43 women-owned businesses were established or expanded
The second edition of the "Business in Women's Hands" (BIWH) program, run by the Foundation for Women's Entrepreneurship, is about to come to an end. BWKR is a business acceleration program geared to women. Thanks to it, 43 women-owned businesses were established or expanded in 2014. The Program has received the patronage of the City of Warsaw Municipal Office, and is run with the support of The Citi Handlowy Leopold Kronenberg Foundation.
The "Business in Women's Hands" program lasted six months. During that period, fifty women selected in a competition participated in "ABCs of Entrepreneurship" workshops under the auspices of the SkillShare education center, created by the Foundation for Women's Entrepreneurship. They also took part in networking meetings, through which they could get to know each other better and inspire or establish business cooperation. They also benefited from the individual support of program mentors, experienced entrepreneurs who successfully run their own companies.
"We are pleased that our program is producing concrete results. We see the path taken by women who participated in the program - from an idea to a real business. The Foundation for Women's Entrepreneurship was established precisely to support women in the pursuit of entrepreneurship and to help them develop their companies. We want to shorten that path and accelerate their achievement of success. Thanks to the "Business in Women's Hands" program, this became possible," adds Katarzyna Wierzbowska, president of the Foundation for Women's Entrepreneurship.
"Business in Women's Hands" is a unique program supporting women's entrepreneurship, and its formula encourages cooperation. In the long run, such a model produces better results and enables companies not only to stay on the market, but to successfully conduct business," adds Krzysztof Kaczmar, President of The Citi Handlowy Leopold Kronenberg Foundation.
Among the newly established companies, in terms of sectors, most are associated with family and children, as well as health and beauty. The first category includes Kopytko Mamuta, a boutique with healthy and attractive children's footwear; Multi Niania, an agency for nannies who speak foreign languages; and Creativitete, a company offering activities to develop children's creativity and developmental workshops for parents. In the second, we can mention, for example, Tip Tap, a tap dancing school; FootMedica, a podiatry institute; MAGDALECH ecological dried soup base; and coaching services for health and dietetics.
Another group in terms of numbers are creative businesses focusing on design and fashion. Here we can name three, whose owners have created a kind of consortium. They support each other in their business pursuits, jointly seek customers, and exhibit their products at industry events: Mano Kede (a producer of 1950s- and 1960s-style armchairs), LUBOVKA (founded by a designer who makes unconventional, minimalist lamps by hand), and Tailormade (interior designers and producers of customized furniture from pallets).
The women who took part in the "Business in Women's Hands" program also established technology companies. These include the SiDLY technology company, which creates innovative solutions in the field of telemedicine.
Companies offering more traditional products and services were also established, including: TAX COMFORT, an accounting firm; Energia Tłumaczy, a shop with innovative products for translators; and Wordprocessing.pl, a website offering training courses for future secretaries.
With regard to legal form, the vast majority of these new businesses are sole proprietorships, while some of them are limited liability companies, and two are foundations.
The workshops which the participants of the "Business in Women's Hands" program attended took place under the auspices of the SkillShare Center. It is a platform for the exchange of experiences and transfer of practical knowledge created for women running their own businesses, as well as those who are planning to set one up. It can also be used by businesswomen who are successfully operating on their own, but want to develop in an effective way. The Foundation prepared workshops, group programs lasting several months, and individual consultations in three areas: personal development, building and expanding companies, and financial management.
