Starting a business is a challenge at the best of times. Starting and scaling a business during a pandemic is enough to make even the most successful among us lock the door and walk away. Yet despite the unrelenting hurdles we have all faced, the success stories, the inspirational stories and the stories of challenges met and challenges surpassed, bring a whole new meaning to these determined and growth-minded female entrepreneurs.
And because women are at the forefront to lead, they have overcome hurdles and are making their mark on Canada’s economic recovery. Women entrepreneurs are displaying amazing examples of how creative thinking, quick pivoting and steadfast determination is paving the way to success.
Discover more inspirational stories at StrikeUp 2021’s free Digital Conference for Women Entrepreneurs on March 4th – Register today! www.strikeup.ca
Rachel Bartholomew is the founder and CEO of HyIvy Health: Intelligent and Holistic Pelvic Rehabilitation for Women. Like most successful business ideas, HyIvy Health was borne from necessity and was specifically created as a medical device for women with pelvic-based cancers and diseases.
This personally-inspired business idea was not without its technical challenges. Rachel leveraged specialized expertise from Blackberry and Telus Health, persevered through complex software testing, launched a pilot study on ethicality and continues to build a community to navigate the stigma of pelvic health.
The team is currently pulling together resources for their product, which is not only a medical device but also hardware, software, and a mobile application. Staying focussed and surrounding oneself with equally compassionate people will ultimately keep this business on its growth trajectory.
Alesia Blackwood is the co-owner and Founder of Unlock Math, an online learning platform.
The idea for Unlock Math presented itself a few years ago when math scores in North America were in decline. Alesia saw the opportunity to leverage her teaching experience, alongside her husband’s tech background. Since then, Unlock Math has become a leading delivery system.
Once the pandemic hit, Unlock Math saw enrollment triple as suddenly everyone was scrambling to accept and embrace online learning. New technology helped with growth as the use of an interactive whiteboard allows for PowerPoint, animation and visual learning and sets itself apart from other learning models. Gaining technological advancements in the arena of distance learning has been critical for Unlock Math’s growth to help students that would otherwise have been left struggling to learn.
Mallory Graham, from the Anishinabeg Nation of Curve Lake, is the founder of Tribal Trade Co, whose mission is to help people learn, celebrate and connect with Indigenous culture.
The Women’s Entrepreneurship Fund helped to clearly position Tribal Trade Co. in the crowded digital marketing space with a greater online presence. Once COVID hit, and the retail store was forced to close, Tribal Trade had established a strong online presence and was well-positioned for growth. Mallory tripled her digital advertising and sales quickly followed. Her next steps for growth include launching online courses to apply Indigenous teachings to modern life as a way to add value and knowledge on Indigenous culture.
Discover more inspirational stories at StrikeUp 2021’s free Digital Conference for Women Entrepreneurs on March 4 – Register today! www.strikeup.ca