WOSEN’s Grow Program

The Grow program will allow you to develop core entrepreneurial competencies as you work on validating your social enterprise model. Here are some of the business and leadership skills you will learn from this course: 

• Business Model Refinement & Implementation: Learn the process of refining and implementing your business model through an iterative design process.
• Financial Modeling: Forecast the financial performance of your business and make better informed choices and financial decisions.
  Strategy & Decision Making: Select the best course of action that will bring about authentic change.
• Design & Systems Thinking: Understand the numerous factors that contribute to a problem you want to solve.
• Critical Thinking & Research Skills: Learn how to collect, organize, analyze, and interpret data to make informed decisions and iterations to your business model.
• Networking & Creating Partnerships: Build your network and transform your network connections into collaborations and partnerships.
• Interviewing Skills: Learn how to connect with key stakeholders to gather important insights.
• Active Listening: Learn how to listen deeply and effectively in order to build strong relationships with stakeholders.
• Storytelling: Craft and tell stories to understand the impact you want to make, and learn how to connect with audiences.
• Confidence & Awareness: Gain inner strength to connect to your values and goals.

Important Timelines

• Applications Close – September 12 (by 11:59pm)
• Selected Participants Notified – September 20
• Orientation & Onboarding: Week 0 – Tuesday October 12
• Program Workshops – Online, Weekly on Tuesdays until March 1, 2022
• NOTE: No workshops on December 21 & 28

Applicant Requirements

• You are a woman, Two-Spirit, non-binary or genderqueer individual
• You live in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) or the Central Ontario region
• You are actively working on your business and are looking to refine and validate your business model
• You have developed or are developing a product or service that will create measurable positive impact, and you currently have little or no customer traction
• You are at least 18 years old
• You are motivated and open to learning, feedback, and new ideas
• You want to be part of and contribute to an outstanding community of women
• You are available to join weekly workshop programming (Tuesdays from 1pm – 3:30pm ET)

Canadian citizenship is not required to participate in the Grow program. 

Participant Commitment

• Attend weekly workshop sessions on Tuesdays from 1pm – 3:30pm ET
• Be able to commit a minimum of ten hours per week
• Participate in a weekly peer support session (throughout the program)
• Complete relevant action work & interviews to refine your business model
• Attend eight one-hour, one-to-one coaching sessions (an eight hour commitment outside of class)
• Complete participant program evaluation surveys (baseline & post-program)
• Always show respect and empathy towards your fellow participants, and support WOSEN’s commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility

Please note that we only have capacity to support 10 participants for this Grow program. Once you apply for this program:

• Applicants will be screened based on eligibility criteria
• We will reach out to a select number of applicants to conduct a thirty-minute outreach phone call to learn more about your goals and needs, and to assess program fit
• Selected candidates will be notified on September 20 (via email) and will need to confirm their spot by September 24

Confirmed participants will receive an onboarding package by October 5 and will start orientation and onboarding on October 12.

Apply for Grow!