If you are a woman in business in the Lismore region, you have until September 8 to apply for the NSW Femeconomy Connection Program.

If your business is at least 50% female owned or has at least 30% women on the Board of Directors, you can become a leader in the Femeconomy network and help impact the bottom line in business – leading to more women in leadership and advancing gender equality.

In total 20 women from Northern NSW will be selected for the program and each female leader selected will receive:

• A diagnostic teleconference to learn about their business, their background and story, their customers, opportunity for growth and current hurdles
• Tailored support and introductions to Femeconomy’s network
• A female leader interview on Femeconomy
• A one year Femeconomy Platinum Membership.

To be eligible for the program, your business must also:

• Have a digital presence.
• Have been operational for at least one year.
• Fit under one of Femeconomy’s categories: Automotive, Banking & Insurance, Children’s Services, Clothing, Cosmetics & Toiletries, Electronics or Technology, Gifts, Grocery, Handbags & Accessories, Health & Well-Being, Homewares, Jewellery, Liquor, Luxury, Professional Services for example Financial Services, Human Resources, Marketing & Communications, Shoes, Toys, Trades, Variety & Hardware.

According to Femeconomy, more women in leadership isn’t just good for women, it’s good business. 

Research from the Peterson Institute of International Economics shows that going from having no women in corporate leadership to a 30% female share is associated with a 15% increase in profitability for a typical firm.

With women making up just over 50% of the Australian population, investing in women in business is an important part of creating an equitable future for our economy and our communities. 

Statistics from the Australian Institute of Company Directors reveal:

• 29.6% of directors in the ASX 200 are women (May 2019).
• Women hold 13.7% of chair positions and 25.8% of directorships, and represent 17.1% of CEOs and 30.5% of key management personnel (WGEA 2019, Data Explorer).
• 35.2% of boards and governing bodies have no female directors. By contrast, only 0.9% had no male directors (WGEA 2018, Australia's Gender Equality Scorecard).

The NSW Femeconomy Connection Program is funded by Women NSW and applications close midnight Sunday, September 8.

For more information, click here.