Before becoming an entrepreneur, I placed my professional hopes in corporate Canada. I was led to believe each corporation was a meritocratic ecosystem in which the ones who worked the hardest — and waited most patiently — were rewarded with larger salaries and bigger titles.
Sadly, many minoritized professionals find themselves in those same uncomfortable shoes. But increasingly, they’re discovering that entrepreneurship is no longer the path less travelled. According to a, an astounding 2.2 million Canadians started new businesses over the last two years. I’m sure many of these folks were like me, wondering why they should continue to serve biased institutions that no longer served them.
My wishes for 2023 are faster, bolder evolution; a definitive dismantling of systemic inequities; and a meaningful embrace of diversity, equity and inclusion in Canadian business. Gender parity must be part of this. The spaces in which women entrepreneurs operate aren’t always those with the most investment. We’re more likely to build expertise in service sectors, which have been hit hard by economic turmoil and which lose out on funding to flashier tech ventures. As a society, we must expand our definition of what a legitimate business is, and we must think about entrepreneurship beyond male-led tech startups.
Hire the best people for the job. Don’t worry about color, religion or national origin.