Championing Women with your Startup

Updated: November 14, 2024

Originally Published: April 3, 2020

Live Twitter #StartupChats discussing championing women with your startup

Q&A with Startup Canada Guest Advisor Christine Whone

The event had 50 contributors, 26.8 million impressions and the Wakelet can be found here.

Q1: Let’s begin! Why is it important for entrepreneurs to champion, hire and empower women with and through their businesses?

A1: Well-rounded economic development. Women are activators for change, social good, and B-corp business initiative, a theory of change for the greater good.

Q2: What are some of the persistent barriers women continue to face as entrepreneurs and employees?

A2: Assuming a woman’s ability to complete a task has something to do with her appearance, in business networking, where a woman’s appearance is valued publicly versus her intellect or achievements.

Q3: How can building a more diverse and inclusive team impact growth for startup businesses?

A3: Diversity allows us to design solutions for everyone to combine individual experiences with collaboration to make a product or service better.

Q4: What are some excellent examples of businesses that truly champion and promote women in their organizations?

A4: Canada Learning Code promotes women in their organization and serves women and equality with Ladies Learning Code learning experiences such as weekend workshops and 7-week courses for women who want to learn about STEM and entrepreneurship.

Q5: What are the ways in which entrepreneurs can build more equitable and inclusive businesses from day one —  from hiring and equal pay to building a safe culture and championing leadership?

A5: Women have different life experiences, and barriers men have likely never gained life experience with, so key to build teams who understand this. Hiring culture: adaptive attitude mindset, disposition and perception to discern information for the best outcome for all.

Q6: How can entrepreneurs build a women-focused employee and HR strategy?

A6: Be thoughtful. Review one’s assumptions of challenges women may or may not have. It’s key for self to double-check for a logical fallacy.

Q7: What are some ways in which startups and small businesses can impact disadvantaged women in their communities and the world?

A7: Implement education, training & professional development opportunities created & designed for women. If you are a leader business sector why not establish a B-corp? Profit for your social good project and be a well-rounded leader balancing profit and purpose.

Q8: What more can be done by every business in Canada to elevate women and promote equality?

A8: Develop and implement a B-Corp model (e.g., with a theory of change).

Q9: What support, tools and resources are available to every entrepreneur to build a more inclusive organization?

A9: Connect with your local Startup Canada community to help, support, discover, and build tools and resources to create an inclusive business.

Q10: What is your final piece of advice for championing women entrepreneurs and women on your team?

A10: Be you.