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Supporting Women's Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship poses an attractive
career alternative, and Ontario's women entrepreneurs boast tremendous
successes. Ontario women are turning good ideas and a little start-up
money into thriving, growing businesses.
The OWD works with business leaders and
community organizations to encourage and support female entrepreneurship.
As the stories in Ontario's
Success Stories makes clear, Ontario's women entrepreneurs are making
a vital contribution to the provincial economy.
The following are examples of some community-based
organizations that provide entrepreneurship programs for women, and some
of the success stories of women who have benefited from those programs.
Community MicroSkills Development Centre’s Women’s
Services Centre provides business and technology programs and services
to women, with an emphasis on services to new Canadians, racial minorities
and low-income women. Their purpose is to assist and support women in
the process of achieving self-reliance through employment or self-employment.
Programs and services offered to women include their:
- Women’s Enterprise and Resource Centre
- Women Technology Institute
- Business Programs including Self-Employment Training,
Self-Employment Training for IT (Information Technology) Professionals,
and Train the Trainer.
- Technical Programs
- Support Services
- Women’s Directory
Community Microskills 2003 Entrepreneur Award Winners
Marjorie Castro, Let Loose: Majorie was
born in Canada, but spent most of her childhood in her parent’s
homeland, Ecuador. She returned to Canada four years ago to study graphic
design. Unable to afford the tuition, she settled for working in retail
stores doing display work. Natural ways to health and wellness have always
been a part of Marjorie’s life and culture. After reading about
a massage technique that was preventive in nature, Marjorie obtained her
certification and decided to start her own business. She worked very hard,
but realized she really didn’t know anything about how to run a
business. Just when she was ready to give up, she discovered Microskills’
self-employment program. At MicroSkills, she received the encouragement
she needed and learned from the seminars and lectures given by different
business experts. Marjorie was also introduced to the “Calico”
Marketplace at St. Lawrence Market, where she now does massage every Saturday.
Marjorie’s business success now allows her to support herself full
time through her seated relaxation massage business. Let Loose provides
a new relaxation massage technique service on-site to companies and individuals.
Community YWCA Muskoka
Women In Business
wrc@ywcamuskoka.com
The Community YWCA of Muskoka, and the Women’s Resource
Centre, are committed to providing community-based programs that promote
equality, and provide women and their families in Muskoka with opportunities
for building self-esteem and supporting personal development.
The Women in Business Program was created in 2001 to support
women who were pursuing increased economic independence through starting
their own business, changing careers, or exploring further education.
In two years, over 70 women graduated from this 210-hour comprehensive
program offered in Huntsville and Bracebridge, and more than 30 program
graduates are operating their own businesses. Monthly Women in Business
Luncheons are held on the last Friday of every month to facilitate networking
among program participants, graduates, and all women within the community.
Featured speakers share their experiences and offer knowledge on a number
of subjects.
The following are successful program graduates:
Janet Rothwell, artist: A mother of four
and an artist, Janet relocated to Muskoka from Bradford. Janet sells self-made
aromatherapy ‘soaps and goodies’ and her landscape and floral
art from her home, where she is also building a healing room. She can
also be found during the tourist season at the Bracebridge Farmer’s
Market. Janet graduated from Women In Business in December 2001.
Mary Brittain, Muskoka Seniors and Special Services:
Mary established Muskoka Seniors and Special Services in 1992 in response
to seniors’ growing need for care in their homes or other facilities,
and additional services such as cleaning and transportation. Ten years
later Mary decided to invest in her business by attending the Women in
Business program at the YWCA. The structure of this program facilitates
opportunities to explore business expansion and personal goals. Mary now
returns to the Women in Business program to contribute her experience
and offer encouragement to others.
Lorraine Thompson van Luit, Motivations Fitness:
Lorraine’s commitment to health, fitness and sport has been marked
in both her personal and professional life for over twenty years. Lorraine’s
journey to Huntsville from her birthplace of Trinidad has been filled
with opportunity and adversity. From Montreal to Barbados to Singapore,
Lorraine married, had four children, worked as a flight attendant, and
became one of the first certified fitness instructor in Trinidad. A 2003
Women of Distinction recipient, Lorraine was recognized for a genuine
and obvious desire to give people of all ages and abilities the tools
with which to improve their quality of life. Lorraine, who already had
a tremendous amount of fitness/health experience, attended the Women in
Business program to enhance her business skills.
Dawna Mitchell, Canvasback Creations and Gallery:
Dawna spent most of her childhood enjoying the outdoors, and this appreciation
of nature combined with a passion for art led her to become a mainly a
self-taught artist. Dawna graduated in December 2001 and has seen steady
growth in her business. She lives with her husband, in a rural area just
north of Huntsville. This setting provides regular encounters with wildlife,
which inspires her art.
Karen Eardley, WonderWeb: Formerly of the
United Kingdom, Karen located in Muskoka in 1999 as an engineer in the
auto industry. After being laid off, she registered for Women in Business
to explore a few business ideas. Karen opted to start a Web Design Business
called WonderWeb, and to follow up her Women in Business
training with the Self Employment Benefits program. Karen’s many
clients include the Community YWCA of Muskoka and the Business and Professional
Women’s Club. In addition to this successful business, Karen is
also a freelance writer, contributing frequently to North Country Business.
Karen also regularly contributes to Women In Business classes, offering
her experience and skills to current participants.
Christine Warnaar-Bates, Muskoka Gardening and Landscaping:
In 2000, Christine returned to Canada from the Netherlands after an absence
of 14 years. Christine had developed her knowledge of gardening over 18
years, and attended the first session of Women in Business with an eye
to manufacturing a particular product for the landscape/gardening industry.
Christine opened her own business in the summer of 2003. Christine has
been featured on a panel of local business owners at one of YWCA Muskoka’s
Women in Business Luncheons.
 Women’s
Own Resource Centre
Rural Outreach Program Endeavour
Women’s
Own Resource Centre is located in South River, Ontario. The Centre
offers services to women and their children, including information, referrals,
and employment and self-employment related workshops. The Rural Outreach
Program Endeavour (ROPE) recognizes that isolation severely limits women’s
ability to access career and employment opportunities. A mobile resource
unit involving the ROPE workshop series addresses the needs of low-income
women living in sparsely populated and more remote areas of the district.
The ROPE program includes individual needs assessment, networking, resumes
and cover letters, interview skills, approaching employers, basic computer
literacy, Internet job searching, information on resources and services
available.
The following are a few of the women who have successfully
completed the Rural Outreach Program Endeavour (ROPE) self-employment
training through the Women’s Own Resource Centre and gone on to
become members of the Micro Business Development Centre.
Lynn Weller, Kimtreeland Soap Company:
Lynn has developed a unique line of hyper-allergenic soap products derived
from goat’s milk. Safe for even the most sensitive skin, the quality
of Lynn’s soap is gaining a strong customer base not only in Ontario
but also Quebec and across the country.
Ann Busch, Bed and Breakfast: Ann and her
husband Tim, have taken an old picture-framing factory near Eagle Lake
and transformed it into a delightful year-round bed and breakfast in the
area of East Parry Sound where there is a shortage of tourist accommodation.
Monika McComiskey, Wolf Creek Pottery: When
an industrial accident cost Dave McComiskey the use of several fingers,
it looked as though the well-known pottery maker would lose the family
business. Instead his wife Monika has revitalized Wolf Creek Pottery by
designing, developing and launching her own unique line of fine pottery
and, through the use of innovative marketing she is opening the business
to a whole new and appreciative audience.
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Community
MicroSkills Development Centre