By Sue Hodgson –
Nowadays it’s not unusual to hear people say “I want to start my own business,” yet how many of them actually do? The road to entrepreneurship is often a treacherous one filled with unexpected detours, roadblocks and dead ends. Lots of sleepless nights, plans that don’t work out, and funding that doesn’t come through. Putting plans into motion is surely not easy; it takes a lot of work, effort and passion to pull your idea off the ground.
And even then, it takes a while before your business starts running on its own. That being said, the Business Development Bank of Canada’s report indicates that women entrepreneurs have quadrupled in the past 40 years, between 1976 and 2018; growing from 49,000 to 241,000. In this issue of Seaside Magazine we are proud to be celebrating International Women’s Day, and in conjunction with this, hosting our 9th Annual Woman To Watch competition.
This year we’ve revamped our criteria and judging process, and significantly increased our prize package. Inspired by the CBC’s Dragons’ Den, we decided to introduce our very own Seaside “Pitch Off” (see page 14). With a large number of strong applicants, it was no easy task narrowing it down to a shortlist of 10 who will pitch their business to a panel of judges. We are thrilled to support and encourage women on their path of entrepreneurship, and believe women have a lot to bring to the table.
Entrepreneurial spirit is very evident in our community – from all ages and genders – as it is across Canada. More than half of Canadians are considering business ownership and many of those who don’t already own a business are engaging in a side gig to explore their passion or to simply test new ideas for the future.
This month and every month, let’s celebrate, support and promote our local entrepreneurs who make a difference in spite of the challenges they face. They make a pathway for others to follow.
“Entrepreneurs are the dreamers and the visionaries. Without them, the world stagnates and progress stops. Society needs entrepreneurs the same way the body needs air.” – Cynthia Kirkeby, founder of Seasonally Fresh
