Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m a product developer and a business coach. I run a tech solutions company that has to do with helping business owners and organizations streamline their business systems and their processes.
We provide tech support and implementation, and training. Our aim is to take away the confusion around technology, especially because it’s fast-changing right now.
When we first started out, one thing that really stood out was how little business owners knew about tech. And so our aim back then was to help a lot of businesses come from their offline way of doing things into the online mode.
What made you decide to pursue your business?
My business started off in June of 2020, at the heart of COVID. So it was essentially me being in this limbo stage where I needed to make a decision about moving my sole proprietorship into an incorporated business.
I had gone back to school and I got a diploma in software development. But then I saw that instead of me just coding, I thought why not start something that would introduce people to the digital world using the skills that I’ve learned?
That’s one of the reasons, however, my main “why” would be to inspire, equip and build up other business owners, because that’s what they need to really move their businesses forward.
What have the barriers been for you in your entrepreneurial journey?
I would say business owners that are wanting to do things but the barriers that affect them. For instance, sometimes they do not have access to funding, then automatically I’m affected. If they don’t have access to those funds, then maybe some of the implementations that they would want to handle can’t proceed.
As I said before, I do also have a business coaching side, too. So sometimes when I give the consultation, and I recommend steps – the automation – that they need to also put into their business if they don’t have the funding for that, then everyone is affected by that.
However, in terms of barriers on a personal level, I will just say that technology – especially for women – well, there aren’t a lot of women. So when you’re reaching out or when you’re trying to make connections, there’s always that barrier. That definitely makes it difficult.
What’s kept you feeling driven and motivated, even during the harder times of your entrepreneurship?
Well, I think focusing on my why, and just knowing that there’s a reason why I’m doing this. It’s not for me, essentially. Sure, money is a big factor, but it’s not just for me to make money.
It’s to help contribute to the economy in the way that I want to, which is to help grow other businesses. And that is where I find joy: just growing other businesses, either through training or through implementation.
What made you sign up for the Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce?
One of the reasons why I signed up for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce is that everyone’s looking for a community, and that’s the same as myself. I’m just looking for a community, looking for advocacy, and looking for the next trend out there for women.
I know how ‘hard knock’ it is there. So let’s see what’s out there for women, what the government is doing to help women-owned businesses. That’s essentially why I joined the Chamber of Commerce.
What are the benefits you’ve gotten from being a member of the Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce?
When I joined in, I loved the fact that the Chamber had really good resources. When I first started business, I didn’t think about insurance, but I will tell you now that I do have insurance for my business. And that’s basically because of the kind of resources that you provide.
There were so many helpful links, the warm welcome, and having that one on one time, getting to know more about the Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce. I like the fact that we get updates almost every week about grants and funding.
It’s something that I can myself share with business owners that may need the help. It essentially helps me grow my business as well, because people are coming for the tips and maybe the tricks and even if they’re consulting with me, I can always refer them to something I’ve learned through you.
What’s a piece of advice that you could offer others who would like to follow in your path?
A piece of advice would be: you can’t have all your ducks in a row. However, you can plan out the initial steps, and if you discover that those are not working for you, it’s okay to change them. I’ve gone through a lot of structural changes in the last two years. And it’s okay to say, “Okay, this is not working again, we need a change.”
Especially now with technology just skyrocketing, and a lot of people adopting AI, if you don’t change, then you’ll be behind, you’re doing business in the past century. And that’s not what we want to do. We want to move as fast as the pace that we’re seeing right now. And so just stay innovative. That’s my advice.
What does success look like for you?
Well, from the implementation side of things, I would say starting the journey of a business owner that doesn’t have any type of systems put in place, or everything is just manual, and helping them to streamline everything, and then get automation completed.
When it comes to completion, that is success. But even the journey, the consultation, the fact that we’re able to help what they’re trying to put out there to people, that’s also success for me. So it’s really the journey that is success.
Any final words of wisdom you’d like to tell people, women entrepreneurs, maybe a tip?
Well, stay consistent. You’re amazing. And if it’s something that has been placed in your heart, then just best know that you’re supposed to do it and so you should take that first action and get started.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
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