Announced on International Women's Day of 08MAR 2022, wmnsWORK, the first tourism-specific accelerator for women and non-binary entrepreneurs in North America, is celebrating its official launch and welcoming registrations for its spring cohort starting on 16MAY 2022.
wmnsWORK is an entrepreneurial ecosystem that embraces concepts such as idea-sharing, community support and self-compassion in concert with expert guidance for early-stage business owners in the critical parts of their journey, and recognizes a population often "underserved" by its industry.
Founding wmnsWORK
This virtual, tourism-specific and equity-free business accelerator was founded by tourism industry professional Iris Serbanescu, who has spent her career consulting with and working alongside entrepreneurial ventures in tourism’s adventure, luxury and tech sectors, and witnessing the unique challenges faced by entrepreneurs who have been "historically overlooked."
"The tourism industry is really competitive -- especially when it comes to the tour and accommodation sectors," Serbanescu says. "Yet, with all the travel associations and organizations that exist to support businesses, there was really nothing that focus specifically on early-stage entrepreneurship for women and non-binary business owners."
Though they make up 55 per cent of the tourism workforce, women represent less than 20 per cent of general managerial positions, and less than 8 per cent of existing board positions, said wmnsWORK. Yet, women dominate the consumer side, making 70 per cent of the purchasing decisions when it comes to booking travel.
"This means that while women are doing more than half the work and nearly all of the spending in this global industry, 92% of the money and power lies with men," Serbanescu continues.
It was this realization, along with years of experiencing the "inequitable" nature of the tourism industry, as both a woman and a member of the LGBTQIA2S+ community, which ultimately inspired Serbanescu to become an entrepreneur herself, and address many of the barriers that had previously held back her and her peers.
Program Details
wmnsWORK's 12-week virtual program, launching 16MAY 2022, operates on three pillars: Education, Mentorship and Support. The program keeps to a group size of only 10 participants to help foster "community trust and openness," and is also focused on tourism suppliers (hotels, inbound day- and multi-day tour operators), but is open to other tourism business owners who see value in its curriculum.
Throughout the program, participants attend up to 12 expert-led workshops and masterclasses featuring topics such as "Funding Your Tourism Startup," "Regeneration Principles for Tourism," “Entrepreneurial Mindset 101,” and more.
According to wmnsWORK, the curriculum is personalized to the needs of the cohort using a network of experts with a range of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives, as well as feedback gleaned from ongoing open dialogue within the group, to inform its content. Cohort members are provided curated access to customized one-to-one mentorships, coaching circles led by expert industry facilitators, and fireside chats with inspiring women and non-binary tourism leaders and investors from around the world.
In addition, wmnsWORK is collaborating with founding sponsors sherpa°, a global provider of travel requirements and documentation for the travel industry, as well as small-group adventure tour company Exodus Travels, to develop scholarship options for racialized, disabled and LGBTQIA2S+ entrepreneurs. A partnership with the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) also means a free, one-year ATTA Business Memberships will be provided for those who register for the 16MAY and September 2022 (dates TBA) cohort.
"It's really important that wmnsWORK is accessible to anyone who wants to be a part of an accelerator, and our partnerships have made that possible," Serbanescu states. "It's also a way to showcase what can be accomplished when certain obstacles are removed, and historically overlooked entrepreneurs have the tools and agency to realize their potential."
The spring wmnsWORK cohort is now open for registrations, and will begin 16MAY 2022. The 12-week program is USD $2500, and those interested can apply here.
