Here’s How It’s Done: First-hand Stories From Enterprising Women In Manitoba Women's Enterprise Centre of Manitoba

“As a young woman wanting to be in the outdoor industry, there was always this sense of not quite belonging, and I didn't necessarily put my finger on it until I realized that everyone who was teaching me how to do the things were men… There was always this feeling of, am I good enough? And also, this feeling of who's my role model? I can't find them.” - Lise BrownLise Brown was in her early 20s when she set out to find year round work in outdoor adventures in Winnipeg. And it didn’t take her...

“Sometimes I wish I could just plunge in and just go big, you know, I see some companies are younger than [mine] and they're making millions. But then at the end of the day, I always say I like to baby-step it. I need to digest every moment. So then it doesn't get out of control.”Andréanne Dandeneau is the founder and CEO of Anne Mulaire. Her company designs, makes, and sews award-winning, eco-conscious fashion wear, inspired by her Métis heritage. That all happens right here in Winnip...

What do you think of when you hear the term ‘side hustle?’ The first thing that might come to mind is someone who has a 9 to 5 job and starts an enterprise in their spare time, with the aim of making the leap to full-time business as soon as possible. But there are lots of other reasons that people start a side hustle -- to test out a business idea to see if it has legs, make some money on the side, or simply because there’s something they really want to have but no one is selling it.“For me ...

Lourdes Still is the first to admit it’s a winding road that landed her in business. She’s gone from big-city living in the Philippines to rural life in south-eastern Manitoba. From growing flowers on the balcony of her city apartment to launching Masagana Flower Farm & Studio. There’s no doubt that it takes ambition and a lot of hard work to run a sustainable small scale flower farm in Manitoba’s short growing season, but Lourdes faces her challenges with a mindset of abundance, and a he...

You’ve got to be a bit of a risk taker to launch your own business. And that wasn’t Lucy Sloan. “I was that person that had the strict budget. I had a savings for when I was gonna have a child….I had that perfect score at the banks. And so I had everything kind of in control. And I liked that.” Then eight years ago, a fall down the stairs upended her entire life. She had no choice but to give up that sense of control. “I think that actually played a big part in becoming an entrepreneur ...

“I started because I wanted to do something different. And I wanted to change the way things were being done. And also bringing out new products that I haven't seen in Winnipeg. It seems like a lot of people wanted it.” - Laura Gurbhoo, owner of Gâto BakeryLaura Gurbhoo grew up in the tiny African island nation of Mauritius, with a fascination with chemistry and a family that loved to cook together. She headed to Winnipeg to study with her sights on becoming a pharmacist, but baking was alway...