A new school has opened in Guelph designed for women entrepreneurs who want an edge in the business world while keeping balance in their personal lives.
The Rhyze Academy is a pilot project of Innovation Guelph and Kristel Manes, director of the Innovation Centre, said it’s a project that’s dear to her heart and has been years in the making.
“There’s a lot of emotion today,” Manes said Wednesday as she addressed the 40 women who signed up for the nine-month course at the orientation session. “I literally have chills.”
Manes said the idea of offering courses specifically for women entrepreneurs has been germinating for years but it was three years ago when the vague idea started to take shape.
Extensive research into the challenges for women starting their own businesses and the areas where they feel they need more training have led to a unique course offering.
This is not Business 101, Manes said. There are plenty of places to learn about business and keeping books and organizing staff and such. Indeed, Innovation Guelph itself provides resources and mentoring to help upstart businesses get off the ground.
“The focus here is on getting the soft skills,” she said.
‘Soft’ does not mean easy, however. The research indicates that women were lacking three key pillars – funding and finance, business fundamentals, and health and wellbeing.
So the sessions will force participants to stretch beyond their comfort zones, reflect on their learning, and make the changes necessary to help them succeed.
The research shows “women lack self confidence and they want mentoring,” Manes said. “If we help each other and support each other, we build a different workplace.”
Among the topics are psychological capital, setting and attaining goals, stress management, decision making, and the art of negotiation.
In addition to the monthly classes, participants will be matched with a mentor from the business community and receive an hour or two of one-on-one time each month.
“This is about being vulnerable. About learning skills and practicing those skills,” Manes said. “You will learn about yourself and learn how to put these skills to action.”
Holly Mastrogiacomo, who owns the consignment store Smitten Apparel, said she signed up because she is at a crossroads in her life.
“I felt I needed some help and some guidance,” she said during a break in the orientation session. “I’m not sure how to improve the store. I hope this will help me focus on a path for the future.”
Manes said other communities with innovation centres are watching the Rhyze Academy pilot and are eager to learn results of the participant survey and project evaluation in June.
“There’s a lot of interest in this project,” she said. “Eventually I want to take this project and turn it into something big. Maybe even provincial.”
