“If women understood and exercised their power they could remake the world” – Emily Taft Douglas
Women are breaking down barriers in every sphere and in every part of the world in terms of path-breaking innovation, research and development. Canada is no exception to the prowess and potential of women in every domain. Living testament to this fact, is that some of the top businesses in Canada are not only women, but what them special is that they are either immigrants or of an immigrant descent.
Shahrzad Rafati of Broadband TV
Belonging to Iranian descent, this woman powerhouse is making waves in the digital and tech sector. What is amazing is that her business is not only striking the right notes in Canada, but even at a global scale. Her business currently is the third largest video property for digital entertainment, worldwide, after Google and Facebook.
In 2018 itself, as per data compiled by Statistics Canada, there were a total of 1,079,000 self-employed women who work in Canada as business women. The Government of Canada is in support of such empowering new businesses, especially those run by female CEOs.
Chioma Ifeanyi-Okoro – Co-Founder & CEO of My African Corner and Founder of The Winning Circle
Chioma is a promising leader in Canada’s business circle. She immigrated to Canada when she was only 17 years of age from Lagos in Nigeria. At first she faced challenges, when she came to Canada, and trying to fit in the Canadian way of life.
This is when The Winning Circle was formed as a platform for other African immigrants to connect, and share their finding and experiences with the other millennial generation of youngsters. Today she, is on advisory board of CPA Ontario, having not only a positive impact on the rise of start-up immigrant businesses, but on altering the previously held beliefs of people about individuals of African descent.
Zahra Al-Harazi – Founder and Director of Foundry Communications
If there is any woman who is taking Canada business scene by storm, it is a Yemeni woman with the name of Zahra Al-Harazi, Immigrated to Canada as a refugee, along with her family during 1996, she went on to pursue her studies in Alberta University of the Arts and secured a Bachelor’s Degree in Design in Visual Communications.
Her baby, the Foundry Communications is a successful design studio focusing in brand development, marketing and advertising and strategic planning and communication as well. She has a list of awards like Chatelaine Canadian Woman of the Year, RBC’s Canada’s Most Influential Immigrants as well as receiving the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, to her name.
Not only this, but Canada is in support of several new foreign owned businesses owing to which the Start-up Visa program was launched. This program would help in backing immigrant owned business owners and investors for Canada Immigration but help them secure permanent residence.
