On April 16, 2015, the Honourable Dr. K. Kellie Leitch, Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women, announced a new initiative entitled It Starts with One — Be Her Champion that challenges leaders in all fields to make a difference in a woman’s career by becoming her champion.

Championing can have enormous benefits—both for champions and their mentees. In particular, there are distinct advantages for women entrepreneurs who, despite their potential for growth, remain under-represented as a proportion of small and medium-sized business owners in the Canadian economy. In fact, research suggests that 88% of entrepreneurs with mentors survive in business, compared with a 50% failure rate for those without a mentor.

The It Starts with One campaign is designed to engage leaders in both the private and public sectors as champions for women by taking a pledge to participate in formal or informal mentoring efforts. Canadians can make their It Starts with One pledge at women.gc.ca/startswithone. The website also provides information on the benefits of championing, links to formal mentorship programs in Canada, and a toolkit for initiating championing relationships.

Quick Facts:

• Research suggests that 88% of entrepreneurs with mentors survive in business, compared with a 50% failure rate for those without a mentor.
• In 2011, women held majority ownership of 15.6% of small and medium-sized businesses in Canada.
• Economic Action Plan 2014 outlined the Government of Canada’s commitment to increasing mentorship among women entrepreneurs.
• According to BMO Financial Group, women-owned businesses employ over 1.5 million Canadians.
• RBC Economics reports that as of 2011, the contribution of majority-owned women’s businesses to the Canadian economy was an estimated $148 billion.
• RBC estimates that a 10% increase in the number of majority-owned women’s businesses over 10 years would bring the total economic contribution to $198 billion – a net annual gain of $15 billion after inflation.
• Many formal championing and mentorship programs are available: some of these are listed on the Status of Women Canada website.
• Since 2007, the Government of Canada has invested over $153 million through Status of Women Canada in support of more than 750 community-based projects across Canada. Of this amount, more than $60 million has gone to projects that promote women’s economic security and prosperity, including more than $12 million for projects that support women’s entrepreneurship.

Quotes:

“Our Government knows that all Canadians benefit when women succeed. We are challenging experienced professional and business leaders to make a difference in a woman’s career or business by taking the ‘It Starts With One’ pledge and becoming her champion. This is an extraordinary opportunity for accomplished Canadians to share their experience and expertise, and to join the movement for increased championing and mentorship for women.”
The Honourable Dr. K. Kellie Leitch, P.C., O.Ont., M.P.
Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women

Related Products:

• It Starts with One — Be Her Champion
• Information about the Expert Panel on Championing and Mentorship for Women Entrepreneurs
• Fact Sheet on Economic Security

Additional Links:

• Information about Status of Women Canada at women.gc.ca