Federal money to help women grow businesses in P.E.I.

Female entrepreneurs on P.E.I. who have already started a business nowhave some extra help to grow and expand their companies.

The P.E.I. Business Women's Association has received $485,000 in federal fundingunder the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, under the Atlantic Canadian Women in Business Growth Partnership.

The money will be used to help businesses that are less than five years oldexplore export opportunities nationally and internationally, andwill be the first time women's business groups in the Atlantic provinces will to work together to create a program for women business owners.

"We're absolutely thrilled,"saidMargaret Magner, theexecutive director of thePEIBWA. "We're really upping the game for all the businesswomen in Atlantic Canada but we're particularly thrilled about what we're doing here."

'Pretty lonely'

"I think it's just brilliant that they are bringing all of the other provinces together so we can learn from each other, network from each other and support each other,"said Melanie Wildman, who is the founder of Nutracelle, a Stratford-based companythat produces a prebiotic protein powder.

"Alot of times when you're an entrepreneur you can feel pretty lonely."

Wildman said it took her three years of development before getting herproduct on the market. She said she found itinvaluable to buildrelationships with other female entrepreneurs who were also in the early stages ofbusiness development.

"It's exciting to get to chat with other female entrepreneurs that are in different stages of their journey," Wildman explained. "Sometimes I'm learning from them, sometimes I'm mentoring. But it makes for a way more powerful economic base in the Maritimes."

'Extra help'

Through this project, the association will help develop a six-month training program to help women business owners scale up their companiesand strengthen their management skills,market identification opportunities, exporting and human resources.

"All of those things that they really do need some extra help with," said Magner.

The association will also encourage diversity by working with newcomers to P.E.I., Indigenous women, rural woman and women with disabilities, Magner said.

This week's funding comes on the heels of arecent announcementthat women in rural P.E.I. will soon have a new business centre in Central Bedeque to help start or grow their company.

That centre received $500,000 from the federal and provincial governments. It's expected to be open by the fall.

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