By Kate Isler, CEO/ Co-founder The WMarketplace.
For over two years, the war in Ukraine has dominated headlines, often focusing on the political debate in the United States over military support. While external aid is vital, I want to share a different narrative: women supporting women, leveraging collective generosity to help hundreds of thousands in need. This story is about women opening their lives to others, helping them and their children rebuild their lives and businesses.
Over a year ago, I was invited to speak at a webinar hosted by the US Department of Commerce’s Empower HER Program, aimed at supporting Ukrainian women entrepreneurs. The webinar featured representatives from multinational corporations and large Ukraine-based companies who discussed substantial financial commitments to aid these women. My long career at Microsoft gave me the opportunity to lead large product and marketing teams while living in the Eastern European region which positioned me to offer tangible support to Ukrainian women entrepreneurs. Despite the enthusiastic pledges during the webinar, when I inquired about accessing this funding, I received no response from the large organizations. My current business includes a flagship program focused on teaching women entrepreneurs how to take advantage of the enormous amount of ecommerce opportunities available worldwide and to scale their online businesses. So, I was undeterred by the silence, and determined to use the funds that were pledged. I created a survey to identify potential candidates for an ecommerce-focused accelerator that included a small cash grant.
The survey received enthusiastic responses from nearly 300 women, eager to sustain their businesses and communities. We selected 15 viable prospects representing over 60 jobs and presented a concrete proposal to the initial group of speakers, only to be ignored again. With the help of a dedicated team from the Department of Commerce and the American Chamber of Commerce, we found a corporate sponsor for a pilot program.
The pilot was a resounding success, with participating entrepreneurs increasing their sales by 15% and hiring additional employees. Evidence of the program’s impact encouraged me to pitch the idea further, finding support from the US Department of Commerce’s SABIT program. Working in partnership with the SABIT leaders, we condensed our six-week virtual program into a two-day, in-person program and delivered it to displaced Ukrainian women entrepreneurs in Warsaw, Poland.
A year after the first webinar, I stood before 45 Ukrainian women entrepreneurs in Warsaw, all refugees now living in Poland. These women, from diverse backgrounds and businesses, shared stories of restarting or launching their ventures amidst the chaos of war. They spoke of adapting to new cultures, languages, and customs, and shared photos of loved ones on the front lines. Despite the challenges, they remained resilient and determined.
During this journey, I encountered many working tirelessly to support Ukraine. One such connection led me to the Polish-Ukrainian Women’s Chamber event, where women from Poland, Ukraine, Germany, and Brussels gathered to support one another and foster economic development in Ukraine.
Having worked globally, I was struck by the powerful story of economic collaboration that often goes untold. While military support dominates headlines, the impact of investing in women-owned businesses is profound. Research shows that these businesses provide significant returns on investment, benefiting families, communities, and the broader economy. Supporting Ukrainian women entrepreneurs is crucial for the country’s rebuilding efforts, both during and after the war.
The program’s success, made possible through the US Department of Commerce SABIT program, highlights the commitment of government agencies to support Ukraine in a variety of ways. We are working with our partners at SABIT and the International Trade Administration and plan to expand this training to reach more of the one million plus displaced Ukrainian women entrepreneurs across Europe. We hope to attract additional support from both corporate and government agencies to extend this successful program to other countries. Building a strong sustainable economy is critical to long term peace in the region, women owned businesses play a major role in these efforts.
While military and humanitarian aid are essential, investing in women-owned businesses in Ukraine is equally crucial. These women, whether displaced or remaining in Ukraine, demonstrate resilience, determination, and a commitment to their businesses, families, and communities. They are not alone in their efforts. The story that needs to be told is one of women supporting women, with entities like the SABIT program, the American Chamber of Commerce in Kyiv, the Polish-Ukrainian Women’s Chamber, and The WMarketplace standing hand in hand with the women of Ukraine as they rebuild their country.
