Entrepreneurial Journey of Mariam Coulibaly, CEO of Start-up

In the bright offices of Start-up, the atmosphere reflects both modernity and human warmth. Behind this project, which is redefining women’s entrepreneurship in Canada, stands Mariam Coulibaly, co-founder and CEO. A visionary woman from Côte d’Ivoire, she embodies a journey marked by boldness, authenticity, and a constant desire to build bridges between cultures.

Born in Côte d’Ivoire, Mariam Koulibaly grew up in a family of entrepreneurs. Her father, a merchant, and her mother, a seller of African textiles, instilled in her at a very young age the value of independent work. After spending 17 years in France, where she studied and worked in tourism, import-export, and business management, she settled in Montreal in 2009.

Two years later, she founded her first company, Relève Gestion, specializing in writing business plans for entrepreneurs from cultural communities, often less familiar with Quebec business practices. “As early as 2011, I understood that my role was to support others, to translate dreams into viable projects,” she explains.

Step by step, Koulibaly built a solid network and designed tailored training programs, ranging from women artists to newcomers, as well as young entrepreneurs.

In 2022, Mariam Koulibaly co-founded Start-up, a social economy organization dedicated to women entrepreneurs. The name, she explains, is no coincidence: “All women are stars, and our mission is to bring them to the top. Yellow, our emblematic color, symbolizes light. We want to illuminate the path of those who sometimes arrive with unclear ideas.”

In less than a year, Start-up supported 450 women, established eight partnerships, and mobilized fifteen volunteers. Tailored training, workshops, networking, technical support, and governance programs form the pillars of its mission.

Convinced that economic development must be inclusive, Koulibaly positions herself as an ambassador of the social economy within cultural communities. “The social economy is a business model where community impact is just as important as profitability,” she explains. She cites examples of organizations she supports, such as a project raising awareness about women’s gynecological health or a magazine promoting diversity and inclusion.

In her view, this model encourages collective participation, shared governance, and sustainable entrepreneurship.

When asked about her greatest achievements, Mariam Koulibaly responds without hesitation: “My pride lies in the hundreds of entrepreneurs I have supported. Their success is my fulfillment.”

Among the memorable stories, she mentions one entrepreneur who, with her support, secured $2 million in funding to purchase her commercial premises and transform her family business. Others, like an agronomist who launched the first vegetable-based ice creams in Quebec, also illustrate the concrete impact of her guidance.

Balancing her entrepreneurial mission with family life, Koulibaly admits she functions “by seasons and priorities.” Mother of an eight-year-old daughter, she emphasizes the importance of balance and spousal support. “The ideal is to work with passion. When you love what you do, you don’t notice the time passing.”

At the end of the interview, Mariam Koulibaly delivers a message to all women: “You must remain authentic. It is by embracing our differences that we bring creativity. Dream, act, influence: dream to project yourself, act to make it happen, and influence to inspire others.”

With a journey spanning three continents—Côte d’Ivoire, France, and Canada—and a profoundly human vision of entrepreneurship, Mariam Koulibaly illustrates the strength of diversity and courage. She embodies a conviction: women are stars, and together, they can light the future of a more inclusive social economy.