Women Entrepreneurs and Access to International Networks
Achieving global business success also appears to be more difficult for women entrepreneurs than for their male counterparts. Eight percent of majority women-owned SMEs export, compared with 11 percent of majority male-owned SMEs (SME Financing in Canada: An Annual Report, Industry Canada, 2002). While this doesn't seem like much of a discrepancy at first glance, remember that the number of women entrepreneurs is growing at twice the rate of men (Royal Bank, Women Entrepreneurs Statistics).
Women Entrepreneurs of Canada identifies some of the challenges facing women who seek global business success as access to capital to fund international growth, limited international experience, inadequate business information and technology, and lack of access to international markets (Submission to the Prime Minister's Task Force on Women Entrepreneurs). The organization calls for the development of government support programs and/or services to provide access to technology and management training, financial support to assist women international trade exchanges, and access to the global network of women's business associations.
Women Entrepreneurs of Canada has worked to provide Canadian women in business with more access to international markets since its inception. For instance, Women Entrepreneurs of Canada sponsored the first all women Trade Mission to Washington, DC in 1997, and sponsored a Canada - U.S. Business Women's Summit and Trade Mission for women to Los Angeles in 1999. In 2003, the organization co-hosted a Business Forum with the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). In 2005, WEC presented a trade mission to Chicago to discuss trade issues in knowledge-based sectors with U.S. counterparts (in partnership with CAWEE, OWIT, WIFT, International Trade Canada and the Canadian Consulate General).
Their Submission to the Prime Minister's Task Force on Women Entrepreneurs is only one way that Women Entrepreneurs of Canada works to promote and foster the success of Canadian women entrepreneurs. The organization serves as an advocate for improvement in the social, political and business issues that affect all Canadian women in business.
WEC is affiliated with the Les Femmes Chef d'Entreprises Mondailes (FCEM, the largest organization for women entrepreneurs in the world), and the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) in the United States. To learn more about the specific benefits of joining Women Entrepreneurs of Canada or to find out more about coming WEC events, visit the Women Entrepreneurs of Canada Web site.
