This International Women's Day, I found myself reflecting on a recent coffee chat with the always amazing Dana McCauley of CFIN. I had the opportunity to share my thoughts with her on the significance of this day and the ongoing journey toward gender equality.
A Disparity That Demands Attention
It's disheartening that in 2025, we still need to highlight the disparity between men and women in leadership roles. The statistics are stark: fewer women run Fortune 500 companies than there are CEOs named John or Dave. This isn't just an inequality issue; it's a missed opportunity, as studies show that women-led companies often outperform their peers.
As we celebrate IWD and embrace the future, it's crucial to honour the past and acknowledge the struggles of the women who came before us. It was only a few decades ago that women in Canada achieved basic rights, including the right to vote and be recognized as persons under the law. And we have NEVER had an elected female Prime Minister in this country. These milestones (and those we haven’t reached) remind us that progress is hard-won and that we must remain vigilant in safeguarding these achievements.
From Symbolic Gestures to Substantive Change
While IWD serves as an important reminder of the progress made and the work that remains, it's time to move beyond symbolic gestures and focus on creating lasting change. This means challenging stereotypes, promoting women in leadership roles, and ensuring equal opportunities for all.
The evidence is clear: investing in women isn't just the right thing to do; it's good business. Women-led startups generate higher revenue per dollar invested, and diverse leadership leads to better decision-making and stronger performance. This IWD, let's commit to action, including funding female founders and building a more inclusive and innovative future.
A Toast to the Audacious: The Legacy of Veuve Clicquot
As a female entrepreneur, I am inspired by the story of Barbe-Nicole Clicquot, the 19th-century widow who built a champagne empire against all odds. Her resilience, innovation, and relentless drive are testaments to the power of women in business. That’s why Veuve Cliquot is my champagne brand, and we have a special bottle on display when you first come into Nourish.
At just 27 years old, with a six-year-old daughter to care for, she inherited her late husband's fledgling champagne business. In a time when women couldn't even open a bank account without their husband's permission, most would have balked at the challenge. But Barbe-Nicole, or Veuve Clicquot as she became known (veuve meaning widow in French), was not like most.
First, she dove in, spending four years as an apprentice, learning every single detail of the champagne trade. She convinced her father-in-law to back her ambitions, staking her entire inheritance on her vision. She saw a market in Russia, a market others hadn't even considered. During the Napoleonic Wars, she smuggled her champagne into Amsterdam, ready to launch the moment peace returned. And launch she did, with a masterstroke of marketing. Clicquot got the Tsar himself to declare Veuve his champagne of choice, instantly making it the must-have drink for the entire Russian court.
But it wasn't just marketing brilliance. She was an innovator, a problem solver. She invented the riddling table, revolutionizing the champagne-making process, producing clearer champagne faster. It took her competitors, like Moët, fifteen years to catch up! And she kept her secrets, not through fear, but through loyalty; Clicquot shared the profits with her employees, building a team as dedicated as she was.
As she eloquently wrote to her grandchildren, encapsulating her visionary spirit, "The world is in perpetual motion, and we must invent the things of tomorrow." That's why when I raise a glass, it's to the Widow—Veuve Clicquot.
Taking Our Seat at the Table
Women play a vital role in the food industry on the consumer side, making the majority of food decisions for their households. It's time they have a seat not just at the kitchen table but also at the boardroom table.
This past International Women’s Day, I raised my glass to the women shaping the food industry from the business side and a future where gender equality is not a goal but a reality. When IWD 2026 comes around, I hope to look back on the year that was and see that real progress was made toward gender parity in my field and all others.
