The 86-year-old mayor also warned the Mississauga chapter of Women in a Home Office (WHO) to learn from their mistakes if they want to be successful.
WHO is a national network organization that supports women in home-based businesses.
McCallion told the gathering of 40 women at the Pickle Barrel restaurant in the Erin Mills Town Centre that work-life balance is important and that "planning is the key" to achieving that balance.
Later, those in attendance raved about how McCallion delivered her remarks with poise, wit and enthusiasm.
"She's a great speaker and a pillar of strength. We're ecstatic that she made the time to come out," said Sandra Paul, a member of the networking organization.
Highlights of McCallion's speech included her detailing how she got her start in the business world in 1940 and how she made the transition into politics in the late 1960s.
WHO attendees were in awe of how McCallion overcame barriers she faced in the male-dominated worlds of business and politics.
"She's really an inspiration, mostly because of the obstacles she had to overcome," said attendee Laara McFadden.
WHO president and founder Anne Stone said later she felt McCallion's remarks brought home the need for women to operate with an air of confidence when they do business.
Meanwhile, Mississauga WHO chapter director Patricia Muzzi was "tickled pink" that the mayor attracted almost twice the usual turnout for meetings.
For more information about WHO, visit www.womeninahomeoffice.com.
