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Resources for B.C. Women Entrepreneurs

It's a good time to be an entrepreneurial woman in B.C. I had the great pleasure of attending the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs 10th Anniversary gala on February 20, 2012. The event celebrated women in business and acknowledged FWE founder Christina Anthony and CEO Jill Earthy for all of the hard work they’ve put in over the past decade.

By Emira Mears /

BC Women Entrepreneurs Resources | BCBusiness
Resources abound for B.C.’s entrepreneurial women.

It’s a good time to be an entrepreneurial woman in B.C.

I had the great pleasure of attending the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs 10th Anniversary gala on February 20, 2012. The event celebrated women in business and acknowledged FWE founder Christina Anthony and CEO Jill Earthy for all of the hard work they’ve put in over the past decade.

I started my own entrepreneurial journey just over 12 years ago, at a time when the FWE hadn’t yet emerged and there were far fewer organizations supporting B.C. women in business. In fact, at the time, I felt such a lack of resources for enterprising women that I wrote and published a book for that exact audience.

At the event it was wonderful to sit in a room surrounded by accomplished peers, mentors and aspiring business women, knowing that there are now myriad resources and support options. Here are some of the more prominent groups and organizations that you can access:

• Forum for Women Entrepreneurs   
• Women’s Enterprise Centre   
• Mom CEO Academy   
• Young Women in Business   
• Minerva Foundation   
• Small Business BC   
• Hollyhock   
• Entrepreneur Mom Now Vancouver   
• Comox Valley Women’s Business Network   
• Ladies Who Launch British Columbia   
• Valley Women’s Network   
• Oceanside Women’s Business Network   
• Kelowna Women in Business   

I am producing a free workshop series with Vancity for women in business to build fundamental skills around marketing, human resources and financial literacy.

Are there any other organizations or groups that you belong to that support or provide resources and training for women in business? Please share them here.