GoodHeart | ‘Fund Her’ session empowers women creatives by addressing funding barriers
Published:Saturday | March 29, 2025 | 12:07 AM
A convergence of challenges makes it harder for women in the creative space to access funding that could allow them to earn and employ others as entrepreneurs. This was the view of three women financiers who were panellists dissecting the topic, ‘Fund Her’, one of the featured segments in this year’s return of the Women in Theatre Festival. Organised by theatre and media expert, Dahlia Harris, the event was held at The Little Theatre in St Andrew on Monday, and moderated by veteran theatre practitioner and broadcaster, Fae Ellington.
“The creative field ... traditionally ... is not a field that is recognised as one of those income-earners or that you earn a lot, and then culturally as a woman that impacts as well,” shared Sharon Smith, head of business banking at JN Bank.
“We know that culturally in Jamaica and in the world, women tend to [receive] lower salaries,” she continued, “so usually a woman is starting out behind the [eight] ball, because already she is earning less than her male counterpart.”
Smith noted that the responsibilities women are traditionally expected to undertake further complicate the challenges women creatives face, plus studies show that there is “an inability as women to network”.
The experienced banker’s perspective was supported by relationship executive at the Development Bank of Jamaica, Nickesha Barrett, who added that many women find it difficult to network because they are occupied with the role as caregiver, although they work.
“We may not be able to go to do the networking after [work] because we have to rush home to the family and the children ... make sure everybody does homework and ensure the meal is cooked. So often you may find that we are not as social as the men who will go out and have a drink,” she opined.
But she acknowledged that women are becoming bolder, more assertive and creative about networking and connecting, confirming a point made earlier by Sagicor’s Nicola Speid Morgan, manager of SME business banking. Morgan pointed out, however, that although women are becoming empowered, they continue to face difficulty accessing funding.
“They can’t get persons to invest in their businesses. Why? It’s because sometimes persons don’t think that we have the skillset, or back [in time] they used to say women can’t run businesses and manage a family. But we have proven them wrong and have shown them that we can do both,” she declared.
SEIZE OPPORTUNITIES
She urged them to assert themselves, even if they are criticised and described as “aggressive” for doing so.
The panellists urged aspiring female entrepreneurs and women already in business to seize opportunities and information, counselling those in the creative field to learn about the business and the industry and not to only rely on their talents to get ahead.
“Do the research. Get the information. As a creative person you can’t just focus on your craft. You have to look for all the support that will make that craft [a viable business],” Smith told the audience of mainly women in the creative and performing arts.
She outlined that many networking events and workshops are targeted to and created for women and moderator, Fae Ellington, reminded that the Jamaica Business Development Centre, for example, stages various free or inexpensive workshops that cover the basics of business.
Both Smith and Speid Morgan also highlighted that their companies provide opportunities which provide training in business-specific areas and financial literacy free of charge to aid customers and clients with sharpening their financial acumen and skillset.