PWN MEETING
 A Force to Reckon With: Women, Entrepreneurship and Risk

So, women entrepreneurs are less likely to take risks? Widely reported as the case in previous studies, Carleton University Centre for Women in Politics and Public Leadership, in partnership with the Beacon Agency and BMO, has undertaken ground breaking research which busts this myth and shows that women just approach risk in a different, more holistic way than men.

A Force to Reckon With, Women Entrepreneurship and Risk is the result of this study, which considers literature, along with the results of interviews with over 100 entrepreneurs across Canada from all sectors and stages from start-ups to multi-million dollar enterprises.

Our panelists:

 

• Clare Beckton,  co-author of A Force to Reckon With, Women Entrepreneurship and Risk,
• Mike Bonner Senior Vice President and Regional Head, BC & Yukon Division, BMO Bank of Montreal, and
• Marla Kott, CEO of ImprintPlus

 

along with our Moderator Barbara Mowat, Founder and President of GroYourBiz, will discuss women and risk, the report, its impact and recommendations moving forward.

About Our Panelists:

Clare Beckton

Clare Beckton BA LLB MPA, is the author of Own-it Your Success, Your Future, Your Life. Clare is founding Executive Director of the Carleton University Centre for Women in Politics and Public Leadership where she facilitates leading edge research initiatives and women’s leadership programs to advance women in leadership roles. She is a former senior executive in the Government of Canada including roles as head of agency for Status of Women Canada and Assistant Deputy Attorney General Aboriginal Affairs Justice Canada. Several recent studies include a Force to Reckon With, Women, Entrepreneurship and Risk and Women’s Leadership Matters, the impact of Women’s Leadership in the Canadian Public Service.

Mike Bonner

As the Senior Vice President of British Columbia & Yukon, Mike is the Regional Head responsible for leading and guiding the banks business in this region. He proudly leads the executive team accountable for our 2000 colleagues that drive our personal and commercial banking businesses. As one of eight division heads in Canada, Michael is a key part of building and successful execution against the overall strategic direction of BMO P&C.

Mike has 25 years of banking experience with an emphasis on building and leading diverse businesses across Canada. His career has been supported through range and diversity, as he has been a key part of BMO’s Personal, Commercial, Specialized Sales and Corporate Finance businesses where he has consistently lead teams to success in Halifax, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.

Marla Kott

Marla Kott | C.A., Chief Executive Officer, Imprint Plus

Marla Kott's relationship with Imprint Plus began a $20,000 angel investment and a personal bank guarantee, needed to keep a 7 year old start up afloat for a childhood friend.

When the bank called the loan in 2000, she gave up her Chartered Accounting practice, moved across the country to Vancouver, British Columbia, and became the full time CEO of Imprint Plus. Marla arrived to face an unproductive management team, thin capitalization and a balance sheet that sported a debt of $700,000.

In the sixteen years that Marla Kott has operated as the CEO of Imprint Plus, she has built the company into a thriving international exporter of name badge systems with a goal to becoming a category leader in this niche market.

IP operations head office is in Vancouver, British Columbia. The company also has offices in Florida, Ontario and the UK.  Imprint Plus has been listed in Profit Magazine’s as one of Canada’s top 100 women owned businesses for 9 consecutive years. The company today has over 35,000 customers in 75 countries. 

 

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