The BeyoU Fund: Supporting Female Entrepreneurs in Chicago

♥ $15,700 given since 2021 ♥

We've been championing women in business (and women in general) since the beginning. Lifting women Up is just something we believe in…so much so that we included it as a legitimate section of our business plan.

We often revisit said business plan and it reminds us of everything we did during the year before opening: Scribbling ideas on legal pads (bazillion), going to "QuickBooks for Dummies" classes (woof), utilizing the SCORE Mentor program, learning on the fly (had to), drinking Champagne (also had to), asking EVERYBODY questions (another bazillion), and doing whatever necessary to make the dream i.e. shop come true.

Yes, there's A LOT that goes into growing a business, and we'd be foolish not to recognize that it also takes some money. Which is the point of the BeyoU Fund.

This money could be a lot of things – officially incorporating, creating a website, purchasing signage, etc – but to us it's simply a small way we can support a dream/a business/a woman…WHICH WE. ARE. HERE. FOR.

Details

The BeyoU Fund starts as a $1,500* grant that is awarded annually to a Chicago-based female entrepreneur in need. We begin accepting applications every July and select and announce the recipient—with the help of our "Boss Lady Business Panel"—at our BeyoU Summer Bash in August.

*Each year the Fund grows thanks to generous customer donations and event partnerships. The 2025 Fund grew to $3,600!

Interested in contributing somehow? Email Melissa at melissa@bottlesupchicago.com.

Past Recipients

2025
2025 BeyoU Fund Winner

Allison Yates

Read & Run Chicago
2024
2024 BeyoU Fund Winner
2023
2023 BeyoU Fund Winners

Hannah Campbell

Top Notch Bake Shop

Nicole Lang

lo-fi events
2022
2022 BeyoU Fund Winner

Morgan Murdock

Unbothered Foods
2021
2021 BeyoU Fund Winner

Panel

Endless thanks to our 2025 Boss Lady Business Panel:

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