Over the past eight years, Western Economic Diversification Canada has commissioned three studies to show the impact that the Women’s Enterprise Initiative (which includes the Women’s Enterprise Centre of Manitoba, Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan, Alberta Women Entrepreneurs and Women’s Enterprise Centre of BC) has had on women entrepreneurs across the West. Tracey Scarlett, CEO of Alberta Women Entrepreneurs, used the information from these studies as the foundation for a paper she presented at the Diana Conference in Banff. In it, she noted the increasing sophistication and growth in our collective client base over time.

The findings in Manitoba echo the Alberta information: growing businesses require expansion capital and a more sophisticated and knowledgeable advisory capacity.

Overall, the major impacts of return on public investment (20:1), incremental return on loan dollars (30:1), 8000 person years of employment, and 75% of loan clients that survive the critical first five years attest to the effectiveness of the initiative.

Posted by Sandra Altner at 3:49 PM 0 Comments

Tags Diana Conference  Tracey Scarlett  impact study  women-owned businesses  Western Economic Diversification Canada  Women’s Enterprise Centre of Manitoba