Business: A Pathway to Financial Stability
What does it take to turn a business idea into a sustainable source of income? For many entrepreneurs, the journey begins with a simple idea, a willingness to take a chance, and a community that can help along the way.
On September 19, the Philippine Centre Canada (PCC) brought together Filipino Canadian entrepreneurs, aspiring business owners, and community members for Financial Literacy: Business, A Pathway to Financial Stability at Cours Bayview, Bayview Yards in Ottawa. The panel created an opportunity for participants to learn from local entrepreneurs, hear firsthand experiences, ask practical questions, and connect with others navigating their own entrepreneurial journeys.
We were honoured to welcome The Honourable Rechie Valdez, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism), and Yasir Naqvi, Member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre, at the beginning of the program. PCC sincerely appreciates them for making time to meet with members of our community and join us for the opening of the workshop. Their presence helped set the tone for a morning centred on entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and community connection.
The program continued with a panel featuring three local Filipino Canadian entrepreneurs: Joshua Lagarde of KUBO Matcha, Carmela Moreno of Grande Events Co., and Mary Ann Fabella of Fabella Dental Hygiene Corporation.
Each panelist brought a unique entrepreneurial journey to the conversation. Joshua shared his experience building KUBO Matcha from its early events and navigating the challenges of growing a young business. Carmela reflected on coming to Canada at 19 and building her businesses and brands from the ground up. Mary Ann spoke about starting her practice from home while raising her three daughters and eventually growing it into her own dental hygiene clinic.
Together, their stories demonstrated that there is no single path to entrepreneurship. Businesses can begin in different ways, develop at different stages, and evolve through a combination of experience, persistence, community support, and continued learning.
The panel also opened the door to a thoughtful audience Q&A. Participants raised practical questions about entrepreneurship, including founder compensation, building a team, choosing between employees and contractors, and securing initial capital. These questions helped connect the panelists' experiences to some of the real considerations that entrepreneurs face when starting and growing a business.
The conversation continued with an interactive discussion that invited participants to reflect on their own entrepreneurial journeys. Participants had the opportunity to share their businesses, business ideas, experiences, challenges, and questions, creating a space where community members could learn not only from the panelists, but also from one another.
The range of experiences in the room reflected the different stages of entrepreneurship within our community. Some participants were exploring a business idea or considering a side hustle, while others were already operating businesses and thinking about their next steps. The discussion provided an opportunity to exchange perspectives, identify common challenges, and consider opportunities for future growth.
At its heart, Business: A Pathway to Financial Stability was about making conversations around entrepreneurship and financial stability more accessible to our community. It highlighted the value of learning from others, asking questions, building meaningful connections, and taking practical steps toward one's goals.
PCC extends our sincere appreciation to Minister Rechie Valdez and MPP Yasir Naqvi for taking the time to meet with our community, to our panelists for openly sharing their experiences and lessons, and to all the participants, volunteers, and supporters who contributed to the success of the workshop. PCC thanks the Ontario Trillium Foundation whose funding support and inspiration enabled PCC to conceptualize and implement this important event and be inspired to continue serving our community.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make this a meaningful day of learning, conversation, and community connection.
This workshop series is funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, supporting accessible and practical financial education for immigrant communities.