The Finance Cafe

On top of the day to day tasks of running a business, entrepreneurs need to stay on top of bookkeeping and accounting.  In this weeks episode, co-host Shauna Frederick, talks to Cloud Accounting Specialist and Founder of Accounting by Sal, Sal Razai to help you understand how it impacts your business and all the right questions to ask. Shauna and Sal discuss the difference between an accountant and a bookkeeper, when is the right time to outsource vs doing it yourself and how to choose the right bookkeeping software for your industry. Sal Rezai is a certified accounting professional with years of experience across a range of industries. As a business owner herself, she speaks the language of her clients. At Accounting By Sal Corp. Their mission is to elevate your business to new heights and help you strategize your financial system through training and business mentorship. With expert guidance, your business is enhanced with modern practices, effective bookkeeping, and improved workflow that will produce consistent and accurate results – right at your fingertips. LinkedIn:  accountingbysal/ Instagram: @accountingbysal Website: accountingbysal.ca We hope you found this episode insightful and empowering for your entrepreneurial journey.  Follow us on social media and visit our website to learn more about our financial literacy program designed specifically for you. Remember, use the code PODCAST10 to save 10% off at www.thefinancecafe.ca Instagram: @thefinancecafeofficial LinkedIn: The Finance Cafe

In this delicious episode, Co-founder of The Finance Cafe, Shannon Pestun sits down with Lori Joyce to talk about her company Betterwith. What it’s like to work with co-packers, the challenges of raising capital and why she chose to pursue a crowdfunding campaign.  We love Lori’s openness to share her story, her experience, her wins, losses and dreams for the future.  Lori Joyce has over +20 years’ experience inventing, building, and managing brands in the food industry, starting with Cupcakes in 2002. In 2002, Lori launched into her entrepreneurial career with Cupcakes. The world’s first cupcakes bakery she co-founded with her best friend Heather White. She developed the Cupcakes franchise and grew it into a national chain. In 2010, Lori became Co-star and Co-Executive Producer of the Gemini-Award winning reality TV show ‘The Cupcake Girls’. The Cupcake Girls aired for 3 seasons and was broadcast in over 95 countries worldwide. In 2016, Lori decided it was time to leverage her Cupcakes experience and build a purpose-driven food company that reflected her upbringing on the self-sustaining, organic family farm. In 2017 Betterwith Ice Cream hit the frozen aisles of Whole Foods with speed-to-shelf demand. Within the first 12 months, Betterwith was listed in over 225+ grocers across Western Canada. Lori is leading her purpose-driven ice cream company with authenticity, transparency, and accountability. She believes that today is the perfect time to be a Female Founder in the food industry, and her promise is to prove it. Check out Lori’s campaign on FrontFundR to see a live equity campaign in motion. Find tips, get inspired and hey, look at becoming an investor! Resources FrontFundR: https://www.frontfundr.com/ Details of Lori’s campaign: https://www.frontfundr.com/betterwith Thank you to our podcast sponsor the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub. Follow us on social media and visit our website to learn more about our financial literacy program designed specifically for you. Remember, use the code PODCAST10 to save 10% off at www.thefinancecafe.ca Instagram: @thefinancecafeofficial LinkedIn: The Finance Cafe

The full and equal participation of women in the economy is not just the right thing to do; it's the smart thing to do. Studies show that by advancing gender equality and women's participation in the economy, Canada could add up to $150 billion in GDP. Only 16% of Canadian small and medium-sized businesses are owned by women, and the Government of Canada is working to change that. The government is advancing women's economic empowerment with the first ever Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES), a more than $6-billion investment that aims to increase women-owned businesses' access to the financing, talent, networks and expertise they need to start up, scale up and access new markets. In this episode, Shannon sits down with Minister Ng to talk about why Canada established a women’s entrepreneurship strategy, the need for gender focused policy versus gender mainstream policy, why Canada is seen as a leader in women’s entrepreneurship, and the important role that Canadian women play in our economy, communities, families and more. The Honourable Mary Ng was first elected as Member of Parliament for Markham—Thornhill in 2017. She has previously served as Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade. Minister Ng is a devoted community leader who has always believed in the power of public service. She has 20 years of experience in the areas of education, women’s leadership, job creation, and entrepreneurship. Minister Ng immigrated to Canada from Hong Kong with her family, and grew up learning about the struggle and eventual success that many new immigrants experience in Canada. Her years working for the Ontario Public Service, Ryerson University, and the Ontario Ministry of Education led to her being recognized as one of Canada’s top-performing public sector leaders. She later served as Director of Appointments for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Thanks again to our podcast sponsor the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub. We hope you found this episode insightful and empowering for your entrepreneurial journey. Follow us on social media and visit our website to learn more about our financial literacy program designed specifically for you. Remember, use the code PODCAST10 to save 10% off at www.thefinancecafe.ca Instagram: @thefinancecafeofficial LinkedIn: The Finance Cafe

Our relationships with money can be complex, especially as women and women in business.   In this episode Host and Co-founder of The Finance Cafe, Shannon Pestun, and her guest, Stacy Yanchuk Olesky, CEO of Credit Counselling Canada, dive in some of the reasons why that is and why it's so important to develop a really great relationship with money.  Stacy is the interim CEO for Credit Counselling Canada, a national association and accrediting body for the non-profit credit counselling industry in Canada.  Stacy served as Director of Counselling and Director of Education for the Credit Counselling Society for 13 years.  She has a master’s degree in Family Ecology, is a professional Coach and a Certified Educator in Personal Finance. She has a monthly article in Canadian Living, and is called to speak to local, regional, and national media on personal money management.  Another key piece that Stacy speaks to is "credit" as a whole. Did you know that in Canada, a credit score, a credit report and a credit rating are all different? Stacy breaks it all down in a way that is clear and understandable.  In this must listen episode, Shannon and Stacy also talk about whether or not money is "gendered" and why that may be and how it impacts women entrepreneurs and so much more!  Reach out to us at The Finance Cafe here:  www.thefinancecafe.ca @thefinancecafeofficial  Linkedin Remember use the code PODCAST10 to save 10% off our signature Financial Literacy Program for Women Entrepreneurs.

Studies show that small business owners are working longer hours, harder and putting less money in their own pockets. Shauna Frederick, who hosts this episode, was excited to be speaking with Kerri Riddle who has some excellent tips, tools and tricks to help women entrepreneurs set themselves up from the beginning of their entrepreneurial journey, to pay themselves.  Kerri, is a Business Advisor and Partner with Grant Thornton LLP with 12+ years of experience working in assurance and advisory services in Newfoundland and Labrador. She loves working with clients, helping them understand their business and their growth potential, overcoming challenges and unlocking opportunities. Over the years, Kerri has worked with public companies, private entities, not-for-profit and public sector clients across multiple industries. Shauna and Kerri talk about normalizing that while it's okay to put your business first, you also need to value your contributions. This episode is full of valuable insights about why it's so important to have your businesses financial information at your fingertips and how to understand it in order to make effective decision as you grow your business. You can connect with Kerri on LinkedIn.  Here are the resources mentioned in the episode.Cloud accounting insights | Grant Thornton How do I restore profitability in my business? | Grant Thornton Thanks again to our podcast sponsor the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub. We hope you found this episode insightful and empowering for your entrepreneurial journey. Follow us on social media and visit our website to learn more about our financial literacy program designed specifically for you.

In this episode, host, Shannon Pestun speaks with the EDC's Director of Inclusive Trade, Jenn Cooke.  As the Director for Inclusive Trade, Jenn leads a team that is focused specifically on helping more women and diverse Canadian entrepreneurs realize their global potential with confidence by removing barriers, creating an equitable playing field, and increasing accessibility to products and services. Jennifer is inspired by Canadian entrepreneurs and believes strongly in the untapped potential to grow Canada’s economy by empowering more women, Indigenous, Black and racialized peoples, and those from the LGBT+ communities and/or living with disabilities, through business to scale and grow beyond borders.  There's a lot of benefits to exporting and Jenn and Shannon discuss how it is opening doors for women entrepreneurs and why more women should think about exporting as a growth and sustainability strategy. Listen in to learn some of the myths about exporting, the pros and the cons and what women owned small business owners need to know. Get in touch: Women's Enterprise Organizations of Canada   Export Development Canada   Trade Commission Services  Forum for International Trade Thanks again to our podcast sponsor the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub.  We hope you found this episode insightful and empowering for your entrepreneurial journey. Follow us on social media and visit our website to learn more about our financial literacy program designed specifically for you. 

Love is in the air and here at The Finance Cafe its all love, all the time... for women entrepreneurs.  This week co-founder Shauna Frederick, is joined by Marcela Mandeville, Chair of WEOC Canada and CEO of Alberta Women Entrepreneurs who shares how the ecosystem is connecting, supporting and collaborating with women entrepreneurs. Marcela has explored the world of business through a globally focused business undergraduate degree, designation as a Certified International Trade Professional and more than twenty years of global experience developing and implementing business strategies. A career highlight has been taking on leadership roles at Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) to support AWE’s goal to build stronger communities and economies through women’s participation in entrepreneurship. Marcela believes strongly in continuous learning and contributing to the community.  Obviously we love talking about women's entrepreneurship at The Finance Cafe and just one of the reasons is because of the increase we've seen on women's entrepreneurship in Canada over the last 10 years, and especially over the last two. According to Stats Canada, there are currently more than 360,000 self-employed women in Canada. What this says to us is that we have a growing network of women entrepreneurs to connect with, collaborate with and learn from.  This episode is all about connection, supporting, networking and why it's important to have more more than one source of capital to rely on in your business.  Speaking of connection and networking we want to send a big Valentines thank you to our sponsor, the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub. Made up of 10 regional hubs, WEKH operates in both official languages and includes a network of over 250 organizations, reaching more than 100,000 women entrepreneurs. WEKH is a part of the Government of Canada’s Women Entrepreneurship Strategy that aims to increase women entrepreneurs’ access to financing, talent, networks and expertise. Using a methodology developed by the Boston Consulting Group and the Cherie Blair Foundation (2019), it is estimated that closing the gender gap in entrepreneurship in Canada could add $41-$81 billion to Canada’s GDP To connect with Marcela: Instagram:@awebusiness, @msbrightidea LinkedIn: Alberta Women Entrepreneurs, Marcela Mandeville Facebook: Alberta Women Entrepreneurs Website: awebusiness.com Reach out to us at The Finance Cafe here: www.thefinancecafe.ca @thefinancecafeofficial Linkedin  Remember use the code PODCAST10 to save 10% off a one-year membership for our Financial Literacy Program for Women Entrepreneurs.  

Women-owned businesses are behind some of the most innovative, game-changing products and services on the market, driving industry trends, reinventing product categories and changing the way the world embraces entrepreneurship. But despite their impact, barriers continue to persist. In this episode, Shannon Pestun, sits down with friend and colleague, petra kassun-mutch to talk about the rapidly growing feminist economy, the need to redefine success and breaking barriers so women can reach their full economic potential. pk is an indie media entrepreneur, freelance journalist, Canadian Association of Journalists member, former book publishing executive, zine-maker and startup professional. Recipient of Inspiring Top 50 Women in STEM in 2018. Profiled in Canada 150 Women: Conversations with Leaders, Champions and Luminaries. Founder of Highwire Collective (formerly Eve-Volution) Also founder and former President of award-winning Fifth Town Artisan Cheese, Canada’s 8th B-Corp, which under her leadership received the Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation (2009). pk currently works to advance inclusive, non-extractive, non-exploitative entrepreneurship and innovation in public policy and startup ecosystems with a particular emphasis on gender equity.  pk is the founding publisher and caretaker of LiisBeth. Follow pk on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Welcome to another episode of The Finance Cafe Podcast presented by The Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub. This week your host, Shauna Frederick, dives into a conversation on avoiding a CRA audit with The Tax Chick, Amanda Doucette.  Amanda is a problem solver who loves showcasing the human side of professional careers. In her day job, she's a lawyer helping her clients navigate the complex world of income tax, GST and employment insurance. Her passion is helping people navigate problems that seem insurmountable and empowering them so they feel in control of their business and decision-making, she truly believes taxes are fun and aims to help her clients feel more confident in their tax situations, helping them understand relevant laws so they can avoid future issues.  In 2020, Amanda launched The Tax Chick Blog and The Tax Chick Podcast, she is a woman you need to know.  Listen in as we unpack The Tax Chick's Top 5 tips for avoiding a CRA audit: Always be prepared Recognize that CRA has broad audit powers Know the limits Meet your deadlines Be polite and respectful Tax Chick Socials: Instagram: @tax.chick LinkedIn: Amanda Doucette, TEP Blog posts referenced in episode: https://taxchickca.wpcomstaging.com/2021/12/28/musings-of-a-tax-chick/ https://taxchickca.wpcomstaging.com/2021/11/29/the-tax-chick-5-step-process-for-surviving-cra-communication/ https://taxchickca.wpcomstaging.com/2020/09/28/tax-chick-tips-on-surviving-an-audit/ We hope you found this episode insightful and empowering for your entrepreneurial journey. Follow us on social media and visit our website to learn more about our financial literacy program designed specifically for your. You'll learn how to read the story of your business - one number at a time.

In this new episode kicking-off a new year and a new season, we are also celebrating a new sponsor for The Finance Cafe Podcast.  Thank you to the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub, a resource must for any women entrepreneur! In this episode your hosts, Shannon Pestun & Shauna Frederick have a conversation about the different barriers that women entrepreneurs face, but more importantly, provide tangible action items to help support you in your entrepreneurial journey. Often the New Year is an opportunity to reflect and look ahead and the same is true for entrepreneurs. This is a great time to look at your business, look back at your original business plan, remember why you started and fall in love with your business all over again.  Wishing you all success in 2022 and hope to see you around The Finance Cafe. Happy New Year! Follow us both on instagram for more valuable resources: @wekh_pcfe @thefinancecafeofficial

In this new episode kicking-off a new year and a new season, we are also celebrating a new sponsor for The Finance Cafe Podcast.  Thank you to the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub, a resource must for any women entrepreneur!  As we are transitioning to a New Year, Founders of The Finance Cafe, Shannon Pestun and Shauna Frederick wanted to take some time to reflect on what they have learned over the past year creating The Finance Cafe, their e-learning literacy program and starting this podcast. All key pillars in creating a space and a community committed to supporting women entrepreneurs and having important conversations addressing the gender gap.  They share their takeaways and personal learnings as they celebrate the incredible women who have bravely and vulnerably shared their stories, insights and expertise with us over the last year. Most importantly what they plan to bring with them into the next and what that will look like for The Finance Cafe.. You won't want to miss this value packed episode that will be sure to spark inspiration, insights and encouragement as we gear up for another year!! From everyone at The Finance Cafe.  Thank you for being a part of this important and incredible community. Happy New Year.  Follow us on instagram for more valuable resources: @wekh_pcfe @thefinancecafeofficial

This episode is jam packed with honest, real insights that are sure to have you laughing, crying and totally inspired!  This week, The Finance Cafe's co-founder, Shannon Pestun, speaks with Founder, Biz Empowerment Expert & TV Entrepreneur Expert, Vivian Kaye. Among her many hard won accomplishments Vivian has bootstrapped her company, KinkyCurlyYaki to $6 Million! Vivian shares many valuable insights from the wins and fails she experienced along the way. She shares why she believes of financial literacy for women is so important and clearly speaks to the unique challenges women entrepreneurs face and the added layers and bias' black women entrepreneurs experience and what we need to do change them.  As a true advocate, Vivian also shares her work with tease tea's Founders Fund.  "A Founder led and built community supporting under represented women & non-binary founders during every stage of their entrepreneurial journey."  Her passion for breaking through bias, creating change and "just take action" attitude is contagious! Connect with Vivian: Vivian Kaye is a business & empowerment expert, keynote speaker, and founder and CEO of KinkyCurlyYaki. She is a mentor and advisory board member at Founders Fund. She also hosts a show called Mind Your Business on YouTube, recently made her debut as host of Business Class: Build It Braver powered by AMEX Canada and is the Entrepreneur Expert on CityLine with Tracy Moore. Twitter: @itsviviankaye LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsviviankaye/ Instagram: @itsviviankaye Website: viviankaye.com

In part 2 of Shauna's conversation with Executive Coach and Entrepreneur Kristina Sammut, they get down to the nitty gritty with some tools to shift away from the money blocks and narratives that hold us back.   Kristina identifies some of the common challenges that she comes across in her work. She speaks to examples like: - what the impact can be if we aren't operating from a place of "due diligence", - how not having a proper client onboarding process can be a huge issue for women in pricing strategy, - how women often don't know how to charge more.  One of the other interesting topics Shauna and Kristin touch on is how women entrepreneurs can find it very difficult be vulnerable and ask the questions or state the problem they are having in their networks. Shauna says, "I've experienced this personally, you're sitting around a group of other entrepreneurs that you don't know, you want to ask the question, but there's this fear. But when we don't know what we don't know, we have to become very vulnerable and ask. Especially around finance when we've so often been taught that "you just don't ask that question".  Kristina explains how she uses a technique called "stem sentences" to help her clients overcome money blocks as well as what she calls "the classic t-bone exercise". An exercise where you write on one page everything you don't want, and on the other what you do want, from there you can see what you need next, to get to where or what you want. Another interesting topic discussed in these last two episodes is the "Portfolio Career". Kristina believes it's the career of the next decade. In the article she references (linked here),  "a portfolio strategy allows us to design a career and life that leverages our passion with our purpose. This also allows us to target strategies for career growth and fulfillment, while taking risks and still maintaining financial security." Kristina invites you to connect with her and watch for her upcoming Masterclass - Negotiating Your Worth Kristina Sammut, MAdEd, CMP, Certified Executive Coach Founder + CEO, Lead Coach Consulting | Career Management | Executive Coaching FRONTIER Leadership Inc. 1-403-770-0462| kristina.sammut@frontierleadership.ca WEB | LINKEDIN | FACEBOOK | NEGOTIATING YOUR WORTH Educating yourself and improving your financial literacy is one of the other ways, discussed in our episodes with Kristina, to overcome the money blocks that hold us back. Our Financial Literacy Program is design specifically for you with an entire module dedicated to money mindset. A program for women entrepreneurs by women entrepreneurs! Use the code PODCAST10 to save 10% off the affordable investment of $379. At The Finance Cafe we educate and elevate women entrepreneurs through our cornerstone Financial Literacy Program, our conversations, and our community. We are changing the narrative around money and equipping women entrepreneurs to feel capable, confident, and connected.

Host, Shauna Frederick is joined by Executive Coach and Founder of Frontier Leadership, Kristina Sammut.  Kristina helps women to negotiate their worth, clarify who they are and what they have to offer so they can make an impact as future leaders. A lack of financial literacy and access to funds are often the biggest barriers women entrepreneurs encounter. Shauna and Kristina discuss how being aware of some of the systemic biases, along with personal ones, lead to creating these money blocks.  In part 1 of this conversation, they talk candidly about the gender gap, providing context around how it is connected to the money blocks some women entrepreneurs experience. With a recognized wage gap of approximately 58% between men and women entrepreneurs it is not hard to make the connection. This discussion provides valuable insights and a refreshing narrative to this important, and nuanced issue.  Kristina digs into the belief that by shifting the narrative around money, entrepreneurs can use money as a tool to transform their business. Next week in Part 2, the conversation explores how to move through these money blocks and work towards embracing your full value, an integral step towards achieving your personal and business goals and closing the gap. At The Finance Cafe we educate and elevate women entrepreneurs through our cornerstone Financial Literacy Program, our conversations, and our community. We are changing the narrative around money and equipping women entrepreneurs to feel capable, confident, and connected. Kristina invites you to connect with her and watch for her upcoming Masterclass - Negotiating Your Worth  Kristina Sammut, MAdEd, CMP, Certified Executive Coach Founder + CEO, Lead Coach Consulting | Career Management | Executive Coaching FRONTIER Leadership Inc. 1-403-770-0462| kristina.sammut@frontierleadership.ca WEB | LINKEDIN | FACEBOOK | NEGOTIATING YOUR WORTH

This episode of The Finance Cafe Podcast is all about risk.    If you are like most people, the idea of risk is scary and something we'd typically avoid. But as this week's guest, Geeta Tucker, President and CEO of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Manitoba, says, "the very nature of entrepreneurship is risky", so we need to learn to get comfortable with it.   Geeta and Host, Shannon Pestun, breakdown why it is so important for entrepreneurs to not just take risks but embrace them. They share how you can overcome the imposter syndrome and fear that often keeps us playing small, preventing us from seeing ourselves and our businesses reach it's full potential.   Listen in as these experts unpack and explain the several different types of risk that an entrepreneur may experience in their journey like financial risk, repetitional and situational risk.  Most importantly, they share strategies to help you create a business environment where you feel safe and comfortable with risk and uncertainty. They explain how how you can validate and evaluate those strategies so you feel confident taking the risks you need to build your business and succeed.   Visit thefinancecafe.ca for more valuable resources helping women entrepreneurs embrace the financial side of their business. Find the support and tools you need to feel capable, confident and connected in your business.  Right now take advantage of our self-paced e-learning tool, designed for women entrepreneurs by women entrepreneurs, at the low rate of $379 or 4 monthly payments of $99.   At The Finance Cafe we are passionate about advancing women’s entrepreneurship. We believe that means creating a space to change the conversation women have around finance, and creating financial literacy resources and tools that address critical gender gaps. The resources you need to empower you in your life and business.

A pure service business is one in which the service is the primary entity that is sold rather than a tangible item that people can physically see and touch. A business with a physical product, or products, can find pricing much more straightforward as there are many hard costs associated with producing and getting a product to market, then in a service based business Women are also more likely to be in a professional service industry such as retail, health care or education. Did you know self-employed women struggle twice as much as men when it comes to setting rates? In this episode host, Shauna Frederick, is joined by Founder and Managing Lawyer, Evelyn Ackah of Ackah Business Immigration Law. After 12 years of practicing law on Bay Street in Toronto, Evelyn moved to Calgary in 2008 and launched her firm in 2010. She understands first hand the unique challenges that having a service based business presents and the gender barriers faced as a women entrepreneur. Shauna and Evelyn unpack important topics like: how pricing our services connects with our own value (women entrepreneurs often say they charge less than their male counterparts) knowing your ideal client reviewing your client list every year to ensure you are working with aligned clients who value your relationship and service knowing your "why". For more information or to reach out to Evelyn: Twitter: @AckahLaw twitter.com/AckahLaw LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ackah-business-immigration-law/ Instagram:@ackahlaw /www.instagram.com/ackahlaw/ Facebook:www.facebook.com/AckahBusinessImmigrationLaw/ Website: www.ackahlaw.com We hope this episode inspires and empowers you in your entrepreneurial journey. Shannon and Shauna believe you can achieve the business of your dreams by being intentional about your numbers and knowing how they come together to form a story. Join us at the The Finance Cafe to learn how to build your business one number and one story at a time.

In this episode, Shannon sits down with Patrice Mousseau, CEO and Founder, to talk about the journey from her crockpot in the kitchen, to a global stage. Patrice is a conscious entrepreneur and the owner/creator of Satya Organic Skin Care, a skincare company that delivers NPN-approved, USDA Certified Organic products to serve those with sensitive skin conditions. For years, Patrice was a news anchor for leading television and news stations in Canada, but that all changed when her baby girl developed eczema at only 8-months old. Watching her baby suffer was the worst feeling in the world. When her doctor only prescribed steroids, Patrice researched scientific literature and traditional medicines and the formula that she created in her kitchen crock pot cleared Esme’s skin in just two days. Satya has since helped tens of thousands of people around the world access clean, effective skin relief, and is sold globally online and in over 900 retailers across Canada including Whole Foods, Indigo and The Bay. Check out Satya's social channels for important eczema tips and resources all month long for #EczemaAwarenessMonth! Twitter: @satyaorganic LinkedIn: @satyaorganic Instagram: @satyaorganic  Facebook: @satyaorganic Website: satya.ca / satyaorganics.com All listeners are welcome to use the discount code FINANCECAFE for 10% off their first Satya purchase on satya.ca / satyaorganics.com.

In this episode, Shannon sits down with Michéle Soregaroli, Co-Founder, CEO and Master Certified Coach at Transformation Catalyst Corp to talk about how to use differentiation to increase market share. Michéle helps clients generate significant financial results by giving entrepreneurs the perspective they need to challenge business paradigms, become industry leaders, and champion excellence in their industry. What is differentiation? In business strategy terms, differentiation refers to the principle of setting your company apart, a way to stand out and distinguish your business from others and give people a reason to choose your company or product over another. In this episode our goal is to help you understand how differentiation is tied to your bottom line. We'd love to hear your takeaways from this episode! Follow us on social media and join the conversation.  Visit thefinancecafe.com for more insights and information on our blog and to learn more about our online e-learning platform. A 7 module, self paced course designed for women and by women to empower and equip women entrepreneurs like you. Here at The Finance Cafe, we’re changing the way we talk about finance and empowering women entrepreneurs to see their business in a new light – one story and one number at a time.

Women are more likely than men to be perfectionists, holding themselves back from answering a question, applying for a new job, asking for a raise, negotiating a contract, until they’re absolutely 100 percent sure they can predict the outcome. Women tend to apply for a promotion only when they met 100 percent of the qualifications. in contrast to men who will apply when they met just 50% of the qualifications. In this episode Shauna and Shahr Savizi, co-founder of Fuckup Nights YYC, sit down to talk about how successful entrepreneurs view failures and how a shift in mindset can view failures as something to learn from rather than something to be afraid of. Fuckup Nights is a global movement and a speaker series that shares stories of professional failure. Each month, in events across the globe, we get three to four people to get up in front of a room full of strangers to share their own professional fuckup. The stories of the business that crashes and burns, the partnership deal that goes sour, the product that has to be recalled, we tell them all. Social Media Links Instagram: @FuckUpNightsYYC LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shahr-zad-s-22939314a/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/fuckup-nights-calgary/ What would you say if you knew the success of your business lives inside your financial story? Our financial literacy course is designed to teach you how to read the story of your business - one number at a time. Head to thefinancecafe.ca and take our free financial literacy quiz. Remember us the code Podcast10 to get 10%!

There can be different motivations when starting a business. For many entrepreneurs, the bottom line is more than just profits, but rather a passion to make a difference in the world. In this week’s episode, Shannon sits down with Jenn Harper, Founder of Cheekbone Beauty, to explore her journey as a social entrepreneur and the growing impacts of social enterprises.  We take a deep dive into how Jenn has built up her business, her path from Dragon’s Den to Sephora, and how important it is to foster a space for Indigenous women and youth to feel represented, recognized, and supported in the industry. Jenn Harper’s book suggestion for women entrepreneurs: What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Bruce D. Perry and Oprah Winfrey Websites:  www.cheekbonebeauty.com Social media handles: LinkedIn Twitter Instagram: Jenn Harper Cheekbone Beauty Are you being held back by your lack of confidence when it comes to your business and finance? We can help, join us at The Finance Cafe and use code Podcast10 to get 10% off our Financial Literacy Program; a program designed by women entrepreneurs, for women entrepreneurs. We will empower you with the knowledge and understanding you need to confidently grow your business and your bottom line.