Karis Mapp of chats with Kristine Hayes and Kelly Heleniak, co-owners of Shaw’s Ice Cream, during the Business Lead HERship Summit in St. Marys. (Amanda Nelson photo)
Amanda Nelson, Post Contributor
Two businesswomen from Tillsonburg participated in a recent summit.
Kerry Ramsay, the founder of Fresh Idea Collective, organized another sold-out event at the St. Marys Golf and Country Club. The Business Lead HERship Summit gathered leaders and business owners from all over Ontario to learn, connect, and share their business aspirations.
reporter Karis Mapp interviewed Tillsonburg entrepreneurs Kristine Hayes and Kelly Heleniak, two of the three sisters behind Shaw’s Ice Cream.
Originally from Tillsonburg, three out of six sisters bought the brand just before it was set to close down. Having spent their childhood working at their family’s shop, Dad’s Ice Cream Shop, they made the decision to purchase Shaw’s while still attending college and breathe new life into it.
Despite facing early hurdles, the brand has grown significantly and is now found in stores throughout Canada, celebrated for its unique and seasonal flavors.
“We had to wear a lot of hats, but growing up balancing being moms, wives and our own lives taught us how vital it is to have the right people supporting us,” said Heleniak.
The duo also talked about adjusting their leadership styles to better support their team of over 100 employees while stressing how important it is to recognize individual strengths and challenges.
Keynote speaker Cheryl Himburg kicked off the day by discussing vision’s importance and having the courage to envision what can be achieved even when the steps aren’t clear yet.
“Vision takes shape when you have the courage to imagine what’s possible, even before all the steps are mapped out,” she said. “When we stop believing that what we’ve done so far is the ceiling of what we can accomplish, this is how we start to claim our lives.”
Himburg also shared that a stroke she suffered earlier this year won’t hold her back from chasing her goals or continuing her growth.
“I’m a glass-ceiling breaker,” she stated. “When we take an idea that feels impossible and begin asking how we can break that ceiling, we start taking action; suddenly it becomes achievable.”
Throughout the day attendees had chances to engage with other entrepreneurs and participate in discussions on leadership strategies as well as work-life balance challenges. Participants traveled from various locations across Ontario including places as distant as Ottawa.
The event showcased ongoing growth in female-led businesses within local communities and beyond.
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