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Funded and led by ����91���︣�����߹ۿ�’s Partnerships and Innovation, the WE-CAN Project inspires and empowers existing and aspiring women-identifying entrepreneurs by providing them with tools, resources, expert mentors, networks and community building to expand existing businesses and to launch new ventures.

“It was kind of out of the blue, to be honest.”

Those were the words of WE-CAN client Theresa Bailey, in response to whether she expected to win the from the and World Trade Centre Toronto’s , presented on July 17, 2025.

Theresa is the founder of , a training and consulting firm that uses a unique approach to corporate leadership, communications, and team development training workshops. She is currently the only licensed corporate trainer in North America using Play-Doh as a tool to guide and facilitate her programs.

She credits part of her success to the WE-CAN Project, which she initially tapped into during a pivot during the pandemic. Participating in online workshops and a pitch training program for paid speakers, Theresa says the WE-CAN Project helped her to connect with key resources like and the .

“Launch Lab was instrumental in helping me write my initial business plan for Hasbro,” says Theresa.

“Having access to networks and connections is a really important part of the WE-CAN Project,” says Kerry Ramsay, WE-CAN Project Manager. “Aside from the resources I have as part of the region’s economic development network, clients can also make connections through events and virtual cafes.”

“You have to be willing to put yourself out there and take advantage of what’s offered,” says Theresa, who has used her skills during the workshop on getting paid speaking engagements to book more opportunities. She adds, “It's not just who you know, but who you barely know – because even a recommendation from one acquaintance to another can be the catalyst to a bigger connection.”

Theresa’s export journey through TAP began in late 2023, in a women-only cohort sponsored by the PARO Centre. The PARO Centre offers business support programs for women entrepreneurs across Ontario, including business coaching, funding opportunities and trade missions. Initially she was unsure whether her service-based business qualified for export support, but was encouraged by PARO to apply to TAP.

“When you think of companies preparing for exporting, most people assume it applies to physical products,” says Theresa. “When I first stepped into the room with other program participants, I was intimidated because many of the entrepreneurs were not only seasoned, but they were developing products for export.”

Theresa says she gained a lot of confidence through the program because she realized that she was getting called on to answer a lot of the questions that came up. “I speak in front of people all the time. I started realizing that we all have different strengths and some of the things that I can learn from the other participants, but they can also learn from me,” she says about how she quickly overcame feeling intimidated.

Through TAP, she developed a bold export strategy that included attending trade missions, securing international contracts, and launching an accredited partner program to scale her offerings across North America.

Theresa’s story is a testament to the power of resilience, innovation, and community. From a pandemic pivot to becoming the only licensed corporate trainer in North America using Play-Doh, and now a win of the Export Plan of the Year Award, her journey is anything but conventional.

Looking ahead, Theresa will be leading the in-person for WE-CAN in October, continuing to share her expertise and inspire other women entrepreneurs to take bold steps in their own journeys.