Visa awarded ten Canadian women entrepreneurs
funding through grants,
along with resources and mentorship through IFundWomen to grow and
expand their businesses
TORONTO, April 29, 2021 /CNW/ - Today, Visa Canada
announced the recipients of its inaugural She's Next Grant Program
in Canada to boost and empower
women entrepreneurship. As an extension of Visa's global She's Next
Grant Program, ten Canadian women entrepreneurs received a grant of
$10,000 CAD and one-year business
coaching through IFundWomen to support, grow and expand their
businesses.
COVID-19 has highlighted the need to support Canadian small
businesses now more than ever, as most (67 per cent) say that 2020
was a challenge and that their business is still
recoveringi. This is especially true for women
entrepreneurs, who pre-pandemic, were outpacing men in starting
their own businessesii. Now they are taking nearly twice
as long compared to their male counterparts to
recoveriii.
Despite the challenges, women entrepreneurs remain optimistic,
while working hard to keep their doors open. Visa's Back to
Business Study: 2021 Women's Edition revealed that 60 per cent of
women-owned Canadian small businesses took measures to adapt to
challenges presented by COVID-19, with 30 per cent offering
contactless payments and 12 per cent offering alternative payment
solutions, like installments.iv
"ln a pandemic-challenged world, women-owned small businesses
are continuing to prove their resilience, demonstrating fierce
optimism about the future of their business," said Stacey Madge, president and country manager,
Visa Canada. "Visa is appreciative of their dedication and ongoing
contributions to our communities, and proud to be supporting them
through our grant program. We would like to congratulate the ten
women entrepreneurs selected and look forward to empowering them
through these grants and mentorship to keep going and thrive during
these uncertain times."
"We continue to be extremely proud of our ongoing collaboration
with Visa globally, and all that we have been able to accomplish so
far through the She's Next Grant Program," said Karen Cahn, founder and chief executive officer,
IFundWomen. "Visa walks the walk and is consistently offering
funding and business resources to women-owned businesses around the
globe, so partnering with them to launch the inaugural She's Next
Grant Program in Canada was a
no-brainer."
Additionally, according to another recent Visa survey, 48 per
cent of women entrepreneurs indicated a grant would be helpful for
near-term survival or growthv. The She's Next Grant
Program recipients span diverse industries from textiles, education
and food & beverage, to professional services, beauty and
wellness, each offering innovative solutions and products:
- Amoda , Vancouver, BC:
Founded by Tegan Woo, Amoda offers
organic Japanese matcha, nourishing herbal wellness teas and
elevated superfood lattes.
- CurlShoppe, Toronto,
ON: No two curls are the same, and founders Natasha Sheppard and Rowan McAnoy at CurlShoppe strive to offer
quality hair products for every curl type or texture.
- Durand Coffee,
Hamilton, ON: Named after the
neighbourhood it resides in, owner Christine Larabie's mission is to serve quality
coffee in a local community space.
- Goldilocks Goods, Victoria,
BC: Founded by Amy Hall,
Goldilocks Goods are an all natural and eco-friendly alternative to
plastic wrap. Each wrap is handmade using locally sourced
beeswax.
- Long Way Homestead, St.
Genevieve, MB: Family-owned with Anna
Hunter at the helm, Long Way
Homestead offers a variety of fibre and wool options,
straight from the family farm and mill.
- Milksmith Inc, Winnipeg,
MB: Skilled artisans led by founder Siuleen Leibl serve up
incredibly unique rolled ice cream.
- She's Newsworthy Media Inc, Brampton, ON: Jennifer
Singh is the founder of a PR company that helps Canadian
women entrepreneurs get exposure for their businesses on TV.
- The Local Kitchen, Saskatoon,
SK: Founded by Caitlin
Olauson, Julie Gryba and
Bailey Gervais as a clubhouse for
people who love food, The Local Kitchen offers resources and
support for those looking to gain a skill or join the industry.
- The Tare Shop, Halifax,
NS: A package-free coffee shop and bulk store founded by
Kate Pepler. As the first
package-free store in Halifax,
they provide alternatives to over-packaged food, household, and
personal items.
- Wink and Wave, Toronto,
ON: Founded by Aimee
Sloggett, Wink and Wave comes directly to you offering a
variety of mobile services including RMT massages, lashes and
haircuts.
Since March 2020, through its
global She's Next Grant Program, Visa has awarded over a quarter of
a million dollars in grants and coaching memberships to women
across the globe. In Canada, Visa
furthers its commitment by way of its extended Canadian grant
program, and with initiatives like the Visa Canada Small Business
Hub which has programs and solutions to support small businesses in
driving efficiency and sales through the acceptance of digital
payments and the expansion of businesses online.
About Visa
Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments. Our
mission is to connect the world through the most innovative,
reliable and secure payment network - enabling individuals,
businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing
network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the
world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction
messages a second. Our relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst
for the rapid growth of digital commerce on any device for
everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to digital,
Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to
reshape the future of commerce. For more information,
visit visa.ca, visa.com/blog and @VisaCA.
i The Visa Back to Business Study: 2021 Women's
Edition
ii She's Next Visa Study
iii FreshBooks Study (2020)
iv The Visa Back to Business Study: 2021 Women's
Edition
v In January 2021,
the Visa Canada Small Business Outlook Spring Survey surveyed 1,010
Canadian business owners and business decision makers from various
sectors using the Maru Voice research panel, as part of Maru's
quarterly BizPulse study. Fielding took place between Jan 20th and Jan 29th, 2021.
SOURCE Visa Canada