The Self-Employed Women’s Network (SEWN) held its first ever business fair on Oct. 1, and kicked off Small Business Month on the Sunshine Coast this year, with about 200 people in attendance.
“We’re trying a little bit of everything because it’s our first time,” event organizer Mardell Buryniuk said. “Some booths for some one-on-one sessions, tables to look around at and then our speakers – just to see what works and what’s successful, so that next year we can do it bigger and better.”
The business fair featured four speaker presentations: the Sunshine Coast Toastmasters, Caroline Hartwell and Joan Mitchell from Coast Collaborative, Barbara Moustafa from Embellish Emporium and SEWN president Paula Howley.
“We’re trying to connect women so they can give each other resources and form friendships, which is very important,” Howley said.
SEWN was established in response to the Progress Plan, a community plan for women’s economic well being on the Sunshine Coast. The Community Resource Centre -– in partnership with Sunshine Coast Community Services Society – managed the three-year planning process, with funding from the Status of Women Canada.
“One of the main things that came up was the isolation of women on the Sunshine Coast, how lonely they feel. So out of that, and a few other criteria, SEWN was formed,” Howley said. “It was one of the actions that was taken from that study. How can we get women together to uplift and empower each other, give them resources they might need if they want to become entrepreneurs?”
Men are welcome to join SEWN, “if they are supporters of women in business,” Howley said.
Buryniuk said the response from the attendees was quite positive, with some people already asking when and where next year’s SEWN business fair is going to take place. Buryniuk added that the group was only able to pull everything off thanks to support from the community. Individuals and local businesses donated time and money to make SEWN’s first business fair possible.
For more information and resources, visit the SEWN website at www.sunshinesewn.com
