WEConnect International: 2022 Europe regional forum

WEConnect International is a global network that connects women-owned businesses to qualified buyers around the world.

The first panel of the WEConnect International: 2022 Europe regional forum went over extraordinary woman’s and business owners. Focusing on the success of these business owners, providing particle tips that can be implemented in business and increase the revenue.

Hosted by Nillay Çelik almost 10 years with WEConnect International and responsible for the operations in Turkey’s markets, the panel has the participation of:

Melanie Chevalier, founder and owner of Creative Culture, is a certified member of the WEConnect International for over 2 years and a half.  At Creative Culture we draw upon the expertise of over 3,000 in-market connexions in over 120 countries to unearth cultural differences and insights, and turn them into opportunity. We understand and apply cultural differences, drive relevance, optimise delivery and enhance local engagement with your customers and within your organization.

Tuba Alayli, one of the Challenge Award winners this year, founder and owner of Sihirli Boyalar, is a certified member of the WEConnect International for more than 3 years. The company, founded in 2013, started with the official distribution of niche paints that never existed in Turkey, grows every day with new products and now are distribute worldwide. They are paints that turn walls into whiteboards and allow you to write and erase with ease. With the pandemic, the founder and her company developed new products that could adapt to the new market model diversity and customer needs, ranging from schools to large corporate centers.

Alison Coward, founder and owner of Bracket, is a certified member of the WEConnect International for the past year. Bracket is a consultancy agency that provide their clients with the tools, resources and support to do their best work together, reinforce collaboration across their business and make measurable progress. With the mission to help business to actively make your working environment better and cultivate a great team culture. Bracket, work with a team to design and facilitate workshops, deliver training and provide coaching and consultancy.

During the panel, they spoke about their experience in business, going over the benefits and learning of being a certificated member of the WEConnect International. Opening a space where is possible to give companies a great shot to expand their network and the opportunity to compete for larger corporate clients. Alongside, creating a community that allows the possibility of working towards the same goal together, especially since there are still several challenges when it comes to the corporate ladder and working to improve supplier diversity, in a way where this can be discussed along with clients.

One fundamental point is to increase awareness in the importance of improving the supplier diversity and DEI, not only with business and clients but also internally. Opening conversations with people that know and can include them but also, with people that don’t know about it, creating the opportunity to spread the knowledge in what is supplier diversity and can you work with that within your company.

As for particle tips from successful business owners that build their companies around core values and have been in the market for a while. Prepare, plan and if necessary do it all over again. Take some time to think and evaluate your strategy. Build a great team around you and your business, making sure that your vision is clear and believe in your product or the services you provide. Keep conversations, create relationships and network. These are a few insights from the panel with Melanie Chevalier, Tuba Alayli and Alison Coward.

Want to learn more – watch the key takeaways from the WEConnect International panel below: