ONSIDE Entrepreneur Spotlight: Juli Bishwokarma, Founder, Imagine Diaspora
Julie Bishwokarma is the founder of Imagine Diaspora, a platform dedicated to supporting immigrant and migrant women entrepreneurs in Atlantic Canada. Through community building, research, and shared storytelling, Julie is creating a space where women can connect, exchange experiences, and access the support they need to grow their businesses. By focusing on the unique challenges faced by immigrant founders, Imagine Diaspora aims to strengthen networks, foster collaboration, and help women navigate their entrepreneurial journeys with greater confidence.
The Impact
Community Building & Confidence
“ONSIDE has been a significant part of my journey as I navigate building Imagine Diaspora from the ideation stage. Before joining, I was still trying to understand what kind of support immigrant and migrant women entrepreneurs need and how to build a network that reflects those experiences. Being part of ONSIDE programs helped me gain clarity on where I am in the process and what steps I could take to move forward.
The events and forums created a space where I felt a sense of belonging. In many entrepreneurial spaces in Nova Scotia, I didn’t often see people who shared my background, and that made me hesitant to engage fully. At ONSIDE events like Radiant Voices, I felt understood and included, which helped me feel confident to connect with others, learn, and ask questions without hesitation.
This sense of community reinforced my belief that entrepreneurship isn’t just about ideas on paper—you grow when you feel seen, heard, and supported.”
— Juli Bishwokarma
"I really appreciate the care and thoughtfulness ONSIDE brings to every event—ensuring it is diverse and inclusive, and creating space for women from different backgrounds, stages of life, and phases of their entrepreneurial journeys. It fosters an atmosphere where learning, connection, and sharing resources and guidance feel natural and accessible."
— Juli Bishwokarma
Practical Business Skills
Tools, Training & Application
“Participating in the AI Forum training was one of the most eye‑opening experiences for me. Before, AI was just a buzzword, and I didn’t know how to integrate it into my work as a founder. Through the program, I learned about a variety of AI tools and how they can help with writing prompts, crafting social media content, analyzing data, and connecting different platforms to work together more effectively.
I discovered tools I didn’t even know existed—ones that can analyze research, generate captions, assist with video editing, and help streamline workflows. This shifted how I think about tech and creativity. It changed the narrative for me: AI isn’t intimidating—it’s a practical tool that supports my work.
Also, the facilitators created such a safe and patient learning environment that even the questions I thought were ‘stupid’ felt worth asking—and were answered thoughtfully. That made learning feel accessible and genuinely useful.”
— Juli Bishwokarma