Durham College’s (DC) commitment to supporting female entrepreneurs took center stage on Monday at the She Means Business Panel and Networking Event which aimed to celebrate and empower women in business by providing a platform for female student entrepreneurs to connect, learn, and be inspired.

The event was hosted by FastStart, the college’s entrepreneurial resource hub, and the Durham College Student Association. Guests gathered inside DC’s Centre for Innovation and Research to hear from inspiring female leaders who shared their stories, insights, experiences, and advice on succeeding in the business world across a number of industries. The expert panel included Karen Campbell, Canadian Women’s Foundation; Belinda Ginter, Unstoppable; Melanie Pagan, RainSpark Media Group; and Jenna MacInnis, Bombshell Beauty Bar.

“Events like this are so important as they help amplify a range of voices, experiences, and business ideas from women and gender-diverse people in entrepreneurial ecosystems,” says Campbell. “These opportunities also empower feminist entrepreneurs to connect and learn from each other in an environment where supports have typically been designed by and for men.”

DC Journalism and Creative Writing student, Deidra Clarke, agrees and says the benefits of networking on-campus with like-minded women is extremely valuable and hearing from guest panelists like the ones at the event have helped her prepare for the launch of her business, D.I.A. Tribe.

“As a young entrepreneur myself, I felt reassured hearing the panelists speak on their successes, but also touching on some of the trials and tribulations they went through before they got to where they are now,” she said. “I love that we have events like this on campus. Students are already doing a lot and tend to have full schedules. So being able to just pop over to a spot-on campus and take it in was amazing.”

FastStart is committed to helping all DC student entrepreneurs, regardless of their program, with the skills needed to turn innovative ideas into successful ventures. Learn more about FastStart online or check out their Instagram for upcoming events.

 

Photo credit: Josiah Chung