Mabuhay! Thanks for stopping by. We are Karen Swyszcz and Rigel Jones, two Filipina entrepreneurs based in the Greater Toronto Area and the co-founders of Kaibigan Connection.
Kaibigan Connection came from a random conversation. We had attended many events for entrepreneurs but noticed that we were either the only Filipinx entrepreneur or one of a few and wondered where the rest of them were.
We pride ourselves on being action takers and in June 2019 we decided to host an event where Filipinx entrepreneurs could share their entrepreneurial journey and connect with each other. And of course, enjoy some Filipino snacks and desserts.
There was a lot of positive feedback from our first event and from there, word began to spread. With each event, we gained more supporters and new attendees.
People were eager for more, and constantly told us,
“This is exactly what the community needs.
Thank you for doing this.
When is the next event? ”
From there, we began to partner with other like-minded organizations and hosted more events that focused on highlighting the entrepreneur community, including a mini-marketplace.
In 2020, we began to partner with industry experts to offer educational workshops to the community and expanded to reach people outside of the Greater Toronto Area.
We also travelled to Ottawa for a National Filipino Youth Conference, Pinoys on Parliament as sponsors, workshop facilitators and after the conference, as mentors.
Our Mission
The mission is all in our name. We are a for-profit social enterprise (making money while creating an impact) focused on connecting Filipinx Entrepreneurs, Professionals and Leaders to each other and to opportunities. This platform was created to inspire and elevate the community. We represent a large portion of the minority population in Canada, yet we are underrepresented in many areas and industries.
We’re working hard to change that.
Be Part of The Growing Community
