Highlights from the Growth Sector

Reflections from Canaccord Genuity’s 44th Annual Growth Conference by Liz Priestman

This week, I had the privilege of chairing the panel for this year’s participants in Canaccord Genuity’s Advisory Program for Women Entrepreneurs at the 44th Annual Growth Conference in Boston. Before introducing the five remarkable women, I took a moment to reflect on the past and look toward the future, highlighting what makes women entrepreneurs uniquely successful.

Pictured above: Liz Priestman, CEO of IDG, chairing the panel for this year’s participants in Canaccord Genuity’s Advisory Program for Women Entrepreneurs at the 44th Annual Growth Conference in Boston.

Looking Back and Moving Forward

At the opening of the London Stock Exchange last year, I was honoured to stand alongside two trailblazers, Susan Shaw and Hilary Pearson. These women were two of the first females admitted to the LSE trading floor back in 1973, paving the way for the generations of women who followed. Celebrating 50 years of progress provides a valuable opportunity to assess how far we’ve come and to set our sights on the new milestones we can achieve by nurturing and investing in the next generation of female leaders.

The event was hosted by Julia Hoggett, the LSE’s CEO and a trailblazer in her own right. Reflecting on that day, I am reminded of the female role models and mentors who have guided my career and inspired me to push boundaries. Programs like Canaccord Genuity’s Advisory Program for Women Entrepreneurs are crucial in continuing this legacy, creating opportunities for women to grow, lead, and connect. I’m grateful for leaders like David Kassie, Chairman Emeritus of Canaccord Genuity Inc., who founded and champions this program, and Genevieve Eccleston, Director of Investment Banking at Canaccord Genuity Group Inc., the Program Chair. Their vision and dedication have resulted in a growing network of women who support and empower each other, helping shape the future of entrepreneurship.

The Strengths of Emotional Intelligence and Empathy

What makes women successful entrepreneurs? It’s often the very qualities women have been criticized for that are now taking center stage and being recognized as powerful tools: Emotional Intelligence and Empathy. Women understand the power of emotion in the workplace and are comfortable leaning into it. They intentionally create trusted environments that fuel collaboration and creativity, knowing that trust is what enables logical risk-taking to drive innovation.

Emotional Intelligence provides a distinct leadership edge. The next time you’re in a meeting and told to “take the emotion out of it,” remember that it’s emotion that fuels trust, human insight, and passion—elements critical to entrepreneurial leadership. Emotionally intelligent CEOs understand that business is personal and rooted in relationships, and by fostering those relationships, they build successful businesses. This emotional intelligence gives women a significant advantage.

Empathy, too, plays a crucial role. It’s empathy that fosters environments where diverse and new ideas can flourish. It encourages even the quietest voices at the table to speak up, and those are voices that need to be heard. If Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s CEO, attributes his turnaround of Microsoft to empathy, it’s clear these human skills are indispensable, especially with the rising adoption of Artificial Intelligence. After all, there is no Emotional Intelligence in Artificial Intelligence, making these uniquely human qualities even more valuable in today’s business landscape.

As investors, we are often quick to back AI and other cutting-edge technologies, as we should, recognizing their potential to revolutionize industries. However, we must also appreciate that empathy and emotional intelligence are equally vital for business success. These human qualities, which women excel at bringing to the forefront, create trusted environments, drive innovation, and foster sustainable growth. In a world increasingly dominated by technology, it’s the human touch—our ability to understand, to connect, and to inspire—that will set the most successful businesses apart. By supporting women entrepreneurs, we are investing in a future where human and technological advancements work in harmony.

The Financial Impact of Women-Led Businesses

Women also create exceptionally well-run businesses. Companies with women at the C-level typically have profits that surpass those led by men. Why aren’t these stats making headline news? The 2019 S&P Global Analysis Study demonstrated that organizations with female CEOs have more success producing “superior stock price performance, compared with the market average.” You can read the full report here: S&P Global Analysis.

Addressing the Funding Gap

And yet, despite the significant advancements we are making, there remains a stark funding gap. Research by BCG reveals that companies founded or co-founded by women receive, on average, half the investment that male-founded companies do. Yet, women-led businesses consistently outperform male-run companies in terms of growth and ROI. To those who are skeptical, here’s the full report: BCG Report.

So I’m left asking why? Why does this gap persist? And as investors, what opportunities are we overlooking?

To secure funding, women often need to present superior business plans, build stronger teams, and offer better ideas. This demand for excellence drives them to be exceptionally resilient—qualities exemplified by the five women in this year’s program.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be introducing these inspiring entrepreneurs and leaders. As you learn about their journeys, consider the incredible possibilities that arise when we champion women-led businesses. And are these opportunities on your radar… yet?

A Call to Action

Investing in and supporting women entrepreneurs is not just a step towards equality; it’s a strategic move that fuels our collective progress. By recognizing and embracing the unique strengths that women bring to the table, we can drive innovation, foster sustainable growth, and build a future where both human and technological advancements thrive.

About the author: Liz Priestman, CEO of IDG

Liz Priestman serves as the Co-founder and CEO of IDG and member of Global Partnership Family Offices’ Advisory Board. She plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between innovators and family offices worldwide, introducing opportunities that drive global change. Her career, marked by founding and scaling companies, has evolved to focus on empowering growth companies with access to strategic, intellectual, and financial capital. In 2021, Liz was honoured as Mentor of the Year by the Schulich School of Business, a recognition stemming from her decade-long commitment with the Hall of Legends program. She holds an Executive MBA, serves as a Strategic Advisor for Canaccord Genuity’s Advisory Program for Women Entrepreneurs, and is an active mentor to several early stage entrepreneurs.