In 2017, I became President of FemCity Ottawa. Wow, how much we have grown since then and how lucky am I to be surrounded by such compassionate and talented women. I always believed that when women support women, magic happens. While any and all support is important, there is a special understanding among women – making it vital for us to advocate for each other.
We all have varying views about how to live our lives, how to run our businesses, and how to manage our relationships, but at the core of each of us, we are seeking connection and fulfillment. Building a network of supportive peers who are also entrepreneurs, helps us to get through it all.
Networking groups can be an efficient way to meet valuable contacts and gain ideas. But for some, female-only networking groups go the extra mile in providing a space for gender issues and equality to be discussed without judgment.
FemCity allows us to maneuver around many of the challenges mixed gender networks have brought. FemCity is for all women. We encourage those new to any industry to meet women in leadership roles and to seek out mentors to guide them. FemCity creates business and partnership opportunities. We help each other grow.
The entrepreneurial path is not always easy, but as entrepreneurs, we have only one end game, success. By looking for opportunities to support and advocate for our female peers, we can help propel them to new heights.
On the eve of International Women’s Day, I am grateful for so much but most importantly, I am grateful to those who have believed in me.
“A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman.” Melinda Gates