Women Who Build 🪄’s Post

It’s obvious when you use AI

This is one of the reasons I'm passionate about supporting female founders. Another reason is that I know that many Female Founders are developing socially responsible businesses that can offer solutions to climate change and health inequalities and /or give back to local communities. #FemaleFounders

🤔 Did you know? - only 14% of Canadian technology companies have a woman-identifying founder, and only 2.4% of venture capital funding is allocated to women-led startups. Let's do better!!! 🚀 At FRV, we're doing our part to reduce this gap with the Women Founders Project (WFP), a 9-week pre-accelerator and founder development program created for women by women. Do your part and help FRV get the word out about this amazing initiative and like, comment, and tag a woman-identifying student founder that you think should apply 📝. ⏰ Applications close in under two weeks - so don't wait!

Pro tip: If you want to see the future, spend an afternoon with high schoolers who are ready to take on the world. Spoiler alert—it’s BRIGHT. Earlier this month, I had the privilege (and let’s be real, the absolute joy) of mentoring at the Greater Kansas City Enterprising Women Committee’s NextGen Event. It was all about STEM, financial literacy, and mentorship, and it was electric. ⚡ A room full of young women talking about resilience, perseverance, and how to dream so big it makes other people nervous. I was lucky enough to lead some of those conversations, and I have to say—these girls aren’t just thinking about their futures; they’re mapping them out in real-time. (And, in some cases, probably better than we did back in the day. Let’s just admit it.) We tackled the big stuff: How to bounce back when life throws you curveballs. Why financial literacy isn’t boring—it’s freedom. And why dreaming small? Not an option. Here’s the thing I love about mentoring: it’s not about being some untouchable “expert.” It’s about being authentic, sharing the lessons we’ve learned (the hard way, in my case), and showing the next generation that yes, they can absolutely DO THIS. To the brilliant young women I met: You inspired me more than you know. To the sponsors and organizers: Thank you for making this event not just possible, but impactful. And to anyone wondering if mentorship is worth your time? The answer is YES. Always yes. Let’s keep planting those seeds, friends. Because the world needs what these young women are about to unleash. #MentorshipMatters #LeadershipInAction #WomenSupportingWomen #LeadWithPurpose #NextGenLeaders #FutureIsFemale #EmpowerTheNextGen #YoungWomenInSTEM #STEMPowerment #STEMEducation #FinancialFreedomStartsHere #TeachThemYoung #KansasCityProud #EnterprisingWomenKC #CommunityImpact #KCLeaders #DreamBigWorkHard #InspirationInAction #WomenInLeadership #BoldMoves

✨ Welcome to RUMA Collective! ✨ Hello LinkedIn! We are thrilled to officially introduce RUMA Collective, a Black Feminist Creative Services Agency committed to empowering Black and Brown creatives through coaching, healthcare navigation, operational support, and financial literacy programs. We're about to hit 1 years old, welcome to our journey! At RUMA, we believe that art is more than just creation—it’s a catalyst for social change, economic empowerment, and collective healing. Yet, we know that creatives from marginalized communities often face systemic barriers to success, including limited access to resources, healthcare, and operational support. We’re here to change that. 🎯 Our Mission We are dedicated to uplifting the economic futures of Black and Brown artists by providing them with the tools, resources, and knowledge they need to build sustainable businesses and thrive holistically. Our programs support creatives across multiple intersections, including those who are queer, trans, femme, mothers, immigrants, neurodivergent, or disabled. 💼 What We Offer Operational Support & Capacity Building: Providing hands on project management, contract negotiation, and leadership development for unique projects. Financial Coaching & Business Support: Helping artists gain financial literacy and grow sustainable creative enterprises. Healthcare Access & Navigation: Guiding members through healthcare systems to ensure their well-being. Health Equity Approach: A holistic approach for our community to thrive. 💬 Join Us on this Journey! If you believe in the power of art, equity, and community care, follow us to stay updated on our programs, success stories, and opportunities for collaboration. Let’s build an inclusive creative economy where Black and Brown creatives can thrive unapologetically. 🔗 Follow us and connect! We are excited to share our work, spark new conversations, and foster a network of bold creators, changemakers, and allies. Welcome to the RUMA community—we’re glad you’re here. #RUMACollective #BlackCreatives #CreativeEconomy #SocialImpact #FinancialLiteracy #HealthcareAccess #OperationalSupport #BlackFeministLeadership #ArtBusiness #RUMACommunity

If you are a woman, an ethnic minority, or a disabled founder, securing VC funding might seem like an impossible dream. It turns out that women only receive 2% of VC funding. I thought, surely, that can't be right. But it is, and 2% is negligible in the grand scheme of things. Even more striking, only 0.1% of that goes to Black and Latino female founders. The disparity continues, as disabled founders are 400 times less likely to get funding. These are some of the statistics I shared in a recent pitch to highlight why alternative funding is crucial for someone like me, a Black disabled woman. This underscores the impact of intersectionality; individually, these statistics are alarming, but together they create an almost insurmountable barrier. When I first had the idea to start my business, I didn't fully consider the challenges of funding. I never truly realised the depth of the issue until now. Seeing people like Emmie Faust through Female Founders Rise trying to make a tangible difference gives me hope, for those who will come after me. My strategy has been to bootstrap my business, and when opportunities like the Innospace pitch day in partnership with Santander Universities UK come around, I grab them with both hands and pitch my heart out. I’m thrilled to announce that I have secured a second grant from Innospace in partnership with Santander Universities UK to help scale my business. The belief they continue to have in me and my business, The Life PT, is incredibly heartwarming. All I can say is that the Innospace bootcamp was one of the best things to happen to me. #santanderuniuk Santander UK Universities Santander #innospace Image description: A black woman with shoulder-length hair is pictured against a white background. Above her, the text "Award Winner" is written, with her name below the picture. The image also features two logos: one is blue and says "Innospace at Manchester Metropolitan University," and the other is red text that says "Santander Universities."

Finalizing the last bit of our new membership portal website for Blazin' Babes as we go live in a just few short weeks. 😝🙏👠 For those of you who know me well or who have worked with me for me or invested in me, you would know that I’m a perfectionist. I work wicked hard, can make nimble decisions because I’ve been building startups and businesses since 2006, and can build with a little or a lot. Regardless, I’m REALLY good at building and creating value for people while breaking glass ceilings at the same time. Here’s a statement on our new HOME page for Blazin Babes. “Women supporting women with Blazin' Babes leading the way.” “We recognize the disparity that exists with the lack of access to capital for female founders. We also recognize the lack of female-founder-centric programming, support and community specifically tailored for female founders. Through community, support, guidance, mentorship and vetted resources, Blazin' Babes was launched in 2015 and continues to help female founders and women in entrepreneurship, succeed. By creating a "sisterhood" community both virtually and in-person, Blazin' Babes is the new face of entrepreneurship helping female founders overcome adversity and succeed.”

🌟 Startmate Women Fellowship Week 6 Wrap-Up 🌟 💫 Last week I caught up with my squad over lunch. It was so nice to connect in person, reflecting on our experiences in the program and discussing opportunities ahead. 🪰 You know those conversations where you wish you had taken notes? Last week I learned about an app called Fireflies.ai. When you feel like you want to revisit a conversation, turn on the app and it will automatically transcribe and summarise for you. That way you won’t lose those nuggets of wisdom or big ideas. 👷🏽♀️ Camille Goldstone-Henry shared her lessons learned as a founder at a Women Founders Guide session. My key take-away: as a founder you have to get comfortable with communicating big visions. You shouldn’t downplay your ambition and vision. Instead think: how big can this become?

Queen, there is a space for you. That's what I would tell myself if I could go back to 2015 when I began my full-time entrepreneurial journey. I identified as a lone ranger, a rebel who typically didn't feel safe among groups. And to be honest, I wasn't looking for a group to belong to. I was launching a business to set myself apart from the very crowds I didn't want to be a part of. I didn't think I needed community. If anything, I just wanted sound strategies... and then to be left alone so that I could execute them. I'll never forget the shift I felt when some women in San Antonio talked to me about joining this group called Women In Digital. I reluctantly got involved and found pieces I didn't know I was missing. Being a part of a space where other women could relate to my personal and professional challenges proved to be far more valuable than I'd imagined. I soon learned that choosing isolation was a mistake. I'm very particular about how I curate community. Probably because I know far too well what it feels like to NOT experience belonging, and I want our community to be a true space for inclusion. If you are looking for a community of brilliant women who are authentic, warm and generous... I can say without question that that is our 12% Accelerator. I know because I have the blessing of benefiting deeply from the very community I've built. I am blessed to serve women who inspire me, encourage me, heal me, hold me accountable and give me the assurance that our society's future is brighter than its present. Pull up a seat. There's a space with your name on it. —— Looking to grow your business with higher-paying corporate clients? Want to learn more about working with our coaching team in The 12% Accelerator? Apply for access to my private masterclass training: https://lnkd.in/dSQNQWq5

I’m super excited to share that I’ll be one of the panelists speaking at the Nurture Network live event in London in September, “It Takes A Village” I’ll be sharing about enduring and overcoming challenges as an entrepreneur, specifically in my start up phase. It’s such an honour to be able to share our story of how and why Lo & Slo began. When we were in the midst of life crashing down around us, it was in trauma therapy that I was able to see: when I was surrounded by my life in shards around me, I could choose to feel the stabs of that brokenness or decide to rebuild my life, choosing what pieces I wanted to pick back up and what pieces I wanted to leave behind. And for anyone else going through a shattering time right now — you have the beautiful and unique opportunity to choose what serves you and choose how to rebuild your life. Two weeks ago I read a quote referencing Martha Beck’s take on risk and it resonated with my learnings: When faced with a bonfire, there’s always the fear of being consumed. One of two things will happen when you jump in. The first is that it wasn’t a fire at all, but the fear is actually just warm and easy. The second is that it is a bonfire and you are utterly consumed and destroyed. But this is the best outcome because it is only then that you can rise from the ashes reborn like a phoenix. Whether it’s a risk you’re facing or life is crushing you, you’re not alone. Don’t be afraid of the process or afraid of the unknown — and creativity is one of the best ways to process through trauma! So reach out to the people around you and don’t stop dreaming and creating your future. If you’re interested in hearing more of my story as well as the other wonderful speakers, click below to book your ticket: https://lnkd.in/ezGZt9xg