Women in Business conference brings hundreds to Halifax

Ahead of International Women’s Day, hundreds of female entrepreneurs and leaders met in Halifax to network and celebrate achievements.

The Centre for Women in Business brought hundreds of female business owners to their 15th annual International Women’s Day Breakfast in Halifax on Friday.

The sold-out event brought together 450 women to celebrate this year’s theme: ‘Give to Gain.’

“Sometimes women don’t get the credit or the notoriety that they deserve,” says Tanya Priske, the executive director with the Centre for Women in Business. “They may be small businesses, but they still give back to the economy. They give back to their communities. They’re raising families…it’s so important to make sure that people are aware of the impact that women business owners have right here in Nova Scotia.”

Kyla Derry is the owner of Intimately U. She says she attended the event as a vendor last year but returned as one of the speakers.

“I jumped on it because I told myself I was going to come out of my comfort zone this year, and this was the opportunity to do so,” says Derry.

“These spaces are important to get you out there. If you’re quiet and you’re not loud and you kind of don’t like to mingle and you’re an introvert, these are the places that you need to be for your business to thrive.”

Conference participants shared stories about breaking down barriers, like business owner Fatu Kaba, one of the first of more than 20 siblings in her family to attend college and earn a master’s degree.

“Most of my social media content is about empowering women, because I came from a very complex background where women were not really in power,” she says. “...so it’s always having to justify why as a woman I deserve equal rights and I deserve to be in spaces.”

Princess Octavious owns P3 Hair and Beauty Supplies in Halifax. She says the business wouldn’t have been possible without the help of women at the conference.

“Especially as a black woman in a new province,” says Octavious. “Starting my businesses at the time, I had no one to turn to.

“Don’t give up… Start the business. You will find your community, a support system and whatever it is that you are doing, there’s always someone in need that will benefit from it.”

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