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No Means Next: Women rewrite funding rules
“I’ve been told ‘No’ too many times, but today, someone said yes just by showing up to listen.”
The air hummed with possibility as 144 women (93% of those registered) streamed into 205 Placer Court that October 4th, Saturday. Laughter bounced off walls. Handshakes became partnerships. Dreams found unexpected investors.
When systems say “no” to women entrepreneurs (especially Black and racialized women) what happens when they build their own “yes”? This question pulsed through Women Focus Canada’s HerStory Marketplace & Empowerment Expo, where seventeen vendors, and attendees transformed rejection into revolution.
“I started having experiences with Black, and marginalized women that really showed me that there was a need,”
“I started having experiences with Black, and marginalized women that really showed me that there was a need,” reflects Dr. Oluremi (Remi) Adewale, founder of Women Focus Canada. Her voice softens as she continues, “These women were going through so much, and many of them did not have a voice. It was interesting though; they had such great ideas, and such entrepreneurial spirit.”
The statistics behind the stories are sobering. African Caribbean and racialized women in Canada face systemic barriers that extend beyond biased loan officers. Their pay gaps are wider. Their networks are thinner. Their access to mentorship is limited. Many carry caregiving responsibilities that stretch time and resources thin. These are architectural flaws in our economic system.
At the fireside chat, titled “How do we access funding when the world tells us ‘No’?” something remarkable happened. Rosemary Sadler shared scars. Sabine Soumare discussed branding; she reclaimed identity. Carla Neto reimagined community impact.
The marketplace itself told a story of intentional diversity. Beauty products nestled beside wellness services. Fashion displays stood next to social ventures. This wasn’t accidental curation, but deliberate ecosystem-building.
“We were very intentional about having a mix of vendors,” Dr. Adewale explains. “We didn’t want all of the same type of businesses. We wanted diversity, and to give the vendors a chance to really shine.”
What emerges is a blueprint for economic justice that doesn’t wait for permission. When women create their own platforms, their own networks, their own validation systems, they transform the landscape for everyone.
“Women came up to us at the end and asked us to please do this again, but at a larger venue,”
The future of this movement already has contours. Regional editions across Ontario. An incubator for high-potential women entrepreneurs. A year-round support network turning one-day inspiration into sustainable enterprise.
“Women came up to us at the end and asked us to please do this again, but at a larger venue,” Dr. Adewale shares, determination evident in her posture. “We have listened to all the feedback, and we promise that we are going to make this a movement.”
When purpose meets structure, transformation becomes inevitable. When women gather, economies shift. When stories are shared, power is redistributed. This is how we build billions, from community spaces that embrace us.