When 23 female business leaders head off for a trade mission to Japan next month, there will be one from Kelowna. Kris Stewart is the CEO of Advanced Home Care Solutions and the founder of Image One MRI in Kelowna.
She reflects on her career in business in Kelowna and talks about her hopes for new business opportunities on the other side of the world.
"It is the first Canadian women-only business mission to Japan."
Stewart hopes to be a part of a shift that's occurring in Japan away from reliance on family members to provide elder care.
"It is my hope that when I go over there in less than a months time, I will find that there are opportunities for me to establish a branch office of Advanced Home Care," said Stewart.
As for the status of women in business in Japan, she's not sure exactly what to expect.
"I actually believe we have a lot to learn from each other," "I'm looking forward to sharing some best practices. Sharing them with Japan as well as receiving from Japan what initiatives they have developed to support their women business leaders."
As for women in business locally, Stewart sees progress.
"I think there are invisible barriers, but I believe that those are dissolving," she said.
"Everyone seems more willing to accept women business leaders and women with novel ideas."
But it wasn't always like that.
"Back in the early 2000s when I was trying to found ImageOne MRI Clinic, it wasn't that way. I did have some barriers and I think it was related to my gender."
After she took on a male partner she recalled getting ignored in business meetings.
"The engineers and architects would only look at my business partner," she said. "They assumed, I think, that I was just the secretary or personal assistant."
As for advice for female entrepreneurs, Stewart encourages women to seek out mentorship opportunities.
"What would have been nice for me, back in the early 2000s would have been to find a female business mentor."
The Trade Mission jets off to Japan April 1st.
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