Small business and economic development experience

When we talk about experience in this election, I think it’s important to look at the different kinds of experience each candidate would bring to the job.

My experience with small business started 25 years ago, working for my father, Allan Beach, at his roofing company. I worked on accounts, invoices and payroll, and I saw firsthand what it takes to keep a small business running.

In 2026, I graduated from the University of Waterloo with an Honors Arts with a major in Anthropology, minor in Human Resources, minor in Classical Studies, and an option in Peace and Conflicts.

In 2007, I became a police officer with Toronto Police. Over seven years, I worked as a road officer, a crime analyst and a Scenes of Crime Officer. That taught me a lot about working with people, dealing with difficult situations, analyzing information and making decisions.

In 2013, I helped my husband start his business and we had our first child.

In 2014, I started my own company, organizing events and bringing businesses and organizations together.

In 2015, I became a Mompreneurs franchise owner, supporting women starting and growing businesses. I also managed coworking spaces used by small and medium-sized businesses—from health and wellness to technology. We also had our second child.

In 2019, I ran in the federal election. I built a campaign from the ground up and recruited and managed more than 100 volunteers.

Then COVID came.

In 2020, my focus became increasingly local. I became deeply involved in community organizations, reviewing municipal policy, delegating to councils and bringing people together around issues affecting our communities.

In 2021, I helped organize a rural economic-development event that brought together businesses, agriculture, residents, experts and government to talk about what rural communities need.

In 2022, with about three weeks to organize it, I helped put together a multi-day conference on Official Plans and growth planning. More than 250 people participated.

And later that year, I started what became Grassroots Response.

Within two years of opening our bank account, we had grown to more than $350,000 in annual revenue, were operating multiple housing facilities, employing people, coordinating hundreds of volunteers, and building partnerships with churches, service groups, businesses and community organizations.

And this month, we signed an agreement with a national charity interested in taking the model we built and scaling it across Canada.

And now, I’m running for Mayor.

I’m stepping back from operating the nonprofit and from most of my volunteer commitments to dedicate my time to the residents, businesses and communities of Wilmot Township.

I would bring experience from business, policing, community organizations, municipal policy, budgets, employees, volunteers and partnerships.

That is the experience I would bring to the Mayor’s office.