Rising 
Boldly into 
a New Era

BY SONIA EDMONDS

BDO Canada, LLP

SEPTEMBER 7, 2026

A Quiet Realization

I didn’t expect the moment that changed me to be so quiet.

I was sitting in a conference audience when someone beside me leaned over and whispered, “There are no women leaders on this stage.”

It wasn’t dramatic. It wasn’t confrontational. It was simply true.

And in that instant, something shifted.

For years, I believed that working hard, showing up, and earning my seat at the table was enough. I thought presence alone would create progress. But that moment revealed something deeper: leadership isn’t just about arriving. It’s about expanding the space once you’re there.

Boldness Is Built in Small Decisions

When I was later honoured with Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 award, I found myself thinking back to that conference.

Rise Boldly isn’t about a single achievement. It’s about the many small, brave decisions that shape a life. The decision to speak when it would be easier to stay quiet. The decision to keep going when doubt creeps in. The decision to make room for someone else.

My career hasn’t followed a straight line. It has stretched, pivoted, accelerated, and surprised me. And what I’ve learned is this: real transformation isn’t powered by strategy alone. It’s powered by people who feel seen, trusted, and encouraged to contribute fully.

Where Leadership Becomes Powerful

Some of my proudest moments haven’t come from milestones or recognition. They’ve come from watching someone else realize her voice carries weight. From witnessing confidence take root. From seeing potential turn into momentum.

There was a time when I believed being “the only” in a room meant progress was happening. Now I understand that progress happens when we intentionally widen the circle. When we ask better questions. When we challenge what feels comfortable. When we choose collaboration over competition.

That is where leadership becomes powerful.

Rising Together

We are stepping into an era defined by rapid change. Technology is accelerating. Expectations are evolving. The pace is relentless. And yet, what will always matter most are the human qualities we bring forward—judgment, creativity, empathy, courage.

I often think back to that whisper in the conference hall. It reminds me that bold leadership doesn’t require a spotlight. It requires awareness. Intention. Action.

Being recognized is meaningful. But what matters more is what we do next.

When we rise boldly, we don’t rise alone. We create lift for others. And that is how momentum becomes legacy.