Intro to Business Ownership for Women

Intro to Business Ownership is a workshop series that will equip new female entrepreneurs with the tools they need to succeed in business.

If you are a new women entrepreneur, or a woman considering opening a business, this 6-week workshop series will set you up for success!

What will you learn?

The WESTEM team will guide you through:

Week 1: Introduction to Business Ownership: The First Steps

– The importance and process of goal setting

– The basics of setting up a business

– What other supports are available in the ecosystem

Week 2: Is there a market for my product or Service?

WESTEM business advisor Norma Wolfchild will walk you through the first steps to understanding if there is a market for what you want to sell.

– Discover the value or your product or service to your target market with the Value Proposition template

– Introduction to the Business model canvas – a one page business pan

Week 3: Market Research

WESTEM business advisor Paloma Navarro, will take you through the first step in your market research plan! Come understand why it is important to have a market research plan, and how to use the information that you gather.

Data from secondary research will give you a high‑level overview of market opportunities and threats. This type of information provides the context you need to develop/update the profile of your market and industry.

In this workshop we will explore:

– What relevant information you should be looking at

– Sources of information for secondary market research

– Resources/tools for conducting secondary market research

– Secondary market research findings & analyzing secondary data

Week 4: Ideal Customer Persona and How to Market to Them

WESTEM Business Advisor Wendy Muise, will discuss how to get started in the world of online advertising. Before jumping into a grand marketing plan, Wendy will help you understand the importance of knowing:

– Your ideal customer

– Which digital platforms to use to reach your ideal customers

– How to manage your time and resources in order to develop successful marketing plans

Week 5: Financing and Proposal Writing

Judy McMillan-Evans will provide a highly interactive learning event that explores:

– Business planning, content and writing process (business model canvas)

– Proposal writing, content and process (proposal writing canvas)

– Goal setting and action planning (action plan canvas)

– Linkage between these planning tools and their applications/uses

Participants will walk away with three completed canvases that they can use for their own business plans.

During this workshop we will also look at:

– Different types of financing options

– Where to find grants and loans

Week 6: What are My Next Steps?

In our final meeting, we will wrap up with the WESTEM team walking through the next steps of your business owning journey. We will look at:

– How to use your business pan

– How to work with a business advisor

– Other resources in the ecosystem that you can use for free

– Your individual goals from week 1

WORKSHOP DATES

• Thursday, January 20, 2022 (6:00 PM – 9:00 PM)

• Thursday, January 27, 2022 (6:00 PM – 9:00 PM)

• Thursday, February 3 , 2022 (6:00 PM – 9:00 PM)

• Thursday, February 10 , 2022 (6:00 PM – 9:00 PM)

• Thursday, February 17 , 2022 (6:00 PM – 9:00 PM)

• Thursday, February 24 , 2022 (6:00 PM – 9:00 PM)

WIN A WESTEM SWAG BOX!

For each session attended, participants will get one entry into a draw to win a WESTEM SWAG box! Draw will take place during the last session (February 24).

Meet Your Presenters:

Norma Wolfchild

Norma Jean Wolfchild has over 10 years experience assisting and guiding entrepreneurs in all stages of entrepreneurship and is a WESTEM Business Advisor. Norma is a member of the Blood Tribe, which is part of the Treaty 7 territory and Blackfoot Confederacy. Norma Jean is a very enthusiastic individual and enjoys life’s adventures. Part of her spare time is spent on her Blackfoot Hills Honey and Crafts business, gardening, beekeeping, keeping chickens and now goats. She mostly enjoys spending time with her husband and three children as well as her mom, siblings, nieces, nephews, family and friends who are dear to her.

Wendy Muise

Wendy Muise has always been an entrepreneur and loves the ability to spend time helping others with their businesses. With a background in tech and innovation start-ups, Wendy has been apart of a team that took a product from an idea to IPO and a $121 million market valuation.

Spending the last ten years focusing on strategic practices in entrepreneurship, Wendy has worked in communities during disaster recovery supporting existing and new entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.

Paloma Navarro

Paloma has over 20 years of success in North and South America working with entrepreneurs and participating in multiple community economic development projects.

Paloma is originally from Chile and has a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration, a Master in Computer Arts & Communications, and a Diploma in Implementation of Quality Management Systems. Being fluent in both English and Spanish has enabled her to expand her support for entrepreneurs.

In her journey to date, she has embraced several ventures like tourism operator, restaurant owner and management consulting & training endeavors, experiences that have helped her to understand and be on the client side. Having worked as an Economic Development Officer in rural Southern Alberta, and as Self-employment Program Lead Facilitator at Momentum Calgary, Paloma has developed a passion working with entrepreneurs helping and supporting them to succeed.

Judy McMillan-Evans

Judy is a community developer, project manager, adult educator, and entrepreneur with over 35 years of experience leading business development projects and developing the capacity of business and non-profit managers. In this realm, Judy also advises business owners, non-profit boards and management teams on all aspects of organizational strategies and efficiencies.

Along with consulting and facilitating, Judy instructs and develops courses for Mount Royal University (MRU), Bow Valley College (BVC), Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), and Community Futures.

IMPORTANT: Please note these are live events that will be delivered during the dates and times indicated.

WESTEM programming is mandated to support rural/remote Southern Alberta women; does not include Calgary.