Description
Report critique
This is an individual assignment and should be written up in report style with proper APA
formatting and citations. Headings are encouraged but please do not write it in question/
answer style but rather a short phrase to reflect the major topic of research (e.g. do write ?Data
Collection Critique, do not write ?what did this report do well?). This should be no more than 6
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person. You are expected to refer to the textbook and other resources (textbooks, academic
articles, etc.) within your report using in text citations to give support and credibility to your
critique. You are expected to source other academic and industry sources.
This should be no more than six (6) pages. please outline the following:
Who wrote the report, what is their general purpose, function and business?
? If relevant, consider both the client, and those paid to conduct the research
What is the report about?
? Give a one paragraph summary highlighting the key points.
Who is the intended audience?
? Is it a particular market? Or industry sector, etc.?
? Provide evidence to back up your claim
What was the research question(s) and objectives?
What data collection strategies and methods were employed in this report?
? Identify, explain and critique the various aspects, including but not limited to the
following: is this exploratory/descriptive/explanatory?
? Does it use singular or mixed method?
? Is quantitative and/or qualitative data collected and analyzed?
? What type of data collection instruments was/were used?
? What sampling strategies were/was employed?
? What data analysis techniques were use?
? How was the data analyzed? How was the data presented? What type of tables/figures
were used? Was this the best format for the data presented?
? Who is the study population?
? If appropriate what is the sampling ratio?
? Has the report followed best practices regarding ethics? Do you have ethical concerns?
? Does the method make sense/is appropriate to answer the research questions?
? Are the findings appropriately/conclusively outlined?
? Use your textbook for additional aspects to critique?
1
What are the key implications from this report?
? What do the findings mean? For who? And how are they useful?
Provide a critique of the report. If this study was to be conducted again, what recommendations
do you have on how it should be done differently?
? What would you repeat or delete?
? What could have been done better and how?
? What would make this report more useful, trustworthy, and help answer the research
questions you believe it was attempting to answer?
? What other instruments could be used to increase the validity of the study?
Don?t forget this is a critique, not an opinion and therefore needs to be back up with citations
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You will be evaluated on the following:
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– Identification and critique of research question / objectives
– Clear understanding of report content
– Indication of intended audience
– Understanding of findings and how data is reported
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Identification, explanation and critique of methods
Ability to explain methodological terms and strategies
Ability to identify, explain and critique data analysis Discussion of implications
Critical appraisal/recommendations
Presentation and structure
(Spelling, grammar, appropriate references, format).
40%
30%
15%
15%
Please use the textbook and other research methods books as sources to assist in writing this
critique.
2
Mikwam Makwa Ikwe
(Ice Bear Woman)
A National Needs Analysis on
Indigenous Women?s Entrepreneurship
WEKH.CA
@WEKH_PCFE
[email protected]
The Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH) is a national network and
accessible digital platform for sharing research, resources, and leading strategies. With
ten regional hubs and a network of more than 250 organizations, WEKH is designed
to address the needs of diverse women entrepreneurs across regions and across
sectors. In response to COVID-19, WEKH adopted an agitator role connecting women
entrepreneurs and support organizations across the country and led network calls
and training sessions. WEKH?s advanced technology platform, powered by Magnet, will
enhance the capacity of women entrepreneurs and the organizations who serve them
by linking them to resources and best practices from across the country.
With the support of the Government of Canada, WEKH will spread its expertise from
coast to coast, enabling service providers, academics, government, and industry
to enhance their support for women entrepreneurs. Ryerson University?s Diversity
Institute, in collaboration with Ryerson?s Brookfield Institute for Innovation +
Entrepreneurship and the Ted Rogers School of Management, is leading a team of
researchers, business support organizations, and key stakeholders to create a more
inclusive and supportive environment to grow women?s entrepreneurship in Canada.
UMANITOBA.CA/ASPER
The I.H. Asper School of Business has thrived for over 80 years providing worldclass education to leaders and innovators who contribute ethically to the social and
economic well-being of Manitoba and the world. Taking our place among leading
business schools we are committed to transforming research and scholarship, building
a community that creates an outstanding learning environment, forging connections
to foster high impact community engagement, and inspiring minds through innovative
and quality teaching and learning.
The Asper School is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of
Business (AACSB), one of the highest standards of achievement for business schools
worldwide.
Author
Contributors
Ashley Richard, BComm (Hons.)
WEKH/University of Manitoba,
Asper School of Business
Kara Thorvaldson, BComm
(Hons.)
WEKH/University of Manitoba
Shannon Pestun, B.Mgt
WEKH/Ryerson University
Summer Reilly
PARO Centre for Women?s
Enterprise (WEKH Regional Hub)
Advising Contributor
Suzanne Gagnon, PhD
University of Manitoba,
Asper School of Business
Editorial Assistance
Guang Ying Mo, PhD
WEKH/Ryerson University
Henrique Hon, MBA
WEKH/Ryerson University
Sponsors
The sponsors of this project include the Government of Canada,
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
Publication date:
January 2021
Mikwam Makwa
Ikwe
On August 25, 2020, WEKH
took part in a traditional
pipe ceremony, where
the name Mikwam Makwa
Ikwe was given to WEKH
by Elder Margaret Lavallee
of Sagkeeng First Nation.
Mikwam Makwa Ikwe is
Anishinaabe for Ice Bear
Woman. The polar bear is a
symbol of courage. She is
strength. She is a protector.
Her Spirit is always within
and alongside all Indigenous
women entrepreneurs
throughout their journeys.
Cover art by Megan Currie, X-ing Design
The cover illustration, inspired by the report itself, is composed of the designer?s
interpretation of Mikwam Makwa Ikwe (Ice Bear Woman). The woman is standing
on the banks of a frozen lake. To the north is a
landscape of mountains set against a sky filled by
the Northern Lights. The Northern Lights represent
the North, the land of the bear. One teaching
passed on from generation to generation is the
belief that the bear?s power includes healing. It is
said that the bear?s healing power is the strongest
when the Northern Lights dance in the sky.
The mountains are representative of the many
struggles and barriers (the ups and downs) that an
Indigenous woman may face in her entrepreneurial
journey. The woman, facing east, is looking forward
to the future. The WEKH logo is providing light,
guiding the woman on her entrepreneurial journey.
The polar bear, looking to the west and the past,
represents knowledge of tradition and culture,
both protecting the woman on her journey that
provides healing from the struggles.
Acknowledgements
We would like to begin this report by acknowledging the Indigenous women entrepreneurs who participated in our
national series of roundtables on Indigenous women?s entrepreneurship between April and June 2020. Their insights
are the strength within this report. We also thank the following organizations in the women?s entrepreneurship
ecosystem across the country, who partnered with us to make these events possible:
> Alberta Indian Investment
Corporation
> Indigenous LIFT Collective
> PEI Business Women?s Association
> Alberta Women Entrepreneurs
> Joint Economic Development
Initiative
> Piikani Resource Development Ltd.
SEED Winnipeg
> ATB Financial
> Marieval Enterprise Centre
> SFU VentureLabs
> Blood Tribe Economic Development
> Membertou Entrepreneur Centre
Mi?kmaq Confederacy of PEI
> Shopify
> Mount Royal University
> The Artist?s Hub
> National Aboriginal Capital
Corporations Association
> Ulnooweg
> Business Link
> Clarence Campeau Development
Fund
> Community Futures Alberta
> Community Futures Manitoba
> Community Futures Treaty Seven
> EntrepreNorth
> First Nations Technology Council
> National Indigenous Economic
Development Board
> Native Women?s Association of
Canada
> Skookum Lab
> Universit? de Montr?al
> Women Entrepreneurs of
Saskatchewan
> Women in Business New Brunswick
> Women?s Enterprise Centre (BC)
> First Peoples Economic Growth
Fund
> Newfoundland and Labrador
Organization of Women
Entrepreneurs
> Futurpreneur
> OCAD University
> Impact Hub Ottawa
> PARO Centre for Women?s
Entreprise
> Women?s Enterprise Organizations
of Canada
> Indigenous Student Centre
> Indigenous Tourism Alberta
> Pauktuuitit
> Women?s Enterprise Centre of
Manitoba
> Yukon University
Contents
Executive Summary
iii
Introduction
1
National Roundtables on Indigenous
Women?s Entrepreneurship
5
Recommendations
31
Conclusion
36
Appendix: Roundtables by Region
38
References
43
i
ii
Executive
Summary
About the research
Research highlights
The goal of this report is to build a
comprehensive description of the barriers
and challenges that Indigenous women face
as they develop their enterprises and to
make recommendations for change. Using
qualitative data collected from a series of
roundtable community consultations with
more than 350 participants throughout
2020, this report presents an analysis of the
rich stories shared by Indigenous women
entrepreneurs about their successes,
challenges, and aspirations for future
entrepreneurial endeavours.
In this report, we identify and discuss the
following barriers that Indigenous women
entrepreneurs face:
> Finance
The first barrier is access to financial,
entrepreneurial, and social capital.
Financial barriers run deeper for Indigenous
women and are linked to culture and the
relationship Indigenous women have with
money.
> Stereotypes and biases connected to
entrepreneurship
It is exhausting for Indigenous women to
navigate an entrepreneurship ecosystem
that poses barriers around every turn due
to the presence of many institutionalized
stereotypes and biases. Overarching
western cultural values have created
a mould for entrepreneurship within
which Indigenous women no longer see
themselves.
We use an inclusive definition of ?Indigenous
women entrepreneur.? We consider
entrepreneurs to include those who own
small and medium-sized businesses, those
who own micro-enterprises, those who
are self-employed, and those who are
unincorporated sole proprietors. We also
include a full spectrum of organizations, from
for-profit entities to social ventures. Further,
we use an inclusive definition of women. By
women, we mean those who self-identify as
women in terms of gender, distinct from sex;
this includes cis women, trans women, and
other women.
> Indigenous history and culture vs.
westernized thought
When Indigenous peoples manage
their land with a focus on communityappropriate entrepreneurial ventures, they
enhance opportunities for themselves,
their families, and their communities. Many
Indigenous women put their communities?
needs at the centre of their businesses.
> Political and systemic barriers
Indigenous women reported that political
leadership can cause challenges and
increase barriers, and many programs
that are designed to be supportive can be
overwhelming.
iii
> Lack of mentorship opportunities
Many Indigenous women entrepreneurs
have difficulty finding Indigenous women
business mentors.
entrepreneurs face. Funds obtained rarely
went towards personal income. These
women entrepreneurs identified a gap
in knowledge around who Indigenous
peoples are as contemporary people. Many
Indigenous women in this sector continue
to struggle to find a sense of mental
security.
> Lack of training and education
Proper education must start at a young
age. Indigenous women entrepreneurs
are not the only ones who lack business
education and training when starting a
venture: entire Indigenous communities
often lack basic infrastructure and access
to quality education at the elementary and
secondary level.
> Barriers specific to francophone
Indigenous women entrepreneurs
The barriers and struggles that Indigenous
women face are similar across language
groups: lack of mentorship opportunities;
lack of Indigenous women represented in
entrepreneurship; and troubles accessing
financial, entrepreneurial, and social
capital. A unique barrier is that non-federal
government entrepreneurial initiatives at
the national level are often unilingual in
English, and thus inaccessible for some of
the francophone population.
> Inadequate access to connectivity and
technology
Unreliable and limited access to the
internet affects many aspects of
Indigenous women entrepreneurs? lives.
This barrier has broad effects and is a
major societal issue.
> Barriers related to the COVID-19
pandemic
The spread of COVID-19 has affected
roundtable participants? businesses and
livelihood in the following ways:
> Challenges balancing family and
community roles
Indigenous women often start a business
as a way to fill a community need or gap.
However, balancing community and
entrepreneurial roles was described as
being in ?survival mode.? This barrier is
further exacerbated for entrepreneurs who
are single mothers.
> added stress and panic; businesses
being forced to shut down
> loss of significant revenues; difficulties
when navigating a switch to
e-commerce
> Lack of confidence
Lack of confidence is not a stand-alone
barrier. Rather, the compounding effects
from all the aforementioned barriers,
combined with the social, economic, and
political factors that have an impact on
Indigenous women in Canada affect their
confidence in their ability to successfully
run a venture.
> ineligibility for government supports
> lack of access to government supports
> overwhelming pandemic information
webinars
> arising mental health issues
> little connectivity for remote community
without technology
> Barriers specific to Indigenous women
entrepreneurs in the arts and creative
industries
Indigenous women entrepreneurs in
these industries face many of the same
barriers that other Indigenous women
> overuse of time on crisis management
instead of business
> feelings of frustration
iv
Conclusion and recommendations
The barriers outlined and other results of the roundtables indicate there is work to do before we
can call ourselves inclusive. In order to build an inclusive innovation ecosystem, it is important
that we continue to create social spaces for Indigenous women to share their voices. To address
the barriers discussed, the ecosystem needs to work to develop meaningful and long-lasting
relationships with Indigenous women entrepreneurs. Ensuring that programming has longevity is
important; adopting the mindset of caring for the next Seven Generations will allow for a relational
approach instead of a transactional approach, and will inherently allow for inclusive program
design. We recommend that all organizations in the entrepreneurship ecosystem develop
holistic and culturally relevant programming around personal financial literacy and business
financial literacy for Indigenous women, and that they ask Indigenous women to design, lead, and
implement programs for their peers.
Aboriginal Financial Institutions (AFIs)
should:
Enterprise support organizations should:
> appoint Indigenous women to their Boards
of Directors and ensure senior leadership
has Indigenous women representation.
> utilize all the tools, resources, and
supports they have available to them
and on a best-efforts basis to strive to
increase the number of Indigenous women
entrepreneurs accessing financing through
the network by 50% by 2025.
> showcase a wide range of diverse
successful Indigenous women
entrepreneurs by implementing
entrepreneurial media campaigns.
> educate Indigenous women entrepreneurs
on their rights and ensure they understand
the financial landscape they are navigating,
whether it is on or off reserve.
Mainstream financial institutions should:
> implement mandatory Indigenous
awareness training for all frontline
personnel.
> create more mentorship program
opportunities by building meaningful
relationships with potential Indigenous
women mentors.
> partner with AFIs to create more
opportunities for diverse Indigenous
women to hold decision-making positions
in lending roles.
> build childcare into organizations and
support programs so that motherhood is
not a barrier to success.
> create microloans for Indigenous women.
> remove discriminating funding
requirements against Indigenous women
entrepreneurs.
> incorporate flexibility into policies and
programs that allow for Indigenous women
to work from home when needed, in order
to care for their children, Elders, etc.
> ensure that Indigenous women
entrepreneurs feel safe, respected, and
supported throughout the entirety of the
lending process.
> create space in company policies for
attending Ceremonies, and enabling
access to cultural and traditional supports
when needed.
> develop meaningful relationships with
Elders so that community Elders are
accessible by employees and program
participants when needed.
v
All levels of government should:
> create wage subsidies that encourage
hiring and training Indigenous women.
> collaborate with national and local
Indigenous governing bodies to invest in
the infrastructure needed to ensure all
Indigenous communities have access to
reliable high-speed internet.
> create more incubators and accelerators
for Indigenous women entrepreneurs that
meet their unique needs.
Postsecondary institutions should:
> ensure equitable opportunities are
available for Indigenous women in a variety
of fields.
> showcase Indigenous women who are
excelling in fields traditionally dominated
by men.
vi
Introduction
There are almost 23,000 Indigenous
women entrepreneurs across Canada,1 and
Indigenous women are starting up enterprises
at twice the rate of non-Indigenous women.2
Indigenous women bring new and innovative
products, services, and approaches to
the economic community. However, they
often face barriers in starting and growing
their businesses, such as in accessing
financing and mentorship, described in more
detail in this report. Many barriers faced
by Indigenous women entrepreneurs are
also obstacles for women entrepreneurs
in general. However, intersectionality and
important distinctions between the two
groups must be understood to develop and
implement meaningful policies that build a
more equitable and inclusive ecosystem. The
2016 Census reported that 22,245 Indigenous
women were self-employed, and that the
number of self-employed Indigenous women
was growing at a faster rate than that of
Indigenous men.3 The National Indigenous
Economic Development Board also suggests
that closing the gaps in economic outcomes
between Indigenous and non-Indigenous
peoples could add $27.7B to Canada?s GDP.4
provided an opportunity for Indigenous
women entrepreneurs to share their stories,
successes, and challenges; the consultations
also allowed for the Indigenous women?s
entrepreneurial ecosystem to collaborate,
connect, and gain a better understanding
of how the network relates to their region.
The Indigenous women who participated in
these roundtables represented a diversity of
backgrounds, knowledge levels, skills, regions,
and businesses. The participants discussed
the challenges they face as Indigenous
women entrepreneurs, as well as their
aspirations for the future.
For many Indigenous women entrepreneurs,
creative entrepreneurship adds another
layer to the discussion. In partnership with
OCAD University (a WEKH Regional Hub)
and their Indigenous Student Centre, WEKH
hosted a special roundtable for Indigenous
women entrepreneurs working in the creative
industries such as music, artistry, and film.
Francophone Indigenous women
entrepreneurs also have a unique perspective
to bring to the conversation. As such, the
WEKH Regional Hub led by the Universit?
de Montr?al held a special consultation in
French for francophone Indigenous women
entrepreneurs and ecosystem organizations
within Quebec.
This report takes a comprehensive look at
the barriers and challenges that Indigenous
women face as they develop their enterprises.
Importantly, it also makes recommendations
for change. The report is based in part on a
series of roundtable community consultations
that took place throughout 2020. Over
350 participants from across Canada
attended these roundtable conversations,
conducted via videoconference and
organized in concert with WEKH regional
hubs and many stakeholder organizations
for Indigenous women. These consultations
1
Inclusive innovation
ecosystem model
This report discusses major themes
highlighted in the roundtable conversations.
These include the challenges Indigenous
women entrepreneurs face when working
to meet their objectives and aspirations as
entrepreneurs. Specifically, the roundtable
conversations pointed to the following
barriers, discussed in this report:
Forces that advance or impede inclusion
and success within the entrepreneurship
ecosystem in Canada operate at the societal
(macro), organizational and institutional
(meso), and individual (micro) levels. This
report draws on the inclusive innovation
ecosystem model for entrepreneurship.5,6,7
The model maps actors and elements at each
of these levels as well as the interactions
that occur between them. The model is
critical for understanding Indigenous
women?s experiences in entrepreneurship,
encouraging a system-wide analysis in
which one level cannot be isolated from or
understood without the others. Barriers at
the different levels of this core model affect
various aspects of Indigenous women?s
experiences in entrepreneurship.
> Finance
> Attitudes
> Access to financial, entrepreneurial, and
social capital
> Stereotypes and biases
> Indigenous history and culture vs.
westernized thought
> Political and systemic barriers
> Lack of mentorship opportunities
> Lack of training and education
> Inadequate access to connectivity and
technology
Definitions
> Challenges balancing family and
community roles
Definitions of ?entrepreneur? vary, and can
include sole proprietorships, social ventures,
innovators, and everyone in between. How
entrepreneurship is defined has significant
implications for who is included and who
is excluded, which in turn has important
implications for policy and decision-making
at different levels of the ecosystem.8 For
example, when looking at statistics using a
definition of entrepreneurship that excludes
self-employment and only accounts for
owners of small or medium-sized businesses
(SMEs), we see that 15.6% of SMEs are
majority women-owned in Canada.9 On the
other hand, if we include self-employment
in our definition of entrepreneurship, this
number changes quite drastically; with that
broader definition, 37.4% of self-employed
Canadians are women.10
> Lack of confidence
Finally, the profiles of diverse Indigenous
women entrepreneurs from across Turtle
Islanda are featured throughout this report.
These courageous women participated in
WEKH?s 2020 roundtables on Indigenous
women entrepreneurship and we thank them
for sharing their stories, in their own words,
here.
a ?For some Indigenous peoples, Turtle Island refers to the
continent of North America. The name comes from various
Indigenous oral histories that tell stories of a turtle that
holds the world on its back. For some Indigenous peoples,
the turtle is therefore considered an icon of life, and the
story of Turtle Island consequently speaks to various
spiritual and cultural beliefs.? (Source: Robinson, A. (2018).
?Turtle Island?. The Canadian Encyclopedia. https://www.
thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/turtle-island).
2
WEKH therefore uses an inclusive definition
of ?Indigenous women entrepreneur.? We
consider entrepreneurs to include those who
own SMEs, those who own micro-enterprises,
those who are self-employed, and those who
are unincorporated sole proprietors. We also
include a full spectrum of organization types,
from for-profit to social ventures. Further,
we use an inclusive definition of women. By
women, we mean those who self-identify as
women in terms of gender, distinct from sex;
this includes cis women, trans women, and
other women.
given that the roundtables took place during
the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic
in Canada, we summarize discussions
about participants? experiences during the
pandemic, supported by data from CCAB?s
2020 COVID-19 Indigenous Business Survey.
Throughout these sections, we present
the stories of diverse Indigenous women
entrepreneurs in their own words, to highlight
their challenges and accomplishments.
Characteristics of
Indigenous women
entrepreneurs
There is substantial diversity among
Indigenous peoples in Canada and it is
important to recognize that each group
has their own unique culture and history.
For the purposes of this report, we use the
term ?Indigenous? when referring to First
Nations (status and non-status), M?tis, and
Inuit peoples. We use the term ?Aboriginal??
only when referring to a specific legal or
formal concept/name, and do not use
the terms ?Indigenous? and ?Aboriginal?
interchangeably. We use the term ?Indian?
only when speaking within the context of
the Indian Act of 1876, a Canadian Act of
Parliament that concerns registered Indians,
their Bands, and the system of Indian
reserves.11
The following section is an exploration
of the characteristics of Indigenous
women entrepreneurs supported by data
from WEKH?s 2020 State of Women?s
Entrepreneurship in Canada (SOWE) report12;
CCAB?s 2016 Promise and Prosperity Report13;
and NACCA?s 2020 Indigenous Women
Entrepreneurs Survey Report.14
Education
The NACCA report states that Indigenous
people tend to have lower income and
education levels than non-Indigenous
Canadians, which limits their ability to build
equity and invest in a business. Among the
survey respondents, 17% said that their own
and their family?s education levels were able
to improve as a result of their entrepreneurial
pursuits; in fact, the report found that
supporting Indigenous women entrepreneurs
leads to more education and training
opportunities for Indigenous communities
more generally.15 WEKH?s 2020 SOWE report
found that women entrepreneurs are
generally better educated when compared
to men: only 2.5% of the owners of womenowned small businesses in Canada have less
than a high school education, whereas 25%
have a bachelor?s degree and 15% have a
masters degree or higher.16
The remainder of this report is organized as
follows. Below we present the characteristics
of Indigenous women entrepreneurs in
Canada, drawing on recent data. This is
followed by a section explaining the current
and sometimes longstanding barriers that
Indigenous women confront in their work,
drawing on our roundtable consultations
and recent published reports by the
National Aboriginal Capital Corporations
Association (NACCA), the Canadian Council
of Aboriginal Business (CCAB), and WEKH.
We then present recommendations and
calls to action for creating a more equitable
and effective innovation ecosystem for
Indigenous women entrepreneurs. Lastly,
3
Age
Sectoral differences
In Canada, women who are majority owners
of SMEs tend to be slightly younger than men:
16.3% of women owners are under the age
of 40, compared to 14% of men owners. They
are also less likely than men to be aged 65 or
over.17,18 Indigenous women entrepreneurs
however, are even younger, with the recent
NACCA report indicating that 30% were aged
26 to 40.19
WEKH and CCAB data have found that both
women entrepreneurs and Indigenous
women entrepreneurs are more likely to have
businesses in service industries.25,26 A 2020
report by WEKH and CCAB found that 74%
of Indigenous women-owned businesses
operated in the service industry, compared
to 54% of those owned by Indigenous
men.27 Service industries include retail,
accommodation, tourism, arts, entertainment,
recreation, education, health care, and food
services, among others.
Size and growth of
entrepreneurial activities
According to Statistics Canada, 92.7% of
Canadian women-owned enterprises are
micro-firms (i.e., firms with fewer than 20
employees). Women-owned enterprises are
less likely to be classified as high-growth than
those owned by men.20 Similarly, CCAB data
from 2015 shows that Indigenous women
entrepreneurs experienced less revenue
growth over the period of one year than
Indigenous men (36% vs. 44%).21 Additionally,
NACCA found that 38% of the Indigenous
women entrepreneurs they surveyed
employed between one and four individuals.
Similarly, CCAB data shows that men are
more likely (40%) to have employees than
women (30%).22 The figure for all Indigenous
entrepreneurs with employees (regardless of
gender) is 34.3%, according to a recent report
by Global Affairs Canada and CCAB.23,24
Company structure
According to the January 2019 Labour
Force Survey, women are less likely to be
incorporated and have paid employees
(15.3%) compared to men (26.2%).28 Women
entrepreneurs are also more likely to have
no paid employees when compared to men
(78.4% vs. 67.5%).29 CCAB?s data similarly
shows that Indigenous men are more likely
to have paid employees or contractors
than Indigenous women (40% vs. 30%).30
Both the CCAB data and the NACCA survey
indicate that the majority of Indigenous
women entrepreneurs operate within a
sole proprietorship structure (67% and 71%
respectively).31,32
4
National Roundtables
on Indigenous Women?s
Entrepreneurship
Barriers and challenges
confronting Indigenous
women entrepreneurs
From April to June 2020, WEKH hosted a
series of national roundtables on Indigenous
women?s entrepreneurship across Canada.
A total of 16 roundtables were held via
video conference, bringing together over
350 participants. (See the Appendix for
the number of participants by region.)
Organizations in the entrepreneurship
ecosystem were invited to attend these
sessions as an opportunity to learn and
share. Indigenous women entrepreneurs
participated in these community
consultations on a voluntary basis. The
conversations at the roundtables revealed
that while Indigenous women are unique in
their skills and backgrounds, they share many
challenges and commonalities when it comes
to their experiences with entrepreneurship.
This section details the challenges that
were shared by Indigenous women at the
roundtable discussions. Based on the
conversations in each region, we identified
the following overarching themes:
> Finance
> Attitudes
> Access to financial, entrepreneurial, and
social capital
> Stereotypes and biases connected to
entrepreneurship
> Indigenous history and culture vs.
westernized thought
At the roundtables, Indigenous women
participants shared their thoughts on what
?Indigenous women?s entrepreneurship?
means to them, the barriers they face (both
related to the COVID-19 pandemic and not),
as well as their vision for an innovation
ecosystem that is fully inclusive of Indigenous
women. The findings from these discussions
are elaborated in the sections below. In a
subsequent section, we draw on the main
themes from these discussions to present
recommendations for future action.
> Political and systemic barriers
> Lack of mentorship opportunities
> Lack of traini
