“We rise by lifting others.”
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 Ladies’ Fund.
The BeyoU Fund is a $1,500* grant that is awarded annually to a female entrepreneur in need. We begin accepting applications every July and then select/announce the recipient – with help from our “Boss Lady Business Panel” – at our BeyoU Ladies’ Night Summer Bash in August.
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.
The 2022 Fund became $2,600 thanks to generous $500 donations from both Birch Road Club and last year’s Fund recipient, Laura Chavez of What Is Productions. Happy/grateful tears were shed. Congratulations to this year’s recipient, Morgan Murdock of WellyBellys!
Also, endless thanks to our 2022 Boss Lady Business Panel:
Kim, co-founder of Birch Road Club
Nolita, president of Chicago Financial Women
Nicole, co-founder of Ama La Vida Career Coaching
*Interested in contributing to the Fund? Email melissa@bottlesupchicago.com!
