Anne De Aragon is the Vice President and Country Manager for GoDaddy Canada, the company that empowers everyday entrepreneurs. In this role, she is responsible for all GoDaddy operations in Canada, leading the charge on business strategy and growth. Throughout her tenure at GoDaddy, she has worked closely with Canadian small businesses to understand their needs to help them reap the benefits of having an online presence. Anne has also been a driving force behind GoDaddy’s partnership with the Toronto Raptors resulting in some of the most successful branding campaigns in the company’s history. This past year, she spearheaded the “Don’t Stop Being Unstoppable” campaign, highlighting real Canadian small business owners and Olympian Andre De Grasse.
Prior to joining GoDaddy, Anne held a range of senior marketing and sales roles at Microsoft, where she worked directly with small and mid-sized businesses to drive revenue. Anne is now dedicated to helping other young professionals and women entrepreneurs discover their passions through regular speaking engagements and mentorship opportunities.
How would you describe your journey as Vice President and Country Manager at GoDaddy, where you consistently attract new customers and lead the business strategy?
In my role at GoDaddy, I’m responsible for leading the Canadian operations, business strategy and growth. I oversee all Canadian campaigns to build brand awareness and deliver business results in the market. A large part of my job is also attracting and engaging new customers. It’s about working closely with small businesses to understand their needs and help them reap the benefits of having an online presence. I’ve always been passionate about helping entrepreneurs realize their full potential and the crucial role small businesses play in the Canadian economy.
If you’re in business to do something you’re passionate about, we want to make getting online less intimidating and provide the tools and resources for you to do so with success.
What are your thoughts on the “Empower” program launched by GoDaddy in collaboration with Futurpreneur?
It’s an exciting time for the brand, with GoDaddy having chosen Futurpreneur as its partner to launch Empower in Canada! Empower by GoDaddy is GoDaddy’s global community and philanthropic program equipping entrepreneurs in underserved communities with training, tools and peer networks to accelerate their journeys. The program began in 2017 and launched in Canada for the first time this year with Futurpreneur as the inaugural partner. Not only is this the first year for Empower in Canada, but it is also the largest Empower program GoDaddy has done to date. We look forward to working closely with Futurprenreur to support Canadian entrepreneurs in learning new digital skills and launching successful businesses.
What are the findings of the current study conducted for GoDaddy Canada by Logit Group? And how will this benefit aspiring entrepreneurs?
In GoDaddy’s most recent survey, we found that despite the continued challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, optimism is stronger than ever among small business owners who now see the value in digital tools and maintaining an online presence. In particular, the GoDaddy survey found:
- 65% of small businesses made adaptations during the pandemic, with the top 4 areas of adjustment being starting social media marketing, improving their online presence, creating a new website and expand their product and service offerings.
- 2/3 of businesses who sell online cite that the pandemic had a positive impact on their online sales.
It’s important for aspiring entrepreneurs to understand the current small business landscape overall, but also within their respective industries. Understanding the landscape and market needs allows entrepreneurs to find the white space to play in a while also being cognizant of external factors that may impact the business.
As this partnership is aimed at providing multiple facilities to the entrepreneurs, what are the benefits that all the participants of Empower by GoDaddy program will receive?
Empower by GoDaddy provides entrepreneurs and small business owners with a chance to learn new skills in key areas to improve their digital presence. The curriculum, which is offered in both English and French, includes workshops on website building, understanding search optimization (SEO) tools, digital marketing on social media – and more!
Most importantly, Empower provides participants with a strong network of entrepreneurs and mentorship opportunities that will help their businesses grow long after the program has been completed!
What is your opinion, are the barriers faced by entrepreneurs? What are the ways through which they can overcome those barriers?
The recent GoDaddy survey found that cost, unfamiliarity, and a general lack of knowledge were the top challenges when it comes to adopting an online presence. All three of these perceived barriers are concerns we often hear. However, products like GoDaddy Website Builder, with its free 30-day trial, are great opportunities for small business owners to overcome these challenges and build a successful online presence.
What specific suggestions do you have for entrepreneurs to assist them in transforming their small businesses into financially sustainable enterprises?
When looking to make a purchase, a company or brand’s website is usually the first place consumers will visit, and it’s important that it makes a great first impression. Surprisingly, there are still entrepreneurs who don’t see the value in having a website that’s easy to find, organized and user-friendly. Even if your website does not sell a tangible product, it’s important that it gives visitors the information they need to use your services or come back to in the future. I strongly believe investing in a website from the beginning is key to growing your business.
