The Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs and the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues will co-host a conference, The Women Entrepreneurs Conference, ongoing to Oct. 9, in Washington, D.C.. The goal is to launch a network of entrepreneurs who will "promote access to markets, finance and training for women throughout the region."
Early career entrepreneurs will be linked with seasoned women entrepreneurs, from the U.S. and the region, to develop mentoring relationships. Early career entrepreneurs were chosen based on their readiness to expand their businesses into new markets. Supporting these businesswomen provides a multiplier effect for not only those businesses, but also for their communities and the entire region.
The conference will offer:
Networking opportunities for entrepreneurs and mentors;
Discussions on finance, marketing, trade, technology, and leadership;
A “how to” seminar to address issues such as financial backing, branding, logistics of importing, and identifying relevant resources;
Field visits to local women-led businesses; and
An expo for entrepreneurs to display their wares and meet representatives from companies interested in buying new lines of products and services from Latin America.
Following the conference, some of the entrepreneurs from the region will visit other cities in the U.S. to observe successful businesses run by women. Additionally, all relationships will be facilitated for one year, during which time mentors will visit mentees in their home countries to provide further support.
A Pathways website, http://pathways-caminos.org.dnnmax.com/ offers entrepreneurs a way to interact online to also facilitate the mentoring relationship.
The long-term goal of the conference is to support the development of a robust businesswomen’s network.
Collaborating with the U.S. Department of State in this endeavor are Agora Partnership, Apple, Business Council for International Understanding, Coca Cola, Count Me In, Endeavor, Ernst & Young, FedEx, Goldman Sachs, Inter- American Development Bank, Organization of American States, and Vital Voices.
Pathways countries include Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, El Salvador, and the United States. Other countries including Uruguay, Brazil, and Ecuador have attended Pathways meetings as observers.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced in May that the United States would host the Pathways to Prosperity conference as part of the program's efforts in the Americas initiative.
Pathways links together countries in the Americas to identify policies and programs that ensure all citizens share in the benefits of economic integration and globalization.
The following sessions of the conference will be held at the Hilton Embassy Row, 2015 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC:
Thursday, Oct. 8
12:10 p.m. Lunch Keynote – Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer
Friday, Oct. 9
8:30 a.m. Opening Remarks – Pathways Envoys: Beth Brooke, Ernst & Young (United States); Nell Merlino, Count Me In (United States); María Eugenia Brizuela de Avila, HSBC Bank (El Salvador); and Laura Albornoz, OAS Inter-American Commission of Women (Chile).
12:00 p.m. Lunch keynote – Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero
3:15 to 5:15 p.m. Expo/Entrepreneurs will display their products and services.
