Editor’s note: This article was first published in November 2011 as news: the call for REDCAME mentors closed on 25 November 2011, and the programme and the list of participating chambers may no longer exist.
First of all, I want to say that I disagree with a recent study by Womenalia which argues that women find it much harder than men to start a business, especially where it says that, on top of the lack of financial support for women entrepreneurs, we should add their “low self-confidence”.
Honestly, I’m not going to get into how support for new businesses is shared out between men and women, as I think it’s very fair. But I don’t agree at all with saying that women have little or no self-confidence, when by now they have proved themselves very capable as businesswomen.
And I’d add this: disagreeing with the Womenalia study doesn’t mean I don’t recommend that social network for professional women. I think it does excellent work.
Spain’s chambers of commerce have opened a call to select mentors for the Spanish Chamber Network for Mentoring Women Entrepreneurs (REDCAME). The aim of this initiative, launched by the European Union, is for women entrepreneurs to be mentored by experienced businessmen and businesswomen when they are starting out. Each mentor will take on one or two entrepreneurs.
The chambers of commerce of Ávila, Andújar, Badajoz, Barcelona, Cáceres, Cuenca, Mallorca, Gran Canaria and Seville are taking part. Business owners willing to mentor future businesswomen must contact any of these chambers before 25 November. The idea is to “mix” a beginner’s energy and drive with an “expert’s” experience and contacts, since perhaps the hardest part of starting a business is making those first contacts and taking care of the first formalities.
Women entrepreneurs also have plenty of help available online:
- ipyme.org: microloans for women entrepreneurs and businesswomen.
- camaras.org: the Spanish Chamber Network for Mentoring Women Entrepreneurs, where you can apply to be mentored.
- e-empresarias.net: a business support programme for women.
- inmujer.gob.es: the Women’s Institute (Instituto de la Mujer).
- Femenp.net: the Spanish Federation of Women Business Owners and Professionals.
I’d simply like to wish future entrepreneurs and businesswomen the best of luck, and to say that I think the initiative is a great one, like so many others that are fortunately under way and that we will keep covering.
Featured image: CarlosVdeHabsburgo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
