A Black History Month celebration not to be missed!

Black Business Atlas will host its inaugural Celebrating Black Excellence Weekend. We will be organizing a Brunch on Saturday, February 18th and a Pop-Up Market on Sunday, February 19th.

The Celebrating Black Excellence Brunch is a new initiative whose purpose is to highlight the achievements of successful members of the Montreal Black community to inspire our entrepreneurs and provide them with valuable insight to help them succeed in their journey. We are inviting four prominent members of the Montreal Black community to be part of a panel and exchange with our audience of 150-200 people.

The Sunday Pop-Up Market will feature several products from 20-25 small businesses based in Montreal. This is an excellent opportunity to connect with entrepreneurs and show your support for the Black community.

Our Sponsors

We would like to thank our many sponsors without whom this event would not be possible!

Official Partners

Silver Partners

Collaborative Partners

Celebrating Black Excellence Brunch - February 18th 2023

Network with other entrepreneurs and prominent members of the Montreal community!

Black Business Atlas inaugural "Celebrating Black Excellence" brunch will be held at Evo Plaza in Downtown Montreal (777 Robert Bourassa Blvd.) on Saturday, February 18 from 11:00 a.m to 3:00 p.m. This event is organized as part of the 2023 Black History Month celebrations.

The theme of this year's event will be Excellence! We want to highlight the inspiring journey of some members of the Black community in Montreal who have had a remarkable impact in the economy and society of Quebec.

We have four panelists who will take part in what will be quite an inspiring conversation, moderated by Ms Dorothy Rhau, CEO of Audace au Feminin - Salon International de la Femme Noire.

The entrepreneurs who attend will have the opportunity to network with experts who can help them grow their businesses. The goal is to inspire the almost 400 entrepreneurs who are members of Black Business Atlas and provide them with valuable information to help them succeed in their own journey.

Presenting our Panelists and Moderator

Baylis-Frank

Mr Frank Baylis, Executive Chairman at Baylis Medical Technologies

Frank Baylis is presently the executive chairman of Baylis Medical Technologies.

From October 2015 to October 2019 he was Liberal Member of Parliament for the federal riding of Pierrefonds-Dollard. Frank sat on the Industry Committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Ethics & Privacy Committee. He was the chair of the Canada-UK Parliamentary Association and a founding member of the Black Caucus.

Prior to being elected Frank Baylis was President of Baylis Medical Company from 1989 to 2015. During that period Baylis Medical grew into a major Canadian developer and manufacturer of medical devices. The company was sold in 2021 to Boston Scientific for $1.75 Billion USD. In 2011 he and his partner Kris Shah won the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year - Life Sciences section. In 2018, 2019 and 2020 Baylis Medical was recognized as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies.

In 2004 Frank launched the company charity For the Children (FTC) with the goal of improving access to education for children both in Canada and internationally. This has now grown into the Gloria Baylis Foundation.

He is a Professional Engineer with a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Waterloo.

Alexander-Sinora

Mr Alexander Sinora, Co-founder Black Wealth Club

Alexander Sinora sold his first small marketing agency by the end of his bachelor's. Afterward, he built a career in consulting, working at Deloitte & McKinsey. He was also a research assistant at McGill University in entrepreneurship & social innovation.

He is co-founder & vice-chairman of the Black Wealth Club, where young black leaders are learning on how to execute on their goal to reinvest in their communities. He is also currently building a startup within the creator ecosystem.

Involved in his community; he sat on an advisory board as a federal policy advisor at the Black Canadian Youth Approach within the Heritage Department and currently sits on the board of Groupe 3737.

Alexander is a recipient of a BComm in accounting at John Molson School of Business

Kara-Gomes

Ms. Kara Gomes, Co-Owner & Business Strategist at NXTLVL Esthétiques

Kara Gomes is a strategist with over 11 years of experience being an entrepreneur, opening her first daycare at the age of 23. Kara has been a force in the business development world. Her substantial knowledge of finance and her drive to open herself up to new opportunities is why she was able to structure, build and sell a handful of daycares all before the age of 28.

Not only is she an entrepreneurial genius, but she also has an adventurous soul. Kara won season 17 of Dragons Den Canada, and she enjoys travelling!

Dawn-Williams

Ms Dawn Williams, President and Sales and Marketing Recruiter at Sirius Personnel (Montreal)

Dawn Williams earned her bachelor’s degree in finance from Concordia and an MBA from Athabasca university, while working full-time. She started her sales career at Xerox which prepared her for a career in sales. After several years selling, she was promoted to sales manager, sales director then VP sales where she led several teams to success. In 2006, she had the opportunity to purchase an existing recruitment firm specialized in sales and marketing. Today she and her team help clients across Canada find top talent in sales and marketing.

In her spare time, she is a volunteer at the Children’s hospital, a mentor to young people, at another non-profit and she can be found doing her morning runs in an effort to improve on her half marathon time.

Dorothy

Moderator: Ms Dorothy Rhau, CEO of Audace au Feminin

Born in Montreal, of Haitian origin, Dorothy Rhau made a name for herself as the first French-speaking black woman comedian in Quebec and Canada. As if her life wasn't hectic enough, in 2016, she launched the idea on social networks, of an International Black Women's de la Femme Noire (SIFN), like a bottle to the sea.

She gathered a team of exceptional women and founded a non-profit organization with them: Audace au Féminin. On June 2, 2018, the first edition of SIFN took place, a legacy for the Quebec and Canadian societies. In a short time, this flagship event has become the largest gathering of Afro-descendant women in Canada and the largest platform of Afro entrepreneurs. Today, this organization is using its influence and proposing sustainable solutions to elevate the socio-economic trajectory of women from Black communities.

Audace au Féminin has been able to create an inclusive movement that puts the spotlight on women who shine in the shadows.

Dorothy

Host: Darvens Gabriel-Aubras, Founder & Owner, DXperience

Darvens has always liked to entertain the public with fancy and tasty cocktails. Fancy dance moves and hyping the crowd while having a good time. DXPERIENCE's mission is to give clients an experience to remember while delivering top tier services. Taste, Dance, Enjoy!

EVO PLAZA CENTRE-VILLE

Location of the brunch and how you can get there

bba-event

Address

777 Boulevard Robert-Bourassa Montréal, Québec, H3C 3Z7, Canada

Get directions