Women entrepreneurs from New Brunswick recently hosted a pop-up shop at Regent Mall in Fredericton. Held on Sunday, September 29th, the event showcased a variety of local women+ vendors, including Indigenous entrepreneurs, with 50% of the spots reserved for them. Shoppers had the chance to explore handmade crafts, fashion, beauty products, and more, celebrating creativity, inclusion, and community spirit.
Twenty-five vendors, representing around 40 entrepreneurs from across New Brunswick, displayed their products at the free event inside Fredericton’s Regent Mall. The initiative was led by Women in Business New Brunswick, a non-profit dedicated to addressing barriers to women’s advancement and promoting gender equality. The organization provides innovative and inclusive services to help current and aspiring women entrepreneurs reach their full potential.
“We help women who are either already in business, or want to be in business,” said Rebecca Preston, director of Women in Business New Brunswick. “We offer training, mentorship, and one-on-one counselling to women who want to see their business dreams progress.”
According to Preston, the goal of the non-profit organization is to provide support at every stage of a woman entrepreneur’s journey.
“Women entrepreneurs often face additional barriers in terms of finding financing for their businesses,” she said.” We also see that women often have a much higher load in terms of family responsibilities.”
The showcase featured a variety of local, artisan products and services, including beaded dream catchers crafted by Alyssa Green, who has been beading for nearly 20 years. Each dream catcher took around 22 hours to make. Green expressed excitement about the opportunity to display her work, calling it a “big deal.” The non-profit organization behind the event aimed to give entrepreneurs a high-traffic space for their products and foster peer-to-peer networking.
“We’re all here to support each other in a safe space,” said Nacole Charlie, Women in Business New Brunswick’s Indigenous development officer. “It’s nice to see other women helping other women. There’s a way, there’s support, we’re here to listen, we’re here to learn with you, and we can all do it. We can all have a piece of the economy.”
Source: CTV News
