What happens to women entrepreneurs? rear What was your moment of inspiration?
In 2022, we began recognizing women’s creative business concepts themselves through our “Brilliant Business Ideas” list. This week we will announce this year’s winners. And I can tell you right now, this list is full of smart innovations. No matter how big or small, you have the potential to make a positive difference in the world.
But what happens after publication? We went back to his first 2022 winners to see what they’re up to and find out how those great ideas developed and changed over time. . Some women reported that their companies were still surviving and growing, while others needed adjustments. Others have found that a different path awaits them than the one they were trying to traverse two years ago. In other words, I had to step away from the business completely.
Read on to find out how the journeys of these four startups unfold. Be sure to check back this week as we announce our latest winners.
Johns’ business, To & From, uses patent-pending technology to figure out what to get for a friend’s birthday, a cousin’s anniversary, and more. And when we spoke to her, it was “less than a year old at the time of her publication,” Johns said.
At the time, she said, the startup was focused on “what we do on a human-to-human level.” [customers’] We develop software to meet these needs. But Johns quickly realized: [to buy], it doesn’t matter. “
So curation became a key focus in the second half of 2022, she says. To & From currently offers her clients over 10,000 products from over 1,000 brands (many of these brands are mission-driven, sustainable, and owned by marginalized founders) doing). Last year, To & From forged new partnerships with content hubs that needed material for gift guides and private concierge companies that needed small gifts for their customers on a regular basis. “This creates real value for both businesses and consumers,” she says.
And all of this growth has come without investor support, Johns says. “One thing I learned was that [through starting up] That’s because I really like to be in control,” she admits, and with that in mind, she avoided accepting funding from VCs who might want to take the reins. Instead, Johns organized a fundraiser for her friends and family in 2021. She has other plans for later this year.
This year, in addition to increasing cash on hand, she wants to expand her company’s partnerships and incorporate AI technology into its software to better serve its customers. In short: “Lotz has changed in a wonderful way since its inception.”
First, the big news. Mabry and her business partner Alexa Lombardo have decided to “pause” their health-focused e-commerce grocery store, Zippy Pantry. “It’s hard to say if it’s going to be closed permanently. Good ideas will come back,” she says.
But now Mr. Lombardo’s branding and marketing agency, Atomic Number 8, is on its own, especially since Mr. Lombardo relocated to London. At the same time as Ms. Lombardo’s life changed, Ms. Mabry found herself becoming more and more involved in her nearby community garden, initially as a hobby, and once again realized the joy of working without technology. .
“I was spending all my time doing things that were very tactile and wonderful, using my hands. It helped reinvigorate my passion,” she says. In contrast, with her online-based Zippy, “I felt left out of the process. We believe in what we’re doing and that people want these foods.” However, I felt that the business model was too free.
Mabry’s love for baking, her growing joy in literally hands-on work, and her desire to bring people together over quality food led to the launch of this year’s new venture, Faery Good Bakeshop . Those near her in New York City can place drop-off orders, while those further afield can still order online. And she uses seasonal ingredients grown in her garden to take her home-cooked dishes to the next, freshest level.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about this journey and how it all fits together,” she says. It’s about things coming back. And, she points out, “Zippy’s spirit comes through in my gut-healthy baking.”
camryn pickworthFounder of The First Pick VA Group
Pickworth’s company, which connects companies across the country with freelancers for virtual assistance, was conceived while its founder was still in college.
Unlike most ideas that come to mind as an undergraduate, Pickworth says this one was a winner. She says the company is still going strong and is actually expanding its product offering. “In addition to [finding roles for] We also offer efficiency coaching for full-time freelancers as well as business owners looking to build organizational systems to improve workflow and best practices. ” The company is also currently hiring for full-time, face-to-face freelancers.
She added that these updates are relatively new, with both implemented around the beginning of the new year. However, initial response from clients has been positive and “we aim to grow further through new hires.”
To help spread the word, Pickworth has been active on the podcast circuit, appearing on a variety of business-focused shows to discuss his experiences and philosophy as a founder and increase brand awareness. “It was a really great experience,” she says.
So far, her story has been one of gradual but steady scaling. “It’s so great to see something you start take root in growth,” she says. Best of all, she added, is the sense of fulfillment she gets from her work. “It’s been a really fun journey so far.”
Shortly after announcing his 2022 list, Suchman sought to court investors for a gaming-focused professional development company. She joined an accelerator program and began researching companies to pitch.
But Suchman says she ultimately felt that path wasn’t right for her or the company. “When you begin your journey as an investor, there is often pressure to water down or compromise your core values in order to maximize profitability.” And, simply put: “We didn’t want to do that.”
But this left her at a loss. “We had to go back to the drawing board and figure out our business model, our path to growth, etc.,” she said.
Like other award winners, she has diversified her company’s offerings to facilitate expansion. “Two years ago, I started working with teams and companies to [by bringing them] This is play-based experiential learning. ” Now, through an in-house certification program, they are teaching others how to bring that experience to their own workshops, retreats, and more. “We think our future growth will be largely tied to building that community.”
In the short term, she is focused on improving Barometer XP’s current product suite. Looking further into her future, she would like to partner with a large company and envisions training an entire team to develop her own game-based curriculum. This all helps create a stronger sense of community for American workers and an office environment that values . Psychological safety, trust, and curiosity. ”
