2022 IMPACT REPORT
In 2022, Ladies Who Launch focused on helping women and non-binary entrepreneurs build businesses that could do more than weather uncertainty. They could grow through it.
Across direct grants, tailored education, virtual programming, and the return of in-person gatherings, we worked to make capital and practical support more accessible while strengthening the relationships that help founders keep going.
Investing directly in 20 entrepreneurs
Our third Launch Program cohort expanded to 20 small business owners from across the United States. Together, the founders received $200,000 in grants, with $10,000 awarded to each business.
The six-month program paired funding with tailored educational resources, mentorship from the LWL team, specialist advisory services through GLG, support pursuing WBENC certification, and amplification through LWL programming and corporate relationships.
The cohort reflected the entrepreneurs we aim to serve: 70% of grantees identified as BIPOC and 15% as LGBTQ+. By December, 14 of the 20 grantees had received brand amplification opportunities.
Program education addressed the real decisions founders were making. Sessions covered financial planning with LaWanna Ross of Operation HOPE, evaluating non-equity financial opportunities with Lindsey Navarro of El Centro, and increasing holiday sales with Grow with Google.
Ann Taylor, The Home Depot, United Airlines, Athletic Brewing Company, Le Grand Courtâge, and Pure Leaf were among the partners supporting the Launch Program and LWL’s broader work. Their contributions helped combine capital with education, visibility, and opportunities for founder businesses.
Making capital education more accessible
Our March 24 Pathways to Capital Virtual Summit brought founders and financial experts together for transparent conversations about business financing.
The event drew 711 registrations and 358 attendees from 13 countries. Twenty-three speakers participated, and attendees spent an average of nearly three hours online during the four-and-a-half-hour summit, approximately 65% of the entire event.
Survey respondents gave the experience an average score of 9.63 out of 10. During the event, one attendee called it her first networking experience with women entrepreneurs that did not feel like a sales pitch for funding applications. Another wrote, “This summit has exceeded all expectations!”
A February webinar on wholesale and omnichannel strategies with Walmart added another practical learning moment, drawing 297 registrations and 98 attendees. Feedback shared in Slack described the session as “very informative and valuable” and emphasized the importance of showing up as part of a founder’s support system.
Bringing resilient leadership to three stages
In the fall, LWL explored resilient leadership through three connected events.
A San Francisco gathering on October 5 brought together 96 attendees. A virtual summit on October 7 welcomed 206 attendees, with participation from 17 countries across six continents. On November 14, we returned to Belfast for an in-person event attended by 151 people.
Together, the three events recorded 453 attendances.
The virtual format continued to provide meaningful reach, while the in-person events delivered something attendees and organizers described as irreplaceable: the energy of being together. The experience also reinforced that small business owners want to hear from peers who can speak honestly about the decisions, risks, and setbacks behind their progress.
Deepening the alumni community
Alongside the fall events, LWL convened alumni from the first two Launch Program cohorts for a dedicated retreat. Nearly four in five eligible alumni participated.
Every one of the 13 survey respondents rated the value of attending the retreat 5 out of 5. Small-group connection sessions and the final large-circle conversation also received exceptionally strong feedback.
One participant called it “one of the most insightful experiences I have ever had as an entrepreneur.” Another said the format was open-ended but structured enough to deliver real value.
The retreat made the power of peer connection unmistakable. Founders valued time to solve challenges together, build relationships across cohorts, and step outside the daily demands of operating their businesses.
We also celebrated alumni momentum throughout the year. Rebel Nell collaborated with Jack White’s Third Man Records, Superfit Hero was named to the Inc. Female Founders 100, and Little Postage House expanded its warehouse. Other alumni earned recognition from Entrepreneur, the James Beard Foundation, and Atlanta Magazine.
Building what founders told us they needed
The strongest lesson of 2022 was that capital, education, amplification, and community are most powerful when they work together.
Founders stayed engaged when programming had a focused theme. They valued transparent conversations with other business owners. Existing relationships with partners strengthened event outreach. Virtual programs expanded geographic access, while in-person gatherings created deeper connection.
Throughout the year, we kept returning to the same promise: practical help, meaningful capital, honest conversation, and a community that has your back through both the successes and the hard parts of building a business.