Women and Entrepreneurship: Small Business
OVERVIEW
From October 16 - 21, we welcomed a group of female entrepreneurs, small business owners, and business development experts for a multi-region project illustrating the impact of women-owned businesses on the U.S. economy and exploring the progress of women to participate more fully in the global economy. This program examined the social, economic, and political factors that influence and encourage private enterprise development in the United States, emphasizing best practices in overcoming societal barriers facing entrepreneurs, especially women and other disadvantaged groups. The program also investigated various business models, support mechanisms, and innovations that bolster businesses, such as micro-lending, use of the internet, and mentoring programs.
PARTICIPANTS
Ms. Maria da Conceicao U Baptista MIGUEL | Angola
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Bove 360
Ms. Tanzila ELMA | Bangladesh
Co-Founder, Chairman, and Chief Operating Officer, House of Ahmed Ltd
Ms. Silvana VASIC | Bosnia and Herzegovina
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Viktori Travel
Ms. Mayra CASTRO LOPES DOS SANTOS | Brazil
Founder, InvestAmazônia (NGO)
Ms. Felicity Hui Ling CHAN | Brunei
Program Manager, Darussalam Enterprise
Ms. Irvine Floreale MURAME | Burundi
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Infinity Group
Ms. Damaris Nataly YUGCHA CORRALES | Ecuador
International Cooperation Director, Prefecture of Santa Elena Province
Ms. Tirhas Yemane SEMERE | Eritrea
Nutritionist, Ministry of Agriculture
Ms. Fadumo Faisal ALI | Finland
Chief Executive Officer, Hoiwa
Ms. Setra O’Selmo | Guyana
Proprietor and Cosmetologist, Sister to Sister’s Beauty
Dr. Sonam KAPSE | India
Founder, Terrasinne Food Corp LLP / India Millets Company
Ms. Saja Qahtan Khudhair AL JANABI | Iraq
Accountant and Cashier, Alrusafa food
Ms. Goretti ITOKA | Liberia
Chief Executive Officer, AgroRetti
Ms. Erdenesuvd ENKHTAIVAN | Mongolia
Chief Executive Officer, Digital Gobi NGO
Ms. Jelena KRIVCEVIC | Montenegro
Executive Director, NGO Regional Development Agency for Bjelasica, Komovi, and Prokletije
Ms. Faheema Issufo SULEMANE | Mozambique
Executive Director, AmCham Mozambique
Ms. Maya RAI | Nepal
Managing Director, Nepal Knotcraft Centre Pvt. Ltd.
Ms. Idoreyin NZEH | Nigeria
Chief Executive Officer, Arziki
Ms. Ruixue YU | People's Republic of China
Deputy Manager, Enterprise Development Department, TusStar Inc.
Ms. Senith ARAEZ | Philippines
Proprietor, Whistler Travel and Tours
Ms. Sara AL SAYED | Qatar
Founder and Owner, SOCIÉTÉ Artisan Bakery
Ms. Marie Therese SEKAMANA MUTESI | Rwanda
Chairperson, PSF Specialized Cluster for Woman, Youth and People with Disability, Rwanda Private Sector Federation
Ms. Manuela STAMATOVIC | Serbia
Owner and Chief Executive Officer, Puzzle Consulting
Ms. Maria Jose Trejo | Venezuela
Chief Learning Officer, CLO, Innbicuo, Consultores Innovarte
ACTIVITIES
During their time in New Orleans, the delegation engaged with prominent organizations that support women-led businesses and female entrepreneurs who are scaling their businesses through innovative approaches. At the Women’s Business Enterprise Council South (WEBC), President and CEO Phala Mire discussed her organization’s work supporting women in building and growing a business through certification programs, educational workshops, and tools to strengthen supplier diversity partnerships. Ms. Mire also led a tour of the WB Collective, a shared workspace in the Warehouse Arts District built for women executives to cowork and connect.
The group also met with Teresa Thomas, owner and founder of Crazy Plant Bae, a plant business that began as an online store in 2019 and quickly expanded into a brick-and-mortar shop. Crazy Plant Bae functions as a small business collective for nearly a dozen local Black women in the community, where women can sell their products and expand their network while finding community and support. Ms. Thomas shared her experiences launching and running her plant store, in addition to the events space that she and her family operate in a historic building in the Treme neighborhood.
In a meeting hosted at Piety and Desire Chocoloate, Joanna Kirby discussed the work of the Philippine-American Women's Association of Louisiana (PAWAL). Together with other Philippine-Louisiana organizations, PAWAL fosters cultural connection and economic opportunities for Philippine-American women through social, cultural, and civic activities. Filipinos have a long history in Louisiana, particularly in the coastal areas of the state's southeastern region, and PAWAL interprets this heritage for the community through their cultural tourism initiative Bayou Barkada. Ms. Kirby highlighted PAWAL’s efforts to support women in the local Filipino community, and their educational and business ventures that have brought economic opportunities to women in Southeast Louisiana and New Orleans.
The delegation also enjoyed an intimate glimpse into the heart of New Orleans culture, when they were invited to attend the Preservation Hall 2024 Legacy Awards, a celebration that honored the lifelong contributions to New Orleans jazz heritage of three extraordinary women: Mari Watanabe, Dodie Smith-Simmons, and Sweet Emma Barrett.
