Oluwabunmi Asaolu Williams is an entrepreneur, brand strategist, and passionate community builder dedicated to helping women-owned businesses thrive. She is the founder of Canada CEOs, a growing platform that empowers immigrant and women entrepreneurs to gain visibility, build meaningful collaborations, and scale their businesses with structure and confidence. Through Canada CEOs, Bunmi has created a supportive ecosystem where women are seen, celebrated, and connected to opportunities that drive personal and professional growth.
She is also the founder of Hutteywilly Collections, a luxury fashion brand serving women across Canada and Nigeria. A finalist in the Women of Rubies Media Pitch Challenge, Bunmi continues to amplify her mission of equipping women leaders with the visibility, tools, and confidence they need to expand their impact and build sustainable ventures. In this exclusive interview with Esther Ijewere, she shares her story.
About Oluwabunmi Asaolu Williams and the Inspiration Behind Canada CEOs
My name is Oluwabunmi Asaolu Williams, and I am an entrepreneur, business leader, community builder, and passionate advocate for women in business. I am the founder of Canada CEOs, a growing platform committed to helping immigrant- and women-owned businesses gain visibility, build structure, access opportunities, and scale strategically in Canada. I am also the founder of Hutteywilly Collections, a luxury fashion brand serving confident and elegant women across Nigeria and Canada. Beyond fashion and community building, I work as a brand strategist and certified digital marketer, helping businesses position themselves clearly and profitably in the digital space. I hold a B.Sc. in Agricultural Economics and a second degree in Economics, which have provided me with both academic depth and practical business insight. What truly drives me is my passion for creating environments where women feel seen, supported, empowered, and confident enough to pursue their goals boldly.
The inspiration behind Canada CEOs came from my personal journey navigating entrepreneurship in Canada as an immigrant woman. I realized that many women had brilliant ideas, talent, and vision, but lacked access to visibility, support systems, opportunities, and meaningful communities that could help them grow. I wanted to build more than just a platform. I wanted to create a movement and an ecosystem where women could network, collaborate, learn, grow, and genuinely feel celebrated. At the heart of everything I do is the belief that women deserve spaces where they can lead confidently, build boldly, and succeed without shrinking themselves. Canada CEOs was created to remind women that they belong in every room they dream of entering and that success becomes even more powerful when women grow together.
The Problem Canada CEOs Solves for Women in Business
One of the biggest challenges many women in business face is isolation. A lot of women are building quietly, struggling silently, and trying to figure everything out alone. Canada CEOs bridges that gap by creating a strong community that provides visibility, networking opportunities, mentorship, collaborations, education, and support. We also help women position themselves confidently as leaders. Sometimes women minimize their achievements, and Canada CEOs exists to amplify their voices and accomplishments. We are building a space where women can grow their brands, increase their confidence, and connect with opportunities that can transform their businesses and lives.
Biggest Milestones So Far
One of my biggest milestones has been watching Canada CEOs evolve into a recognized platform that genuinely impacts women across different industries. Seeing women attend our events, build partnerships, gain confidence, launch businesses, and feel inspired because of the community we created means everything to me. Another major milestone is our Canada CEOs Anniversary Dinner and Awards Night. It represents more than an event; it is a celebration of resilience, excellence, leadership, and women who continue to break barriers despite challenges. Creating spaces where women are honored and valued is something I am deeply proud of.
Challenges Faced as an Entrepreneur and How I Overcame Them
Entrepreneurship has stretched me in many ways. There have been moments of self-doubt, financial pressure, exhaustion, and the challenge of balancing multiple responsibilities while still showing up for others. Building a vision from the ground up is not always glamorous. What helped me overcome these challenges was staying connected to my purpose. Whenever things became difficult, I reminded myself why I started. I also learned the importance of consistency, adaptability, and surrounding myself with people who genuinely support growth. I have come to understand that challenges are not signs to quit; they are often part of the process that shapes you into the leader you are becoming.
What Motivates Me to Continue Empowering Women Leaders
Seeing women succeed motivates me deeply. There is something powerful about watching a woman go from doubting herself to confidently owning her space. I believe empowered women create impact that extends far beyond themselves. When one woman rises, she inspires families, communities, and future generations. That ripple effect is priceless to me. I also understand how important support and encouragement can be because I have experienced moments when a single opportunity or conversation changed everything for me. I want Canada CEOs to continue being that life-changing space for women across Canada and around the world.
What Makes Bunmi a Woman of Rubies
To me, being a Woman of Rubies means embodying resilience, purpose, strength, grace, and impact. Rubies are precious, refined under pressure, and impossible to ignore. My journey has not always been easy, but through every season, I have remained committed to growth, leadership, and uplifting others. I believe true success is not only about personal achievements but also about how many people you inspire and empower along the way. I strive to be a woman who creates opportunities, builds community, and leaves meaningful impact wherever I go.
Advice for Women Looking to Grow Their Businesses
First, believe in your vision even before others fully understand it. Every successful business starts with someone choosing to believe in an idea. Second, consistency matters more than perfection. Many women delay starting because they want everything to be perfect, but growth comes through action and learning along the way. I would also encourage women to build relationships, not just businesses. Community, networking, and collaborations open doors that hard work alone sometimes cannot. Lastly, never underestimate the power of visibility. Show up confidently, tell your story, and let people know what you do.
Goals for Canada CEOs Over the Next Few Years
My vision for Canada CEOs is to continue expanding into a global platform that empowers and connects women across different countries and industries. I want us to create more impactful conferences, mentorship programs, networking experiences, business resources, and opportunities that help women grow both personally and professionally. I also want Canada CEOs to become a recognized household name associated with leadership, empowerment, excellence, and meaningful impact for women entrepreneurs worldwide.
Three Women Who Inspire Me
Oprah Winfrey inspires me because of her resilience and her ability to use her platform to create lasting impact. She transformed her story into purpose and opened doors for countless people. Ibukun Awosika inspires me because of her leadership, wisdom, and the way she represents excellence as a woman in business. She has shown that women can lead with both strength and grace. My mother inspires me deeply. Watching her strength, sacrifices, and determination taught me the importance of resilience, hard work, and perseverance.
Where Readers Can Connect With Me
Readers can connect with me through the Canada CEOs community and across our social media platforms, where we share empowering content, business insights, event updates, and opportunities for women in business. We are always excited to connect, collaborate, and build meaningful relationships with women who are passionate about growth and impact.
The Legacy I Hope Canada CEOs Will Leave Behind
I want Canada CEOs to leave a legacy of empowerment, unity, and transformation. I want women to remember that they found confidence, opportunities, support, and genuine community through this platform. More importantly, I want future generations of women to see that they do not have to shrink themselves to succeed. They can lead boldly, dream fearlessly, and create impact unapologetically. At the heart of everything we do is the belief that when women intentionally support one another, incredible things happen.
Achievement and Impact of Canada CEOs
One of the achievements I am especially proud of is the launch of the Canada CEOs Directory, which officially launches on June 27. This initiative was created to give women-owned businesses maximum visibility and generate more opportunities for exposure, collaboration, and growth. We understand that many incredible businesses struggle simply because people do not know they exist. The Canada CEOs Directory was designed to change that narrative by intentionally spotlighting women entrepreneurs and helping them position their businesses before wider audiences. We are going all out to ensure businesses in the directory receive recognition, visibility, and opportunities that can elevate their brands. It is more than just a listing platform. It is a strategic, community-driven initiative focused on helping women grow sustainably and confidently. The launch of the directory represents another major step in our mission to build an ecosystem where women in business are not only supported but intentionally seen, celebrated, and connected to opportunities that matter. For me, seeing women gain visibility, confidence, and tangible growth through this initiative is one of the most fulfilling aspects of building Canada CEOs.
