APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN! Calling All Dreamers. Click Here to Apply. Applications close on May 31st 2024
At #SheaMoisture, we’re all about championing Black female-owned businesses and founders who are paving their own career paths on their own terms.
We’re excited to open applications for the 2024 Dream Fund grant, offering $10k grant and personalized coaching & mentoring sessions to 5 entrepreneurs. If you’re a Black female-identifying small business owner who is resilient, innovative, and creating a wave of change in the community in Canada, this is for you! 🚀
Click Here to Apply. Applications close on May 31st 2024
A very Happy and Blessed Easter to all. Easter is all about RISING. REBIRTH. HEALING. GLORY. REDEMPTION. FREEDOM FROM FEAR. DEFEATING DEATH. LIVING BEYOND THE NOW. UNCONDITIONAL AGAPE LOVE. AN AWAKENING.
The following inspirational piece was shared with me by a really great mentor and sister-friend some time ago and thought I’d share it with you all. I share this piece during pivotal seasons and celebrations – Easter, Christmas, New Year, Birthdays, International Women’s Day etc., …..because I believe that we all need a reminder of the wisdom that flows from this message. It is a beautiful, reflective piece that aligns with the concept of constantly growing and evolving, and being ‘Whole’.
It en-capsules the moment of truth for everyone in general, and for women in particular. I’d like to refer to it as the journey of ‘arriving at your own doorstep’; ‘a true awakening of self’….If you are already in the ‘zone’ or ‘realm’ of awakening, welcome to a sometimes turbulent, and yet transformative, beautiful and serene plane. And if you’re still on that path, be brave to embrace your journey because there is such grace and beauty on the other side.
Enjoy and be inspired!
THE AWAKENING Author Unknown June 24, 2010
A time comes in your life when you finally get it…when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out – ENOUGH! Enough of the fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world through new eyes.
This is your awakening.
You realize it’s time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change…or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that neither of you is Prince Charming or Cinderella and that in the real world there aren’t always fairy tale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of “happily ever after” must begin with you…and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.
You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are … and that’s OK. They are entitled to their own views and opinions. And you learn the importance of loving and championing yourself…and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval. You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you (or didn’t do for you) and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected. You learn that people don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and that it’s not always about you. So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself…and in the process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.
You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties…And in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness. You realize that much of the way you view yourself, and the world around you, is as a result of all the messages and opinions that have been ingrained into your psyche. And you begin to sift through all the junk you’ve been fed about how you should behave, how you should look, how much you should weigh, what you should wear, what you should do for a living, how much money you should make, what you should drive, how and where you should live, who you should marry, the importance of having and raising children, and what you owe your parents, family, and friends.
You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for. You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you’ve outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with … and in the process you learn to go with your instincts. You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive. And that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a “consumer” looking for your next fix. You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life. You learn that you don’t know everything, it’s not your job to save the world and that you can’t teach a pig to sing. You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO.
You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that martyrs get burned at the stake. Then you learn about love; How to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving and when to walk away. You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be. You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. And you learn that alone does not mean lonely. You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over and ignoring your needs. You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK….and that it is your right to want things and to ask for the things you want … and that sometimes it is necessary to make demands. You come to the realization that you deserve to be treated with love, kindness, sensitivity and respect and you won’t settle for less.
And you learn that your body really is your temple. And you begin to care for it and treat it with respect. You begin to eat a balanced diet, drink more water, and take more time to exercise. You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty and so you take more time to rest. And, just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul. So you take more time to laugh and to play. You learn that, for the most part, you get in life what you believe you deserve…and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy. You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is different than working toward making it happen. More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance. You also learn that no one can do it all alone…and that it’s OKAY to risk asking for help.
You learn the only thing you must truly fear is the greatest robber baron of all: FEAR itself. You learn to step right into and through your fears because you know that whatever happens, you can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your own terms. And you learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom. You learn that life isn’t always fair, you don’t always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people. On these occasions you learn not to personalize things. You learn that God isn’t punishing you or failing to answer your prayers. It’s just life happening.
And you learn to deal with evil in its most primal state – the ego. You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you. You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls. You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower. Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever settle for less than your heart’s desire. And you hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind. And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility. Finally, with courage in your heart and your Creator by your side you take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life you want to live as best you can.
Remember, you are not ordinary, you are EXTRA-ordinary! You are un-breakable! You are worthy, whole, deserving, enough and complete as you are.
BOF & BCFC Grant and B3 Capacity Building Program applications are now open!
Black Opportunity Fund (BOF) is pleased to be launching a grant and capacity building program for Canadian Black-led, Black-serving, and Black-focused nonprofits and charities, in partnership with the Black Canadian Fundraisers Collective (BCFC).
This 8-month program is designed to provide Black-focused, Black-led, Black-serving nonprofits and charities, with funding and capacity development support that positions them to collaborate, lead and deliver community-determined solutions that effectively address identified community priorities and needs.
This pilot initiative is made possible through funding commitments from the TD Ready Commitment @td_canada and the @RBC Foundation. BOF is pleased to be partnering with BCFC and delivery partners Imagine Canada, Management Advisory Services (MAS) and the International Coaching Federation, Vancouver Chapter.
This BOF/BCFC grant and Capacity Building Program is national in scope, involving the selection of twenty-five B3 organizations from across Canada, delivering initiatives in one or more of BOF priority areas. The program funding has been secured from philanthropic organizations – United Way Halifax, and The Toronto Foundation, to prioritize the participation of fifteen B3 organizations selected specifically from three communities (Halifax Regional Municipality and East Hants; the Greater Toronto Area; and Windsor-Essex County) in the pilot.
All organizations selected will receive $20,000 in funding to allocate according to their charitable purposes, operational and program needs. In addition, organizations selected to participate in the pilot will receive coaching support from certified professional Black coaches and access to mandatory training in key areas of nonprofit management. All applicants will have access to specifically curated online resources covering relevant topics critical in building and maintaining healthy, adaptable, and community-responsive organizations.
Applications are open from Monday, March 25, 2024, and will close on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at 11:59 PM EST.
For more details on how to apply, please visit this website:
The Rise Up Womens+ Pitch Competition, co-founded by the Black Business and Professional Association, The Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH), Diversity Institute, and Casa Foundation, with support from the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), Loblaw Companies Limited, Hydro One, Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), The Globe and Mail, and City of Brampton, is dedicated to enabling the success of Black women in business.
Don’t miss your chance to showcase your business idea, compete for $10,000, and join a supportive community of fellow entrepreneurs.
Take your entrepreneurial journey to new heights! Sign up by April 6 to learn more.
Click on this website link to begin your application process.
Why Participate in the Pitch Competition:
1. Seize the opportunity to win thousands of dollars and gain access to invaluable mentorship opportunities. 2. Present your business idea or established venture to a distinguished panel of judges. 3. Elevate your entrepreneurial journey with exposure, recognition, and potential funding. 4. Connect and network with like-minded Black women entrepreneurs, both aspiring and accomplished.
Sign up by Saturday, April 6 , 2024 to learn more.
Attend the TAKE YOUR FIRST TRADE CHALLENGE from April 15 to April 19th, 2024 by ordering your ticket here.
Attention all ambitious women ready to take control of their financial future: Join Terri Ijeoma for the TAKE YOUR FIRST TRADE 5-Day Challenge LIVE, happening April 15-19 at 7pm CT each night.
Don’t let time constraints, busy schedules, or other commitments hold you back from this transformative opportunity. Learn how to invest in the S&P 500 and unlock the path to financial empowerment. Plus, with a VIP upgrade, gain access to replays in case you can’t make it every day. Seize this chance to elevate your financial literacy and secure your place in the world of investing. Reserve your spot now and pave the way to a brighter financial tomorrow!
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EVENT: ➤ 5 Days of LIVE Lessons: Daily Training From Teri Ijeoma held LIVE each night in order to buy and sell your first stock by the end of the week so you can start making income ($997 Value).
➤ Powerful Speeches by FIVE Remarkable Guest Speakers: Experience daily breakthrough from phenomenal figures like Anthony O’Neal, Robert Hartwell, Rachel Rodgers, Tiffany Aliche, and Dr. Darnyelle Jervey Harmon, who will turn your limiting beliefs into an everlasting source of inspiration and motivation.
➤ Live Q&A Access: Get answers to common questions and have the opportunity to have your burning questions answered by Teri and the speakers.
➤ Welcome to The Family: Connect with like-minded individuals who have also chosen to invest in themselves and those who are a few steps ahead. Delve into their stories for personal lessons, and discover the possibilities of what investing can do for you.
➤ Secure Payment: All orders are through a very secure network. Your credit card information is never stored in any way. We respect your privacy and ensure all transactions are PCI Compliant.
Teri Ijeoma began her professional career working in education and non-profits. When she started trading stocks 13 years ago, she initially saw it as an opportunity to supplement her income. However, she was so successful with this side hustle that in 2017, she decided to quit her job, travel the world, and begin trading full-time. While traveling, Teri was constantly asked to show others how she was successfully trading in the stock market. She set up and taught her first class in Thailand, her second in Vietnam, and had a fully-fledged curriculum created by the time she returned to the States. Teri now offers an online curriculum that shares her investing strategies with people all over the world. She also partners with organizations and companies to train and empower individuals to achieve financial freedom and build wealth through investing.
Teri received her bachelor’s degree in Management Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and her masters in Media and Communication from Dallas Theological Seminary. She was named 2018 Entrepreneur of the Year by National Black MBA Association, and was the Grand Champion of Teachable’s 2019 Creator Challenge. You can reach her on instagram @teriijeoma and @tradeandtravel, or at http://www.itradeandtravel.com
“Arlan Hamilton is an investor (a venture catalyst), who launched a $20M+ Fund from scratch while homeless! She has invested in 200+ companies led by underrepresented, underestimated founders. She is the author of the book – IT’S ABOUT DAMN TIME, and the host of the popular visual podcast, YOUR FIRST MILLION. She was also the first non-celebrity Black woman to grace the cover of Fast Company magazine. She and her mother (Earline Butler Sims), have committed $1 Million to scholarships and grants since 2019. Arlan’s online school, Arlan’s Academy has approximately 25,000 across 30+ courses.” | Source: https://arlansacademy.com
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Arlan Hamilton’s latest book – YOUR FIRST MILLION is one of our 12 picks at WWN Book Club for our 90-Day Challenge – A 12-week Transformational, Experiential, Expansive and Total Immersion Coaching Program towards a Healthier, Happier, Wealthier, Whole You! The first quarterly challenge is from January 2 to March 31, 2024. The 90-Day Coaching Challenge includes:
➤ Weekly Live & Virtual Sessions with different subject matter experts; certified leadership/human potential coaches, business coaches/entrepreneurship consultants, professionals in women’s physical/mental health, licensed wealth management advisors etc.
➤ Recommendations to a curated list of transformative, pragmatic and impactful Masterclass sessions e.g Your First Million Masterclassby Arlan Hamilton
➤ Community-based Savings and Investment Groups, Book Club Discussions, Social Events, Wellness Events/Activities, In-person Conferences, & so much more!
Fee: $597.00 (For Members of WWN); $997 (For Non-Members).
Enrolment for the next 90-Day Coaching Program (April 1 to June 30), opens on March 25th! Subscribe to WWN blog for updates.
“You will be the same person in 5 years as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read.” — Charlie Tremendous Jones
See below for the list of recommended books for our current 90-day challenge.
BOOK RECOMMENDATION FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2024:
WEEK 1: Book 10📚 📖 📙 WE SHOULD ALL BE MILLIONAIRES: A Woman’s Guide to Earning More, Building Wealth, & Gaining Economic Power, By Rachel Rodgers |
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BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2024:
WEEKS 4: Book 9📚 📖 📙 – THE GARDEN WITHIN By Dr. Anita Phillips
WEEKS 3: Book 8📚 📖 📙 – UNTIL I AM FREE: Fannie Lou Hamer’s Enduring Message to America by Keisha N. Blain
WEEKS 2: Book 7📚 📖 📙 – GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUNDS By Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen, Camilla Falkenberg, and Emma Due Bitz
WEEK 1: Book 6📚 📖 📙 – REST IS RESISTANCE: A MANIFESTO By Tricia Hersey
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BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2024:
WEEKS 4-5: Book 4 and 5 📚 📖 📙 – MADE WHOLE and GET GOOD WITH MONEY by Tiffany Alichie | @thebudgetnista
WEEK 3: Book 3 📚 📖 📙 – SMART WOMEN FINISH RICH (Canadian Edition) by David Bach | @davidlbach
WEEK 2: Book 2 📚 📖 – YOUR FIRST MILLION by Arlan Hamilton | @arlanwashere
WEEK 1: Book 1 📖 – ATOMIC HABITS by James Clear
P.S: Are you interested in attending the inaugural live conference – YOUR FIRST MILLION LIVE in LA, USA, happening from April 9 – 12, 2024? Then register today and order your tickets here!
❝Every woman should have a purse of her own.❞ — Susan B. Anthony
❝For women, financial independence is a matter of necessity.❞ — Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, President, Charles Schwab Foundation
Why Financial Literacy+Resilience For Women? The prevailing socio-economic-political climate makes financial literacy more relevant than ever.
One can argue that Financial well-being is critical to achieving an integrated, healthy, fulfilling and harmonious life.
This is because financial stress could easily affect other areas such as; self-worth, coping ability and resilience, mental health, physical, spiritual and socio-emotional well-being.
There are many reasons why financial literacy for women is very important, and here are my top fifteen:
1. Overall issues of good health, mental and emotional well-being among women.
A popular axiom says that ‘Health is Wealth.’ This holds true now more than ever, especially with the recent findings in quantum mechanics and behavioural-social-neuro-science which shows the connections between mind-body-spirit.
Financial stress, especially when internalized for extended periods of time, has been proven to reduce the body’s natural immune system and compromises our susceptibility to various diseases and conditions.
Stress management has become a focal point in achieving work-life integration for women. And the #1 stressor among households in North America remains financial stress (Source: Vanier Institute for the family, 2014).
According to FSCO, as they grow older, women have a higher probability of getting a disability than men. Women also tend to have a disability or injury for longer periods of time than men.
2. Increasing life expectancy among women.
According to Statistics Canada, women outlive men by an average of 8 years. At some point in their lives, women would be solely responsible for their financial decisions. It may be due to the loss of a spouse, or even through divorce, separation etc. They have to start early to develop skills that will serve them well much later in life.
3. It affects the quality of your relationships (One of the most commonly cited reason for divorces in North America is financial incompatibility).
According to the Huffington Post, the No. 1 reason marriages end in divorce: Money problems. A strong financial background by each party in a relationship, with respect to budgeting, debt management, wealth creation and saving, fosters better communication, reduces the burden of stress on either partner, increases the chances of achieving joint and individual goals and invariably creates healthier relationships, overall.
Furthermore, in any given relationship, the skill set of both parties contribute to make the relationship stronger. Women who are financially savvy, bring their skills to the table and this makes for better choices and decisions for the unit as a whole.
A healthy financial relationship between couples enhances the overall quality of the relationship, because rather than fight or quarrel over finances, ‘money talk’ simply becomes a regular part of their ‘pillow talk!’
It is important to note that it is not merely about couples having a lot of money, rather it is more about have healthy and aligned values and goals about their finances and also having a respectful, resourceful and open attitude to money matters.
4. Trans-generational wealth transfer.
A sound Financial knowledge is critical for those women who receive any form of inheritance from their parents or grand-parents. There is an enormous amount of inter-generational wealth transfer to women (as widows, children, and care-takers).
5. Wage Differentials and less time span spent by women in the work force.
On average, women earn less than men for the same job descriptions, titles and/or functions. According to a report by Time Magazine in 2014, women are still earning less than men and this wage gap exists even in women-dominated jobs.
According to new research by Wells Fargo in 2014, college-educated millennial men made $20,000 more per year than women with the same education level. The median annual income for millennial men was $83,000, while women made only $63,000. According to statistics Canada and the Colour of poverty factsheet 2019, overall, racialized women earn 32% less at work.
Furthermore, women tend to spend less time in the workforce due to breaks from their career for life events such as maternity, child care, parental care etc. This necessitates that more emphasis should be on creating savings/investments vehicles to compensate for the gaps discussed above.
This is particularly significant when you consider that generally, when compared to men, women tend to have many routine (and unique) wants, needs and activities that require money and reflect directly on their self confidence/image. Some examples: grooming (menstrual health hygiene products, manicure/pedicure, hair and makeup/clothing, cosmetics, cosmetic surgery etc.)
6. Women are increasingly becoming more educated than men.
This leads to more opportunities but invariably also means women are acquiring high debt loads via student loans. Financial Literacy is key to managing these debts so they do not lead to poor health and high stress levels, thus wiping off the gains of a good education/career.
7. Social consciousness among women to give back to the community.
There is an increasing need to volunteer, make charitable donations and contribute to the society. This is particularly common among the 40+ demographic. This need for fulfillment, connection and commitment to good causes can be achieved with a knowledge of wealth creation and management as it helps to provide the flexibility, time-freedom and resources needed. You cannot give what you do not have.
8. Managing the different life stages: widowhood, divorce/separation, single parenthood, empty-nesting…
A sound financial base is becoming increasingly important in order to successfully navigate the complex nature of the present family structures and life-cycles. There are more single parent household more than ever in our history and the corresponding challenges also need to be addressed. According to the Women`s Legal Action Education Fund, the percentage of single-parent families, headed by women who live in poverty in North America is 52%!
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9. More women are becoming primary breadwinners in their families.
The harsh economic climate and changing labour markets, have led to a reversal of traditional financial roles in many households. New money management skills and resources are necessary to adapt effectively to these evolving family dynamics. The future of work, technology, labour mobility, remote work, and migration are also creating new opportunities for more women.
10. More women are choosing self employment/entrepreneurship as career paths.
Women who operate in the fluctuating entrepreneurial or independent contract environment calls for a different mindset and set of money management skills when compared to the more stable 9-to-5 corporate world.
11. Due to increasing life expectancy, more women are now in the ‘sandwich generation.’
A lot of women are now primary care-givers for both their immediate families and also for their parents and grand-parents. The financial stress and challenges associated with wearing these multiple hats are enormous.
12. Lack of a systematic financial literacy culture.
No one is immune to bad money habits. As women become more educated and successful, there is the danger of also acquiring more debts and responsibilities. And if this exists within a society where most household debts are at an all time high, financial insecurity and instability become the norm, even among college-educated and professional women.
13. A need to create awareness for holistic behavioural changes.
Women are often the primary nurturers and are critical in shaping the characters of children. A sound foundation of financial literacy among women would enhance the general societal culture and help leave a legacy of sound financial culture to upcoming generations. A holistic financial literacy program is necessary to create the society of our dreams where accountability, responsibility, resiliency and integrity are key.
14. The intersections between economic independence and sexual/gender based/domestic violence.
In the past, it has often been assumed that financial Literacy and independence among women reduces the possibility and extent of abuse in relationships. And that in cases where intimate partner violence and domestic abuse occur, women with a healthy financial awareness and means are often better positioned to explore and exercise healthier options – seek, afford and access professional help, divorce, resources to use legal means to fight for child custody).
However, it is critical to point out that new research and several studies show that this is a catch-22 for women – On one hand, poverty and poor financial literacy make women vulnerable to domestic abuse (limits the options of leaving the relationship), on the other hand, out-earning your partner also makes you subject to abuse, and it can exacerbate it. And financial dependence is just one of many complex factors that create barriers to women leaving abusive relationships.
“Multiple pathways operate, in opposite directions, at the same time – increased financial independence allows a woman to negotiate change within (or leave) an abusive relationship, but is also perceived by her partner as a threat to his status as provider.” Refer to these reports for more reading –
“Within two months of the pandemic’s onset, 1.5 million women in Canada had lost their jobs. This is more than the entire population of Greater Ottawa. And while a similar number of men also became unemployed, they managed to return to the workforce much more quickly than women.
For many women, what started as a temporary hiatus from work is now permanent, with women’s participation in the labour force dropping from an all-time high to the lowest level since the mid-1980s.
In the health-care sector, the pressures on women are exponential. Women make up about 80 per cent of our health-care system. More than 90 per cent of nurses in Canada are women, and the same is true of personal support workers, care aides and many other disciplines. Three-quarters of our respiratory therapists are women and so are 80 per cent of lab staff.
The disproportionate impact of this pandemic on women and racialized communities is putting our country on a troubling backward trajectory. We are all collectively responsible for challenging the status quo to ensure that women are not only part of, but at the forefront of, our country’s post-pandemic recovery.”
Investing in women, in the political, socio-cultural and economic needs of women is critical to a sustainable post-pandemic recovery. Financial literacy and wholeness should become a key core component of this recovery.
(Sources: Vanier Institute for the family, Statistics Canada, Canadian Human Mortality Database, TD Economics, Women`s Legal Action Education Fund, Wells Fargo, TIME Magazine, Huffington Post, Colour of Poverty Factsheet 2019).
Overwhelmed and wondering where to start?
Take these next steps:
1. Get a copy of: Gail Vaz-Oxlade`s book `It’s Your Money: Becoming A Woman Of Independent Means;` James Clear’s “Atomic habits”; Maria Nemeth’s book ‘The Energy of Money;’ and George Samuel Clason’s ‘The Richest Man in Babylon.’
2. Read the book and identify 3 tips/strategies that are most relevant to your situation.
3. Apply these tips in your life and track your progress. (If possible, find an accountability buddy and/or an online or offline community focused on financial literacy & wholeness, wealth creation), so you do this as part of a team or community, and these groups help to keep members on track).
*Join the Whole WoMan Network Community. We are currently creating another distinct entity (Whole Women Network Worker Co-op), under a worker cooperative model, and our membership portal opens up on January 15, 2024! Is today the day you begin to take empowered and aligned action towards a Happier, Healthier, Sexier, Wealthier , Whole YOU!
*Join us for a series of weekly and quarterly Experiential Financial Literacy, Empowerment and Leadership Training Seminars, Webinars and Audio Podcasts: Every Friday at 7 pm EST: FICO FRIDAYS (Bit.ly/FicoFridays); Every Sunday at 7:00 pm EST: SUSU SUNDAYS (Bit.ly/SusuSundays) and our 90-Day Transformational Coaching Challenge Bootcamp (the first challenge began on January 2, and runs until March 31, 2024). Follow us on Instagram for more details on how to register.
P.S: If you read through this long post, you deserve a reward! Do drop us a comment below or send us a DM on Instagramfor a chance to receive an amazon/uber/indigo gift card!
Our team at Whole Woman Network is very excited to congratulate the entire management and staff at #Woveo for successfully raising $2.3M in seed funding! We also extend our huge appreciation to all the investors and partners of Woveo!🎉
Whole Woman Network is proud to be one of the key organizations/communities collaboaring with Woveo, in using the digital rotating group savings and credit association model (ROSCA), to enhance the financial literacy/confidence , and overall financial security of Canadians. Learn more about Whole Woman Network’s digital ROSCA+ program offered via the Woveo Platform by reading the FAQs here. To join our ROSCA+ group on Woveo, click here.
Read more about Woveo’s seed funding success in the announcement below:
Woveo, a Canadian Lenders Association member, has secured $2.3 million in seed funding to revolutionize short-term credit options for non-prime consumers. This new capital injection brings Woveo’s total financing to $3.8 million, following its initial pre-seed round of $1.5 million last September. The latest funding round includes new and returning investors, BKR Capital, Relay Ventures, Northpine Foundation, and others.
A recent study conducted by Chief Risk Officers at the Canadian Lenders Association revealed that over 8 million Canadians in the non-prime sector face considerable challenges in accessing affordable credit. Many are either entirely excluded from the credit market or subjected to high Annual Percentage Rates (APR). Woveo’s innovative community wallet is designed specifically to address the needs of this underbanked demographic.
The landscape of lending in Canada has undergone a significant shift following the government’s decision to reduce the maximum allowable interest rates from 47% to 35%. This regulatory change has opened up substantial opportunities for alternative credit solutions like Woveo’s, aimed at easing the burden of borrowing costs. Currently, up to 6.7 million Canadians borrow at APRs at the maximum rate.
Woveo’s suite of services includes group savings, credit-building programs, credit score monitoring in partnership with Equifax, and cash advances. The company has made remarkable strides, working with 23 communities serving 18,000 members. “Utilizing a rotating group savings model, Woveo has achieved an impressive 100% repayment rate, demonstrating the effectiveness of our approach,” says Jonah Chininga, Woveo’s Co-founder and CEO.
Woveo, headquartered in Calgary, is a leading fintech company dedicated to redefining the financial landscape for non-prime consumers. With a focus on community-based banking, Woveo offers group rotating savings, credit building and short-term credit access. Visit Woveo’s website to learn more about their vision, values, products and services.
The Stacy’s Rise Project™ is a program committed to empowering and supporting women entrepreneurs on their paths to establishing a successful business through funding, mentorship, and community. At Stacy’s, our mission is to #HelpWomenRiseCA.
Inspired by our own roots as a woman-founded company, the Stacy’s Rise Project™ was launched in the U.S in 2019. The program has connected thousands of women entrepreneurs and provided over $1,000,000 in funding in addition to resources and mentoring to elevate the leaders that help our communities thrive. There are approximately 1.1 million women entrepreneurs in Canada1, but many of these women face barriers to proper funding and mentorship, which limits professional growth.
We invite women entrepreneurs to take part in this groundbreaking program by clicking the link below to apply. We want to help you expand your network, get press, find new customers, financing, and more. Plus, you could be featured in Stacy’s® advertising. Join us, and be found.
Last month, Whole Woman Network had one of its seminar series hosted by Lorraine Powell, Certified Personal Chef and Cooking School Co-ordinator at Loblaws Great Foods. The guest speaker was Rowena, a registered dietician and in store nutritionist for Loblaws Great Foods. For those of you who missed this fun and insightful meet-up, here are some simple tips and ideas she shared with the group on forming Healthy Eating Habits towards a Healthier Life:
HealthyEating #1: Having Coffee on an empty stomach is NOT a good idea!
HealthyEating #2: Do you love Peanut Butter? Choose those made with All Natural Roasted Peanuts. Also try SunFlower/ HazelNut/Avocado Butter!
HealthyEating #3: Want a good source of Probiotic to keep your digestive track super healthy? Try KEFIR (Tip: Mix 3 tsp w 1 cup of yoghurt)
HealthyEating #4: Your body needs at least 1500mg of OMEGA-3 (It is great for the optimal development of brain, helps boost skin radiance and also helps to lower cholesterol). Wild salmon and fish oil are great sources!
HealthyEating #5: Did you know that women in the 40 – 65 years age demographic (pretty much the age bracket of most WWN members), need at least 25g of fibres per day? Where are you getting your fibre from?
HealthyEating #6: Why should you consider Quinoa as part of your diet? Its 100% proteins and gives the same full feeling as eating white carbohydrates! A good alternative is Breadfruit (Ukwa).
HealthyEating #7: Looking for something crunchy and healthy 2 snack on? Try Celery Sticks! some fun tidbit: Celery’s almost 100% fibre!
HealthyEating #8: Some healthy cereal options – Barbara’s PUFFINS (Original/Cinnamon flavors) and All Bran Flakes (Mix it up with All Bran Sticks).
HealthyEating #9: Want to lose or maintain your weight? Then each serving of cereal you eat should have less than 6g of sugar.
HealthyEating #10: Best Tip for today – Get yourself some Kale. You may steam it, eat it uncooked (salad) or as Kale chips (baked with a dash of olive oil).
HealthyEating #11: Did you know that even though KALE has similar anti-oxidants content as most veggies, it has the advantage of also having MORE calcium.
HealthyEating #12: A high fibre breakfast is a great and healthy way to kick start your day!
HealthyEating #13: Interested in weight management? Then make it a habit to have your breakfast within 30-45 mins of waking up.
HealthyEating #14: A healthy alternative to regular noodles? Try SHIRATAKI noodles (Found in most asian/organic grocery stores).
#HealthyEating #16: Did you know that 2 teaspoons of sugar = Approx 2 slices of bread?
HealthyEating #17: In order of Healthiest to least healthiest breads: 1) Whole Grain (Best option) 2) Multi Grain 3) Whole Wheat 4) White Bread!
HealthyEating #18: One of the healthiest whole grain bread choice is the Stone milled bread variety.
HealthyEating #19: A good guide to healthy eating? Try to eat foods with more colours-the more vibrant the better! Think tomatoes, red peppers, blue berries, celery, carrots etc Avoid too much ‘Whites’ because they are high in carbs and pretty much turn into sugars.
HealthyEating #20: Too much of everything is bad. For example, too much watermelon is NOT a good for your body because of the sugar content.
Beyond and above these great tips and ideas shared by Rowena, here are some practical guiding principles on Holistic Health & Weight Management as espoused by the wonderful women of WWN community:
➤ Learn to love who you are now and who you are dreaming of becoming;
➤ Incorporate a physical activity or exercise routine at home, or a number of routines at the gym;
➤ As best as you can, avoid eating late into the night, and always have a healthy snack(s) handy to assuage hunger pangs in between meals;
➤ Practice mindful grocery shopping, mindful eating and mindful resting i.e. be aware of what, when, where and how you eat. Be present! Make it a fun, thankful, celebratory, meaningful, sensual and spiritually-conscious exercise;
➤ Have clarity about your WHY! Why do you want to be healthy? Find the connections between your reasons and your bigger purpose, passions and path in life;
➤ Then, articulate and write down the little steps you will take to achieve your goals (WWN Coaching Program, “90-Day to a Healthier, Happier, Sexier, Wealthier, Whole YOU” includes a Quantum Goal Setting and Goal Getting session with a professional coach);
➤ Get together with people that share your goals and be accountable to each other. Celebrate all your wins, small and big and reward yourselves for taking aligned, consistent and positive ACTIONS;
➤ Take baby steps, the idea here is not to change overnight or go on a crash diet but rather to gradually ease into healthier lifestyle one day at a time;
➤ Do NOT diet. It never works in the long-term and may even make the situation worse. Look at the first three letter of the word (Die)t. Get the clue? Focus more on behavioural and lifestyle changes, take it a day at a time.
Ladies, at Whole Woman Network, your dress sizes are not S(small), M(medium), L(large) or XL(extra large). Your authentic selves are sized: S(sexy/sensual), M(magnificent/majestic), L (luscious/lovely), XL (extra ‘look-at-me-i’m gorgeous’)! Take your pick!
Our next 90-Day Coaching Program kicks off on January 2, 2024. Subscribe to WWN Blog to receive notifications for registration. Fee: $597.00 (For Members) and $997 (For Non-Members). Congratulations to all participants of the cureent 90-Day Coaching Program (October 1 to December 31)!
African Women in Leadership | Community Savings Programs – Also referred to as Esusu, Ajo, Susu, Chama, or ROSCA (Rotating Savings and Credit Associations)
“Community savings groups have been shown to be more effective where women are in the majority as savers and savings group managers. Community savings also helps the whole community to mobilize, not just individual savers or savings groups, and to develop citywide and national federations.
Sheila’s story (captured below), like that of many other women leaders from other country federations, is testimony to how community savings not only meets the material needs of the individual woman but transcends the mere function of providing finance.
By creating a savings discipline that works for women, community savings opens the space for women to connect with each other within their community and with women in other communities in the city. From addressing their individual needs, women begin to identify their collective issues and seek collective solutions to the more difficult issues of their existence in the city, most of all to stop evictions and negotiate for basic services and a secure home for themselves and their children.”
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Sheila Magare, a community leader of the Zimbabwe Homeless People’s Federation, recounts how savings helped them transcend their situation and change it:
“When I started attending the savings meetings myself, I began to understand that I had the power to improve my life. I did not want to live the same life of poverty my mother lived. I joined a savings group in my neighbourhood and started saving with others. However, we did not trust each other and we were not giving each other loans from these savings. We were more interested in having a bank account. After all, the majority of us had never had a bank account of our own.
Other groups in SDI encouraged us to give each other loans. We tried it by giving a loan to women in our group who wanted to buy and sell grain. The women did not repay the loan. This increased our mistrust. Other savers from other country federations encouraged us to trust each other again and get loans so that we could start to benefit from these savings. We gave another loan to another group of women and like the first group they did not repay the loan. We continued to draw lessons from this and ultimately we devised systems of lending so that the loans would be repaid.
I started getting small loans as well from the group to improve my vending business and I repaid the loans. I then joined other members of the group and got a big loan and we started a collective business of buying and selling snacks [in] our vegetable markets. This was a huge success and we never looked back. The profits from the business were used to buy building materials for houses even though we were landless.
We used our savings booklets as evidence of the capacity of the poor to save and to collectively build their own houses. Armed with our savings records, we engaged the city of Harare to allocate us land to build houses. The officials were surprised by how much we had saved. We earned their respect. In turn, they changed their conditions for registering on the municipal waiting list for accommodation. Anyone who did not have a pay slip was required by the municipality to join a savings scheme and use their savings record in lieu of a pay slip to register. Even though it took us five years, the city eventually allocated us land to build houses.
Using the same method, we started talking to national government ministers as well. Our message was simple – that we were slum dwellers but we were not hopeless. We wanted government to change the policies that make it difficult for the poor to live decently in towns. We wanted the government to give us money to add to our savings. That way more poor people can have decent homes and safe water to drink and proper toilets.
Mayors and government ministers in Zimbabwe now know me by name because with other federation leaders we never get tired of fighting for other poor families. I am now a very confident woman, and by sharing ideas with other savers and visiting different communities I learn from and teach them how, by coming together and saving, we can improve our lives. Through the federation I now have a house for my family. The houses the federation has built help us to convince government that the poor are not hopeless.
This has made government change its housing policy. For the first time we have a policy that recognizes that there are poor people in the urban areas, as well as recognizing the positive role that savings schemes play in providing houses. The policy is not perfect but we will continue to fight for the improvement of poor people’s lives. The federation is now working in partnership with the city of Harare in identifying and upgrading slums in and around Harare. Fifty-three slum settlements have been identified to date. They are saving towards upgrading their settlements.”
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About Slum Dwellers International (SDI).
SDI is a loose network of national urban poor federations whose primary objective is to create a voice of the urban poor at the city and national level, which can articulate their needs and aspirations, design and develop scalable solutions for the issues that affect them, and seek to participate in development activities as partners rather than as beneficiaries. Read more here.
“Together with Pier Five, we’re proud to provide women-owned small business owners access to funding and valuable opportunities to help them take their business to the next level.
Applications for the 2023 Mastercard x Pier Five Small Business Fund closes on November 5, 2023, and this year, the fund is doubling!
Open to women small business owners in Canada, ten recipients will be selected to receive $10,000 CAD and access to a priceless experience to help them grow their businesses and connect with mentors and Mastercard experts.”
1. WHAT IS A ROSCA? “Rotating Savings and Credit Association (ROSCAs), are Informal financial cooperatives where a group of individuals agree to cooperate and contribute a set amount funds at regular intervals, for a defined period in order to save, borrow, invest together. It is a form of combined peer-peer banking & lending with indigenous African roots. ROSCAs are called different names in different cultures – e.g. Esusu, Ajo, Adashe, Susu, Padner, Box hand, Committee, Hagbad, Ayuuto, Chit fund, Chama, Menage, Hui, Gameeya, Gameeya, Mukando…”
2. HOW DOES THE WWN DIGITAL/AUTOMATED ROSCA DIFFER FROM TRADITIONAL ROSCA (Ajo/Esusu/Chama/Susu/Padner etc.)?
i. Convenience – The withdrawals are automatically debited from the accounts of participants, eliminating the need for cash transfers or multiple e-transfers/associated fees.
ii. Efficiency – Administrators can run multiple communities/groups with 10s, 100s or 1000s of people due to the automated nature of the processes.
ii. Security – Woveo is CDIC insured, formally registered and eliminates the scrutiny/barriers from financial institutions for large contributions. Security – Woveo is a registered Money Service Business, with oversight from FINTRAC to ensure compliance with fraud and anti-money laundering laws. Woveo also works with a Canadian bank to secure deposits and to provide CDIC insurance and eliminate the scrutiny/barriers from financial institutions for large contributions.
iv. Risk Mitigation – Our Digital ROSCA by Woveo offers “DEFAULT PROTECTION”, i.e., we eliminate the risk of participants not getting their contribution due to a payment default by any other participant. Basically, as a participant in our digital ROSCAs through Woveo platform, you are guaranteed to get your pooled funds when they are due. We do all the backend follow up with defaulters, this includes financial literacy training, flexible options to retrieve funds from them in instalments, or a recourse to reporting their non payment to equifax, collection agencies and using legal means, only when necessary.
v. Record Keeping – Identity of participants are verified and groups can generate reports to track payments, amounts transacted, create internal social capital profiles of members for Peer-to-Peer (P2P) or Emergency funding.
vi. Through Woveo’s partnership with Equifax, our digital ROSCAs can help you build your credit history through saving. (Conversely, for repeat defaulters/absconders, non payments will be reported as derogatory or a collection item on their credit, and/or legal recourse taken by Woveo and/or WWN).Note that these are measures of last resort after all attempts have made to engage the defaulter. Priority is on helping participants build positive credit history, healthy saving habits, and excellent social capital to enhance their socio-economic well-being.
3. HOW ARE SLOTS SELECTED/PICKED FOR WHO WILL RECEIVE THE CONTRIBUTIONS IN EACH CYCLE?
There are several ways to choose who will collect the pooled contributions in each cycle:
i. By Discretion – The administrator of each group/community shares a form and asks members based on their preferences for a position;
ii. First Signed Up, First Served – In the order of which the members signed up to the group and accepted the invitation, or simply by reaching out to them;
4. WHAT IS THE STRUCTURE PUT IN PLACE FOR DEFAULTERS?
Unlike a traditional ROSCA, our digital ROSCA has the following:
i. Members of each WWN ROSCA saving circle are assured to receive their funds when it is their turn. Woveo, WWN and the Administrators of each community/group work in the background to retrieve funds from any defaulter and this does not affect the group payout. Defaulters are only escalated to collections when necessary (after several attempts have been made to retrive contributions. Note that Woveo focuses on reporting payment history to Equifax to help participants build their credit history. Defaulters are only reported after 30 days of non-payment and if they break community trust, are uncooperative in making payment arrangement and thus fail to respect the guiding principles of the community).
ii. Members are vetted on two levels – by the administrators of their distinct community groups, and digitally, by Woveo through a verification process during registration (which involves identity, phone and address verification. This verification process does not involve any credit check or any hard hit to your credit score). iII. At the discretion of the community or group, repeat defaulters (has defaulted more than twice), may be subject to a penalty fee, which is payable to the WWN group wallet as reserve funds.
5. HOW DO WE ENSURE THE ROSCA PROGRAM IS ROCK SOLID?
i. The shared values of each group (trust, reciprocity, respect, mutuality, sense of community, dignity etc.), and the adherence to these values by all members, are some of the key ingredients for success.
ii. All members of WWN Digital ROSCAs participate in a series of mandatory, introductory, complimentary, values-based financial literacy and leadership training program, facilitated by WWN, within the first 6 months of joining a ROSCA group. (This is delivered online, in-person or via a hybrid model, depending on individual preferences and accessibility).
iii. Woveo is a CDIC-insured Fintech platform and is committed to supporting grassroots organizations to build individual and community wealth. The teams at WWN and Woveo are responsive and provide learning resources and support to saving groups.
6. HOW DO WE RETRIEVE OUR MONEY FROM THE WALLET TO OUR BANK ACCOUNTS?
i. By simply clicking on the “CASHOUT” Button in your Wallet, and entering the AMOUNT that you want to retrieve, and selecting the BANK ACCOUNT you want to deposit the funds to, and clicking “SUBMIT.”
ii. Note that if you want the funds to be deposited into the same bank account that your contributions are taken from, simply select the DEFAULT BANK ACCOUNT already in your wallet. iii. Your funds will be deposited in your bank account within 1 to 3 hours. (Plans are underway to make the transaction happen in a few minutes).
7. HOW DO MEMBERS OF A ROSCA GROUP SWITCH POSITIONS ON THE SCHEDULE IF NEEDED?
i. The positions of the members can be switched as many times as possible in the draft mode (BEFORE the group’s schedule is published LIVE). This is done by the administrator(s) of the group by a simple toggle click, as long as the members concerned agree to the switch.
ii. Once the group is setup and published LIVE, the order cannot be switched. However, members of a group can make their internal arrangements offline to switch their respective order/positions when they receive the pooled contribution. This means that one party receives the funds in their wallet, they are responsible for transferring it, either directly to the wallet of the other party, or to their own bank account and then transferring it to the bank account of the other party.
iii. Neither Woveo nor WWN is accountable or responsible for such private arrangements made between members outside the Woveo platform.
8a. WHAT ARE THE MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM AMOUNTS?
The minimum contribution amount is $25 and the maximum amount is $1,000 (This may be weekly, bi-weekly or monthly).
(There are plans to increase the maximum amount based on the needs of the communities/groups especially for business owners or organizations focused on large scale community development projects. Contact WWN and/Woveo directly if you have such requirements).
8b. ARE THERE DIFFERENT GROUPS BASED ON CAPACITY OF PARTICIPANTS, OR IS IT A FIXED AMOUNT?
ii. Yes. There are multiple groups based on the capacity of the participants/members of each group. Each group chooses the set amount and the intervals e.g Weekly, Bi-weekly or Monthly.
9a. HOW LONG IS EACH CYCLE?
The cycles can be as long as the group chooses. However, we recommend that cycles are not longer than one year, and not shorter than 5 months. Contributions can be done on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis.
9b. IS THERE AUTO RENEWAL FROM ONE CYCLE TO ANOTHER
No. There are no auto renewals. You can opt out after one cycle.
If a particular group wants to run another cycle, the administrator of the group simply needs to select the frequency and amount, and arrange the group members based on their selected/agreed upon schedules. Then each group member will accept the invitation to join the group with a click of a button.
10. ANY PENALTY FOR OPTING OUT WHILE A CYCLE IS ON?
You can opt out from participating in another cycle, only AFTER a current cycle you are already in is completed. You cannot opt out of a cycle while the cycle is still ongoing, especially if you have already collected a pooled contribution. If you opt out arbitrarily, you may be subject to collections and/or legal actions.
However, we also understand that sometimes circumstances happen in life that are beyond one’s control, such as severe illness, job losses, death. In such rare cases, speak with your group administrator(s) on how to return any funds you already collected, and/or how to complete the remaining contribution cycle.
11. OTHER THAN THE REGULAR SAVING CONTRIBUTIONS & ROTATING WITHDRAWALS OF POOLED FUNDS, IS THERE A CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS INVESTMENTS/RETURNS ON THIS?
Yes. After members have successfully participated in at least one regular ROSCA saving contributions program, they are eligible to be onboarded to participate in different investment-based ROSCA programs by Whole Woman Network (WWN), or by their own Group/Community.
For WWN members, some of our investment options include: Our community based Peer-to-Peer Funding Program, Direct Investment in vetted Businesses that offer members a Return on investment (ROI varies), Group Real Estate Investments, and other Community Development Initiatives. We also offer a repayable matching fund that is equal to the members’ ROSCA pooled withdrawal. E.g If you receive $1000 when it is your turn or “hand”, WWN would also offer a zero-interest matching fund of $1000 to be repaid between 6 months to 12 months (Terms and Conditions apply).
12. ARE WE DEPOSITING TO A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION OR TO AN INDIVIDUAL?
You are not depositing to any individual. Depending on the frequency your group selected, your weekly, bi-weekly or monthly contribution is directly debited from your bank account by Woveo.
When you setup your profile on the Woveo app, there are KYC steps that require you to verify your identity, your contact information, and then link your bank account to Woveo.
When it is your turn to withdraw, the funds are in your Woveo wallet and can be “cashed out” to your linked bank account with a click of a button. WWN Digital ROSCA eliminates the risk of any individual handling cash or email money transfers on behalf of the group.
13. CAN SOMEONE JOIN MULTIPLE CONTRIBUTION GROUPS?
Yes. Joining multiple contribution groups is allowed. As long as the person has the financial capacity to meet the contributions as they come due each period, they can participate in more than one group.
E.g. One person may be saving for multiple things/projects and may decide to join 3 different groups, each with a different contribution amount – $100, $500, $1000 etc.
It is recommended that you schedule all your contribution due dates and amounts on your calendar to keep track. Woveo will also send automated reminders ahead of the due dates to help members of each group stay on track.
14. IS PARTICIPATION IN OUR DIGITAL ROSCA LEGALLY BINDING AND ENFORCEABLE?
Yes. Participating in our Digital ROSCAs through Woveo App is legally binding and enforceable in Canada.
Whole Woman Network and Woveo are legally registered entities in Canada. Joining Woveo, creating your profile, agreeing/giving consent to join a ROSCA savings group, and completing the KYC process, all constitute a digital agreement that is legally binding.
Whole Woman Network also has an Agreement form that members sign. This can be customized by other groups/communities/organizations/associations for their own members.WWN is also able to develop and provide customized digital ROSCA solutions, Funding models, Cooperative Education and Financial Literacy/Liberation Coaching & Training solutions that are tailored to the needs of organizations, groups, associations, educational or faith-based institutions.
15. SINCE THE BANK WITHDRAWAL/DEBIT IS DONE AUTOMATICALLY, IF A PARTICIPANT’S ACCOUNT DECLINED A TRANSACTION, DOES WOVEO CHARGE AN NSF FEE?
Your bank will likely charge you an NSF fee. Wove does not charge you a fee. Rather, Wove will attempt to debit your bank account again in a few days (2 or 3 days). If on the second attempt the transaction is still declined, and/or if a participant has consistent declined transactions, it will negatively impact their social capital ranking within the community; the defaulting participant will be required to undergo mandatory financial literacy training sessions; and they may be subject to penalties imposed by their group E.g Penalty fee, suspension (or ban) from participating in subsequent ROSCA saving or investment cycles, scheduled in the last position to receive pooled funds in the current or subsequent cycle(s) etc. Also, refer to FAQs #2 and #4.
16. HOW SAFE IS IT TO LINK BANK ACCOUNTS TO WOVEO?
i. PRIVACY COMMITMENT
Woveo offers a safe and secure protection of your data and privacy. No sharing of personal information with unaffiliated third parties.
ii. DESIGNED WITH SECURITY IN MIND
Multi-factor Authentication for Data access.
iii. 256-bit Encryption for transmitting and receiving Data to ensure the security and protection of your information.
iv. Similar to banks and other financial institutions, Woveo Fintech is covered by CDIC and registered with FINTRAC – and aligns with industry best practice.
17. IS THERE A REFERRAL FEE OR AN AFFILIATE PROGRAM?
Yes. Woveo offers a referral fee for everyone you refer that joins the app, completes their profile, verifies their identity, and links their bank account.
To join the Whole Woman Network ROSCA circle, use this link:
18. IS THERE A CHARGE OR REGISTRATION FEE FOR THE ROSCA SERVICE PROVIDED BY WOVEO?
There are 2 membership plans on Woveo:
i. BASIC PLAN (FREE) & ii. *PLUS PLAN ($10/Month per user).
*PLUS PLAN offers all the benefits of Basic Plan, in addition to: Credit Building, Emergency Cash Advance, Default Protection
**Whole Woman Network is an Enterprise Client & Community Partner of Woveo, and so we provide the PLUS PLAN Benefits to our paid members (Individual and Enterprise members), at no cost. We sometimes extend all or some of these benefits to members of select organizations and community groups, depending on several factors/terms and conditions.
19. IS THERE A FEE FOR THE FINANCIAL LITERACY & RESILIENCE/LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM, PEER-TO-PEER FUNDING, & THE MATCHING ROSCA FUNDS, OFFERED BY WHOLE WOMAN NETWORK?
All the Introductory, virtual, values-based financial literacy/leadership training programs required for all participants of the Digital ROSCA are offered for FREE by Whole Woman Network.
There is an option to upgrade to any additional fee-based Intermediate or Advanced Financial Literacy/Liberation Coaching, Cooperative Education & Leadership Training.
Only paid members (Individual or Enterprise members) of WWN are eligible for Peer-to-Peer Funding, Matching ROSCA Funds, and some Investment opportunities, etc.
20. Is the Digital ROSCA+ available to only Women?
The WWN Digital ROSCA+ is available to everyone – Women, Men, Youth…Interested in joining a ROSCA+ Savings Group? Click here: https://bit.ly/digitalROSCA
To learn more about Woveo Community Wallet, visit woveo.com
We are happy to announce that WHOLE WOMAN NETWORK is part of the 2023 cohort for the Centre for Local Innovation and Collaboration (CLIC) Program!🎉👏❤️
A huge thank you to the City of Richmond Hill, Richmond Hill Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC) and OCAD University, and all the ecosystem partners involved in bringing Human Centred Design Thinking to Businesses in Richmond Hill!
Congratulations to all the other fellow cohort members/businesses!🎉 ❤️#TownofRichmondHill _________________
More about the CLIC Program:
“The City of Richmond Hill partnered with OCAD University to launch the Centre for Local Innovation and Collaboration (CLIC)! Funded by eCampus Ontario. This unique, design-driven centre for innovation is part of a broad-based approach to accelerating business growth and innovation.
CLIC exists to explore opportunities for local businesses to gain access to applied research and to leverage human-centred design expertise.”
CLIC Program As a shared, co-creative undertaking, CLIC allows for multiple stakeholders — businesses, the municipality, researchers, and government — to work together to identify key areas of need and to optimize opportunities of project development.
This offering brings in expertise from Richmond Hill’s Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC) and OCAD University to help businesses review their offerings and business models through a design-thinking lens. Businesses will work together with OCAD University researchers to uncover market insights and develop new product/service opportunities.
CLIC can then help businesses bring these new market insights into fruition by connecting them with local R&D opportunities available through government funding partners. CLIC looks to foster local innovation and the generation of new products, services, and partnerships.
CLIC is growth in progress, and a unique offering within the larger innovation ecosystem for businesses that seek to harness the power of creativity and applied design research to expand their business operations.”
Source: Ontario Co-operative Association, OCA (Visit OCA at http://www.ontario.coop for more information).
Three individuals were recognized by the Ontario Co-operative Association (OCA) for their outstanding commitment and contributions to the Cooperative sector in Ontario, at the OCA’s Virtual Annual General Meeting on September 20, 2023. Recipients included Ian Shewan, Juliet ‘Kego Ume-Onyido, and Jeff McCallum.
Ian Shewan received the award for his immense contributions to the sector over his career, having devoted over thirty years to co-op related law practice, while also advocating for policy and legislative changes that have created a more even playing field for co-operatives in Ontario. Since 2006, he has been a valuable member of OCA’s legislative and regulatory committees, providing guidance, expertise and a passion for the co-operative model that has helped the association accomplish many of its regulatory developments.
Peter Cameron, OCA’s Co-op Development Manager says: “If you had a question about the Coop Act, Ian was the man to call. He always had a way of asking what it was a group was trying to accomplish and then showing them there was a co-operative way to make it work. He was very generous with his time and because of that, has made a significant contribution the co-op movement as a whole.”
Juliet ‘Kego Ume-Onyido was honoured for her outstanding contribution to awareness, diversity and equity building within the co-operative sector. A passionate advocate for financial literacy and economic opportunities for women and girls, and an active proponent of the cooperative movement and the solidarity economy, Juliet has co-founded two co-operatives that focus on leadership and empowerment for BIPOC women and youth. Through her work supporting Rotating Savings and Credit Associations and the ROSCA Network, she is helping to bridge the gap between formal co-operative institutions and these informal co-operative structures, helping to transform local economies into vehicles of inclusivity that cater to the needs of all.
Michelle Christmann, OCA’s Education Manager adds: “Juliet is a captivating and articulate speaker, with an energy that lifts a room, inspires passion, and pushes people to learn, grow and most importantly, to do. She is a compelling advocate for a stronger and more diverse cooperative sector in Ontario, and every interaction with her will leave you feeling powerful enough to believe you can – and will – change the world. Generous in spirit and with sharing her expertise and her wealth of knowledge, she embodies everything about what it means to truly be co-operative.”
Jeff McCallum received the award for his outstanding contribution to the Co-operative Young Leaders (CYL) program. A dedicated volunteer facilitator and team lead for CYL since 2006, he has also given countless hours to various CYL Advisory Committees, ensuring the programming, curriculum, and atmosphere at the annual summer camp was the best it could be. Jeff has always shown up for the next generation of co-operative leaders with great enthusiasm and excitement, changing lives through his own co-operative spirit, and sharing his passion for cooperation, leadership, communication, and teamwork.
OCA’s CYL Director Carol Fleming shares: “Jeff is a passionate advocate for the co-operative sector and lives the principles and values every day. He has been an invaluable resource to OCA and is always willing to go the extra mile to help. Jeff has inspired many youth and facilitators to think about serving the greater good by supporting the co-operative sector. We are grateful for his commitment, time, expertise, and guidance over the years; he is an inspiration to us all.”
Since their inception in 1999 and over the past twenty-four years, more than 130 extraordinary individuals and organizations have been recognized for their contribution to the co-operative sector in Ontario with a Co-operative Spirit Award. The OCA Board and staff were thrilled to honour this year’s well-deserving recipients.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Jennifer Ross, Executive Director at 1.888.745.5521 x 22 or at jross@ontario.coop.
ABOUT THE ONTARIO CO-OPERATIVE ASSOCIATION (OCA): Our vision is an Ontario where cooperatives contribute to the sustainable growth and development of our communities, and to the overall social, economic, and environmental well-being of the province. We believe that co-operatives, together, build a better world. Our mission is to support, promote, advocate, and provide educational programs and training for Ontario’s co-operatives. Visit us at http://www.ontario.coop for more information.
Attention entrepreneurs! August 15, 2023 is the final day to submit your Starter Company Plus application to for consideration in the $5K grant. This collaboration with @YSpace, York University can help you gain necessary skills and knowledge to start and grow your business! Make connections, build your network and apply for the chance to get $5k in funding!”
“The International Day of Friendship was proclaimed in 2011 by the UN General Assembly with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.
The resolution places emphasis on involving young people, as future leaders, in community activities that include different cultures and promote international understanding and respect for diversity.
Sharing the Human Spirit through Friendship.
“Our world faces many challenges, crises and forces of division — such as poverty, violence, and human rights abuses — among many others — that undermine peace, security, development and social harmony among the world’s peoples. To confront those crises and challenges, their root causes must be addressed by promoting and defending a shared spirit of human solidarity that takes many forms — the simplest of which is friendship.
Through friendship — by accumulating bonds of camaraderie and developing strong ties of trust — we can contribute to the fundamental shifts that are urgently needed to achieve lasting stability, weave a safety net that will protect us all, and generate passion for a better world where all are united for the greater good.”
(Source: culled from Black Enterprise and ABC7News)
The Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority has incorporated its own credit union.
The “For Members Only,” or FMO, credit union is the first Black-owned, women-led, sorority-based digital banking financial institution in the history of the United States of America.
The AKAs are one of America’s oldest service organizations, founded by college-educated African American women with nearly half a million members worldwide. “Everyone doesn’t understand the impact we make financially, so you have to start doing things so folks know we know how to control our money,” said Danette Anthony Reed, international president and CEO of AKA Sorority. FMO’s grand opening at the group’s international headquarters in Chicago coincided with the 115-year-old sorority’s leadership conference.
The FMO is chartered, regulated and insured by the National Credit Union Administration, and will offer primary savings, loans and other banking services during its first year of operations. It’s open to AKA members, their immediate families, AKA staff and credit union employees.
“Every member will be an owner of the credit union,” said Terri Bradford Eason, FMO federal credit union executive director. The first-of-its-kind credit union is based in part on the sorority’s six initiatives, which include building economic wealth. “We want to invest in what we own,” said FMO board member Deardra Hayes-Whigham.
ABC7 reported that the 115-year-old sorority initiated plans for the credit union a few years ago, focusing on efforts to generate economic health and financial stability for women of color.
“It’s just awesome to know we’ll have the opportunity to actually do something financial,” AKA sorority member Monica Teal said.
FMO will serve members of the AKA sorority and their immediate families. Additionally, those who work for the credit union and the organization will be granted access to the credit union’s services. According to Terri Bradford Eason, FMO federal credit union executive director, “Every member will be an owner of the credit union.” FMO is chartered, regulated, and insured by the National Credit Union Administration.
The women of the AKA sorority have been hard at work creating new establishments on behalf of the organization. As previously reported by BLACK ENTERPRISE, the Gamma Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Society and the sorority’s nonprofit, Ivy Alliance Foundation, announced a collaboration to transform the former St. Louis home of the sorority’s founder, Ethel Hedgemon Lyle, into a museum. A land dedication for the 12,000-square-foot community center took place in December 2022.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 03: Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. attend the game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on March 03, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
“Worker-owned cooperatives are owned by their workers and decisions are made democratically. I am proposing worker-owned co-operatives as a pathway to business ownership, and a pathway out of poverty. Worker-owned cooperatives build individual wealth and stabilize communities by anchoring ownership because a co-op business will not relocate to get cheaper labour or move production overseas to maximize shareholder value. As a start up, a worker-owned co-operative are thre times more likely to be successful than non co-operative counterparts, and co-operatives are more productive too. Co-ops have transformed entire economies – Northern Spain, Northern Italy, France, Quebec in Canada. The focus of a worker co-operative is job security, people over profits, and not to maximize share-holder.” – Professor Jim Brown
Source: TEDx
Why is chronic poverty tolerated…? Is our economic system flawed? Through personal stories and insights, University of Alabama professor J. Brown explores the problem of poverty and advocates a solution in worker ownership and cooperation. Ever heard of the Freedom Quilting Bee Cooperative? Watch this Ted Talk by Jim Brown. He studied at Cal Poly & MIT, and he is a social entrepreneur and clinical professor at the University of Alabama. His research focuses on innovation and entrepreneurship.
This is part of our ROSCAs around the Globe series. | Culled from Better India Media by Pranita Bhat | TEDx
“There’s no power of change greater than a community discovering what it cares about.” – Margaret J. Wheatley
Chetna Gala Sinha (65) started the Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank in 1997 after her neighbour was not allowed to open a savings account in multiple banks. Watch how Chetna, with the support of rural women, succeeds in establishing the bank in Western Maharashtra. Chetna Gala Sinha is a farmer and activist with a long history of advocacy, established the Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank in 1997. It was the first bank in India created specifically for rural women and operated by them.
Chetna, who was born and brought up in Mumbai, was motivated by Jayaprakash Narayan, a follower of Gandhi, to devote herself to rural India while she was still in college. Afterwards, she fell in love with a farmer leader, got married, and relocated to a small village that lacked even basic amenities such as running water and toilets. Following several years of residing in the village and giving birth to three children, Chetna was approached by her neighbour Kantabai one day. She requested assistance in opening a savings bank account. So, Chetna accompanied Kantabai to the bank, where she was denied service because Kantabai, a welder, could not deposit a substantial sum of money.
The incident sparked something within Chetna that prompted her to seek a banking licence from the Reserve Bank of India, allowing other rural women like Kantabai to exercise their right to save money, regardless of the amount. To make this happen, 1,335 women pooled savings amounting to Rs 780,000, and the bank was set up. At present, Mann Deshi Bank serves over two lakh (200,00) account holders across eight branches in Western Maharashtra. It develops new financial products to support female micro-entrepreneurs. The institution has received multiple awards — such as the International Innovation Award, the ‘Nari Shakti’ Award, the Best Eco-Tech Award and the Best Women’s Bank Award. The bank currently has a capitalization of over $20 million.
Description: “When bankers refused to serve her neighbors in rural India, Chetna Gala Sinha did the next best thing: she opened a bank of her own, the first ever for and by women in the country. In this inspiring talk, she shares stories of the women who encouraged her and continue to push her to come up with solutions for those denied traditional financial backing.” – TEDx
A VOTE OF THANKS by Juliet Kego Ume-Onyido, on behalf of the participants of Entrepreneur Exchange (EE31), and Cohort 4 of the Black Advisory Hub’s Business Accelerator Program.
❝I’ve never met her, and yet she has been so impactful in my life and in the lives of so many women and youth in Canada, especially blacks and minority groups. A loving shout out to Dr. Olutoyin Oyelade! Wherever you are, may God continue to bless and guide you!❞
I had shared this post on Twitter on July 24, 2021.
It is not everyday that you get to finally meet a mentor that has inspired and empowered you from afar! I was truly honored to meet Dr. Olutoyin earlier today, and it is such a pleasure to give this vote of thanks as the Valedictorian, on behalf of the participants of Entrepreneur Exchange (EE31), and Cohort 4 of the Black Advisory Hub’s Accelerator Program).
Some of my fellow participants succinctly captured the collective impact of the BAH Business Accelerator program on their lives and businesses.
Keda Edwards Pierre:
“This program is nothing short of transformative. The amount of conscientious effort, time and resources invested into the cohorts by the BAH team and all of the fabulous guest speakers & collaborators – in an inclusive, diverse and empowering environment – is tremendous, well appreciated and has guided me and my business to new heights. Thank you!”
Petra Grant:
“This is an Excellent Program. I have learnt so much in the past 2 months that has been life changing for my business and me. The facilitators are so knowledgeable and full of expertise. I am honored to be a part of BAH.”
Over the course of fourteen weeks, we networked and learned important skills to better start, pivot, manage, and/or scale our businesses. The transformative programs equipped all us as BIPOC Entrepreneurs.
Some of the things that I loved most about the BAH program was the core message from Dr. Olutoyin on the power of having the right growth mindset to build bankable, viable & sustainable enterprises regardless of the challenges we may face as racialized entrepreneurs. And the need for clarity about our vision, values, mission, purpose and partners… During the high immersion and experiential 3-day pitch boot camp, we were all equipped with pragmatic tips, tools, strategies and resources to speak confidently and with expertise about our various businesses/organizations. What an experience!
Once again, a huge thanks to Dr. Olutoyin Oyelade, and the CASA Foundation/BAH Team – Esther Olatunji, Vidhya Jayakumar, Mathy Kandasamy and many others including the alumni from previous cohorts.
We salute the Faculty and Guest Speakers such as the dynamic Cheryl Bedard, Jeffrey Edwards, Prof Odoi Yemoh, Chioma Ogbudimkpa etc., for co-creating a safe and empowering space for us to be vulnerable, ask questions, share, learn, and improve our personal, business and professional skills. We appreciate that the BAH team, faculty and guest speakers were accessible, representative, culturally informed, knowledgeable, always empathetic and encouraging! We also extend our appreciation to the funders, donors and partners like the Federal Government of Canada, TD Bank, FACE Coalition (The Federation of African Canadian Economics),…for making these programs possible. We also thank all the distinguished guests gathered today to celebrate our graduation on such a pivotal day – AFRICA DAY 2023! Thank you Thandiwe Florence Fadane, the Consul General of South Africa in Canada, Latanya Monteith Housen, Regional Manager, Black Community Business Development at TD Bank, Mr. Emmanuel Duodu, President, Ghanaian Canadian Association, Prof. Nancy Adossi, Advisor, Casa Foundation and Researcher UNHCR, Christelle Francois, Executive Vice President, Government Affairs & Strategic Partnerships, SFC
Thank you to all our family and friends for your support and understanding throughout this process. And to my wonderful fellow graduates, congratulations again on completing the program! Thank you for enriching our collective learning by generously sharing your wealth of knowledge, skills and lived experiences. This is just the beginning! Let’s continue to soar with purpose, build successful businesses and transform our lives. It is very exciting and humbling to realize that we are now all part of the BAH Alumni network and by extension, the global CASA Foundation Community!
I highly recommended the Black Advisory Hub Business Accelerator program to any BIPOC founder or entrepreneur who is reading, watching or listening. My message is simple, ‘go for it, register; join the next cohort, it will transform your life and business!’ Carpe diem! Daalu! Ese! Nagode! Merci! Thank you!
Black Advisory Hub (BAH) promotes the integration and socio-economic inclusion of Black People. It is Powered by #CasaFoundation for International Development (a Canadian Non-Profit-Organization), and Funded by the Federal Government of Canada. Follow @blackadvisoryhub on Instagram to apply for the next cohort of the Business Accelerator Program.
Congratulations to all the winners of Casa Foundation’s Black Advisory Hub (BAH) Business Accelerator Program Pitch Contest! Whole Woman Network (WWN), is excited and honored to be one of the winning organizations. We would like to extend a special thank you to TD Bank for sponsoring the winning prizes, and to our co-founder/COO, Diana Barikor, and all our members/board.
Beyond the commercialization of Mother’s Day in North America, here’s a peek into the history & intentions of its remarkable founder(s)
History is fascinating, and the history of women who shaped history in their own way, even more so. History has a way of giving a nuanced context to seemingly isolated (contemporary) issues.
This post was inspired by an interesting and insightful conversation, a long while ago, on the Facebook wall of Marianne Williamson (www.facebook.com/williamsonmarianne), based on a post she made on her wall titled: “The original Mother’s Day idea was for women to gather from all over the world to take a stand against war.”
The History of Mother’s Day Celebration in America:
In summary, social activist, Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis founded the American celebration of its version of Mother’s Day in 1858. It initially started as a call for health sanitation.
A few years later in 1870, Poet and Activist, Julia Ward Howe, who was herself inspired by Ann Jarvis, wrote the Mother’s Day Proclamation as a call to Peace.
After the death of Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis, her daughter Anna Marie Jarvis embarked on a mission to make Mother’s Day an officially recognized holiday in the United States.
The Fascinating Back-story of 3 Phenomenal Women!
Image below: Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis and her daughter, Anna Marie Jarvis
Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis
The history of Mother’s Day in America begins with a remarkable woman named Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis. She bore between eleven and thirteen children over the course of seventeen years. Of these children, only four survived to adulthood.
The others died of diseases such as the measles, typhoid fever, and diphtheria epidemics common in Appalachian communities in Taylor County. These losses inspired Jarvis to take action to help her community combat childhood diseases and unsanitary conditions.
Mrs. Jarvis was a dynamic woman who saw needs in her community and found ways to meet them. In 1858, while pregnant with her sixth child, Jarvis began Mothers’ Day Work Clubs in 5 surrounding the towns to improve health and sanitary conditions. She and other area women joined a growing public health movement in the United States.
Jarvis’ clubs sought to provide assistance and education to families in order to reduce disease and infant mortality. These clubs raised money to buy medicine and to hire women to work in families where the mother suffered from tuberculosis or other health problems. They developed programs to inspect milk long before there were state requirements.
Club members visited households to educate mothers and their families about improving sanitation and overall health. The clubs benefited from the advice of Jarvis’ brother, Dr. James Reeves, who was known for his work in the typhoid fever epidemics in northwestern Virginia.
During the American Civil War (1861-1865), sentiment in western Virginia was sharply divided between north and south. In 1863, this culminated when the western part of the state broke away from Virginia and formed the new state of West Virginia, which was loyal to the Union. Western Virginia became the location of some of the first conflicts of the Civil War. Jarvis’ Mothers’ Day Work Clubs altered their mission to meet the changing demands brought about by war.
Ann Jarvis urged the clubs to declare neutrality and to provide aid to both Confederate and Union soldiers. Jarvis illustrated her resolve to remain neutral and aid both sides by refusing to support a proposed division of the Methodist Church into a northern and southern branch.
Additionally, she reportedly offered a lone prayer for Thornsbury Bailey Brown the first Union soldier killed by a Confederate in the area, when others refused. Under her guidance, the clubs fed and clothed soldiers from both sides who were stationed in the area.
When typhoid fever and measles broke out in the military camps, Jarvis and her club members nursed the suffering soldiers from both sides at the request of a commander.
Jarvis’ efforts to keep the community together continued after the Civil War ended. After the fighting concluded, public officials seeking ways to eliminate post-war strife called on Jarvis to help.
She and her club members planned a “Mothers Friendship Day” for soldiers from both sides and their families at the Taylor County Courthouse in Prunty town to help the healing process. Despite threats of violence, Jarvis successfully staged the event in 1868.
She shared with the veterans a message of unity and reconciliation. Bands played “Dixie” and the “Star Spangled Banner” and the event ended with everyone, north and south, joining together to sing “Auld Lang Syne.” This effective and emotional event reduced many to tears. It showed the community that old animosities were destructive and must end.
2. Julia Ward Howe
Julia Ward Howe – an abolitionist, Activist, poet and author, best remembered as the poet who wrote “Battle Hymn of the Republic” – worked to establish a Mother’s Peace Day.
Howe dedicated the celebration to the eradication of war, and organized festivities in Boston for years. A proclamation she wrote in 1870, which explains, in her own words, the goals of the original holiday.
Arise, all women who have hearts, whether your baptism be that of water or of tears! Say firmly: “We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies, our husbands shall not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience. We women of one country will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.”
From the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own. It says, “Disarm, disarm! The sword is not the balance of justice. Blood does not wipe out dishonour nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plow and the anvil at the summons of war, let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of counsel. Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead. Let them then solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means whereby the great human family can live in peace, each learning after his own time, the sacred impress, not of Caesar, but of God.
In the name of womanhood and of humanity, I earnestly ask that a general congress of women without limit of nationality may be appointed and held at some place deemed most convenient and at the earliest period consistent with its objects, to promote the alliance of the different nationalities, the amicable settlement of international questions, the great and general interests of peace.”
3. Anna Marie Jarvis (The Daughter of Ann Marie Jeeves Jarvis)
On the first anniversary of Ann Marie Jeeves Jarvis’ death, her daughter, Anna Jarvis met with friends and announced plans for a memorial service remembering her mother for the next year. In May 1907, a private service was held in honour of Ann Jarvis. The following year, in 1908, Anna Jarvis organized the first official observance of Mother’s Day, coming near the anniversary of her mother’s death.
Andrews Methodist Church, where Ann Reeves Jarvis taught Sunday School for 25 years, held the first public service on the morning of May 10, 1908. Anna Jarvis did not attend the service, but sent a donation of 500 white carnations for all of those in attendance. In the afternoon, 15,000 people attended another service that Anna Jarvis organized in Philadelphia, held at the Wanamaker Store Auditorium.
In the years following the initial ceremonies, Anna Jarvis’ new holiday gained recognition in many states and spread to a number of foreign countries. Anna Jarvis also embarked on a mission to make Mother’s Day an officially recognized holiday in the United States.
She succeeded when, in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a congressional resolution officially making the second Sunday in May the national Mother’s Day and calling for Americans to recognize it by displaying the flag by proclaiming it a national holiday and in his own words : “a public expression of our love and reverence for all mothers.”
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2023 Mother’s Day is on Sunday, May 14. Here’s wishing you a Happy Mother’s Day! (P.S: Everyday should be Mother’s day).
“The Women’s Economic Council is excited to announce that we are hosting an annual conference – Breaking Barriers: Promoting Inclusive BIPOC Leadership and Economic Development – where we will bringing together an amazing group of experts, leaders, and advocates from all over the country to dive deep into the challenges and opportunities facing BIPOC leadership and economic empowerment.” (Source:Women’s Economic Council Website)
The Canadian Worker Co-op Federation is participating in the Women’s Economic Council’s (WEC) May 2023 Conference entitled “Breaking Barriers: Promoting Inclusive BIPOC Leadership and Economic Empowerment”. This theme aligns well with our Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Business Conversion Project, as it focuses on engaging more members of Equity-Denied Groups (EDGs) i.e. BIPOC, women, youth etc. into the Social Entrepreneurship space. Representatives from CWCF were invited to present at this free, EDG focused online event.
Presenters Juliet ‘Kego Ume-Onyido and Janielle Maxwell will share their insights on “ The Need, the History, and the Legacy of Social Purpose”. This will involve an overview of CWCF’s JEDI Business Conversion Project (including its objectives, initiatives and events) and a discussion on why a JEDI centered approach to Social Purpose Organizations (SPOs) and the Canadian employment realm- is needed for true transformational change.
Juliet ‘Kego Ume-Onyido will tackle themes such as the cultural affinity of EDGs to SPOs, challenges faced by EDGs in traditional realms and in business conversions, and how business conversions to SPOs can benefit marginalized groups. With a focus on women, she will also share insights on how mutual aid and co-operative economics have uplifted women facing domestic violence, financial trauma and abuse. Juliet will share from the perspective of 2 organizations of which she is a co-founder, Black Women Professional Worker Co-op and Whole Woman Network (which is in the process of converting to a non-share co-operative).
Janielle will touch on the challenges various members of EDGs face in the workplace and financial spaces, and the subsequent need for reform. She will also discuss the JEDI Business Conversion Project, as it is situated to help combat such struggles EDGs experience in many traditional business realms. The session will last for ~ 1 hour and will conclude with a Question & Answer period.
2023 Africana Feminist Economics Symposium holds on May 25th, 2023. Send an email to RSVP: info@andriabarrett.com. Join the #DISE Collective and The Banker Ladies Council of Canada in this transformative and thought-provoking event. To read more about the Banker Ladies, see this article by Natalie Holmes: Strengthening the Black Social Economy and watch the documentary, Banker Ladiesby filmmaker and director Esery Mondesir.
From all of us in the Whole Woman Network community, we wish a hearty congratulations to Diana Barikor, our one of our phenomenal founding members, on receieving the Enterprise Excellence Award! The award will be presented at the Remarkable Mothers Award (RMA) Gala, and the theme for 2023 is tagged “Celebrating the Indefatigable Spirit of Womanhood.”
More about Diana Barikor:
Diana is a Social Entrepreneur, Community Advocate, and Social Impact Investor with a passion for empowering under-represented and equity-denied women and youth, with resources to transform their sociocultural and economic realities.
She has a Master’s degree in Adult Education and Community development from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, Canada.
Diana is the Founder of MOBERI Services, and the Co-founder of Whole Woman Network Global (WWN), a Social Enterprise that delivers experiential Leadership, Entrepreneurial and Financial Literacy Programs to vulnerable, under-served Canadian Women and Youth, with a focus on Blacks (all people of African descent), new Immigrants, and other marginalized groups.
She is the co-host of the WWN Black Social Economy podcast/webinar series – Building Community Wealth with Real Estate and ROSCA+ (Rotating Savings and Credit Association).
Over the past three decades, her background and professional experiences span environmental sustainability advocacy, social enterprise, and community development. She has coached and mentored women to rebuild their lives and communities.
Her philanthropy extends beyond Canada, to the education and training of women and girls in Nigeria through low-interest loans, business development grants, scholarships, and funding WASH projects, Menstrual Health & Hygiene programs that improve the well-being of families and communities.
She is a feminist and proud mother of three wonderful and compassionate children; Monale, Baribefii and Rita. She loves traveling, gardening, reading, and meeting people of different cultures.
The 2023 edition of the Remarkable Mothers Award (RMA) Gala holds on Sunday, May 7. See poster below for details. Once again, congratulations to Whole Woman network’s own, Diana Barikor!
When we conceived the idea for Whole Woman Network's Marketplace Solutions, we wanted to make sure we integrated it with platforms that offered the best possible options for our B2B customers. At one of the trainings for entrepreneurs by the #torontoboardoftrade someone had mentioned FAIRE and we checked them out. A perfect fit! Looking forward to serving our many members and clients! #wholesale #ecommerce #marketplace #online #sales #marketing #coops #cooperativemarketplacesolutions #communitycommerce #ecommercesolutions
From FAIRE:
"Welcome to Faire
Congratulations—you’ve taken the first step to start selling in the world’s largest online marketplace for independent wholesale!
How does Faire empower brands?
We generate new sales.
We help brands accelerate their sales by pairing them with the most compatible independent retailers who individually are hard to find but collectively are a strong sales channel.
We streamline your wholesale operations.
Historically, as the number of B2B partners increases, so do the costs for brands. Faire grows your wholesale business with minimal overhead by providing you access to risk-free transactions, simplified shipping and returns, and customer insights."
From all of us at Whole Woman Network, we wish our Christian Community and all who are celebrating, a very Happy, Glorious and Blessed Easter Celebration.
May the Cross be symbolic of Hope, Happiness, Courage, Compassion, Commitment, Consistency, Rebirth, Restoration, Glory and Grace in our lives, families & communities.
Women’s Enterprise Organizations of Canada is proud to deliver the WEOC National Loan Program, which will support women and non-binary entrepreneurs as they start, scale, grow and maintain their businesses.
It takes a different approach to setting you up for continued growth and success by providing robust wrap-around services to guide you through the process.
Whole Woman Network is a member of the PARO Women’s Enterprise Centre and PARO Peer-to-Peer Lending Circle. #SisterhoodSolidarity
Interested in learning more about joining the Whole Woman Network Peer-to-Peer Lending & Support Circle? Or our unique and innovative ROSCA+ model for building sustainable personal and community wealth? Or our culturally informed Financial Literacy & Resilience programs? Or our experiential and transformative Leadership & Communication certification programs?
1. “Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership of that freed self was another.” —Toni Morrison
2. “Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.” — Maya Angelou
3. “Women are the real architects of society.” — Harriet Beecher Stowe
4. “No country can ever truly flourish if it stifles the potential of its women and deprives itself of the contributions of half of its citizens.”—Michelle Obama
5. “The best protection any woman can have… is courage.” — Elizabeth Cady Stanton
6. “The fastest way to change society is to mobilize the women of the world.” —Charles Malik
7. “A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform.” — Diane Mariechild
8. “Women are the largest untapped reservoir of talent in the world.” — Hillary Clinton
9. “A Woman in harmony with her spirit is like a river flowing. She goes where she will without pretense and arrives at her destination prepared to be herself” — Maya Angelou
10. “The problem with gender is that it prescribes how we should be rather than recognizing how we are. Imagine how much happier we would be, how much freer to be our true individual selves, if we didn’t have the weight of gender expectations.” — Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
#Nwanyibuife Happy International Women’s Day! #EmbraceEquity
Canada’s institutional banking system has been traditionally difficult to navigate for new immigrants to the country, leading many to utilize an informal, women-led savings collective based on the principle of mutual aid. Known as a “partner” in Jamaican culture, a “susu” in the Ghanaian community or a “hagbad” in Somali, a rotating savings and credit association (ROSCA) fosters a sense of community in many immigrant groups and opens doors to funding frequently not available elsewhere.
Join the Ontario Cooperative Association (OCA) on February 22nd, 2023 for the P8 Series – From Principle to Practice: Breaking Down Barriers – Lessons for a More Inclusive Economy
An exploration of some of the key systemic barriers that exist for under-represented groups wanting to develop, or currently operating a co-operative, as well as barriers to ownership, membership, employment, accessibility and leadership, followed by a discussion on how we can collectively overcome them through practices and policies that will make our businesses and the co-operative sector more inclusive. (1.5 hours). Guest speakers include Esther Enylou, Executive Director of the Women’s Multicultural Resource and Counselling Centre, and Juliet Kego Ume-Onyido, Director and Co-Founder of the Black Women’s Professional Worker Co-operative.
An integrated, borderless Ala-Igbo that is advanced economically, technologically, educationally, and fair to all, irrespective of gender, disability, economic and social strata; retaining and attracting outstanding Ndi-Igbo and citizens from Nigeria, Africa and the rest of the world.
[MISSION]
Empowering ONE Million Youth as SERVANT-LEADERS to TRANSFORM ALA-IGBO, one sustainable community at a time (A Nation of Leaders).
[PREMISE]:
“The trouble with Nigeria is simply a failure of leadership…The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to the responsibility, to the challenge of personal example which are the hallmarks of true leadership.” – Chinua Achebe
According to the UN, in the next 3 decades, the population of Nigeria will double, making us the third most populous nation by 2050. Nigeria, like many Nations in Africa, is plagued by challenges such as corruption, nepotism, incompetence, weak institutions, etc., and has a dearth of visionary political leadership. This has led to its inability to unlock and harness its vast human and natural resource.
iSERVE2050 is a Transformational and Experiential Leadership Training Platform, focused primarily on narrowing the leadership gap, in an organic and sustainable approach; fusing our traditional distributed, diffused, egalitarian leadership model, and contemporary ethos of democracy.
We believe that it is time to build a Nation anchored on Human Capital Development; by intentionally mentoring and building capacity of a new generation of ethical, exemplary, competent, creative, visionary, transformational and innovative thought leaders.
“It takes a village to raise a child.” – An African Proverb
An investment in human capital development, via quality, inclusive, equitable, affordable, accessible, relatable, adaptive, outcome -& character-based EDUCATION (Formal and Informal). Also incorporating STEM, pre-existing comparative advantages, strengths, and indigenous knowledge in – imu ahia business incubation model; Soft Power – Liberal Arts & Humanities, Sports, Entertainment, Literary Arts; Igbo core VALUES (spirit of unity, community, enterprise, adventure, global, creativity, inclusivity, equity, and innovation).
Thus, an iSERVE2050 Servant-Leader embodies these ethos: #OfuObi #iGWEBUIKE #NwanyiBuIfe #IgbaMbo #OluAka #ImuAhia #Akon’Uche, #OnyeAghanaNwanneya, #Njem #Nzuko #Nkuzi #Mmuta).
“You must not wait to be elected into office, before you begin to serve. Begin to serve every where you are; in the home, community, school, university, work, hospital, church, market, society, nation and among many other places.” ―Lailah Gifty Akita
To our phenomenal community – members, staff, volunteers, board, partners, clients, vendors, attendees of our programs, and all our supporters/donors across the globe, we wish you a safe, happy and wonderful holiday season as you celebrate with your loved ones! Merry Christmas, happy Kwanzaa and Happy Hanukkah…!
As we celebrate Christmas (December 25), let us be inspired by the story of the birth of Christ, and reflect on the true meaning of humility, sacrifice, rebirth, hope, love and faith in our lives and communities.
As we celebrate Kwanzaa (December 26 to January 1), let us reflect on the 7 principles of Kwanzaa as espoused by Maulana Karenga, which represent African communal philosophy and heritage, and a celebration of our diverse and unique cultures, communities and families. (Learn more about the seven principles of Kwanzaa).
As we look forward to the new year, let us also use this period as an opportunity to re-examine and re-imagine our collective and individual histories, lived experiences and realities, and rededicate our lives to service to family, community and country. Let us continue to grow and learn as we navigate our multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-religious spaces with a lens of justice, empathy, inclusion and equity, in a fast evolving, inter-connected and complex world.
May 2023 and beyond be everything we all hope for!
Once again, we appreciate your participation and support, and look forward to more celebrations and co-creation in the new year. Thank you!
About iSERVE2050 Creativity Quarterly Prize (September – December, 2022 Edition).
Democracy is recognized and accepted to be the most civilized form of government because it is based on certain principles and values. Since Nigeria achieved its independence, its democracy has gone through interruptions and challenges. This has had a profound impact on the quality of leadership and followership.
Democratic principles can only be sustained if the citizens are aware of citizenship values and espouse them. Citizens have the power, influence, and responsibility to make decisions that affect them most especially when electing public officers. However, we can only achieve this when we make a deliberate effort to own governance and contribute to it. This we can attain if we understand, accept, and promote citizen and cultural values that inspire social change that is sustainable, judicious, and transparent.
This need for awareness raising and sensitization on citizen and cultural values has been recognized and it has inspired the creation of the iSERVE2050 Creativity Prize, in partnership with Poetry4ChangeAfrica and Crater Library & Publishers.
Aims and Objectives
The main objective of the competition is to conscientize Nigerian/African youths on important citizenship and leadership values, rights, and responsibilities through creativity.
The Specific Objectives Include:
Educating masses on citizenship and cultural values crucial to individual, community and national progress.
Increase civic participation in politics and governance.
Increase visibility of creators and their works.
Encourage and support creativity.
About the Prize
The competition, although social media based, is broken down into two phases to enable creators to increase visibility of their work, promote citizen and cultural value via content creation and hashtag.
Categories of Prizes
The prize is divided into three categories. They are:
(1) Digital Art
(2) Prose (Creative Non-Fiction) and/or Poetry
(3) Video: Spoken Word and Monologue
Duration and Frequency of PrizeEvents
The contests for the iSERVE2050 Creativity Prize will take place quarterly.
Theme
The theme for the competition will be decided annually with quarterly sub-themes for each prize.
Participants
The competition is only open to Nigerians who are at least 18 years old, resident in Nigeria, and who possess a Nigerian Permanent Voters Card.
Prizes
The winning entry in each category will receive a cash prize of N50,000. While the 1st runner up and 2nd runner up of each categories gets N30,000 and N20,000 respectively. The winners shall be announced at a prize giving ceremony held virtually.
Copyright
The intellectual property rights of the creator reside with the creator. However, by participating in this competition, creators
grant iServe2050 the right to post, advertise, and publish their entries on social media platforms.
Language
The entries will be submitted in any of the following languages: English, Igbo, and Pidgin English. Videos recorded in Igbo and pidgin will have subtitles
Bolstered by a gift from Co-operators, a group of Black women cooperators is spearheading the adoption of communal lending systems to bring racialized Canadian immigrants out of poverty by establishing a Banker Ladies Council.
Have you heard of ROSCAs? If you’re an immigrant, chances are you have, perhaps by another name—an Ayuuto, a partner, a Hagbad, a Chit fund, or a Susu. If you haven’t, Prof. Caroline Shenaz Hossein, Associate Professor of Global Development at the University of Toronto Scarborough and Interim-Director of the Institute for Inclusive Economies and Sustainable Livelihoods, is working to change that through her project “Building Inclusive Economies.”
In a ROSCA, or a Rotating Savings and Credit Association, a group of people pool small amounts of money periodically, and each member gets to take the collected pot on a rotating basis. ROSCAs are informal systems based entirely on trust, reciprocity and shared accountability. Members then use these funds to fulfil personal goals, ranging from the down payment of a house or a car to funding their kids’ education. Goals they would otherwise be unable to meet without financial support.
Prof. Caroline Shenaz Hossein
In Toronto, a community of Black women is playing this critical role of facilitating ROSCAs among diasporic communities as a pathway to financial independence. They call themselves the Banker Ladies. The Banker Ladies have first-hand lived experiences with systemic barriers in the Canadian banking system that keep Black and racialized women from fully participating in society.
They are now using their expertise to empower other Black and racialized immigrant women who lack access to formal financial institutions such as banks and credit unions to find financial security and improved quality of life through communal support that relies on mutual cooperation and shared resources.
Prof. Hossein’s project investigates this systematic exclusion of Black populations from the mainstream Canadian narrative of economic progress while documenting the success of ROSCAs that exist around the world. At its core, her project aims to get the Banker Ladies, who often face severe harassment and vilification while working tirelessly to sustain these cooperative business systems in Canada, the credit they deserve for their efforts to bring economic stability to the communities they serve.
“Throughout the pandemic, we heralded women working in minimum wage jobs in our grocery stores and as personal support workers as the “sheroes” of the pandemic. But we don’t recognize when they are pioneers in what inclusive economics could look like,” shares Prof. Hossein.
In her endeavour to get the labour of these women recognized, Prof. Hossein has found a kindred spirit in Co-operators, a multi-line insurance and financial services co-operative, who have supported her research through a significant gift.
“Prof. Hossein’s work is uncovering the ways in which cooperators are working to meet unmet needs in our communities. It is this alignment of values and the commitment to supporting greater economic opportunities that brought us together, and contributes to Co-operators’ purpose of financial security for Canadians and our communities,” says Shawna Peddle, Associate Vice-President, Citizenship, Co-operators.
The donation enabled the Banker Ladies Council to convene two meetings this year to share their experiences of operating ROSCAs in Toronto and to discuss ways to get them the legitimacy they deserve to end the erasure and stigma associated with them in Canada.
“Co-operators has given us the resources to expand knowledge and create spaces to have conversations with women who are often not seen in the economic system, who will now be a co-creator of what a recognized ROSCA system would look like in the Canadian context,” elaborates Prof. Hossein.
The Co-operators gift also funded this one-minute video explainer on the Black Social Economy, for which Prof. Hossein collaborated with Kindea Labs, a Canadian-owned small business. Its purpose is to educate the Canadian public and policymakers on the importance of collectivity in business and society.
When talking about the motivation behind her efforts to bring public awareness to ROSCAs, Prof. Hossein explains, “When people migrate to Canada, along with their food and cultural affinities, they bring their know-how about financial systems that are crucial to people who feel they can’t participate in the formal banking system. So, the Banker Ladies are bringing their own contributions to the cultural mosaic we have here in Canada.”
Through the work they’re doing, the Banker Ladies are setting set an example of what prioritizing people over profit can achieve, especially in the face of adversity. And through their gift, Co-operators is helping to shine a light on the Banker Ladies and the possibility of a system that celebrates their work and allows them to thrive.
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Dr. Caroline Shenaz Hossein is an Associate Professor of Global Development at the University of Toronto Scarborough and cross-appointed to the graduate program of Political Science at the University of Toronto, and Founder of Diverse Solidarity Economies (DISE) Collective. She holds the Canada Research Chair in Africana Development and Feminist Political Economy. Read more about it here
About Co-operators
Co-operators is a leading Canadian financial services co-operative, offering multi-line insurance and investment products, services, and personalized advice to help Canadians build their financial strength and security. The company has more than $61.5 billion in assets under administration. Co-operators has been providing trusted guidance to Canadians for the past 76 years. The organization is well known for its community involvement and its commitment to sustainability. Achieving carbon neutral equivalency in 2020, the organization is committed to net-zero emissions in its operations and investments by 2040, and 2050, respectively. Co-operators is also ranked as a Corporate Knights’ Best 50 Corporate Citizens in Canada and is listed among the Best Employers in Canada by Kincentric. For more information, please visit www.cooperators.ca
Truly honored and thankful to be a part of the 2022 Worlding #Feminist Political Economies Lecture series. What an incredible/phenomenal year this has been! A huge thank you to mentors and heart-centric leaders like Prof. Caroline Hossein of the #UniversityofToronto for inspiring so many of us to reimagine the SolidarityEconomy & #BlackSocialEconomy. A lovely shout out to Prof. Michelle Stack of the #UniversityofBritishColumbia…And other thought leaders in this space such Dr. Jessica Gordon Nembhard and Dr. Keisha Blain. We stand on your shoulders.👊
And to all the fellow speakers and panelists from across the globe, thank you for sharing your lived experiences, knowledge and wisdoms.” – Juliet Kego Ume-Onyido #WorldingFeminist#SisterhoodSolidarity
Did you know that 1 in 4 racialized families lives in poverty in Canada, compared to 1 in 20 non-racialized families? 41% of Chronically Poor immigrants have degrees. (“Chronically Poor” means living below the Low Income Cut-Off, LICO).
The Canadian Government has a 5-year National Financial Literacy Strategy with a mission to create a more accessible, inclusive and effective Financial Literacy ecosystem where every Canadian can build Financial Resilience in an increasingly digital world.
(Source: Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, and the Colour of Poverty Fact Sheet).
Join us for a 6-part seminar series on Building Financial Resilience & Sustainable Intergenerational Wealth. This is the introductory seminar, and the 6=part series will kick off in January 2023.
The BRN Speaker Series provides a range of opportunities to network, dive into fascinating research and facilitate conversations with future.
The Black Research Network’s Speaker Series invites the greatest minds from the University of Toronto and beyond to engage in meaningful conversations and inquiries about their recent work and careers.
Topic: The Advancement of Rotating Savings and Credit Associations (ROSCAs) for Sustainable Economic Livelihoods
Join U of T Scarborough’s Caroline Shenaz Hossein and Ebun Joseph, a lecturer of University College Dublin, about the history of feminist political economies in Canada and beyond.
Africana women engage in solidarity economies through a specific form of mutual aid – formally referred to as Rotating Savings and Credit Associations (ROSCAs) – to meet their livelihood needs. These women call themselves the Banker Ladies, and the ROSCAs they run are rooted in equity, mutual aid and self-help.
This conversation will draw on empirical work that involves interviews with hundreds of Black women in five Caribbean countries, Toronto and Montreal, as well as field work in Ghana, Ethiopia and Nigeria.
Co-sponsored by the McLuhan Centre, U of T Scarborough and the department of political science at the University of Toronto, this event will take place in-person and via live broadcast.
This event will host 20 people in-person and have a live broadcast for an online audience.
Join us for a Financial Literacy Workshop at the United Outreach Share Life Ministries – New Awakening of the Church; Cooperativism and the intersection of Family, Faith, Fellowship and Finance. The location: Unit 12 – 1179 Finch Avenue West, Toronto, Ontario, M3J 2G1 | Time: 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm EST | Date: 10th of October, 2022
Whole Woman Network is happy to announce a collaboration with YNOT Toronto (Youth Now On Track), to deliver a 6-part workshop series on Financial Literacy and Economic Opportunities for Women and Youth.
The introductory workshop was held in August 2022, and the next workshop will be held on Septmember 12, 2022.
The theme for the workshop is:
UNDERSTANDING YOUR FINANCIAL ENVIRONMENT & HOW TO ACCESS CAPITAL.
The workshop will be held at:
CAMINE STEFANO COMMUNITY CENTRE (Unit 128 – 3100 Weston Road North York, Ontario, ON).
TIME: 5.30 pm to 7:00 pm EST
The program is FREE to the general public however participants are encouraged to register on the YNOT website.
Whole Woman Network is happy to announce a collaboration with YNOT Toronto (Youth Now On Track), to deliver a 6-part workshop series on culturally-attuned and trauma-informed Financial Literacy and Economic Opportunities for Women and Youth.
This is the introductory workshop and the next series of workshops will be held from Septmember 2022 to February 2023
The theme for the workshop is:
UNDERSTANDING YOUR FINANCIAL ENVIRONMENT & HOW TO ACCESS CAPITAL.
Join us for our next webcast, sponsored by @Cisco, where @GrantsOfficeCAN’s Stephanie Cesar and @wwnetworkafrica’s Juliet Ume-Onyido will give tips on how Canadian entrepreneurs can win grant funding to realize their innovative business ideas. Register: https://bit.ly/3b3awEJ
WTC-T is the trade services arm of @TorontoRBOT. As a member of @WTCA, we create unparalleled global access for the Toronto region’s business community. #WTCTO
EnvironBuzz Marketplace is an EnvironFocus Initiative run by Obie Agusiegbe, a member of the WWN Community. She created the online store to promote green vendors and their products. Featured product include LifeStraw Go With 2 – Stage Filtration and the LifeStraw Personal Water Filter shown below. To see more green products visit here.
April is Financial Literacy Month. Know your Business Finances INSIDE OUT! Ditch the question, “where is my money going?” And learn to master your cash!
“You can’t scale your business unless you know your finances in and out. When you don’t manage the money in your business well:
➡️ You’re constantly trying to make more revenue but your bank account never seems to grow.
➡️ You don’t know how much to pay yourself. Or worse, you don’t pay yourself AT ALL!
➡️ Profit and loss statements don’t make any sense and you have no idea how to use these numbers to reach your revenue goals.
➡️ Surprise tax bills or unexpected expenses squeeze your cash reserves dry.
➡️ You don’t know whether to spend or save to scale your business.
It feels overwhelming to the point you’d rather get a root canal than deal with your finances. It doesn’t have to be as complicated as you think.
I’m holding a free live training to share with you the 3 most important things you need to take care of to manage your business finances effectively.
3 things that if you start paying attention to, will get you off that revenue hamster wheel for good and into consistent profit and cash growth.” — Christine Labate, CEO, Good Measure Finance
Whole Woman Network® BLOG 