Strength in Solidarity: The Collective Rise of Women Entrepreneurs

Tanya Pineault is Enterprise Account Executive at PayPal. She is passionate about empowering women in business.  As a leader of PayPal’s Unity group which is focused on achieving gender equity and a mentor to female entrepreneurs, she leverages her unique skillset to help female entrepreneurs scale their online businesses. With an international background in payments and acquiring, she has consulted merchants across Europe, Asia, and North America, and is now a Senior Account Executive at PayPal, managing a portfolio of large enterprise clients, including some of the biggest names in fashion and retail, helping them to scale and optimise their e-commerce experiences.

The scene I walked into at the ‘Networking Lunch: The Scale-Up Founders Edition‘, was energetic and brimming with potential, ambition, and opportunity as we celebrated International Women’s Day last month. I had the pleasure of representing PayPal with my colleague Maarten Zwaan at the event which was hosted by Equals in collaboration with PayPal.  

“…What struck me most was the common thread running through their experiences – the need for access. Access to skills, access to capital, and perhaps most importantly, access to a supportive community.” 

Most of the entrepreneurs at the event had already made significant strides in developing their products or services and establishing an online presence. Although passion and creativity were abundant, so was the need for access to specialized skills and resources. 

I can tell from my own experience that partnerships play a crucial role in this journey of empowerment. Especially when it comes to scaling and funding, it is helpful to understand what resources are already out there. And this is where organizations like Equals and PayPal can help bridge gaps. Not only did Equals offer a much-needed platform for networking and visibility for the female entrepreneurs present, but also supported us – organizations like PayPal – to showcase offerings and share our insights and expertise that are generally reserved for large enterprise merchants. 

Faced with the question “How can PayPal help?” at the Equals event, I was happy to share how, for instance, initiatives like PayPal Working Capital can be an answer to some of the funding challenges. It offers a business loan with a fixed fee, repaid with a percentage of sales. It is truly a simple solution designed to make financial services more accessible and inclusive for entrepreneurs. Any PayPal account holder can apply for funding online, without going to the bank or through a lengthy application process. The assessment is completely anonymous and based on processing history – regardless of gender or background – and leaves no room for bias.  

“…As a woman in business myself, I’m aware of the challenges women face when it comes to funding. There has never been a better time than to come together, share experiences and best practices, and empower each other to succeed.”

It was a privilege to witness the power of community, of collaboration, and of unwavering determination of these female entrepreneurs. What they all share is a common experience and the struggle of bootstrapping their business. As we work towards gender equity and inclusivity in entrepreneurship, events like these play a crucial role in empowering one another.   

Together, we can break down barriers, uplift one another, and pave the way for a brighter future. It is a journey we are all on together, and I’m grateful for the chance to be a part of it.