Women Entrepreneurs in Canada

Women entrepreneurs in Canada tend to choose a small-scale business but the good news is that more and more women are eager to enter the world of business. The majority of entrepreneurs have some ownership or management experience or a degree in economics, business, or a related field.

Financing

There are different financing solutions available to female entrepreneurs in Canada, including business networks, not-for-profit organizations, and more. Examples include the PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise and Western Economic Diversification Canada.Other options include business loans, lines of credit, and cards offered by credit unions and banks and funding under the Canada Small Business Loan Program and more. The PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise, for example, offers services with a focus on networking, business growth, and start-ups. Lending support is also available, including peer loans for women who need a small amount, those with no equity and poor credit history, and more. Funding by private lenders is also available in the form of collateral-backed and unsecured loans with slightly higher rates. Finally, trade grants and grants are offered as well. For more information on savings and banking please visit https://www.smartborrowing.ca/

Famous and Interesting Businesses Created by Canadian Women

Managing partner, general manager, and president of CABLE PUBLIC AFFAIRS CHANNEL Catherine Cano has extensive experience in broadcasting and media. Owned by Eastlink, Cogeco, Videotron, Shaw Communications, and Rogers Communications, CPAC is a bilingual, non-for-profit, national television that is totally commerce-free. Catherine Cano held executive positions in different media over the last 30 years, with a focus on culture and technological change and innovation. Tonia Jahshan is a Canadian entrepreneur and the founder of Steeped Tea. She runs a successful business with more than 9,000 employees and a sales volume of about $20 million a year. Shannon Rogers is also a Canadian businesswoman and a General Council and president of Global Relay. She is also the head of the regulatory compliance team, tasked with directing auditing, monitoring, and archiving and meeting business and privacy continuity requirements. Global Relay has annual revenue in the range of $50 - $100 million and specializes in archiving and messaging solutions to ensure compliance. The company offers a host of solutions across different data categories, including web, voice, enterprise social networking and social media, mobile messaging, market data chat, instant messaging, and email.

The list of famous entrepreneurs at the executive level includes names such as Sue Bennett, Laura Araneda, Rachel Mielke, Allison Grafton, Leigh Himel, and many others. Sue Bennett, for example, is the founder, Chief Executive Officer and Principal at Bennett Design Associates which specializes in retail interior design and institutional and corporate design. Services are offered across markets and sectors, including institutional, public, transportation, technology and science, hospitality, healthcare, education, and even aviation. Principal and co-founder at Gravity Partners Leigh Himel is a tech entrepreneur with a focus on digital transformation. First founded as a creative agency, Gravity Partners offers brand strategy consultancy and helps customers access and work across networks and develop digital communication and content solutions and brand platforms. Based in Toronto, Gravity Partners had 42 employees and annual revenue in the range of $5 - $10 million in 2015. Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer at Stiris Research Inc., Shantal Feltham held different positions at Janssen Ortho Inc. and Hoffmann-La Roche and other companies engaged in research, treatment, and clinical trials. Stiris Research specializes in online trial management to help customers track and monitor the status of their project, including reports, regulatory documents, site information, and more. The company offers support and services for clinical trials, including late phase studies, pivotal studies, and early phase studies. Stiris Research has 40 employees and annual revenue in the range of $5 - $10 million as of 2015. Other famous businesswomen and entrepreneurs include Karina Hayat, Claudia Sjoberg, Madeleine Paquin, and Ratana Stephens, among others.