2020 IMPACT REPORT
2020 has changed nearly everything about how small businesses operate. Women entrepreneurs faced closed storefronts, disrupted supply chains, shrinking revenue, and an unequal share of responsibilities at home. For Ladies Who Launch, it became a year to listen closely, move quickly, and turn our mission into practical support.
We began the year doing what LWL has always done best: bringing entrepreneurs together. In February, 300 people joined us for a sold-out gathering in Belfast. Soon afterward, public health conditions forced us to pause the rest of our planned in-person calendar.
Building a virtual runway
In March, we launched Lunch with Ladies Who Launch, a series of short, practical webinars created specifically around the challenges entrepreneurs were confronting. Eight sessions drew approximately 100 attendees each, with recordings extending their usefulness beyond the live events. We also hosted four virtual happy hours, giving founders a place to connect during an isolating and uncertain period.
The year culminated in our first-ever Virtual Summit on November 18 and 19. Across two days of keynotes, workshops, focused business sessions, and networking, the summit generated 1,097 registrations and 275 participant meetings. Attendees spent an average of more than eight hours in the event, and the average feedback score was 5 out of 5.Six sponsors helped make the summit possible.
More importantly, the event showed us that virtual programming could deliver more than content. It could create the sense of connection, encouragement, and momentum that founders needed.
Launching direct support when it mattered most
Our most significant response to the crisis was the creation of the Launch Program.
Ladies Who Launch raised $175,000 to provide capital and sustained support to women business owners navigating the economic fallout of the pandemic. Approximately 2,000 applications were received, and 11 entrepreneurs were selected for grants of up to $25,000 and a year-long mentorship program.
Ketel One Botanicals helped bring the program to life with an initial $50,000 contribution. That early commitment helped LWL move from an urgent idea to direct action.
The volume of applications confirmed what founders had been telling us: access to capital was not an abstract challenge. It was a question of whether businesses could retain employees, adapt their models, invest in new channels, and remain open.
Practical resources, founder stories, and real talk
While capital was essential, entrepreneurs also needed reliable information and honest stories from people who had been in their shoes.
In 2020, LWL published 30 newsletters, produced 25 Featured Founder spotlights, and released 20 episodes of the Real Talk with Ladies Who Launch podcast. The podcast focused on the decisions, setbacks, and practical lessons behind entrepreneurial journeys. Internal feedback captured the ripple effect: one participant reported meeting her chief marketing officer after an episode, while another said the visibility helped her secure a sponsor.
We also launched the LWL Academy, organizing actionable resources across seven sections based on common business needs. Dedicated hubs supported Black founders and LGBTQ+ founders, while a rapidly assembled COVID-19 resource center helped entrepreneurs navigate workplace, finance, operations, and personal well-being questions.
The Academy quickly became one of the strongest pathways into LWL’s educational work, reinforcing the value of free resources that founders could use on their own time.
Using our platforms to amplify women-owned businesses
Throughout the year, LWL created five Shop Women-Owned gift guides spanning Mother’s Day, graduation, Pride, Black-owned businesses, and the holiday season. More than 100 brands were featured, with Women Led Wednesday joining as a partner in the effort.
We also rang the New York Stock Exchange virtual bell, using the moment to celebrate women entrepreneurs at a time when their visibility and survival were under extraordinary pressure.
Together, these efforts reflected a simple belief: amplification is not just applause. It can introduce a founder to a customer, collaborator, team member, or source of capital.
What 2020 taught us
2020 proved that our model could change without losing its heart. A live event became a virtual summit. Community gatherings became online connections. Educational programming became an accessible resource library. An urgent need became a grant and mentorship program.
We also learned that virtual events require specialized support, that strong partnerships take time to build, and that mentorship must be actively managed to deliver meaningful value. Most of all, we learned that founders want practical tools and honest connection, not polished answers that ignore the realities of running a business.
In a year defined by uncertainty, Ladies Who Launch created places for entrepreneurs to learn, connect, be seen, and keep going. That foundation would shape every year that followed.