Francophone women entrepreneurs boost each other in B.C.

Francophone women in British Columbia are building their businesses with each other’s support. Their secret weapon is a program called Femmes d’affaires en Mouvement (FAM), which means “businesswomen on the move”.

It is hard to start and grow a business without peer support. Being part of an official languages minority community adds to the challenge. FAM rises to that challenge.

FAM is a 15-year-old program of the Société de développement économique de la Colombie-Britannique, funded by WD. It includes networking, workshops and mentoring. Watch how B.C. Francophone women entrepreneurs use FAM to advance their businesses.

Transcript: “Francophone women entrepreneurs boost each other in B.C.”

(The camera pans a seminar room. Music plays in the background.)

(Text on screen: Femmes d’affaires en Mouvement)

(SUZANNE JACOB, PRÉSIDENTE - SDE) I think that the project that’s been really going strong for 7 or 8 years already is Femmes d’affaires en Mouvement.

This group, now representing more than 250 women from 25 different nationalities, started with 3 or 4 persons who really had this goal to do something for women.

The leader was certainly Ms Rita Couture, who was the source of inspiration for all of this, and today, this meets the needs of several women.

(Shots of a seminar in action)

(MATHILDE FABRY, PETIT LOULOU) My name is Mathilde Fabry. I’m the designer for my business, Petit Loulou. Frédérique, who works at the SDE and whom I work with every week, proposed to me to host a workshop to explain to people how to use and maximize Etsy. To share my knowledge with other craftspersons so they can use Etsy.

(LORRAINE FORTIN, BLACK & WHITE COMMUNICATIONS & DESIGN) Today’s workshop has been truly useful because it is a current topic, that is how to sell you things and your work. I think it’s a much needed workshop.

(Shot of Mathilde Fabry  speaking to a seminar)

(MATHILDE FABRY, PETIT LOULOU) I met Frédérique before she was hired at the SDE. She had helped me in coaching. When she was hired at the SDE, she thought of me and asked me if I was interested (in hosting a workshop), and it was absolutely great, because we had the opportunity to meet other women entrepreneurs and we saw stakeholders every week, so I learned a lot of things in accounting and marketing.

(Shot of Mathilde Fabry  speaking to a seminar)

(ISABELLE CAILLET, ISA’RTIST) We always learn very interesting things. Being able to share experiences brings a lot to each other, so does networking.

(Shot of seminar participants)

(LORRAINE FORTIN, BLACK & WHITE COMMUNICATIONS & DESIGN) Femmes d’affaires, it’s more than advice. It’s more that a network. I think that through our meetings, we have a disposition for joy. We’re never alone with our problems. We have solutions that we have in common. And that, I think is really very useful.

(Shot of Mathilde Fabry  pointing to a screen)

(SDE Colombie-Britanique wordmark)

[Music stops]