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Why Digital Transformations Fail

Written by Lori Schmidt, AWE Bold Leadership Program Lead.

Leading digital transformation, especially in today’s environment requires top to bottom organizational change. It requires leaders who are willing and able to leverage digital to innovate, fail fast and drive value in an ambiguous context. There has been a push recently for businesses to implement digital transformation strategies and adapt quickly which has led to a lot of failures, with about 70% of digital transformation initiatives failing. While you embark on your digital transformation journey, it’s important to also consider why they fail. It often has to do with: 

  • Lack of clarity in your business on impacts of digital transformation 

  • Lack of definition of what digital transformation means to your business 

  • Not setting proper goals around digital transformation

  • Avoiding technology discussions in your teams 

  • Forgetting to ask "what do customers want?" 

  • Culture that negatively deals with failure, not promoting innovations or change

Tony Saldanha, a former P&G digital transformation leader and author of “Why Digital Transformations Fail”, put it this way: 

“The biggest challenge in today’s world is the language related to digital transformation. The term has been co-opted by every IT marketing person selling anything from an email upgrade to artificial intelligence.

Around the world, organizations are spending about a trillion dollars a year on digital transformation. Seventy percent of those transformations fail. I believe that this is happening because language prevents business owners from setting the right end goal. It also prevents them from following a very disciplined approach to getting there.”   

A report from CompleteSpectrum showed a confusing mix of definitions of digital transformation from senior leaders. These senior leaders only agreed on one thing — 94% reported that digital transformation was high on their list of priorities.   

It makes sense that digital transformation will vary for a bank versus a university versus a toothpaste brand, so it’s critical for teams within your business to have that clarity. Definition, clarity of business goals and strategy as well as fostering a culture of change, innovation and failing fast will impact whether you fail or succeed in your journey.

Now that we have totally scared you off of pursuing a digital transformation strategy – you need to know that there really are upsides and that digital transformation is a critical strategy for you to consider for your business. If a silver lining can be found, it might be that the barriers to using technologies, and improving and experimenting with technology for everyone, from your own teams to your customers, has led to the world becoming more open to trying new things. This shifting mindset can make it just a little bit easier to embark on a journey to transform your organization.

In this unique moment, companies can learn and progress more quickly than ever before. The ways they learn from and adjust to today’s crisis will deeply influence their performance in tomorrow’s changed world.  It provides the opportunity to retain greater agility as well as closer ties with customers, employees, and suppliers. And those that are successfully able to make these gains “stick” will be more successful during recovery and beyond. 

Now is the time to reassess digital initiatives, whether these initiatives are providing help to employees, connecting with customers or whether they are initiatives that position you for a post-crisis world. Some things may snap back to previous form, while others will be forever changed. Playing it safe now, which understandably you might want to do, is probably the worst option.  

Change can be daunting, but AWE is here to help. Alberta Women Entrepreneurs is hosting digital transformation webinars to help you gain the knowledge you need to adapt your organization in this increasingly digital world. Click here to learn more.

Tools for Marketing on a Budget

As small businesses adjust their plans to the changes brought on by this year, many entrepreneurs are looking to reduce their spending on non-essential items. In looking at what areas to cut, often marketing is one of the first to be considered.

However, with less in-person public events and networking opportunities, online seems to be the primary method of communication for the time being. Ensuring an online presence for your business is more crucial than ever, and you’ll want to ensure your investment of time online is used optimally, especially given constrained resources. If you’ve already been tasked with working with a less-than-ideal marketing budget, we’ve thought of some ways that you can still connect with your customer base and attract new clients during this time. 

Email marketing

A great way to stay connected with your customers is through email marketing. Sending out a scheduled message (bi-weekly, monthly) can help build brand awareness, promote your services, and reach your clients. If you don’t already have something set up, there are many low-cost or no-cost email marketing programs. These software programs are usually easy to use and allow you to better manage your subscriber list while creating branded emails.

Google My Business

Google My Business is a free and easy-to-use tool for businesses and organizations to manage their online presence across Google, including Search and Maps. With your free account, you are able to promote your business, respond to customer reviews, questions and more. To get started, we recommend checking out this helpful guide that breaks down all you need to know on setting your business up for success on the platform.

Social Media

One of the key ways to market your business is through social media platforms. Social media is important for helping you reach new audiences and potential customers. You don't need to be active on every single platform; instead, focus on where your customers actually are — you can find a breakdown of social media platforms and their uses here. This quick read provides insights on the most popular platforms for different demographics and how often to post for optimal engagement. 

The best way to see success from your social media involves posting regular content that is informative and engaging; connecting with your community by responding to comments, reviews and messages; and driving traffic to your website through social media posts (eg. promoting blogs, events, or offers).  

Design Your Own Content

Once you’ve become familiar with the social media platforms to use, it’s time to get content out. You can do it yourself with tools such as Canva, a free site used for designing templates and graphics to include in your social media. You don’t have to be a design expert to use Canva; their simple design options let you create infographics in no time. Their website offers a step-by-step guide to get started. 

Another way to get the word out is to write a blog for your website. Why do you need a blog? A blog ensures your website has fresh, new content for people to discover. This content also helps generate traffic to your website. If you’ve set up your email marketing account, you can let your subscribers know about your latest blog post and help to drive traffic to your site that way. 

Get Started

The options for what you can create on your own on a budget are endless — what isn’t limitless is your time. You’re likely just as constrained for time as other resources, but it’s worth setting aside some time each day to commit to digital marketing for your business. Maintaining an online presence will help you stay connected to your clientele and reach out to new audiences.

AWE is hosting webinars on marketing to help get you started, click here to learn more.

2020 AWE Awards Recipients Announced

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our first virtual-edition of the AWE Awards on October 1st, 2020! It was an evening of great inspiration and encouragement, and reminded us of how grateful we are to be part of such an engaged and supportive entrepreneurial community in Alberta.

Although we would have loved to have been able to celebrate with you in-person, it was truly wonderful to see so many people come together virtually to recognize some of our province’s most outstanding entrepreneurs. For those of you who were not able to join us, you can view the entire event online here.

AWE was delighted to have Carrie Doll as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening. As an entrepreneur herself, Carrie understands the unique journey of owning your own business.

We were also joined by Justin Riemer, Assistant Deputy Minister, Alberta Region, Western Economic Diversification Canada, who spoke about some of the creative ways that women entrepreneurs have pivoted their businesses over the last few months – producing hand sanitizer, masks, and moving services online. He underscored the importance of supporting female entrepreneurs, noting that “helping more women become entrepreneurs is both the right thing to do for our society, and the smart thing to do for our economy.”

A common theme of the evening was that despite all the uncertainty, challenges, and sleepless nights – entrepreneurship is an incredibly rewarding path for many women. Heather Lastiwka, Vice-President of Adaptation at ATB Financial summed it up best when she remarked that "entrepreneurship is a symphony of freedom and sacrifice, empowerment and mistakes, risks and ultimately rewards."

We are pleased to share that the 2020 AWE Awards Recipients are:

Emerging Entrepreneur Award: Kristina Botelho, Kb&co

As the "kb" in Kb & co, Kristina opened the "fast casual plant-based café" on 104th Street downtown after experiencing the health benefits of a plant-based diet. In June 2016, Kristina unleashed her creations to the public opening her first location. 1.5 years later, she expanded into the southwest of Edmonton and since then has continued to grow the concept into St. Albert, Kelowna, BC and Calgary.

When accepting her award, Kristina commented “I share this [award] with all of those who were nominated because I know the struggle. I know the pain; I know the heartache and I know what you guys have been going through and I'm just so grateful to be chosen."

Upsurge Entrepreneur Award: Kendall and Justine Barber, Poppy Barley

Kendall and Justine Barber are the Co-Founders of Poppy Barley, a company rethinking every step of the footwear industry. Partnering with family-owned factories in Mexico and Brazil, they ethically craft polished, foundational footwear and chic, functional accessories—selling them at fair prices and donating 1% of sales back into our communities.

In their acceptance video, they shared that “For us entrepreneurship has been like a seven-year roller coaster, there's been a lot of up and downs...but I think when it comes down to it our biggest wish at the end is going to be that we get to do it all again.”

Indigenous Entrepreneur Award: Koleya Karringten, Absolute Combustion International

Koleya Karringten has spent a decade successfully designing and developing ground-breaking cleantech solutions for multiple industry sectors, including aerospace and Oil & Gas. She is a driving force in Alberta’s blockchain technology industry as the Executive Director of the Alberta Blockchain Consortium (ABC), and co-founder and board member of the Canadian Blockchain Association for Women (CBAW). Koleya strongly believes that uniting diverse voices behind a common goal is the path to creating a fairer, more sustainable and prosperous Alberta.

When accepting her award Koleya underscored the importance of role models, stating that “I hope that every young girl watching this knows that no matter what you can do it, you can be successful. You can be a woman in STEM."

Celebration of Achievement Award: Lara Murphy and Karen Ryan, Ryan Murphy Construction

When Lara and Karen met on a Banff construction site in 2008, they turned their shared experiences and ideas into a strategic plan and vision on which Ryan Murphy Construction was founded. This vision is simple but unique: Ryan Murphy Construction is highly approachable, transparent, and responsive. Eliminating the assumption that everyone knows how to build, they opt to educate clients throughout the construction process - an innovative model.

In her speech last night Lara Murphy shared that "being an entrepreneur is not always easy, there's no path put forward for us. We all make our own path and that takes bravery and courage."

Congratulations to all of the 2020 nominees, finalists, and recipients! Although the awards ceremony is over for this year, women entrepreneurs will continue to be leaders and trailblazers in our communities.

As Marcela Mandeville, CEO of AWE, remarked last night “The talent, the leadership, and the passion of women entrepreneurs in this province is incredible. We’ve come so far in the last 25 years...we are so proud to support you and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

Thank you to our AWE Awards sponsors!

 
Presenting Sponsor

Presenting Sponsor

 
 
 
Advocate Sponsor

Advocate Sponsor

 

Entrepreneur Profile: Mallory Becker and Jill Palmer

The idea for Pine Integrated Health Centre was started over coffee by two mothers navigating the health system, in search of resources for their own mental and physical well-being. When they had trouble finding what they needed, they built it instead.

Mallory Becker and Jill Palmer co-founded Pine Health a year after that initial meeting, in May 2019, after their vision for opening a multidisciplinary health center for women and families came to life, and they “haven’t looked back since.”

“Our philosophy has been around what we felt we needed and what our kids needed and then creating that within our business.” 

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Mallory, a registered psychologist was busy with her private practice, LifeWise Counselling and Jill, a licensed physiotherapist at Bounce Back Physical Therapy. The pair essentially merged their professions to create Pine Health, adding other disciplines like massage, nutrition, lactation consulting, and acupuncture. The centre also includes a studio for exercise classes, yoga, and Pilates, and hosts workshops and group offerings.

Providing specialized support to women through pregnancy, postpartum and parenthood, Pine Health is a hub of skilled health professionals offering accessible care in one location.

“Women don't just have to endure things like incontinence or prolapse or psychological issues or infertility issues — they don't have to endure them in silence. Now, it's getting the awareness out there and having a specialty place to get that.”

Mallory and Jill were nominated as a part of the 2020 AWE Awards. “We were so thrilled when we heard that we were nominated. We have two hats: our health specialties and then as business owners. It is really great to be seen in the business world.”

As entrepreneurs, the pair agree: “We're still really fresh in this. We look at the metrics of the business and things are growing financially, but we always take the pulse internally — are people happy? What are they saying? We've really loved developing relationships with people over the last year.”

Initially worried about attracting professionals to work with them, Mallory and Jill have nearly tripled their team at Pine within the last year. Their newest “baby” is a division called Pine Cone Health, which focuses on providing services for children like child psychology, speech-language pathology, and pediatric physiotherapy. Pine Cone offers resources for parents with workshops, nutrition advice, and small group meet-ups.

“One of the biggest ones that just makes us so happy is when we hear about ourselves in the community and that is so important not only as a business but as clinicians.”

As a small business, the pandemic has brought about some changes, but Mallory and Jill have been committed to providing good quality, evidence-based information from their healthcare providers. Though Pine has always offered telehealth services, they’ve seen a big interest in the last few months. “We've become really good at working with people using technology — it helps to meet people where they are at.” 

On their Facebook page, they offer free videos from their practitioners, including Pilates, maternal mental health, and birth preparation. Pine also offers a private Facebook group for moms and are hoping to offer online classes soon.

Some advice from Mallory and Jill for other women: “Stress plus rest equals growth so making sure that if you're working really hard on something — in business or at home — that you have scheduled rejuvenation or rest time.”

“Women are often the last people to take care of themselves, your health is so important and then this expands to women being successful in their careers — whether they're entrepreneurs or not. Often we hide in the background supporting everyone else. It is important for you to take care of yourself inside and out.”

Nominee Spotlight

Here's a selection of links published about or by members of the AWE community, curated by Taproot Publishing.

Mentions

Events

Posts and publications

AWE news

What is digital transformation and what does it mean for your business?

Written by Lori Schmidt, AWE Bold Leadership Program Lead.

For some business owners, digital is about technology. For others, digital is a new way of engaging with customers. And for many entrepreneurs, it represents an entirely new way of doing business. None of these definitions is necessarily incorrect, but such diverse approaches often trip up leaders as they reflect a lack of alignment and common vision about where the business needs to go. This often results in piecemeal initiatives or misguided efforts that lead to missed opportunities, sluggish performance, or false starts.

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As women entrepreneurs push forward with their digital agendas, it’s worth pausing to clarify vocabulary and sharpen language.

Digital transformation is the integration of digital technology into all areas of a business, fundamentally changing your culture, how you operate and most importantly how you deliver value to customers.

A definition from The Agile Elephant emphasizes all the ways businesses may need to adjust their existing practices: it reads - “[Digital transformation] involves a change in leadership, different thinking, the encouragement of innovation and new business models, incorporating digitization of assets and an increased use of technology to improve the experience of your organization's employees, customers, suppliers, partners and stakeholders.”

Digital transformation is also a cultural change that requires organizations to continually challenge the status quo, experiment, be agile and get comfortable with failure as you try things out. An important element of digital transformation is, of course, technology, but often it's more about shedding outdated processes and legacy systems than it is about adopting new technology. It’s also about meeting customer needs and providing value in brand new and rapid response ways. It’s important for a business to build out a full strategy to execute digital transformation. Studies show businesses of all sizes that implement a digital transformation strategy, grow their businesses significantly – usually by a minimum of 20% - and can out pace their competitors if done quickly. 

“ Sometimes it takes a crisis to turn people’s mindsets around.”
— ITWC CIO Jim Love
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COVID-19 is also setting the agenda and the priorities of where to focus digital transformation efforts, such as facilitating the needs of your new, remote workforce. But digital transformation stands for much more than suddenly working from home over Zoom, it’s about asking you and your business to rethink how you are delivering value to your customers in this digital world.

The key takeaway here is that business leaders must have a clear and common understanding of exactly what digital means to them and what it means for customers and how to convey that opportunity and vision to their people. It’s about transforming your entire business starting with defining your vision and then building out a digital strategy. But it is not an easy feat. It truly is a change process – a constant change process. And in all of this you, as a leader, need to be that CMO, Change Management Officer. 

Entire companies are thinking about this same question. What is it that we need to do as leaders to steady the business and build through all this disruption?

Here are six quick tips to consider as you lead digital change:

  1. Adopt a new kind of mindset. Remind yourself that change is good. Be ready for organizational shifts. Be ready to change tasks frequently and help your people be more comfortable with that too. Remember that uncertainty is here to stay.

  2. Follow your industry. Be aware of what is happening in your industry. What are the drivers and what creates pressure for change? Those pressures will ultimately also create pressure for you and your business to change too.

  3. Try to constantly learn new things. Take any opportunity to learn and gain new expertise. Read the publications in your professional area. Attend webinars and other learning activities on topics that you think might be relevant for your work now or in the future. (A quick note here – please follow reputable sources. Be careful what you read as it can also lead to stress and fear. There are, however, lots of positive, credible sources of ideas and support for the path forward.)

  4. Network with your peers. Networking is the best place to get information that might not be publicly available. What are others seeing and experiencing? How are they handling it?

  5. Be ready to support your organization. Culture change is something that cannot be forced; it requires the support of every member of the organization. New business models are not effective if no one is working according to them. New organizational structures do not work if members are fighting against them. You need to be able to support your team through all of these adjustments.

  6. Help your team see and buy into the unifying purpose of your organization. When the disruption is constant, businesses need to transform continuously and fast. That is why it is important to help your people be prepared - with a new mindset, new skills and motivation around a renewed purpose.

The pandemic has accelerated the timeline for everyone, and businesses that once mapped their digital strategy in one to three-year phases now have to scale their initiatives in a matter of days or weeks. Having the knowledge of what digital transformation is and what it can do for your business is more important now than ever.

Alberta Women Entrepreneurs is hosting webinars on different digital transformation topics, click here to learn more.

Alberta Women Entrepreneurs Announces 2020 AWE Awards Finalists

Edmonton, AB, Canada – a record-breaking 242 women entrepreneurs were nominated from across the province for the 2020 AWE Awards.

Since 2012, Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) has presented the Celebration of Achievement Award to an exceptional female entrepreneur who has achieved recognizable success and acts as a role model and inspirational leader in her community. 

In addition to the Celebration of Achievement Award, there are three categories celebrating the outstanding contributions of women entrepreneurs, with multiple finalists named in each.

This year the AWE Celebration of Achievement Award will honour Karen Ryan and Lara Murphy, Co-Founders of Ryan Murphy Construction, as visionary entrepreneurs who have built a business in Alberta with significant impact on the economy and the community.

“Although our business climate has changed significantly over the past few months, AWE’s desire to recognize women entrepreneurs and the amazing work they are doing remains. AWE Awards finalists have been chosen for their innovation, leadership, and resilience; all traits that are being displayed more than ever as they lead their businesses through this challenging time. I look forward to celebrating all the finalists and the Celebration of Achievement Award recipients, Lara Murphy and Karen Ryan, at our virtual AWE Awards Celebration on October 1st” – Marcela Mandeville, CEO, AWE.

The virtual AWE Awards event will celebrate Lara Murphy and Karen Ryan, as well as announce the recipients of three other award categories including the Upsurge, Emerging Entrepreneur, and Indigenous Entrepreneur Awards.

“We are thrilled and honoured to receive this prestigious award. We have followed the Alberta Women Entrepreneurs organization for years celebrating the achievements of previous recipients. We take inspiration from this and now more than ever are committed to working together to impact our city, province, and other entrepreneurs.” – Lara Murphy and Karen Ryan, Co-Founders, Ryan Murphy Construction.

The AWE Upsurge Award is presented to an entrepreneur who has built a solid foundation for her business and is now experiencing rapid growth and significant expansion opportunity. The 2020 finalists for this category are:

The AWE Emerging Entrepreneur Award is presented to an entrepreneur who has built a strong, scalable business foundation and has achieved early success with strong market potential. The 2020 finalists are:

The Indigenous Entrepreneur Award is presented to a leading Indigenous woman entrepreneur, who has a strong business concept and demonstrates plans for future growth, long-term business viability, and commitment to the community. The 2020 finalists are:

“At ATB Financial, we’re strong supporters of women entrepreneurs whether that’s through partnerships encouraging more participation in export and trade or through the holistic support provided by our four Entrepreneur Centres across Alberta. We know that when we support women business leaders, we’re supporting the growth of Alberta’s economy as well. ATB is proud to support Alberta Women Entrepreneurs and the AWE Awards which showcase the incredible accomplishments of our province’s women entrepreneurs. Congratulations to all the nominees for demonstrating Alberta’s talent and innovation.” - Heather Lastiwka, Vice President Business Adaption, ATB Financial.

Anyone wishing to celebrate the outstanding women entrepreneurs in our province is invited to attend the virtual AWE Awards event on October 1st. Tickets for the event can be reserved here.

About Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE)

Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to enabling women to build successful businesses. AWE provides unique programs and services to women at all stages of business through advising, financing, mentoring, and network development.

Sponsored by:

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Media Contact

Devonne Kendrick
Marketing Lead, AWE

T: 780-422-7786
E: devonne.kendrick@awebusiness.com
W: www.awebusiness.com  

Entrepreneur Feature: Lorephil Aguinaldo

AWE Awards nominees are recognized for their resilience, innovation, and leadership in their communities. Though we’ve had to postpone our 2020 AWE Awards celebration, we’ve taken this opportunity to talk to nominees, exploring their journeys and the challenges they’ve overcome to build successful businesses in Alberta.

Lorephil Aguinaldo founded her residential and commercial cleaning company, CanaJan Inc., in 2016. It’s hard to imagine that five years prior to her business’ launch, she didn’t speak any English and had limited financial resources. 

“When I was 16, it was my dream to come here. I am a visionary woman. I have very big dreams.”

In 2011, Lorephil came as a foreign worker from the Philippines and began working as a shift supervisor in a restaurant. When she left her home, she left behind her two children; her daughter was two years old at the time, and her son, who she was still breastfeeding, was only 11 months old.

 “I was always crying and homesick — that affected me a lot.” At the suggestion of a friend, she began cleaning houses as a second job. It was something to keep her mind occupied.

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“While I was cleaning houses, I was imagining that my kids were here with me and they're sitting on the couch and we're laughing and hugging each other. It helped with my anxiety and homesickness. It was really hard as a mom to be apart from your kids.” 

Lorephil was separated from her family for four years. “My only focus at that time was to get my family.”

A regular client was the one who inspired her to turn cleaning into a full-time business. He saw the potential she had and encouraged her to go out on her own. Not knowing where to start, he provided mentorship and guidance for her along the way.

“He referred me and asked me to do some networking. At that time, I was really shy, and it was hard for me to communicate — it’s hard for others to understand me. But I embrace it!” she says, laughing. 

As an immigrant entrepreneur, Lorephil had to overcome many challenges, starting with learning  English. She attended English classes and studied hard. She also had the challenge of finding the financing she needed to open her business, but she says that is all part of the journey.

“My biggest achievement is becoming well-known in Canada — and my Filipino community is proud of what I have done. I started with no money. I achieved all my dreams without money, just a passion and drive. That's the only investment that I had.”

Lorephil was pleasantly surprised when she found out a client of hers had nominated her for an AWE award. “I'm very close with my clients. They're usually the one pushing me to do something.”

In sharing her advice to other women looking to take the leap into entrepreneurship, she says, “For me, everything is possible. If you dream big, you can achieve it. I grew up in a family that has lots of limiting beliefs — I surpassed those limiting beliefs. You should explore more and see that there are lots of opportunities and I trust that.”

Right now, she is focused on spending more time on networking and spreading the word about CanaJan Inc, which has been expanding into the greater Edmonton area. 

Lorephil and her family were reunited in 2015. She says the sacrifices she had to make were worth the pay off: “They are my "big why," the reason why I keep going and never quit no matter what happens. I didn’t quit for the first four years I came here. I said, ‘This is for my family, that's why I need to do this.’”

COVID-19: Support and Resources

Updated on July 17, 2020.

Alberta Women Entrepreneurs recognizes that the impacts of COVID-19 are significant for many small business owners. We’re here to support you during this period of uncertainty.

Here’s how:

  1. Meet with an AWE Business Advisor (remotely) at no cost

    An AWE Business Advisor can help you talk through your business strategy, your delivery model, and how to manage cash flow. They can also delve into marketing, talk about mindset management, connect you with other resources, and more.

  2. Access up to $40,000 as part of the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF)

    The Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF) will provide financial support directly to women-owned businesses to address COVID-19 impacts on their short-term stability. This financing will support small enterprises that are struggling with working capital needs and are unable to access larger federal relief funding programs or unable to obtain a loan/credit from traditional financial institutions.

  3. Join our upcoming webinars

    We’ve got several free online webinars lined up on topics such as writing a business plan, leading digital transformation, and determining readiness for entrepreneurship.

  4. Stay updated on COVID-19 resources for women entrepreneurs

    There’s a lot of information out there right now. We’re doing our best to organize valuable resources for women entrepreneurs and update it regularly.

The health and safety of our staff, our clients, and our community is our top priority. As such, any scheduled in-person events, workshops, and meetings are postponed until further notice.

We are dedicated to continuing to support women entrepreneurs in Alberta and will proceed with delivering webinars and online programming, remote advising sessions, and answering inquiries via email and telephone.

Please email info@awebusiness.com if you have any questions or concerns. 

Government of Canada to invest $8.3 million in western Canadian women entrepreneurs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 16, 2020

EDMONTON, AB – Canadian women entrepreneurs are contributing to the economic success of our communities. At the same time, they have unique and systemic hurdles to overcome when starting and growing a business, and have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, many of the sectors where women entrepreneurs tend to operate like retail, accommodation and food services, have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. 

To help remedy this situation, Terry Duguid, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (Western Economic Diversification Canada), today announced $8.3 million through the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund to support the Women’s Enterprise Initiative (WEI) organizations across Western Canada. PS Duguid made the announcement on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD).

The Women’s Enterprise Centre in British Columbia, Alberta Women Entrepreneurs, Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan (WESK), and the Women’s Enterprise Centre of Manitoba will each receive $2 million in additional loan funds for women entrepreneurs. In addition, $300,000 in operating funding will be divided equally among the four WEIs to meet the increased demand for advisory services and business supports.

Targeted support for women entrepreneurs in Western Canada

These organizations will use the funds to assist Canadian women-owned businesses unable to access larger federal relief funding programs by providing them with immediate liquidity to face COVID-19-related challenges. WEI organizations have extensive experience working with women entrepreneurs, assisting them to overcome barriers and challenges in building their businesses. They also have a proven track record in providing loans and after-care services to women entrepreneurs to ensure their long-term success.

Supporting businesses during this unprecedented time of crisis is an integral part of Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan. These businesses are the backbone of our economy—they provide good jobs that support families across the country.  By supporting employers today, Canada will be in a stronger position as we come out of this crisis.

Quotes

“Our economies and communities are stronger when women are full participants in entrepreneurship. We know that the effects of COVID-19 have been significant on women entrepreneurs, with many experiencing decreased revenues and difficult decisions. Access to relief financing is key to ensuring women-owned businesses are able to find a path forward through crisis and recovery.”

  • Marcela Mandeville, CEO, Alberta Women Entrepreneurs

“Women entrepreneurs and women-owned businesses are facing unique challenges in Canada and across the West. I’m pleased the Government of Canada is able to provide these supports so they can continue operating and building Canada’s economic future. Women entrepreneurs want to go back to building their businesses, and we will be there to help them build back better.”

  • The Honourable Mélanie Joly, MP for Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada

“Western Canadian women entrepreneurs make incredible contributions to our economy and communities every day. Their economic empowerment is essential for a thriving economy and will be crucial for the economic recovery of western Canadian communities. With WD’s assistance and other Government of Canada supports women-led businesses will come back stronger than ever.“

  • Terry Duguid, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (Western Economic Diversification Canada) and to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change (Canada Water Agency)

Quick Facts

  • On May 13, 2020, the Government of Canada launched the $962 million Regional Relief and Recovery Fund—including $304.2 million for Western Canada—to support businesses economically impacted by the COVID-19.

  • The funding announced today is provided through WD, which strategically invests in projects that promote sustainable community economic diversification, enhance business development and growth, and facilitate innovation.

  • In 1995, WD established the Women’s Enterprise Initiative (WEI), creating an independent non-profit organization in each western province to support women entrepreneurs to start and grow their businesses. The WEI organizations provide business advisory services, loans (up to $150,000), mentorship and networking opportunities to support women entrepreneurs.

  • The Government of Canada is advancing women’s economic empowerment with the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, a nearly $5-billion investment that seeks to double the number of women-owned businesses by 2025.

Related Links

Associated Links

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Media Contacts

Jeremy Ghio

Communications Director, Office of the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages

jeremy.ghio@canada.ca

Devonne Kendrick

Marketing Lead, Alberta Women Entrepreneurs

devonne.kendrick@awebusiness.com

WD Toll-Free Number: 1-888-338-WEST (9378)
TTY (telecommunications device for the hearing impaired): 1-877-303-3388