MONTREAL- The entrepreneurship world continues to be a male-dominated field; however, there is a redirection with the inclusion of women in management positions, university roles, and CEO roles, reflecting an understanding of the contribution other entrepreneurs have on the economy.

“Women are incredibly resilient,” says Dr. Ingrid Chadwick, Associate Professor in Management at John Molson School of Business. Women entrepreneurs are one of the fastest-growing collectives worldwide; her research adds that there has been a thirty-percent increase in women entrepreneurs in Quebec this year, a general focus as part of the Women Entrepreneur Strategy Canada. Statistics Canada show that women-owned small businesses have made significant progress in expansion, export activity, and other relative areas over a ten-year period, while their male counterparts’ progress remains unchanged or minimal.

“Entrepreneurship is the best way for me to pursue all of my passions and have a healthy work-life balance,” says Montreal Entrepreneur Samantha Regimbal, who started her path to entrepreneurship several years ago. As the pandemic slows down, many women follow Regimbal’s footsteps to obtain a healthy work-life balance by pursuing their own goals in the business world.

Research on Female Entrepreneurship Theory by Loza Emile suggests that women entrepreneurship was ignored in academia until the 1990s, leaving a significant gap in statistics, analysis, theories, and advocacy between women business owners and their male counterparts. In September 2020, Canada’s Economic Development for Quebec Regions pursued further study, learning that encouraging and advancing women’s participation in the economy is profitable for the province and the country.

What changes are coming, and what changes still need to happen? Although over the years there has been a significant increase of women-owned businesses and changes in the conversation to make the business world more diverse, there are still learned behaviours and mindsets based on past ways of thought that slow down the progress rather than speed it up.

“If you don’t see it, it’s harder to believe it,” says Dr. Chadwick, as she discusses the value in ensuring that women in business are seen, acknowledged, and represented through research and their schooling. Dr. Chadwick emphasizes the importance of diverse and inclusive language when defining entrepreneurship in business schools. She describes how business departments that use masculine language can turn many people away from joining the program or diving into the business world. She states that her role as a professor is to work around the barriers and the stereotypes to ensure inclusivity and diversity in discussions, so students don’t avoid the conversation but become part of the change in it.