WEConnection
September 2015
Issue 4
 
WE-APEC: Make Your Connection
Make Your Connection

WE-APEC is connecting business networks, the private sector, and government to help women-owned businesses grow and access markets in the Asia-Pacific. Its website provides a number of resources including a n ew searchable directory that provides easy access to over 600 service providers for women entrepreneurs in APEC.


This week, WEConnect International COO Jean Rogers is in The Philippines for the APEC 2015 conference: Building Inclusive Economies, Building a Better World. She will share her insights during the Workshop on Facilitating SME Trade  through Better Understanding of Non-Tariff Measures. 




Upcoming National Conferences: Brazil, India and Canada



 

WBE Success Story
Majda Ficko, Olen Cosmetics, Baby Butz, Canada

Did you know diaper rash is actually a chemical burn that can lead to infection? Did you know that it only takes 26 seconds for your skin to absorb chemicals from your personal care products? Did you know that some of the shampoos and creams for babies on the market today contain chemicals like formaldehyde? 

WEConnect International certified woman business owner, award-winning entrepreneur, and mother Majda Ficko knows all to well and has created an all-natural diaper cream that works -  Baby Butz

Majda gave birth to her son, Demitri, nearly 18 years ago. He was born prematurely and was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called Cornelia de Lange. Against all odds, he is alive today. However, he must use a feeding tube for nourishment and forever be in diapers.


Opportunities

Share your expertise and connect with Walmart, Pick n Pay   

DEADLINE EXTENDED: WEConnect International has partnered with AWEP on a Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Commitment with the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to launch AWEP: Women as the Missing Middle of Africa's Supply Chain Project.
 
Ten WBEs have already agreed to participate and AWEP would like to see more! Certified WBEs are invited to share your invaluable support and guidance to other women owned businesses from AWEP. If you commit at least 6 mentoring hours to an AWEP entrepreneur by October 31st, you will also be eligible to connect with technical officers from Pick n Pay and Walmart. The method of communication is entirely up to you and your mentee - it could be Skype, email, phone or the conversation interface on MicroMentor.

Sign up as a mentor  and email Liz Whitehead at  lwhitehead@weconnectinternational.org  to confirm that you are participating.

'Women Owned' Logo Offers a Marketing Edge

In a competitive marketplace, companies are continually looking for new ways to promote their brands and get customers to buy. Can promoting the owner of the company provide an edge?

If the owner is a woman, yes it can, according to data collected by Walmart. The retail giant's consumer research has shown that 90 percent of female customers are willing to go out of their way to buy a product from a woman-owned business. That's a potentially powerful impulse for female entrepreneurs to harness, given the fact that women make 70 to 80 percent of purchasing decisions across the globe.

 Read More 
Apply to Be Featured in The Story Exchange's Resolutions Gift Guide

The Story Exchange is creating a list of extraordinary gifts made by women business owners that promote wellness and well-being. This holiday season, they are curating items for the Resolutions Gift Guide - a list of women-made, women-sold products and services that inspire a healthier, more engaged inner circle and workforce by promoting wellness, improving work spaces, keeping folks in-tune with the environment and increasing productivity and happiness in all aspects of life.

Enter by November 1, 2015.

Learn More 
WEConnect International Events
    Founder of Color Blind Cards Jessica Huie
will tell you how PR can be the key to your business success.
WEConnect Webinar: Back to Class 
Date: September 17, 2015
Location: Online
Register

WEConnect International in Brazil Forum

Date: October 2, 2015
Location: São Paolo, Brazil
 Register

WEConnect Webinar - PR: Your Key to Business Success
Date: October 2, 2015
Location: Online
Register

WEConnect International in India Annual Think Big Women in Business Forum
Date: October 9, 2015
Location: Delhi, India

WEConnect Academy: Aligning Your Business Strategy
Date:  October 14, 2015
Location:  Online

WEConnect Webinar: Safe & Social Travel for Women in Business
Date:  October 14, 2015
Location:  Online