Duane Hicks
Businesswomen looking for a support network should consider attending a PARO Circle meet-and-greet this Tuesday (April 11) at 4:30 p.m. at the Rainy River Future Development Corp. office (located above the credit union).
Women who come out can expect to learn more about what a PARO Circle is, what the PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise is, how to access funding for their business, and how they can network with other local businesswomen.
“It’s really an opportunity for women in business to help other women in business,” explained Angela Halvorsen, a resource person for the local PARO Circle.
“PARO Circles are what we’re going to be talking about on Tuesday,” she noted.
“Those circles are about peer mentoring and peer lending.”
PARO has a program where it gives grants in conjunction with the RRFDC, and other small community futures in the region, to provide small loans and grants to women in business.
There are four stages of lending, with the smallest being a $500 loan and a $500 grant.
This, for example, could be used by a new business which just needs seed money to get registered and get insurance.
The level of lending increases from there.
Businesswomen can access this funding by being part of the PARO Circle, which also is responsible for the loans that go out.
“So, for example, if there’s four people in a group and one person takes [a loan], the group has to make sure that gets paid back,” said Halvorsen.
“That’s where the peer lending comes in.
“If someone’s having trouble and having a hard time making that payment, the other people will come and say, ‘How can we help?'” she added.
“It’s a very positive, very helping type situation.”
Being part a PARO Circle also provides the benefit of each member’s experience and knowledge.
If one member has a business-related question or problem, they can ask their fellow circle members for advice, noted Halvorsen.
“The group is quite tight-knit and really there to help each other,” she remarked.
As the local circle’s resource person, Halvorsen also has conducted training sessions with the others, covering topics such as social media, customer service, marketing, and hiring.
Currently, there’s one PARO Circle in the Fort Frances area consisting of five women.
There’s need to be a minimum of four people to form a circle, and each circle only can reach a maximum of seven members.
Once the circle reaches eight women, it splits into a new group.
Interested women could join the current circle and benefit from their experience.
Or they may want to form a new PARO Circle if, for instance, there was an issue with competition between members’ businesses.
Halvorsen noted Tuesday’s meet-and-greet will run until 6 p.m., at which time the local PARO Circle will hold its regular meeting.
Prospective members are welcome to stay and check out the meeting to see how it goes, although there’s no pressure to join.
If you plan on attending, R.S.V.P. with Halvorsen by calling 274-3276 or via e-mail at angela@rrfdc.on.ca.
You also can contact PARO business development trainer Karen Lynn Evans at 1-800-584-0252 or via e-mail at trainer@paro.ca
