How She Dares: The Courage to Build (Toronto Moms Edition)
THE HOW SHE DARES EXPERIENCE in Toronto:
A Nourishing Experience for Moms Who Dare to Build
What are you building in this season of your life?
Whatever it is, this space is for you.
Come and be seen! Not just for what you do, but for the courage it takes to do it while holding everything else that motherhood brings. This experience is designed so you leave feeling recognized in your journey, connected to others who are walking a similar path, and inspired to take your next step.
We want you to walk away feeling less alone, and more grounded, more confident, and more ready to dare building what makes sense for you in this season of your life or business.
What to Expect
This is not just a screening, it’s a curated, intimate experience designed to leave you grounded, connected, and activated.
📅 Date: Thursday, August 20, 2026
📍 Location: Futurpreneur, Toronto National Office
Address: 33 Yonge Street, Suite 1100, Toronto, ON, M5E 1G4
🕒 Time: 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Event Flow:
10:30 AM – Welcome + Light Networking
11:00 AM – How She Dares Documentary Screening
12:00 PM – “Dare to Build” Conversation with Mom Entrepreneurs
12:45 PM – Networking + Vietnamese Spring Rolls Demo & Tasting
1:30 PM – Closing
The Experience
🎬 Private screening of How She Dares
A powerful documentary featuring women who have rebuilt, reinvented, and stepped into their courage, on their own terms.
🎤 “Dare to Build” Conversation
An honest and intimate dialogue about building while mothering, imperfectly, courageously, and in your own way.
You’ll hear from three leaders and their powerhouse organizations, each daring to build in its own lane:
How She Dares (Zoonie Nguyen)A storytelling and courage-driven platform building a global movement around women’s visibility and leadership. How She Dares uses documentary, live gatherings, and daring circles to transform women’s stories into catalysts for action, inviting women to stop hiding, own their voice, and step into a bigger version of themselves.
MamaNest (Mahsa Rezaei)
TEDx speaker, workforce strategist, and founder of Intelligent Nest and MamaNest. She is building a future where moms don't have to choose between presence and purpose. Through MamaNest, she is future-proofing the next generation through the moms raising them, creating a community where women build real things with AI and dare to show their children what that looks like. Her belief: the most powerful thing a mom can do for her child's future is build something herself and let them watch.
GlowUp Moms (Claire Chen)
GlowUp Moms is built on the belief that every woman grows differently and there is more to her story. Through intentional gatherings and meaningful conversations, it brings women together to recognize who they are becoming, strengthen their identity, and lead their next season alongside women committed to growth, trust, ownership, and leadership.p
This is a conversation rooted in real stories, real challenges, and real courage, so you can see what’s possible for your own path.
🤝 Curated Networking
A meaningful space to meet other moms who are building, where conversations go beyond surface level and real connections are formed.
🥢 Vietnamese Spring Rolls Demo + Tasting
A moment to slow down, connect, and share, because nourishment and community go hand in hand :)
Who this is for:
Moms building a business, project, platform, or new life chapter
Women craving real connection, not just inspiration
Those ready for a gentle but powerful push forward
🎟️ Tickets
General Admission: $45 (plus tax and Eventbrite fees)
Includes:
🎬 Film screening
🎤 Panel discussion + Dare-to-Build conversation
🤝 Networking experience
🥢 Vietnamese spring rolls demo and tastings
Limited to 30 seats to preserve the intimacy of the experience.
✨This Is Your Moment to Dare! In Your Own Way!
You don’t have to have it all figured out.
You just have to be willing to take the next step.
About the Film:
From Vietnam-war refugee to Canadian business leader, Zoonie Nguyen’s unplanned, transformative journey connects with women entrepreneurs worldwide, weaving powerful stories of resilience and empowerment. With her teenage daughter at her side, Zoonie seeks answers to what it truly means to dare, embracing cultural identity and inspiring the next generation of bold, creative leaders.
Zoonie Nguyen
Executive producer/Co-Director
Coach, mentor, and inspiring voice of female entrepreneurship.A tireless visionary, she combines expertise in professional development and social commitment. In 2006, she founded Talentelle, a springboard to help women unlock their potential and achieve their ambitions. As co-producer and co-director of the documentary How She Dares, Zoonie highlights the resilient stories of women entrepreneurs from Vietnam and Canada, emphasizing their determination and strength. Her captivating seminars have inspired countless professionals, while her role as Quebec Ambassador for WEDO Canadaamplifies her impact in supporting women nationwide. A Canadian of Vietnamese origin, Zoonie’s journey began with her return to Vietnam in 1995, a pivotal experience that transformed her life and fueled her passion for uplifting others. As a role model for many women entrepreneurs, she encourages aspiring founders to embrace their identity and step out of their comfort zones. Through her film, she aims to inspire future generations of women to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams fearlessly!
About our co-hosts and panelists:
Claire Chen is a strategic advisor and founder of GlowUp Moms, a platform built on the belief that every woman grows differently and there is more to her story.
With nearly two decades of experience across fashion, beauty retail, branding, and business development, Claire has worked with internationally recognized brands while living and working across Europe and Canada. Throughout her career, she has helped businesses build meaningful brands, create memorable experiences, and connect with people in authentic ways.
Motherhood reshaped her perspective and inspired the creation of GlowUp Moms, a platform where women come together to recognize who they are becoming, strengthen their identity, and lead their next season through intentional gatherings, meaningful conversations, and shared experiences.
Claire believes leadership begins by recognizing who we are becoming. When women strengthen their identity, they build trust in themselves, take ownership of their next chapter, and lead with confidence. Because every woman grows differently, and there is always more to her story.
Mahsa Rezaei is a Future of Work Architect and Social Entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience at the intersection of technology, career development, and women's economic advancement.
She is the founder of Intelligent Nest, a career organization helping women in Canada build futures in tech through two structured 12-week programs: HerTechReady, an employment track for women pivoting into tech careers, and HerTechTable, a self-employment track for women building their own tech businesses. Both tracks culminate in in-person capstone events (CareerZero and ClientZero) where graduates meet employers, investors, and their first clients face to face.
At the heart of the ecosystem is Nesta, an AI career platform and app that routes each woman to the right path through career diagnostics, personalized learning pathways, and job matching. Nesta launched at the 2nd edition of Her Career Conference in May 2026, an annual flagship event Mahsa created because she looked for a serious conversation about the future of work for women and couldn't find one. So she built it.
Alongside her career work, Mahsa founded MamaNest in 2019, a non-profit community initiative for moms raising future-ready children in an AI-shaped world. Through two weekly studios (Future-Ready Moms Studio and MamaTech AI Studio), MamaNest helps mothers build confidence, explore AI without overwhelm, and raise children who are curious, resilient, and ready for what comes next.
Beyond her own ventures, Mahsa contributes to the broader landscape of women's empowerment through her involvement with WEDO Canada, the Social Business Creation competition at HEC Montréal, and the N.E.W Venture Program.
She combines technical expertise with heart-led strategy, and proves, every day, that career resilience and caregiving are not mutually exclusive.
Frequently asked questions
Answer questions your attendees may have about the event, like accessibility and amenities.
What is How She Dares about?
This film follows Zoonie Nguyen, a Vietnamese-Canadian entrepreneur, as she reflects on her journey from refugee to corporate leader to global advocate for women. Through inspiring interviews with women entrepreneurs worldwide, the film explores resilience, entrepreneurship, and daring to dream.
What should I expect at the premiere event?
Attendees will experience an exclusive screening of How She Dares, followed by a panel discussion with inspiring speakers, networking opportunities, and an engaging conversation about the film’s impact and mission.