Export for Success - An In-Market Mission Experience

A group of Atlantic women business owners are about to depart for Baltimore, Maryland to take part in an “in-market experience”. Export for Success is a project of the Centre for Women in Business, with support from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and TD Canada Trust Small Business Banking. This trade mission, June 20-24 is intended to introduce women new to exporting or thinking about exporting, that have built strong businesses in Atlantic Canada and want to grow further through exporting their products or services. The project is intended to increase their knowledge and confidence, provide training and expose them to new opportunities related to exporting, and in particular looking at tapping into large supply chains as a way to grow their businesses.


So why are we blogging?

The Centre for Women in Business at Mount Saint Vincent University is committed to helping women start and grow their businesses. Export, and specifically supplier diversity, are two strategies by which a business can expand. We decided that for those aren’t going on the in-market mission, but have an interest in finding out more about supplier diversity and what an “in-market mission” is all about, that we would blog about our experiences.

We, Tanya Priske and Gordia Macdonald, are the Centre’s project representatives on this mission. As the project manager, Tanya’s been responsible for developing the program and recruiting the participants. With an extensive background in economic development and program development/delivery, this project was an exciting opportunity for her to broaden the Centre’s reach beyond Nova Scotia. Gordia is a growth-focused business advisor with the Centre. As the first person in Canada to be certified as an assessor for WEConnect Canada's certification program, Gordia is very familiar with supply diversity and works closely with women business owners seeking to become certified.

What is WEConnect Canada?

WEConnect Canada is a Canadian non-profit organization that is opening doors to new supply chains. It certifies firms that are at least 51% owned, managed and controlled by women and connects them with the growing global demand for diverse and innovative suppliers. It is the Canadian equivalent of the US’s WBENC (Women’s Business Enterprise National Council).

Over the course of the next couple of weeks we’ll take you along with us as we prepare for and travel to Baltimore, Maryland for the WBENC conference. We’ll try and give you a taste of what it’s like “on the ground” during a mission by relating the activities that we take part in and the experiences of the women business owners that are participating in Export for Success.

More on Monday …