No barriers: How Canadian women are succeeding in the small business space
With access to the right tools, products, and resources, anyone can follow their dreams of entrepreneurship
Before she opened Baumier, a trendy wine bar in Quebec’s Laurentian region, Arianne Faucher worked in other restaurant kitchens, learning the ropes of a culinary industry where the income gap between women and men was startling.
Faucher started working in restaurants as a teenager and saw her first few jobs as learning opportunities; wages were almost an afterthought. But when she discovered servers made more than some of the kitchen staff — primarily through tips — she decided to raise her voice.
“We talked about sharing tips, so the kitchen could have some tips too — to balance the pay gap,” said Faucher, 28. “But I felt like my boss [didn’t care].”
When Faucher started her own restaurant, she was determined to build a culture where everyone is fairly compensated, and pay equity is mandatory.
As the co-owner and head chef at Baumier, in the village of St-sauveur, about 80 kilometres northwest of Montreal, Faucher makes the same wage as the souschef she supervises.
Servers and other kitchen staff are also well-paid, a nod to the fact restaurants can’t function without crucial food prep, dishwashers, table bussers and front-of-house employees.
And to help with worklife balance, everyone gets a four-day work week.
“We want to try and change the restaurant industry,” said Faucher. “It was important for me to change that, and to change the feeling — that when you’re entering the restaurant, we’re a family.”
This compassionate, inclusive and results-oriented business culture is a key reason for Baumier’s success. It’s also the secret sauce for many successful female entrepreneurs who have faced unique challenges during the pandemic.
Occupations where women are more likely to be employed — including food, retail, social services, and other service industries — were disproportionally impacted by emergency orders.
These acute difficulties are added to systemic problems affecting income equality. Research shows that women small business owners (WSBOS) launch businesses with 53 per cent less capital, on average, than men.
Women also shouldered the bulk of the responsibility of childcare during the pandemic, and research shows their businesses have been twice as slow to rebound from the economic turbulence of COVID-19.
“In Canada, we know that small businesses serve as the foundation of our economy and are the pillars of communities, making up 98 per cent of all Canadian businesses,” said Nishant Raina, small business lead for Mastercard Canada.
“But within that large community, research shows that 58 per cent of Canadian women who start their own business make less than their male counterparts.”
“With that in mind, Mastercard is committed to ensuring women-owned small businesses get access to support and resources that will empower them not only survive, but thrive.”
Mastercard, a leading global payments and technology company, has been a mainstay in small retail businesses for decades.
The company is highlighting WSBOS through its “Secret Sauce” campaign, giving women entrepreneurs a platform to connect with customers, build a powerful community among their peers and inspire the next generation.
“I know that Mastercard is helping a lot of women,” said Arianne Faucher. “They’ve helped me realize that I have a voice, and I feel like we’re 50/50 partners. I feel like Mastercard is opening the door to say, ‘You’re important, too.’ Women are important in the business world.”
All restaurants were impacted by the pandemic, but Baumier’s unique concept made it especially hurt by lockdowns and mask mandates.
The restaurant — which takes its name from a type of local balsam poplar commonly used as Christmas trees — specializes in biological organic wine tasting and shared plates.
All the produce and ingredients are locally sourced, and people dine there to discover new foods; in other words, it’s a culinary adventure that often involves close contact.
Baumier was forced to shut down for six months due to COVID-19, but has rebounded since then thanks to its unique menu, fantastic dining room atmosphere and its enthusiastic, attentive staff.
“Our goal is to empower women like Arianne to grow their businesses,” said Nishant Raina from Mastercard. “Part of reaching that goal is by ensuring small business owners have access to the tools and resources that help them run their businesses efficiently.”
The kitchen culture at Baumier is still light years ahead of the over-stressed environment Faucher encountered as an apprentice early in her career. Faucher has succeeded in creating a work environment where women are accepted, valued and well-compensated.
“I feel that’s something we need to change in the industry,” she said. “Because entering the restaurant with something like fear, that’s not good at all. It’s so much stress. That’s what I want to take out of the industry, and I feel like Baumier is doing it.”