Mona-Lisa Prosper is the new Director, Black Entrepreneurs at Futurpreneur – a culmination of a multifaceted career that\u2019s spanned a broad variety of fields and disciplines.<\/p>\n
Over the past decade, Prosper has garnered experience in the fields of law, entrepreneurship, economic development and talent acquisition, working with everyone from tech firms to fashion designers. Along the way, she developed an unwavering commitment to diversity and inclusion.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was like, \u2018Wow, what a great link of all of my passions and goals,\u2019\u201d Prosper says. \u201cI have an eclectic professional background, but I thought this was the perfect combination of everything I\u2019ve done so far.\u201d<\/p>\n
As part of the new role, Prosper will be spearheading the newly-launched Black Entrepreneur Startup Program<\/a> (BESP), an initiative funded by RBC<\/a> with additional loan financing from BDC<\/a>.<\/p>\n The program is a tailored version of Futurpreneur\u2019s Start-Up Program, which has supported thousands of entrepreneurs across Canada. The just-announced BESP offers up to $60,000 in financing, plus expert mentorship and resources, to Black aspiring entrepreneurs aged 18-39 across Canada.<\/p>\n A native of Montreal, Prosper began her career in law and is still a member of the Quebec bar. Supporting entrepreneurs became a focus right out of the gate for Prosper; her first venture out of school was Propulsio 360<\/a>, a law firm aimed at helping aspiring small business owners navigate the legal landscape.<\/p>\n The firm, which Prosper co-founded, helped entrepreneurs at a variety of stages, from businesses still in the idea phase to those equipped with a plan and ready to put it in motion. While still at Propulsio 360, she recognized the valuable support that Futurpreneur offers to young entrepreneurs and referred a number of aspiring business owners to the organization.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the of my work at Propulsio 360 that was most fulfilling was giving tools to other very creative people to help bring their dreams to fruition,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Prosper had another, more personal goal in co-founding the firm: Stretching her skill set and exploring opportunities beyond the world of law. \u201cIn the beginning, starting my business was a way of expressing myself, just being \u2018more than a lawyer\u2019 – I had so many interests and wanted to do so many things,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Realizing that her career trajectory was ultimately leading her away from the legal world, she left the business. For a year, she worked in recruiting, helping new companies find their first employees: \u201cIt was a way to get to know businesses and learn their specific needs,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n After that, she pursued an opportunity with Montreal\u2019s economic promotion agency, MTL International<\/a>, building relationships within the business ecosystem and helping international companies expand to that city. Prosper then became president of the Jeune Chambre de Commerce des Femmes du Qu\u00e9bec<\/a> (Young Chamber of Commerce of Women of Qu\u00e9bec).<\/p>\n Along the way, she became a staunch advocate for representation and inclusive governance, including becoming one of the\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>diversity ambassadors at regional development firm\u202f<\/span><\/span>Concertation MTL<\/span><\/span><\/a>, and serving on the\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>founding team of the\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>#Ensembleinc Movement<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0in Qu\u00e9bec<\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n