Women Exporters Program
Presented in Partnership with UPS, the Women Exporters Program (WEP) is back for a second year! This program helps to bridge the gender gap in education and export participation by providing targeted assistance to women-identifying entrepreneurs.
Learn moreUnlocking the global potential of Canadian women-owned businesses
Women-owned businesses account for almost one-fifth of all private sector businesses in Canada. However, they are still underrepresented in terms of export activity, which creates a huge opportunity for growth.
What is the Women Exporters Program?
In partnership with UPS Canada, Startup Canada is proud to present the Women Exporters Program (WEP). This global initiative helps to bridge the gender gap in education and export participation by providing targeted assistance to women-owned small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). To date, the WEP has trained over 107,000 women and small business owners around the world.
What can you expect?
The WEP will provide the tools, training, and networks that help women-owned businesses connect with potential customers globally through international trade and e-commerce. As part of this program, women-owned SMBs will have the opportunity to:
• Gain valuable knowledge about exporting, from operational and customs processes to e-commerce opportunities and international marketing strategy
• Receive advisory support from industry experts, later stage entrepreneurs, and UPS Ambassadors.
• Be eligible for in-kind shipping credits and special shipping discounts from UPS.
Timing
Webinars will be hosted from September 2024 to February 2025. At the end of the program, there will be a knowledge test. The first 20 participants to complete the test will be eligible for in-kind shipping credits from UPS. We will also conduct annual follow-ups for two years after your completion of the program to follow your exporting progress.
Program Overview
This program will engage women-identifying entrepreneurs and include a series of five webinars focused on foundational aspects of exporting essentials. The webinars will be structured to provide a comprehensive overview of the key aspects involved in exporting, including the benefits of exporting, how to prepare for exporting, the operations, logistics, and customs processes, leveraging e-commerce to export, and finding your first international customers. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of the 5 webinars:
Upon completion of all five webinars, participants will receive a Certificate of Completion along with a chance to receive free in-kind shipping credits from UPS.
Webinar 1: Why Export?
September 5, 2024 at 1 pm (ET) | Are you looking to expand to new international markets? Are you wondering what the benefits of starting to export could be? This webinar will cover the importance of exporting for small businesses and highlight the benefits of expanding into new markets, including increased revenue, access to new customers, and diversification of income streams. Potential risks and challenges that businesses may face when entering new markets will also be discussed.
RegisterWebinar 2: How to Prepare for Export
October 17, 2024 at 1 pm (ET) | During this webinar, we’ll focus on the steps that small businesses need to take before they can start exporting. We’ll cover the importance of researching potential markets, understanding local regulations and customs, building an international go-to-market strategy, and developing all of the elements of a strong export plan. We’ll also cover tips on finding the right market, right partners, and resources to support the exporting journey.
RegisterWebinar 3: Starting to Export - All Things Operations, Customs, and Logistics
November 14, 2024 at 1 pm (ET) | Do the words customs, 3PL, logistics, and manufacturers overwhelm you? In this webinar, we’ll provide an overview of building your international operations plan, including the different modes of freight, such as air, sea, and land, how to choose a manufacturing partner, and how to handle customs procedures and documentation.
RegisterWebinar 4: Leveraging eCommerce to Export
January 23, 2025 at 1 pm (ET) | One of the fastest ways to expand to new international markets is to expand your eCommerce store. In this webinar, we’ll discuss the benefits of using online platforms to expand into new markets and provide tips on how to optimize e-commerce platforms for export purposes. We’ll also dive into tips on pricing strategies and shipping options.
RegisterWebinar 5: Gaining Your First International Customers
February 20, 2025 at 1 pm (ET) | Once you’ve finalized your export plan and have set up your operations, it’s time to start selling your products! In this webinar, we’ll cover ways to build your international marketing strategy, sales strategies to source your first customers, and overall customer service and experience best practices.
RegisterDid you miss one of our WEP sessions?
Don’t worry! We record all of our webinars so that you can rewatch them at any time! Access the webinar recordings below.
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FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The Women Exporters Program leverages the expertise and knowledge of UPS employees and harnesses their global network to help women-identifying entrepreneurs unlock new opportunities. Through this program, you will:
- Gain valuable knowledge about exporting, from operational and customs processes to e-commerce opportunities and international marketing strategy
- Receive advisory support from industry experts, later stage entrepreneurs, and UPS Ambassadors
- Be eligible for in-kind shipping credits and special shipping discounts from UPS.
We welcome all attendees to the sessions. However, please note that our speakers, resources, and content will largely focus on supporting women-identifying entrepreneurs.
You are still welcome to attend the sessions, however the material covered will be largely focused on exporting products.
All of the recordings of the sessions will be available on our YouTube channel for viewing after the webinar is complete. Watch the recordings of the sessions here: https://www.youtube.com/@StartupcanCa
Email us at global@startupcan.ca