The Canadian government is a living, breathing, resource-filled machine. In it, you find leaders like Shereen Benzvy Miller, a small business advocate working to directly impact the success of Canada’s diverse entrepreneur community. “I would encourage all kinds of entrepreneurs to ask if their supply chain is as diverse as it could be. Are they looking to women-owned companies? Are they looking to companies that are owned, run by, or employ people with disabilities? Are you looking to new Canadians who are eager to get started in their country? Are you leveraging and harnessing that talent? Are you doing it in a way that is truly Canadian?” Shereen is the Assistant Deputy Minister of Small Business, Tourism and Marketplace Services at Industry Canada. Previously, she worked as the Director General (DG) for the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises and Strategic Engagement a Public Works and Government Services Canada, as well as the DG of Rights Redress and Resolution for the Correctional Service of Canada. Notably, Shereen was recognized as one of the top 100 most powerful women in Canada by the Women’s Executive Network and was recently named Champion of the Year 2016 by WeConnect International, a women's supplier diversity accreditation organization. In this week’s #StartupPodcast, host Rivers Corbett talks with Shereen about the federal government’s role in supporting entrepreneurs, the different roles of the public service and political offices, how entrepreneurs can work with both her vision for the future of entrepreneurship in Canada, and what she is doing today to make it happen.

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