Through the pandemic, women who own businesses have faced multiple challenges, including lack of access to government support programs, loss of talent and revenue, and a higher burden of family care compared to men, according to The State of Women’s Entrepreneurship in Canada 2021. The same report notes these hurdles are even more significant for women in under-represented and racialized groups. As women rely on innovation and persistence to start, grow and scale their businesses, what strategies are proving to be most effective, and how might Canada improve the ecosystem for women-owned business?
Join us on May 4, 2022, as we bring women in business together to discuss strategies for entrepreneurial recovery and growth.
Visa 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. 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 www.visa.ca, and @VisaCA.
Aviso Wealth is one of Canada’s largest independent wealth management firms, with approximately $100 billion in assets under administration and management. Our multi-service platform includes MFDA- and IIROC-regulated dealer services and insurance agencies supporting thousands of financial advisors at credit unions across Canada. Our asset manager, NEI Investments, is a Canadian leader in responsible investment funds and portfolios. Our award-winning online brokerage, Qtrade Direct Investing™, and our automated investing platform, VirtualWealth®, empower self-directed investors to build their wealth with confidence. And Aviso Correspondent Partners provides custodial and carrying broker services to financial organizations including portfolio managers, investment dealers, insurance and trust companies, and introducing brokers. Aviso Wealth is backed by the collective strength of our owners, the credit union Centrals, The Co-operators/CUMIS, and Desjardins. Our values reflect our roots in the financial co-operative sector: for us, doing well goes hand in hand with doing good for individuals and communities. For more information, visit aviso.ca.
NEI Investments is a registered trademark of Northwest & Ethical Investments L.P. Qtrade Direct Investing is a division of Credential Qtrade Securities Inc. VirtualWealth is a trade name of Credential Qtrade Securities Inc.
Novo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company, founded in 1923 and headquartered in Denmark. Our purpose is to drive change to defeat diabetes and other serious chronic diseases such as obesity and rare blood and endocrine disorders. We do so by pioneering scientific breakthroughs, expanding access to our medicines, and working to prevent and ultimately cure disease. Novo Nordisk employs about 45,800 people in 80 countries and markets its products in around 170 countries. Novo Nordisk’s Canadian head office is in Mississauga, Ontario. For more information, visit novonordisk.ca, or find us on Twitter: @NovoNordiskCA.
Sponsor since 2008, Suncor is Canada's leading integrated energy company. Headquartered in Calgary with a global team of over 30,000 people, we believe in creating a great place to work for all. One with a culture of trust, inclusion and respect built on the strength of our diverse workforce. We see collaboration as essential to responsibly developing petroleum resources. With a demonstrated track record of innovation to solve cross-sector challenges, we’re profitably growing a renewable energy portfolio and advancing the transition to a low-emissions future. For more information, visit www.suncor.com.
For almost 60 years, OMERS has humbly served as the steward and guardian of the retirement income of more than half a million active, deferred and retired municipal employees from communities across Ontario. For more information, visit www.omers.com.
McKinsey & Company is a global management consulting firm, deeply committed to helping institutions in the private, public, and social sectors achieve lasting success. For 90+ years, our primary objective has been to serve as our clients’ most trusted external advisor. With consultants in 135 cities in 67 countries, across industries and functions, we bring unparalleled expertise to clients anywhere in the world. We work closely with teams at all levels of an organization to shape winning strategies, mobilize for change, build capabilities, and drive successful execution. McKinsey’s work in Canada combines our global expertise with deep local insights to help clients create Change that Matters. For more information, visit www.mckinsey.com.
Dentons is the world's largest law firm, connecting top-tier talent to the world's challenges and opportunities with 20,000 professionals including 12,000 lawyers, in more than 200 locations, in more than 80 countries. Dentons' polycentric and purpose-driven approach, commitment to inclusion and diversity, and award-winning client service challenge the status quo to advance client interests. For more information, visit www.dentons.com.
First Capital REIT is a leading owner, operator, and developer of grocery anchored and mixed-use properties located in Canada’s largest cities. First Capital’s focus is on creating thriving urban neighbourhoods to generate value for businesses, residents, communities and our investors.
We strive for performance excellence at our properties and new developments, creating healthy and sustainable urban neighbourhoods. Our mixed-use developments and retail offerings are designed to provide vibrant places that meet the needs of everyday urban life – bringing together people, public spaces, retail shops and services, public art, and access to public transportation.
As one of Greater Toronto Area’s top 100 and Canada’s top small to medium employers, we foster a vibrant corporate culture that ensures equal opportunity and well-being for all employees in a dynamic and rewarding workplace. First Capital has been recognized for its gender diversity with over 50% of management positions being held by females, and we have been twice recognized on the Globe and Mail's “Women Lead Here" list”. For more information, visit www.fcr.ca.
KPMG in Canada is a full-service professional services firm owned and operated by Canadians. For over 150 years, our professionals have provided consulting, accounting, auditing, and tax services to inspire confidence, empower change, and drive innovation.
We employ more than 8,000 people in over 40 locations across the country, serving Canadian and global private- and public-sector clients.
Our goal is to be a difference-maker by delivering innovative ways of thinking, digitally enabled solutions and exceptional service to help our clients manage risks, seek out new opportunities and stay competitive. Guided by our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Courage, Together and For Better, we are committed to making a difference for our clients, our communities and our people. This commitment has KPMG consistently ranked as one of Canada's top employers and one of the best places to work in the country.
We believe in the power of diversity and are passionate about creating a more inclusive and sustainable future for all. By focusing our collective skills, strengths and passions to address these issues, we hope to drive positive societal change across Canada. For more information, visit www.kpmg.ca.
Rakuten Kobo Inc. is the world’s digital bookseller created by and for book lovers. Owned by Tokyo-based Rakuten Group, Inc. and headquartered in Toronto, Rakuten Kobo’s 58 million worldwide users can read any time, anywhere, and on any device. With a mission to make reading lives better for all, Rakuten Kobo connects readers to stories using thoughtful and personalized curation of eBooks and audiobooks, and the best dedicated eReaders and apps for reading. With the singular focus of making reading lives the best they can be, Kobo’s open platform allows people to fit reading into more moments in their busy lives. For more information, visit www.kobo.com.
BDC is the only bank devoted exclusively to entrepreneurs. It promotes Canadian entrepreneurship with a focus on small and medium-sized businesses. With its 123 business centres from coast to coast, BDC provides businesses in all industries with financing and advisory services. Its investment arm, BDC Capital, offers equity, venture capital and flexible growth and transition capital solutions. BDC is also the first financial institution in Canada to receive B Corp certification. BDC Capital is the investment arm of BDC, the bank for Canadian entrepreneurs. With over $3 billion under management, BDC Capital serves as a strategic partner to the country’s most innovative firms. It offers businesses a full spectrum of capital, from seed investments to growth equity, supporting Canadian entrepreneurs who have the ambition to stand out on the world stage. For more information, visit www.bdc.ca.
The A Effect — A for Ambition — is an initiative whose goal is to propel female ambition. We assist women and support companies with one aim in mind: contribute to creating a more equal world.
The glass ceiling is not for us! Each woman who rises through the ranks and develops her talent improves herself, her company, and society in unprecedented ways.
Since 2015, The A Effect has been supporting companies who wish to unlock the full potential of their female talent while creating an equal workplace through innovative training programs. We mobilize corporate communities and help women position themselves in their career. By presenting inspiring leaders from a variety of backgrounds, we offer a new perspective on female ambition and concrete tools adapted to the realities of professional women and managers. For more information, visit www.the-a-effect.com.
Grant Thornton LLP is a leading Canadian accounting and advisory firm providing accounting, audit, tax and advisory services to private and public organizations. We help dynamic organizations unlock their potential for growth by providing meaningful, actionable advice through a broad range of services. Grant Thornton LLP is a Canadian member of Grant Thornton International Ltd, whose member and correspondent firms operate in over 130 countries worldwide. For more information, please visit:
for more information, visit Grant Thornton LLP.
The Pay Equity Office promotes gender economic equality by administering Ontario’s Pay Equity Act. The purpose of the Act is to eliminate pay inequity between women and men who perform work that is of comparable value to their organization. The Act applies to all public sector organizations in Ontario, and to private sector organizations with 10 or more employees. For more information, visit www.payequity.gov.on.ca.
Lean In Canada is a community of professional women empowering each other to build purposeful and fulfilling careers. Since 2013, we have grown from an audience of 20 people to over 8,500 members across the country with Networks in Calgary, Toronto, and Vancouver. We built our organization for people just like us: professional women who are passionate about driving their careers forward to the next level and beyond, and who want to achieve greater success not only in work, but in life. We know that women feel more confident and empowered to drive towards this change when they feel connected to a community, thus we aim to create and support initiatives that connect women.
We want a world where people of every gender can pursue their dreams without bias or other barriers holding them back. Where girls grow up to be confident, resilient leaders any how and any way they choose. Where more women run companies and countries. We are driven by the belief our society and economy would be better if women and girls were valued as equal to men and boys.
Join a Lean In Circle, or our country wide events. There are many ways to get involved with Lean In. For more information, visit www.leanincanada.com.
Stacey Madge has served as Country Manager and President for Visa Canada since April 2017. In her role, she is responsible for leading the Canadian market for Visa including establishing the strategic agenda and managing performance across all facets of the business. In her time at Visa, the business has received over 30 awards across categories ranging from brand and innovation to employee engagement, giving back and diversity. Visa Canada was recognized as 10th Best Workplace in Canada by Great Places to Work in 2021. Reflecting Stacey’s impact in payments, she was awarded The Most Influential Women in Payments by Payment Source and received the Distinguished Payments Professional award by Women in Payments.
Previously, Ms. Madge was a Senior Vice President in the International Banking Group at Scotiabank, overseeing retail and small business across 30 Latin American and Caribbean markets. While at Scotia, Stacey designed and launched significant programs to improve customer experience and sales officer productivity including a Premium Banking model, online and mobile platform, and a customer experience model. Scotiabank International was named the Top Digital Bank in Latin America by Retail Banker in 2016 and the Top Retail Bank in 2017.
Prior to her role at Scotiabank, Ms. Madge was a Partner at McKinsey & Company, where she was a leader in the areas of retail banking, mergers and acquisitions, and sales force effectiveness. While at McKinsey, Stacey published “Moments of Truth in Customer Experience” in the McKinsey Quarterly.
In her early career, she was an analyst for mergers and acquisitions for RBC Dominion Securities.
Stacey is a board member on the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation where she is Chair of the HR Committee and sits on the Executive Committee and the Fundraising Committee. She is a member of the Business Council of Canada and a member of the Coalition of Innovation Leaders Against Racism. She actively supports Queens University in support of BIPOC students and women.
Ms. Madge graduated from Queen’s University and holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business where she received the Dean’s Award of Distinction for outstanding contributions for student life, community service and leadership.
Stacey resides in Toronto with her husband and three children.
Rowan McAnoy is the owner of CurlShoppe, a small business based out of Toronto, Canada that is focused on solving the unique hair care needs of curly hair of all types.
Beautiful curly hair requires special attention that many people find difficult to manage, so CurlShoppe’s goal is to help make it easy to love, care for, and embrace your natural curl pattern by providing the products and knowledge that help maintain a healthy moisturized bounce! As no two curls are the same, CurlShoppe strives to make sure it offers something for everyone regardless of their curl type or texture.
In 2016, CurlShoppe released its first collection of products, “Coconut Is Everything.” Since then, two more successful collections have been added, “Butter’d Up” and “For Men”, with more on the way!
Susan covers the retail industry for Report on Business. Before joining The Globe and Mail in 2009, Susan worked as a freelance reporter contributing to the Ottawa Citizen, the Montreal Gazette and other publications, as well as CBC Radio's Dispatches and Search Engine. She has a Masters degree in journalism from Carleton University. In 2008 she worked at a radio station in Kigali, Rwanda as part of a media development project through Carleton. She has also lived in Osaka, Japan.
Hyla Nayeri is the co-founder of swimwear and activewear brand, 437. The entirely self-funded brand has been spotted on notable celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez and Kylie Jenner, and has also landed Hyla on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. In the past year, Hyla also launched 'How TF Do I start?' a crash course on everything one needs to know about launching a brand — from finding a manufacturer to influencer marketing and everything in between, and has had over one thousand enrollments so far. On the side, Hyla invests in businesses that she believes in — such as supplement brand Human Improvement, and Toronto restaurant Bar St. Lo
Mariam Ekram is the founder and CEO of Koa Natural Foods, a manufacturer of organic better for you snacks. Her journey began seven years ago in a mission to provide consumers with snacks that were healthier and better for the environment without compromising on taste. She has grown Koa from a small community kitchen to a 10,000 square foot facility that distributes snacks and confectionery around the globe. Mariam is passionate about empowering women and hopes to inspire them to fulfill their dreams.