Category: Announcements & News Releases

New Report on Women Entrepreneurship in Saskatchewan released by WESK during Women Entrepreneurs Week

May 20, 2020

Announcements & News Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 20, 2020

SASKATOON, SK – The Government of Saskatchewan has officially proclaimed the week of May 17 through May 23, 2020 to be Women Entrepreneurs Week across the province. Women-led businesses have consistently increased and along with this rise is a significant impact to the Saskatchewan economy. In 2019, women-led businesses contributed $23.1 billion to the province’s GDP.

A new Women Entrepreneurship in Saskatchewan report was released today, commissioned by WESK, prepared by PwC, and sponsored by Conexus Credit Union, Hill Levene Schools of Business, and the Women Entrepreneurs Knowledge Hub. (Note: The report was commissioned prior to the COVID-19 crisis, however the findings are relevant and valuable in plotting a course through economic recovery to sustainability and growth.)

A key measure of a healthy economy is the creation and number of jobs; the report noted that 191,836 Saskatchewan people were employed in women-led businesses in 2019.

Prabha Mitchell, CEO of WESK commented, “WESK commends our Government for this annual proclamation of Women Entrepreneurs Week while recognizing the gravity and impact of COVID-19 on ALL small businesses. The report revealed though the majority of women led/owned businesses employ 0-10 employees, their contributions of 191,836 employees to job creation and $23.1 billion to our GDP is enormous and they will remain a pivotal segment in stimulating recovery in our province.”   

The report was initiated through the work undertaken by the Saskatchewan Advisory Committee on Women Entrepreneurship. Last year the Government of Saskatchewan, Status of Women Office announced the creation of an advisory committee to research and develop policy and recommendations on advancing gender equality in the creation of economic activity.

“The majority of women-led businesses in Saskatchewan are labour intensive, which means they are important and efficient job creators,” said Tina Beaudry-Mellor, Minister responsible for the Status of Women Office. “Supporting and amplifying them is critical, especially as we emerge from COVID-19 restrictions and look towards rebuilding our economy.”

The Women Entrepreneurship in Saskatchewan report findings confirmed understanding and addressing the barriers that exist for women entrepreneurs can improve opportunities for them to scale businesses, boosting economic growth in our province. 

To celebrate Women Entrepreneurs Week, May 17 to 23, WESK has a variety of virtual activities including two panel discussions with stellar women entrepreneur guests. The first on May 21 will delve into the topic of Rebounding from the Crisis – What’s Next? On May 22, the second panel will explore What it Takes to Succeed as a Tech Entrepreneur. For a complete list visit: https://wesk.ca/women-entrepreneurs-week/

Click here to view the full report or visit: https://wesk.ca/wesk-women-entrepreneurship-in-saskatchewan-report-2020/

For more information, please contact:

Josie Fries, Marketing Coordinator
WESK
T: 306-477-6286
E: jfries@wesk.rbdemo.site
W www.wesk.rbdemo.site

ABOUT WESK

WESK is a non-profit, membership-based organization that provides business advisory; start-up, purchase and expansion lending; mentoring and networking and learning and training opportunities. WESK is supported by Western Economic Diversification Canada.

In the past 25 years, WESK has provided over $38.8 million in financing to women entrepreneurs and more than $30.9 million has been leveraged as a result.

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Backgrounder

Highlights from the Women Entrepreneurship in Saskatchewan Report

Commissioned by WESK, prepared by PwC, and sponsored by Conexus Credit Union, Hill Levene Schools of Business, and the Women Entrepreneurs Knowledge Hub.

Gender analysis of Saskatchewan businesses

Share/size of women-led businesses

  • 88.4% of women-led businesses in Saskatchewan have up to 10 employees.
  • Across all business size categories, the share of men-led businesses is greater.
  • Women are less likely to lead a business as the size of the business increases.

Financial metrics of women-led businesses

  • For businesses with 1 to 49 employees, women-led businesses have lower revenues than men-led businesses.
  • For businesses with 50 to 99 employees, women-led businesses have higher revenues than men-led businesses.
  • Women-led businesses are less capital intensive than men-led businesses.

Sectoral composition of women-led businesses

  • In the ‘Health care, social assistance’ and ‘National security’ sectors, the number/share of women-led businesses appear to be greater than men-led businesses.

Women-led businesses by city of location

  • Of the total Saskatchewan businesses:
  • 24% are in Saskatoon
  • 20% are in Regina, and
  • less than 4% are in each of the remaining cities.
  • Women-led businesses in Regina are larger in comparison to Saskatoon.
  • Women-led businesses are more often headquartered in Saskatchewan.

Contribution of women-led businesses to the Saskatchewan economy in 2019

  • $23.1 billion in GDP
  • 191,836 employees
View the Full Report
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Katherine Regnier to be recognized with the 2020 Celebration of Achievement Award at WESK’s Virtual Small Business Conference

Mar 12, 2020

Announcements & News Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 13, 2020

SASKATOON, SK – Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan (WESK) announced today that Katherine Regnier, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Coconut Calendar, is this year’s recipient of the Celebration of Achievement Award. Katherine will be formally presented with the award at WESK’s Virtual Small Business Conference, presented by Conexus Credit Union online on September 28.

The Celebration of Achievement Award pays tribute to an exceptional female entrepreneur who has built a business in Saskatchewan with a significant impact on the economy and the community. This entrepreneur is an inspirational leader and a role model for women in business. Katherine is the third Celebration of Achievement recipient, preceded by Rachel Mielke in 2018, and Jess Tetu in 2019.

“When I started this journey, I didn’t know how hard the mountain would be to climb. I didn’t realize how much support, encouragement, and helping hands I would need to keep going. And last but not least, I didn’t foresee being a role model to other women entrepreneurs or being noted as one of the few women leading a tech company in Canada. But what I do know now, is that it takes a community to come this far, and I feel so privileged to be receiving this award from WESK’s collection of strong women right here at home” stated Katherine.

At 3-months pregnant, Katherine quit her full-time job focus solely on Coconut Software. After five years of bootstrapping her company to over $1M in sales, Katherine decided to seek venture capital funds. To date, Katherine has successfully raised $4.9M and has grown her team to over 50 employees. Her success has helped to put Canada on the map with investors across North America.

Katherine is passionate about giving back to the community and is a strong advocate for entrepreneurs and women in technology. She is a founding board member of Co.Labs, Saskatchewan’s first technology incubator and hosted the very first Prairie Investment Forum (PIF), which was a celebration of technology and investment in the Prairies.

In addition to the Celebration of Achievement Award, WESK is excited to be highlighting other female business leaders in the province as part of the Jewels of Saskatchewan Panel at their 25th Anniversary Awards Gala. Panelists include Jess Tetu, Krista Moe, and Devon Fiddler.

WESK CEO Prabha Mitchell states, “The achievements of women entrepreneurs and leaders who are making an extraordinary impact here at home and globally deserves celebration and recognition. The 25th Anniversary Awards Gala is a celebration of exactly that.”

“We would like to thank our sponsors of this event and those who have been strong supporters of our vision and mission” stated Mitchell.

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For more information:

Josie Fries

Marketing Coordinator, WESK

T: 306.477.6286

E: jfries@wesk.rbdemo.site

About WESK

Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan’s (WESK) vision is for all Saskatchewan entrepreneurs to have an equal opportunity to achieve success and recognition. Entrepreneurship is a catalyst for independence, economic development, employment, growth, innovation, and equality. For 25 years, WESK has worked with hundreds of women, helping them start, purchase, and expand businesses. WESK is a non-profit, membership-based organization that provides business advisory and support services; start-up, purchase and expansion lending; mentoring and networking, and a variety of learning opportunities from seminars and webinars to events. Since 1995, WESK has provided more than $37 million in loans and professional advice to women across the province. Together, women entrepreneurs and WESK have shaped and enhanced the Saskatchewan economy. WESK is supported by the Western Economic Diversification Canada.

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Recap: Third Meeting of the Saskatchewan Advisory Committee

Feb 11, 2020

Announcements & News Releases

The third meeting, and midway point, for the work the Saskatchewan Advisory Committee on the gender entrepreneurship gap took place on January 9, 2020.

The subcommittee on influencing policy, the second priority pillar, presented findings and potential recommendations. The discussions included the obstacles and risks of the funding environment when scaling; current policies and supports for businesses; and gaps in supports for businesses. The Committee identified a need for research specific to women-owned/led businesses in Saskatchewan.

Members are highly engaged and committed, with spirited dialogues on the synergy of all three priority topics; the first one examined was Enabling Scale: Access to capital, networks and Mentorship.

The recommendations of the Influencing Policy subcommittee will be reflected in a final report to be released in June 2020.

The Committee’s (SAC) next meeting is scheduled for March 2020, with a focus on the third and final pillar, Creating Awareness.

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Recap: Second Meeting of the Saskatchewan Advisory Committee

Nov 25, 2019

Announcements & News Releases

The Saskatchewan Advisory Committee held its second meeting on November 15, 2019. Presentations from two technology focused incubators, Co.Labs and Cultivator, provided key insights into the structure and supports available for business GROWTH along the spectrum.

The sub-committee tasked with the priority of access to capital, networks/mentors presented several recommendations.

The Committee’s deliberations included the challenges of balancing family responsibilities and business growth; knowledge and skills in relation to financial management; linkage and connections  to established entrepreneurs and recruiting advisors and mentors. There were recommendations for the development of comprehensive supports for growth/scaling up and collaborations with key stakeholders and partners to augment supports and training.

The recommendations of this sub-committee will be captured in a Final Report to be released in June 2020.

The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled for January 2020 and will focus on Influencing Policy.

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Recap: First Meeting of the Saskatchewan Advisory Committee

Nov 7, 2019

Announcements & News Releases

The first meeting of the Saskatchewan Advisory Committee, held September 13th following the announcement of the members of the Committee, focused on defining scope and outcomes of the initiative. All 12 members were present at the first meeting. It was determined that the final deliverable will include a three Pillar Strategy: Access to Capital; Influencing Policy; and, Creating Awareness.

Each Pillar will be informed by a subcommittee comprised of Saskatchewan Advisory Committee members and supported by WESK staff.

Chairs of the subcommittees are as follows:         

  • Access to Capital (including mentors & networks): Mary Weimer
  • Influencing Policy: Natasha Vandenhurk
  • Creating Awareness: Rachel Mielke

The Committee will be meeting in November, January, March, May and June with subcommittee meetings being held between the Saskatchewan Advisory Committee meetings. The Committee will develop a report for the Government of Saskatchewan  to be released in June 2020.  The Report will include short-term and long-term recommendations.

 

VISION

A Saskatchewan with a level playing field of equal opportunities for ALL entrepreneurs.

Learn more about the Saskatchewan Advisory Committee here: https://wesk.ca/sk-advisory-committee/

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“Founders Table” Program To Help Women Tech Entrepreneurs Expand And Grow Their Businesses

Sep 24, 2019

Announcements & News Releases

Sep 19, 2019

Founder’s Table, kicking off tonight, provides support, mentorship and networking opportunities for female tech entrepreneurs in our province.

There are more than 34,000 women entrepreneurs in Saskatchewan but a gap between the number of male and female entrepreneurs remains.  Founder’s Table is a made-in-Saskatchewan program that will address this gap through mentorship and education.  Over the next six months, female tech entrepreneurs will meet to develop sector-specific knowledge and strategy.

“We are blessed to come from a province where successful female business owners are part of an ecosystem that steps up to inspire and mentor new entrepreneurs,” Minister Responsible for Innovation Saskatchewan Tina Beaudry-Mellor said. “Founder’s Table is an excellent opportunity for women in tech to learn to take their business and management skills to the next level.”Ten technology company founders were selected to participate in the Founder’s Table.  They will meet in Regina once a month from now until February in preparation for The Growth Intensive Workshop in March 2020, where they will plan the next phases of their businesses.“Founder’s Table is committed to supporting female founders from across this province grow and flourish in the technology sector,” Women Entrepreneurs Saskatchewan (WESK) CEO Prabha Mitchell said.  “Together with Economic Development Regina, and with the financial support of Innovation Saskatchewan, WESK is pleased to help Saskatchewan women in technology succeed through this mastermind program.”Katrina German, Co-founder and CEO of OneStory, is the program facilitator.  She is an award-winning Saskatchewan entrepreneur with a passion for encouraging women to pursue careers in technology.  Innovation Saskatchewan is providing $50,000 to Economic Development Regina to support the initiative developed in partnership with WESK.

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For more information, contact:

Mona Bates
WESK
Phone: 639-316-4874

Original article: https://innovationsask.ca/news/founders-table-program-to-help-women-tech-entrepreneurs-expand-and-grow-their-businesses 

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Moving the Needle – Closing the Gender Entrepreneurship Gap

Sep 13, 2019

Announcements & News Releases

WESK and the Government of Saskatchewan announce the members of the newly created Saskatchewan Advisory Committee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 13, 2019

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – Today, twelve prominent entrepreneurs and business professionals from the province were announced as representatives to the newly formed Saskatchewan Advisory Committee, whose work will shape and influence the business climate in our province for women entrepreneurs.

Prabha Mitchell, CEO of Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan (WESK) commented that it was a historic day for Saskatchewan and highlighted that, “Women contribute $148 billion to the Canadian economy, according to a 2011 study.”

“Advancing gender equality in the creation of economic activity has the potential to add another $150 to 420 billion to the economy by 2026”, said Mitchell, “and supporting women entrepreneurship is not limited to a gender equity issue, but is part of a strong economic policy.”

The Saskatchewan Advisory Committee Members are:

Al-Katib, Murad
President and CEO, AGT Food and Ingredients Inc..

Buettner, Adele
Founder and President, AgriBiz Communications Corp

Clark, Eric
COO and Partner, PFM Capital Inc.

Dubreuil, Janis
Partner, Allan Construction 

Hardy, JoeAnne
President and Partner, WBM Technologies Inc.

Hrudka, Christine
Pharmacy Owner; Chair, Canadian Pharmacists Association

Ivey, Adrienne
Co-owner, Evergreen Cattle Co.; Owner, View from the Ranch Porch 

Mielke, Rachel
CEO and Founder, Hillberg & Berk

Parent, Kimberly
Owner, Saskatoon Salsa Dance Company

Soulier, Alicia
Founder, SalonScale Technology Inc.; Owner, Capelli Salon Studio Inc.

Vandenhurk, Natasha
CEO, Three Farmers Foods Inc.

Weimer, Mary
Chief Member Experience Officer, Conexus Credit Union

 

The Saskatchewan Advisory Committee will draw on new and existing evidence, utilizing the expertise of the committee members to advise on the development of strategy, policy and action to close the gender entrepreneurship gap. The committee will also serve as an advocate on behalf of women entrepreneurs in Saskatchewan.

Minister of Advanced Education, Minister Responsible for Innovation Saskatchewan, Minister Responsible for Status of Women Office Tina Beaudry-Mellor was on hand for the announcement stating, “Our economy depends on the success of female entrepreneurs in Saskatchewan. This committee focuses on making sure they have every opportunity to expand their business by identifying and addressing obstacles that prevent them from scaling up.”

“It is a privilege to be collaborating with this incredible group of people to address the gender entrepreneurship gap – many of the effects of which I have experienced in building and scaling my own business,” said Rachel Mielke, CEO and Founder, Hillberg & Berk. “I’m proud that we are undertaking this effort in Saskatchewan, and I am confident that we have the individuals, leaders, and communities here to support female entrepreneurs, and thus contribute to what makes us thrive as a province.”

“While such an initiative encompasses diversity, inclusion and equity; let’s not lose sight of its impact on profitability and economic growth in our province,” concluded Mitchell.

The Saskatchewan Advisory Committee has been created and funded through a partnership between the Government of Saskatchewan, specifically the Status of Women Office and WESK and will continue over the course of the next 8 months.

WESK is a non-profit organization that works with Saskatchewan women to assist them with starting, buying or expanding a business and to achieve their entrepreneurial goals.

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For more information and interviews with Prabha Mitchell and Committee Spokespersons, contact:

Josie Fries

Marketing Coordinator,WESK

Phone:       306-477-6286

Email:        jfries@wesk.rbdemo.site

 

For biographical information and photos of the Saskatchewan Advisory Committee members please visit the webpage: https://wesk.ca/sk-advisory-committee/ 

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Saskatchewan Advantage Innovation Fund

Aug 19, 2019

Announcements & News Releases

Source: https://innovationsask.ca/research/saskatchewan-advantage-innovation-fund

The Saskatchewan Advantage Innovation Fund (SAIF), is a research and development (R&D) funding program managed by Innovation Saskatchewan (IS). It is intended to support and accelerate commercialization of game-changing technological innovations in the province’s core economic sectors.

Through SAIF, IS provides non-repayable grants for approved projects proposed by a group of companies. To apply, please refer to the “Program Guidelines” downloadable below.

Target Sectors

Projects developing technologies relevant to the following sectors are eligible for funding:

  1. Mining
  2. Energy
  3. Agricultural Technologies
  4. Manufacturing
  5. Education
  6. Healthcare

Eligibility Criteria

All applications must meet the following criteria to be considered for funding:

  1. Proposed by a group of active private sector partners. Ideally, the group should be representative of the project’s full value chain, including researchers, those involved in the production/supply process, and customer/end users.
    • Active partner: participating in the project either through cash and/or in-kind contribution, equity investment, and/or letter of intent to purchase.
    • The lead proponent must be a private entity based in Saskatchewan.
    • Priority is given to proposals that also have an academic partner from a Saskatchewan post-secondary or research institute.
  2. Demonstrate how the technological innovation will solve a specific industry-wide challenge and benefit the sector as a whole, not just individual companies.
  3. Development of novel and innovative solutions.
  4. Demonstrate a feasible path to commercialization, benefits expected, and how those impacts will be sustained in the long-term.
  5. Industry partners providing half or more of the proposed project’s budget. The amount requested from IS is no more than 30% of the proposed budget.

Intake Periods

Intakes for SAIF are held twice per fiscal year. Prospective applicants are to submit an EOI and complete the “Eligibility Questionnaire” before the EOI deadline to be considered for funding. Only selected applicants will be invited to submit full proposals. Shortlist decisions made by IS’ internal selection committee are final.

In years where applicants exceed available funding, only proposals determined to be most strategically aligned with the province’s R&D priorities will be invited to submit full proposals. The number of grants approved per year will be based on budget availability.

Below are important dates for each intake periods:

Intake Period 1:

April 30 – Deadline for EOIs

May 31 – All invites for full proposals sent

July 31 – Deadline for full proposals

September 30 – Funding decisions made

Intake Period 2:

September 30 – Deadline for EOIs

October 31 – All invites for full proposals sent

December 31 – Deadline for full proposals

February 28 – Funding decisions made

 

For more information, visit https://innovationsask.ca/research/saskatchewan-advantage-innovation-fund or contact Kevin Chung at kevin.chung@innovationsask.ca.

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A Single Spark Can Change Everything: WESK’s Matchstick is Igniting the Future

Aug 9, 2019

Announcements & News Releases
Article from Industry West Magazine. Written by Patricia Robertson
It’s not easy to launch a new business venture. It takes capital, market research, a sound business plan and a substantial network of support. Even under ideal conditions, the start-up phase can be overwhelming for new entrepreneurs. Indigenous women business owners face additional challenges like racism, access to capital and generating sales.

Entrepreneur Devon Fiddler is familiar with the precarious yet rewarding phase of business start-up. In 2015, Fiddler created an innovative Indigenous-themed fashion retail business, SheNative Goods Incorporated. The retailer sells handcrafted leather goods and apparel (shenative.com). Fiddler says her business philosophy is “community-based” and she wants to “support and encourage other Indigenous women.” SheNative’s popular t-shirt line features empowerment slogans like “Indigenous Boss Babe.”

SheNative is entirely Indigenous-owned. Fiddler’s production, design and sales staff is also of Indigenous ancestry. On June 1, 2019, the SheNative team moved into a new flagship store at 714A 2nd Avenue N. in Saskatoon.

Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan (WESK) recently expanded its services to include targeted, culturally relevant support for First Nations business owners, like Devon Fiddler. What do they need from WESK to create a successful venture? The Matchstick: Spark for Indigenous Entrepreneurs program originated from a May 2017 WESK re-brand. WESK determined that an underserviced demographic—Saskatchewan’s Indigenous women—could directly benefit from its expertise and support. Young Indigenous women make up a significant proportion of the Saskatchewan population and more than 36 per cent of them are under the age of fifteen.

WESK secured funding and the three-year project was underwritten by Western Economic Diversification Canada, the Saskatchewan government, the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations and the Saskatchewan Indian Equity Foundation. An advisory board was established and a needs assessment was conducted. Devon Fiddler is a member of the Matchstick advisory board and she’s facilitated an exploratory workshop for Matchstick assisting participants in the brainstorming phase of imagining a potential business venture.

Matchstick’s goals are ambitious. The program’s directive is to better engage and involve Indigenous women in entrepreneurship, strengthen Indigenous women’s role in entrepreneurship and to address the lack of entrepreneurial awareness of business ownership as a career opportunity. Matchstick aims to increase the number of Indigenous entrepreneurs in Saskatchewan and to cultivate support for business in Indigenous communities.

To date, WESK has visited eight First Nations communities to conduct on-site business plan training. 250 women participated in the business planning sessions. The core curriculum was adapted specifically for First Nations participants. “We are very pleased with the Matchstick project and its strategic direction,” says WESK’s CEO Prabha Mitchell.

The project is set to conclude in March 2020. Going forward, WESK intends to build on the momentum of the popular program to provide continued services to Indigenous women entrepreneurs. In order to expand the Matchstick program’s scope beyond the original three-year mandate, WESK is courting funders to secure additional project support.

Trailblazer Devon Fiddler’s success will certainly bolster WESK’s case for the continued investment in Indigenous-owned small business ventures. As Fiddler’s SheNative t-shirts proclaim: “She Believed She Could Do it and She Did.”

 

Original article available here: https://industrywestmagazine.com/small/a-single-spark-can-change-everything-wesks-matchstick-is-igniting-the-future

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2019 Award Recipients Announced: WESK Celebration of Achievement and Entrepreneur Awards Gala 2019

May 22, 2019

Announcements & News Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SASKATOON, SK – Today, WESK presented five outstanding women with entrepreneur awards at their 2019 Celebration of Achievement & Entrepreneur Awards gala, presented by Conexus Credit Union in Saskatoon.

The Community Involvement Award, sponsored by Nutrien, is presented to a woman entrepreneur that has been a leader in creating ways of conducting business that has a positive impact on the community. The 2019 finalists are: Olivia Coffyne (Diamonds of Detroit), Shelley Gordon (Uniglass Plus Ziebart, 6th Avenue Carwash), and Jeanny Buan (Mylynh Bridal). WESK is proud to announce Shelly Gordon (Uniglass Plus Ziebart, 6th Avenue Carwash) as the 2019 recipient of the Community Involvement Award.

The Innovation Award, sponsored by RBC, is presented to a woman entrepreneur that is pushing conventional boundaries and is disrupting and reshaping their industry through groundbreaking achievements in bringing innovation to market. The finalists are: Jolene Watson (Clarity Coaching & Development), Briana Brownell (Pure Strategy Inc.), and Alisha Esmail (Road Coffee). WESK is proud to announce Alisha Esmail (Road Coffee) as the 2019 recipient of the Innovation Award.

The Growth & Expansion Award, sponsored by ISC, is presented to a woman entrepreneur that has successfully developed and implemented a strategy that has resulted in rapid growth and increased profitability and shows the potential for future growth and success. The finalists are: Meagan Barabash (Bravo Dance Company), Colleen Haussecker (Canadian Organic Spice & Herb Co.), and Arlene Wicinski (Off Side Hair Zone). WESK is proud to announce Colleen Haussecker (Canadian Organic Spice & Herb Co.) as the 2019 recipient of the Growth & Expansion Award.

The Indigenous Entrepreneur Award is presented to a leading Indigenous woman entrepreneur that shows plans for future growth and viability over the long term and demonstrates a long term commitment to the community. The finalists are: Heather Abbey (Indig Inc.), Arlene Wicinski (Off Side Hair Zone), and Kimberly Parent (Saskatoon Salsa Dance Company). WESK is proud to announce Kimberly Parent (Saskatoon Salsa Dance Company) as the 2019 recipient of the Indigenous Entrepreneur Award.

Lastly, WESK’s Celebration of Achievement Award pays tribute to an exceptional female entrepreneur who has built a business in Saskatchewan with a significant impact on the economy and on the community. This award is hand-selected by WESK, and was announced prior to to the Awards Gala. WESK would like to again congratulate national award winning entrepreneur and public speaker, Jess Tetu, on being recognized with the 2019 Celebration of Achievement Award.

A self described ‘serial entrepreneur’ Jess Tetu is the sole owner of four Just For You Day Spas in Saskatchewan & Alberta, the Founder & CEO of Lia Reese Canada, (Saskatchewan’s Beauty Brand), and she is also the Co-Founder of E306 Business Consulting. Her love of being an entrepreneur is paralleled by her commitment to giving back and Jess volunteers her time on many community and charity foundation boards in Saskatchewan. Tetu has also created her own not-for-profit charity –  4seventyone Recovery Resources  – assisting individuals and families dealing with addiction.

Jess believes that community has been a strong foundation for her success, “ I was extremely supported by my community growing up and I just feel like it was my responsibility now, to be in a position where I was successful, to give back to that community.”

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