Back in January 2022, we posted a link to a Google sheet we keep updated each day with global, regional and local grant opportunities being offered to small business owners. Updates to this list get emailed out to those enrolled in our program at the beginning of each month, but we are reposting a link to the spreadsheet here (so it is more visible in the list of posts) so all can take advantage of the latest and greatest information we have!
LOULOU LOLLIPOP Evolves from Side Hustle to International Brand
When co-founders of LOULOU LOLLIPOP, an eco-friendly baby product company, looked to expand their company globally, they realized they didn’t have the right to use their name in Europe and China. It was a three-year legal battle with a hefty price tag to nail down the trademark issues. Co-founder Eleanor Lee shared, “There will be challenges and mistakes along the road, there were for us. They’re stepping-stones. Don’t dwell on them.” To read more about their adventure in launching a global brand, read this piece in Women of Influence.
Making Sure You Are Paid for Your Work
Often in industries that are more creative, there is an expectation that you need to offer time and labor for free or for deeply discounted rates to get work…or “exposure”. In addition, there’s also the problem of the “brown discount,” which refers to a common workplace issue of people of color being asked to provide the “vastness and value” of their experiences, but without fair compensation or resources. But as journalist Juleyka Lantigua-Williams shares, “exposure” doesn’t pay the rent or the grocery bill. This episode from NPR’s Life Kit discusses some of these challenges in greater detail and shares strategies to ensure you are being paid what you are worth!
Impact of Hispanic Heritage on the Entrepreneurial Journey
In this post on Nasdaq.com, site contributor Gesche Haas spoke with nine women from the Dreamers & Doers collective to learn more about their experiences as business leaders of Latina descent and the challenges and successes that they have encountered. Each woman has a unique backstory and fabulous advice – click the link to read the piece on nasdaq.com
Building a Paper Empire In A Digital Age
In this piece in Inc., Cloth & Paper’s founder, Ashley Reynolds explains how she used social commerce to grow her stationery business during the pandemic. The company leverages social media platforms to share instructional videos that show viewers how best to use their journals and planners. While they predominantly sell products on Shopify, they have seen a growing trend of customers now buying directly from Instagram and Facebook. Click the link above to read more!
Interview with Founder of Hiring Platform, We Are Rosie
This piece in Inc. is a conversation with We Are Rosie‘s CEO Stephanie Nadi Olson. She shares how the challenges of trying to juggle a family and the demands of a high powered corporate job – and then a startup job – led her to launch her own business focused on finding “good work for everyone who needs it in a way that aligns with their life and treats them with dignity and respect”. Her company now has over 15,000 contractors in the marketing and advertising space – whose contracts are capped at 40 hours per week. She states, “For culture to be truly compassionate, it cannot be prescriptive. Leadership decisions cannot happen in a vacuum.” Click the link above to read more about this incredible leader.
All Women eXXpedition Sailing Crews Tackle Ocean Plastic
Led by ocean advocate and skipper Emily Penn and founded in 2014, the nonprofit organization eXXpedition strives to shift the way people feel, think and act by building a global network of multidisciplinary women who can contribute to world-class scientific studies, explore solutions, and use their unique skill sets to tackle the problem from all angles. eXXpedition has been on a mission to “make the unseen, seen”—the unseen being women in sailing and science, the plastics and toxins polluting our oceans, and the diverse solutions to the problem. Read more about their work in this Upworthy article.
Togethxr—A Women’s-Focused Media Platform
Togethxr is a media brand that is tied to four legendary athletes from a diverse cross-section of sports. Cofounder and chief content officer Jessica Robertson says that Togethxr has a culture that recognizes that women’s sports is “ground zero for every single -ism that’s in culture – which means this is a brand that is going to touch issues of race, gender, sexuality, human rights, voting rights, and so much more.” Check out this article in Fast Company to learn more about this up and coming brand!
Interview with Melissa Bradley: The Importance Of Giving Underserved Entrepreneurs The Tools To Grow
Melissa Bradley is the cofounder of Ureeka, a community where entrepreneurs can gain access to the expertise needed to grow their business. Ureeka’s mission is to democratize economic opportunity by enabling community and reducing the cost and risk associated with transitioning from a small to medium business. Bradley is also the founder and Managing Partner of 1863 Ventures and cofounder and Managing Partner of Sidecar Social Finance. In this video, Forbes‘ Maneet Ahuja sits down with Melissa Bradley and discusses access to capital, managing a business during a recession and the overhype of venture capital.
Having Women At The Top Drives More Corporate Diversity
According Altrata’s latest Global Gender Diversity report, having female corporate leadership – either in the C-Suite or as Board Chair – makes a huge difference in terms of gender diversity within the organization. Since CEOs are often recruited from among top corporate leadership, having women in these roles is a reflection of a company’s ability to support and train them while also offering room for advanecment. Read this post from CNBC to learn more.