👀 Don't know if it's back-to-school-season or end of 2024 energy but there are many, many funding and financing opportunities flying around these days, scroll for parent-friendly business news and links ⬇️

A PERSONAL NOTE  FROM ME (AMY):

✨📝 On shaking things up

Another little indie MBB film, via IG monologue before school pickup, about how I've increased my tolerance for awkward conversations, situations and learned how to better advocate for my needs by entering business spaces with my kids to....

🚼📊 show up

🚼📊 take up space

🚼📊 share my voice (and my opinions in spoken and written form)

🚼📊 create space for others (and their kids)

🚼📊 advocate for others (and their families)

Watch via Instagram [almost 9 MINS] ⬇️

I'm a parent, an artist, a writer, a fractional marketing communications consultant and over the past 8+ years I've been a part-time activist and changemaker but it's amazing what can happen once things get going!

In the past 18 months alone, I've been invited to:

• A private dinner for women entrepreneurs, industry leaders and stakeholders in March 2023, which turned into three separate invitations by members of the Conservative, NDP and Liberal Parties in Canada, who are also members of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women (FEWO)

• The next month I ended up visiting the FEWO Chair Karen Vecchio MP at Parliament Hill in the House of Commons, for a 30-minute 1:1 meeting about gender equality, workforce participation, the number of women who quit their businesses during the pandemic, creating accessible and inclusive spaces for parents and the connections to childcare, domestic violence and economic independence in policy areas and studies. We also talked about our kids (of course).

• StartupGov events with federal and provincial politicians, I think it's been half a dozen so far between online and in person events

• the US Ambassador's Residence in Ottawa earlier this month for a Startup Pitch competition (I sadly got sick and couldn't attend)

• the annual Canada Women's Entrepreneurship Awards as a nominee in the Social Change category, with the event hosted by RBC as part of Women of Influence+ later this year in Toronto (I'm not in the finalists for my category but I'm still going to go and celebrate...but without my kids!) 🤣 and

• Canada's Minister for Small Business Rechie Valdez MP began following my Mixing Babies And Business company page on LinkedIn

This was not a video post or newsletter to brag – it's to get you thinking of the things which you can change over time, without a lot of budget, but merely through your words, actions, opinions, ideas and follow through.

Because if our needs are not being considered for the events, opportunities and experiences you want to gain access to...you know I'm going to encourage you to have the audacity to invite yourself, shake things up and create some change, so together, we can do something about it for ourselves and the others who follow!

If you haven't already indicated your interest in learning more about how I've created parent-friendly professional development, opportunities and impact (and how you can too) learn more at: mixingbabiesandbusiness.com/changemaker

Listen to Season 6 of the podcast featuring other parents who've been getting comfortable with navigating the future of work with kids here:

mixingbabiesandbusiness.com/podcast

Picture from last Spring 2023, when I met MP Karen Vecchio, Chair of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women (FEWO).

 PARENT-FRIENDLY  BUSINESS NEWS / OPPORTUNITIES / EVENTS

Spreading the word and business goodness for parents like you:

• POLICY: The Dad Shift did a publicity stunt to campaign for increased parental leave in the UK – which is currently at two weeks and under 190GBP/week – based off an original campaign produced by Sophie Lucas for Pregnant Then Screwed. We had our first baby in London, England in 2016 and my husband took two weeks off, then it was back to work and I was left to move around post emergency c-section without lifting anything heavier than the baby. We asked Nana to fly over from Canada a few weeks earlier than she originally planned and I remember trying to push the stroller very slowly through West Hampstead to the Thameslink on my first day solo to meet her after her flight. Learn more about their campaign and the UK's parental leave (or lack thereof) here.



• NEWS: *trigger warning: men's violence against women* I've talked about topics as they relate to women starting businesses, the reasons they may or may not want to attend things in person with their children and the need for workforce participation, financial literacy and independence, specifically as it relates to domestic violence and harassment in the workplace, when asked to speak with StartupGov event attendees and at roundtables. The past month has seen a series of headlines and this post from Cindy Gallop via LinkedIn about Lucy Morgan's Glamour article on femicide is a timely reminder about the need for everyone to speak up, seek help and reach out to others, regardless of gender.

• CAREER: Doubtful many of us reading would be able to take off to Tulsa with/without the kids for a one-month pop-up workcation but these stats from Darcy Marie Mayfield caught my eye via her LinkedIn post (Since 2020...11% increase in freelance work, 30% increase in US business applications, 50% increase in Digital Nomadism). I've done freelance work off and on over the past two decades, lived in four different countries and started working remotely in 2014 – let me know if anything like this workcation offering and lifestyle sparks your curiosity!

• CAREER: Sophie Deen is over on LinkedIn sharing lots of great content and this post about tools which can also work for parents/caregivers is a good one – I'm all about applying the project management processes, software and systems to life when it helps make the mental, emotional and unpaid loads lighter.

• CAREER: More work/life goodness from another mum of three kids who's running a business – the checklist of things which will help you sleep better and make saying a kind but firm 'no' easier, from Rachel Carrell via LinkedIn. We set up a shared family email address for our household once the oldest started pre-school five years ago for all things school, sports, appointments, birthday parties and activities – the shared calendar, being across the same things makes for better boundaries and shared parental duties, never looked back.

• SUPPORT: Previous Mixing Babies And Business Podcast guest from Season 1 (and event panelist from 2019), Karla Briones, is offering a free online masterclass next week on Wednesday, September 25th at 7:30PM ET about Starting A Business In Canada.

• FUNDING: Futurpreneur announced this week they're increasing their collateral-free financing to $75K (offered via BDC and RBC) for entrepreneurs ages 18–39, looking to start, buy or grow businesses in Canada!

• FUNDING: From Kat Gabrielle via LinkedIn, a brilliant round up of 💰 $150k+ in Funding Opportunities for Black, LGBTQ+, Women-Owned Businesses This Week. Open those note taking apps, save your applications as you go to cross-reference across grants and funding opportunities, add the deadlines to your calendar and repeat. Fingers crossed for all readers trying to raise/receive funding!

• FUNDING: Accessible loans of up to $50K are available through Canada's Women Entrepreneurship Loan Fund for businesses which are over 50% women-owned, ages 19 and up, with loan terms over five years at a maximum interest rate of prime +4%. So far they've distributed loans to over 230 entrepreneurs across 15 industries. Learn more about the program and contact their team to assess if it's the right fit for your business.

• FUNDING: 2024 Pitch Fund Applications are open for the Founders Fund, opening you up to receive up to $15K in grants and professional services – taking less than 30 minutes to apply online via a written application and two-minute pitch via a video submission – deadline to apply is Thursday, October 3rd, 2024.

Have a lovely rest of your weekend ☀️

– Amy Lynch (+ Family)

Founder + Podcast Host

Mixing Babies And Business™

P.S. Keep showing up (as and when you can). It all matters.

More from Mixing Babies And Business™:

• Join the waitlist for the Changemaker Program
• Explore my digital resource hub
• Tune into the podcast on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | Website
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Book a call to chat about your journey mixing babies and business

**Thanks for reading, I hope it helps you (share with friends if you think they'd be interested). Please reply if you have feedback or questions about the above!

I aim to respond within 72 hours Tuesday–Friday**

An independent newsletter crafted with 💜 and care in Canada

Sending you positive vibes and parenthood solidarity ✨

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