For Marilyn Wetston, helping other women entrepreneurs is a career in itself. Wetston is a successful style maven with a fashion boutique in downtown Toronto and a radio show offering fashion advice to the less-than-chic among us.

Marilyn and her associates not only find success in big sales of swanky duds, they find it by engaging and collaborating with other like-minded businesswomen.

Women entrepreneurs in Canada are a wildly successful and diverse bunch and their success rate keeps on rising. Over the last 20 years, Canada has seen a 200 per cent increase in the number of women-owned businesses, according to an executive summary by Corporations Canada.

That same report, released in two years ago, says in 2003 women held majority ownership in 18 per cent of small businesses. The employment contribution of women-owned firms is also significant. Four years ago, about 570,000 people in Canada had female bosses.

That number has grown greatly since. In fact, PROFIT Magazine recently reported the number of women-owned businesses is growing 60 per cent faster than male-run businesses in this country.

"Women are involved in every imaginable industry," Wetston explains. "But sometimes it's not so easy to find them."

Women-owned small businesses still tend to be smaller than businesses owned by men. Many women operate from home, online, over the phone, or at special vendor events. That means, despite rapid and solid growth, women entrepreneurs still often conduct business well under their target clients' radar.

Wetston's belief in helping other women get their products and services noticed spawned the creation of The Women's Pages. The pages act as a guide to women in business looking to grow their client base as well as their small business associates. Since she extended her idea to her network, Wetston says the project really took off.

Women entrepreneurs came out of the woodwork to learn more. From lawyers to life coaches, they found a useful network and supportive community they could be part of.

Janet Cockburn is a sportswear designer for women who have had mastectomies. Her company, Janac Sportswear now has suppliers in Canada, England, Egypt and Australia. Cockburn joined the Women's Pages to get closer to her client base and her fellow female entrepreneurs.

"I have a product that's uniquely for women," Cockburn explains. "For me, the goal is getting to the source. I want women to have paramount access to my products."

Wetston explains that this is a common concern among women entrepreneurs.

"These women are human treasures and we're supporting them by finding them and listing them," she beams.

One of those human treasures is Sabina Razmov, a jewelry designer. She says Wetston's network of women has helped her business immensely.

"She (Wetston) supports me morally and motivates me," Razmov explains. "That's benefited me so much professionally and personally."

Gisela McKay, owner and developer of several successful Internet properties, including NaturalHealthcare.ca, has worked closely with Wetston to make her vision for women entrepreneurs a reality. A self-described 'secret weapon' for business owners who market online, McKay says creating the female network has been eye-opening.

"It's amazing to discover what these women are involved in out there," she says. "I was really blown away by the sheer volume of women with incredible small businesses, even right here in my own neighbourhood!"

Wetston says her goal is to support, promote and expose as many women in business as possible. She does have one stipulation though...

"We don't want everyone to be a manicurist," Wetston jokes, "but I do want each member to have a definite female slant. That's the objective"

The Women's Pages will be available later this year in hard-copy and online format. Wetston promises listed members an opportunity to interact with, learn about and support women entrepreneurs in a professional, profitable way.

"Women want answers, they don't just want to be marketed to," she concludes.