoples. She was recently recognized as on the 100 Accomplished Black Canadian.

Dr. Onye Nnorom

12. Jenny Okonkwo

Game changing community builder, founder of award winning Black Female Accountants Network An experienced business and finance leader, Jenny is passionate about helping women uncover their full potential in order to become their best professional selves and achieve their career goals. In 2016, a workplace representation gap led her to create Black Female Accountants Network (BFAN).

BFAN is an award winning volunteer non profit group that has helped newcomers to Canada reconnect with their professional careers, inspires and encourages future generations of female business leaders, creates professional and personal growth opportunities for local members.

In 2019 as a result of her work, Jenny was nominated and became a “Top 75” Finalist, Canadian Immigrant Awards, was recognized as one of the “Top 100” Black Women to Watch in Canada and received the “Be the Change” Award from Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario.

Jenny also received formal recognition in 2019 from MP Omar Alghabra, in his previous capacity as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade Diversification. Jenny is a member of the AICPA (Association of International Certified Professional Accountants) National Commission on Diversity and Inclusion.

Jenny Okonkwo- Nigerian Women In Canada — Jenny Okonkwo

13. Nnenna Uboma

Nnenna Uboma is the Chief Strategic Officer (CSO) of Beyond Math. Nnenna is an Analytics Senior leader and has over 20 years of experience leading high performing analytical teams to develop industry edge solutions. Nnenna is known for her “Can do” attitude and ability to think out-of-the-box. Nnenna has grown passion for tutoring and coaching analytical professional over the past decade. She has mentored many successful professionals in Analytics Nnenna spends her spare time nurturing High School kids in Leadership and Entrepreneurship skills. She was recently recognized for her work at the 100 ABC

Nnenna Uboma- Nigerian Women In Canada — Nnenna Uboma

14. Janey Buzugbe

Janey is an energetic entrepreneur and tech partnerships leader who believes in living life by giving; and what she has to give is humanity at the intersection of business and technology. As of recently, she headed the Black Innovation Programs & Partnerships at the DMZ, providing leadership and support to Founders across 5 programs with resources and access to 30+ partners to help grow their ventures – but that is not all. She is the host of JaneyofCanada; a YouTube channel providing career & settlement advice for immigrants and also the Founder of Immiducation, a community-first Startup that supports over 17000+ immigrant professionals with career-readiness skills, a career network and access to careers in Tech.

Over the past decade, her tech career has span over the corporate, non-profit and startup worlds in digital marketing, program & product management, recruitment, and Tech Partnerships.
Janey holds an undergraduate degree in Information Technology, postgraduate certificates in Media and Account Management and a Master’s in Management Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Smith School of Business at Queen’s University.

Janey Buzugbe- Nigerian Women In Canada — Janey Buzugbe

15. Maryam Muritala

Maryam is a Foreign trained lawyer with areas of specialization in Business , Technology , Copyright and Trademark Law, and Contract Management. She is also an experienced Business Development Consultant.

She has helped entrepreneurs across five continents launch successful and thriving businesses through Canada Vendors, a Business Development and Advertising Company using digital marketing tools to give structured visibility to businesses across Canada and the diaspora.

At Canada Vendors, they offer Business Development Consultations and Solutions, Advertise brands using digital technology, connect service providers with prospective clients, and host Business Networking Events. Between 2020 and 2022 during the lockdown, we interviewed 255 Small businesses across various communities in Canada offering supports successfully hosted BRAND EXPO in 2021 and 2022

Canada Vendors launched a mini-series on youtube in 2021 titled “THE ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY” spotlighting business owners across communities in Canada, so far we have interviewed entrepreneurs from Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, British Columbia, and Alberta. The series is ongoing and they hope to spotlight more entrepreneurs across Canada.

Maryam Muritala- Nigerian Women in Canada — Maryam Muritala

16. Nifemi Fagbohun

Oluwanifemi Showole-Fagbohun is An Internationally trained Chemical and Polymer Engineer whose experience spans wide from Project Research Engineering, Project Management, Beauty Consultancy, Event planning, Business Coaching, Author, Customer Resolution Specialist , Health and Beauty Safety Advocate, Independent Executive Sales Consultant, and a lot more under her belt.

Nifemi fondly called ‘Niffy’ wears many hats as a Global Beauty Mogul, Beauty expert/consultant @niffysignature . Founder and Business Coach @montrealvendors , Wardrobe Stylist @accessoriesbyniffy, An Independent Executive Sales Consultant, Wife and Mum to 3 Adorables.

Her love for health and safe beauty practices infused with her passion for women empowerment has led her to create a Makeup Brand called ‘Niffy Signature’ with her own line of Vegan and Cruelty-free Makeup Products.

She has a great penchant for paying attention to details and this earned her awards over the years : ‘Award of Excellence’ from the Nigerian Hair Show where she meticulously doubled as the official Makeup Artist for the Models and as one of the Judges. ‘Award of Recognition’ in Montreal where she was the official Makeup Artist for the ‘Walk of Hope for Mental Health’ event in 2018, ‘Community Personality Award’ from Canada vendors in 2020. ‘Award of Recognition’ in April, 2022 from the City of Saint Laurent Councillors, Montreal Community for her tremendous impact in championing and building the small business community in Montreal, (Quebec) along a slew of other notable mentions.

Oluwanifemi’s love for community building, adding value to lives and the need to ensure all small businesses feel recognized, loved and celebrated birthed the Montreal Vendors platform in Quebec.

She created the Montreal Vendors platform 10th April, 2020 with the desire to add value to her small business community at the onset of Covid when it was really tough for businesses. Her major focus is on Promoting all Small Businesses in diverse fields as we promote diversity in Montreal and all around the province of Quebec at large.

Nifemi being a Canadian Licenced Business Coach and also a Canadian Certified Executive Sales Consultant, both under the tutelage of St.Pius Career Centre under the English Montreal School Board, is using her knowledge to impact her small business community to the fullest of her capacity.

She’s presently a Nominee for the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards 2022.

Nifemi Fagbohun- Nigerian women in Canada — Nifemi Fagbohun

….It doesn’t end here.

The “Part 2″ of this list will be released soon. Do you know Nigerian women who should make our list of Inspiring Women In Canada? Kindly send their names, social media handles and link of their work to admin@womenofrubies.com with the subject: ” Nigerian Women in Canada “.

About the Writer

Esther ijewere Is a multi-award winning Social Activist, Journalist, Writer, Best-selling Author, Host of the Youtube syndicated show; #GettalkingwithEsther and a certified PR expert with over 10 years of experience. Esther has spotlighted over 1000 women across the globe, Interviewed First ladies, A-list celebrities and giants of different industries. She is the Editor-In-Chief of Women of Rubies, and other development initiatives recognized globally. Follow her on Linkedin, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.