Gail McDonald sits down with sisters Daria and Shawna Balas, the powerhouse founders behind SHE-Canada, a coast-to-coast platform built to support, celebrate, and elevate women-led businesses. What began as a simple acronym, Support Her Enterprise, has grown into a national movement giving women greater visibility, confidence, and community in entrepreneurship.

In this heartfelt conversation, Gail, Daria, and Shawna explore the real experiences of women in business: navigating confidence gaps, strengthening self-esteem, finding belonging, and rising together through mutual support. They discuss the challenges women face in accessing funding, building networks, and being taken seriously, and how SHE-Canada is breaking down those barriers through co-op marketing, a national directory, digital magazines, and genuine community-building.

This Conversation Covers:

• The meaning and origin of SHE—Support Her Enterprise

• The difference between confidence and self-esteem, and why both matter

• The “crown straightening” philosophy of women helping women rise

• Challenges female entrepreneurs face in visibility, connection, and financing

• How SHE-Canada’s co-op marketing model reduces costs and expands reach

• The importance of inclusive support for all women, from makers to CEOs

• How technology, community, and mentorship shape modern entrepreneurship

• Why networking remains essential for women in business

• This episode is a reminder that women rise higher when they rise together, through authenticity, collaboration, and community.

SHE-Canada:

Founded by Daria Balas and Shawna Balas

⁠she-canada.com⁠

Books & Resources Referenced: 

• The Tipping Point — Malcolm Gladwell

• Feel the Fear andDo It Anyway — Dr. Susan Jeffers

• Author Charles Darwin