Women’s Entrepreneurship Day
By Anmol Harjani
Every year on November 19, the world pauses to recognize Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, a moment to acknowledge the vision, creativity, and determination of women who are shaping economies and strengthening communities through business. In the communications industry, where women make up a significant share of the talent and leadership, this day offers a meaningful opportunity to celebrate the entrepreneurs who continue to expand what’s possible in our field.
To mark the day, I connected with four CPRS Toronto board members who are also entrepreneurs and invited them to share their journeys with honesty and depth. Their stories capture the real challenges, the rewarding moments, the lessons learned, and the leadership philosophies that guide them every day. What follows is a collective portrait of courage, clarity, resilience and community.
1. Andrea Chrysanthou, APR
Founder and Principal, Amplify Communications
Co-President, CPRS Toronto
Andrea’s journey into entrepreneurship began with a moment that many of us fear: an unexpected layoff. Instead of stepping back, she chose to step forward and registered her business the very next day. She had always been encouraged to build something of her own and this moment simply accelerated what she knew she was capable of.
For Andrea, the hardest part of starting her own firm was not the communications work but everything around it. Incorporation, systems, taxes, IT, and accounting became a crash course in running a business. She approached each unfamiliar task the same way she approaches client challenges by asking questions, listening carefully, and finding the right experts. She believes you do not have to know everything, you just need to know where to find the people who do.
Amplify’s growth has been completely organic, fuelled by long-standing relationships and trust. She intentionally keeps her business small so she can remain present and hands-on with every client. Her advice to women considering entrepreneurship is to prepare before you leap, build your network early, and surround yourself with strong communicators who can act as your sounding board. Andrea’s definition of confidence lies in knowing your strengths and owning them. As technology reshapes the industry, she believes women entrepreneurs will be more essential than ever for their judgment, strategy and intuition.
2. Chantel Cassar
Co-Founder, Category Communications
Corporate Community Chair, CPRS Toronto
Chantel always knew entrepreneurship was in her future. With a family background rooted in business ownership, she grew up understanding both the risk and the reward. Category Communications emerged from a shared vision with her co-founder to build an agency grounded in industries they genuinely love, including technology, real estate and financial services.
One of the biggest challenges she faced was the mental load that comes with being a founder. Decision fatigue can be overwhelming and the pressure that every choice ultimately rests on you is something she had to learn to manage. For Chantel, community has been the most powerful antidote. She surrounds herself with other founders and mentors who understand the reality of entrepreneurship and she values the partnership with her co-founder as a source of balance and perspective.
Hiring has played a central role in shaping the success of her firm. Chantel believes that people are the product and that investing in talent and culture is essential. From curiosity funds to learning sessions and mentorship opportunities, she creates an environment where growth is both supported and expected. Her leadership philosophy centres on humanity. She believes real creativity is rooted in connection, psychological safety and the space to think deeply. Her advice to women aspiring to lead or start their own business is to trust your decisions, avoid overthinking and move forward with intention and conviction.
3. Nela Drury
Partner, Coldwater Communications
Sponsorship Chair, CPRS Toronto
Nela stepped into partnership because she believed in building an agency model that prioritizes both excellence and humanity. She was inspired to support founder Theodora Jean in scaling a purpose-driven agency that values ethics as much as growth.
One of her biggest challenges has been navigating hypergrowth. Rapid expansion requires strong operational discipline, humility and a willingness to treat systems and processes as creative tools. She has approached this phase by developing frameworks, resourcing thoughtfully and investing heavily in people who can contribute to sustainable growth.
Nela’s approach to leadership is built on radical transparency and a commitment to mastery over simple output. She believes teams thrive when they are trusted, supported and given clear pathways to excel. Creativity within her firm is nurtured through open dialogue and psychological safety. She encourages dissent, drafts, options and visible reasoning because she believes the best ideas emerge when people feel safe to express their raw thinking.
One of her most powerful insights is that resilience is not a personality trait but an environmental outcome. It is shaped by the systems we build and the conditions we accept. Her advice to women is to know the value of their craft, price it accordingly and never wait for permission to lead or advocate for themselves.
4. Sarah Louise Gardiner
Founder, Coleraine Communications
ACE Awards Chair, CPRS Toronto
For Sarah, starting her own firm felt like a natural next chapter. With two decades of experience and a strong network built on relationships and trust, she knew she had the foundation to build a successful consultancy. She also found renewed excitement in reconnecting with talented partners she had worked with throughout her career.
The most difficult part of her entrepreneurial journey was learning the operational side of running a business. From insurance to taxes to systems she had never touched before, the first year was full of lessons. She took each challenge one step at a time and learned through persistence, research and trial and error.
Sarah’s business grew through small but consistent actions. Networking, staying connected and being top of mind created a steady pipeline of opportunities. She sees creativity differently depending on the client. For agency teams, collaboration sparks new ideas, while for brand-side clients, she relies more on structured time dedicated to strategy and exploration.
Her advice to women entering entrepreneurship is to embrace the unpredictability of business. Demand shifts and opportunities arise at unexpected moments, so it is important to stay open and willing to take the leap even if the timing is not perfect. She mentors emerging women in the industry by encouraging them to nurture their personal brand and maintain relationships because even a simple coffee meeting can open doors.
Sarah believes AI will expand productivity and create new opportunities for specialized consultants, making women-led firms even more relevant in the future.
A Collective Portrait of Women Leading the Future of PR
Across these four stories, a clear theme emerges that women entrepreneurs in PR are redefining leadership through authenticity, clarity, courage, community and craft. Their experiences highlight the qualities that matter most in today’s industry, including resilience, confidence, strategic thinking, self-awareness, curiosity, and people-centred leadership.
These women are building businesses with intention and integrity. They are shaping culture, mentoring emerging talent and driving the future of communications with empathy and strategy. Women’s Entrepreneurship Day reminds us that the future of communications is being shaped every day by women who choose to lead with heart, vision and strength.
Anmol Harjani is a Client Servicing Manager working with a remote company and a recent graduate of York University’s Public Relations and Communications program. She is especially interested in strategic communications, social media behaviour and how PR practitioners adapt within a rapidly evolving digital landscape.