Women have traditionally been known to be the wind in the proverbial sails of the mighty, amongst the ‘stronger’ sex. In Canada females have risen to heights beyond just being the motivators of their men folk and have proved they are a force to be reckoned with in their own right.
Canada’s most famous entrepreneurial daughters displayed business potential from as far back as the 17th and 18th century in ‘New France’ when Charlotte Francoise Jucherau de Saint Denis, born in 1660 purchased the lle d’Orleans making her the Comptesse and a leading personality in the then business world. The Dictionary of Canadian Biography contains her story.
Born in 1870 Rose Anna started her cake making business with a wood stove in her own kitchen. The trademark was a cream filled chocolate cake named after her sons ‘Jos-Louis’! Today her original kitchen and home are a museum and a Canada Postage stamp featured her and her husband in year 2000.
Nineteenth century Ontario born Elizabeth Arden started her world renowned brand of cosmetics, still a market leader in departmental stores worldwide. Twentieth century Rose Marie Reid started off by using a water resistant fabric to make a swim suit for her husband. Her single piece swim wear was eventually the rage in Hollywood and even claimed by Marylyn Monroe to be the cause for her success as a pin-up and used by modest swimmers to date!
Sonja Bata rebuilt her husband’s shoe business into a world class enterprise after World War II. She established the Bata Shoe Foundation in 1979 and was awarded the ‘Order if Canada’ and the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ of the Canadian retail Council.
In recent years, Canada’s top woman entrepreneur of the year 2006 Rebecca MacDonald’s ‘Energy Savings Income Fund’ strictly upheld codes of ethics, impeccable honesty and integrity, while others mentioned factors like commitment to excellent customer service, implementing the latest technological innovations, expert staff in key positions and catchy marketing strategies as reasons for success.
The RBC Canadian Woman Entrepreneur Awards seek to recognize, encourage and cultivate this vital segment of the business world which contributes $18 Billion to the economy of Canada. The annual award is an 18 karat gold brooch shaped with double wings and the maple leaf symbolizing a career in full flight together with potential for future growth.
Certainly these gold double wings are a reflection of the role of women as the ‘Wind Beneath Canada's Wings’ of enterprise and business, in a modern world! |
