NEW! Fireside Chat & Networking Event for Women Freelancers

Start the new year right by getting to know your community in the modern and elegant Le Richmond where beverages and pizza will be served! In collaboration with the Women Who Freelance Montreal group, the YES ELLEvate Team is excited to co-host this 5 à 7 networking event and fireside chat.

Join us on Thursday, January 26th, where your moderator Afreina Noor, community builder, social media marketeer, and freelancer, will sit down with the Project Manager for YES’s ELLEvate Women Entrepreneurs program, Meltem Kilicaslan, and freelancer and YES client, Jessica Adams, to discuss what every woman should know about launching and growing a successful freelancing business in Quebec.

This is a great opportunity to ask questions, connect with freelancers in your niche or industry and discover what resources are available to help you succeed as a freelancer. Mark your calendars because our collaborative event is one you won’t want to miss!

About the Fireside Chat speakers:

Afreina Noor, Community Builder | Social Media Marketeer | Freelancer

Afreina immigrated to Montreal in late 2018, and just as she was getting an understanding of the lay of the land, Covid struck. She quickly realized the virtual opportunities that came with the pandemic and restructured her services to cater solely to digital solutions. Afreina is a dedicated social media marketeer and the moderator of the Facebook group “Women Who Freelance Montreal,” which has organically grown to over 2.7k members and counting.

Afreina is a Pakistani by origin, and Canada is the fourth country she has lived in. As an Anglophone and a woman of colour, she understands the problems similar folks experience in immigrating to Montreal. Click here to learn more about her work experience or connect with her.

Jessica Adams, Freelancer | YES Client

Jessica’s freelancing career currently revolves around two things: connecting people with nature and supporting entrepreneurs as they build their businesses. With a background in wildlife biology and environmental education, her passion for cultivating wonder and curiosity about nature led to the creation of Nature Nerding, a business that specializes in creating and leading educational activities for all ages in natural areas around the Eastern Townships. While developing Nature Nerding, another opportunity to leverage her interests and skills surfaced in the form of helping entrepreneurs with business basics such as online workspace organization, graphic design and communications.

While seemingly unrelated, these two facets of Jessica’s freelancing career have proven to complement each other well, particularly when it came to making the transition to a full-time freelancer this year.

Meltem Kilicaslan, Conflict Resolution Coach | Project Manager for ELLEvate Women Entrepreneurs, YES Employment + Entrepreneurship

Meltem has 25+ years of experience in international business and entrepreneurship having founded and run two successful businesses. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree from the University of Manitoba, Asper School of Business.

Meltem is a life-long learner and a critical thinker. She is passionate about bringing joy and harmony into the workplace by equipping leaders and teams with conflict-resolution skills. Meltem studied and lived in 3 continents. She leverages her well-rounded cultural background to bring compassionate curiosity and diversity to support organizations and leaders to create a more positive, equitable, and inclusive work environment.

In her current position she designs and manages programs to elevate women entrepreneurs, facilitates workshops, and organizes community-building networking events.

*Please note: Pre-registration is required.