Incubator Q & A

Thanks to the more than 30 aspiring women social entrepreneurs who braved the cold to attend the information session at Columbia last Wednesday.  Bravo!!! 

For those who were unable to attend, one topic we discussed was what do we mean by social entreprise?  While definitions vary, we will be focusing on the social impact and innovative quality of the enterprise concepts - whether for profit or non-profit.  Other experts may define it as scale-ability and replicability too - but we won't take it that far.  We also do not put an age limit on "young" - we also include women who are "young" in/to this field.  In addition, the entrepreneur applications will be evaluated by these holistic criteria: 

·         Completeness of application

·         Clarity and breakthrough-nature of the specific, measurable goal(s) for their participation, e.g. to serve first clients, obtain financing for business, etc.

·         Social impact of their SE

·         Readiness for incubator program (previous experience and possible attempts)

·         Willingness to commit 10-15 hours or more per week to their SE

·         Willingness to follow the program structure as outlined in program description

Applications will be reviewed by NYWSE staff in conjunction with program partners.

In addition, please see updated program description with more dates/times of workshops attached.  The address to mail in entrepreneur application fees is located on the bottom of the application (click on the link below).

 

We look forward to receiving your applications by Dec 10.  Until then, Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Download The NYWSE Incubator - Empowering Women Social Entrepreneurs (Program Description)-Nov 25 08

World Pulse: Women's Voices Heard & Amplified

by Ila Asplund, Publisher & Communications Director at World Pulse

A few years ago I took a self-defense course for women. We learned simple ways to use our bodies (elbows, knees, fists, and most importantly, our voices) to keep us safe and confident. In the group, when it was each woman's turn to practice her strikes, the rest of us cheered, yelled, and echoed encouragement to her. The instructor told us to remember these cheers, to imprint them on our minds as deeply as our verbal and physical strikes.  She told us a story of how a former student, a young girl, maybe 10 years old, was walking in a park. From a distance, the girl witnessed an adult woman being attacked from behind by a stranger. Instinctively, the young girl called out to the woman: "Kick! Kick! Yell! Run!"  The almost-victim heard this young voice of encouragement from out of nowhere and obeyed. The attacker ran.

A Message from Allison Lynch, NYWSE Incubator Program Coordinator

NYWSE Incubator Information Session:

Wednesday, November 19

6:30 P.M. - 8:00 P.M.

Columbia Business School

Uris Hall, Room 303 (not wheelchair accessible-please call if this is problematic)

Columbia University, at the intersection of Broadway and West 116th St.

(116 St subway stop on the 1 line is the closest; alternatively A/B/C/D lines stop at 125th street which is a 10+ minute walk from campus)

Make sure to RSVP to [email protected].

We look forward to seeing you at the information session!

UPDATE: New York Women Social Entrepreneurs (NYWSE) - Incubator Program

NYWSE is pleased to announce that Baruch College's Field Center for Entrepreneurship and its Small Business Development Center have agreed to partner with the NYWSE incubator as the main provider of technical business training for the women's social enterprise incubator program. Thank you to Baruch College and its Zicklin School of Business!

In addition, Columbia Business School (CBS) and its Eugene Lang Center for Entrepreneurship have also agreed to collaborate with the NYWSE incubator and opened their Global Social Venture Competition up to incubator enterprise teams which have an apprentice who is a Columbia MBA student. Thank you CBS!

Background: The NY chapter of YWSE announces its Incubator Program for women social entrepreneurs to begin in January 2009. The purpose of the incubator is to enable fledgling women social entrepreneurs to bring to life their social enterprise concepts, by providing mentoring from leading experts in the social entrepreneurship field, a peer network, and team support. Entrepreneurs will be matched with a leading female mentor, as well as a female graduate student apprentice (a "junior partner"), creating a three-person team. The program will last approximately 6 months and is open to women entrepreneurs in the NY-metro area who have a clearly defined nonprofit or for-profit social enterprise idea to which they are committed. It will include monthly workshops and weekly communication and collaboration with their NYWSE Incubator team.

Back to Work…Post-Baby

by Kim McGuire, CPCC, Founder of Savvy Leader Coaching

How do we balance it all and make every part of our lives successful?  As women entrepreneurs, we are likely to find ourselves launching a company we are passionate about regardless of our family situation.  Whether we founded our company before having kids or, being a new mom, launched a business to create greater flexibility, we will surely find ourselves taking a bit of a break to have some mommy time.  Getting back to work post-baby takes dedication, drive and passion.

Let’s face it, as a mother, each one of us feels guilty at some point about leaving our babies and working.  I remember feeling guilty for two reasons – first because I was leaving my son with the sitter for the day and second, I was secretly relieved to get a break. 

The NYWSE Incubator: Empowering Women Social Entrepreneurs

PROGRAM UPDATE
The NYWSE Incubator Program announces its official program, information session, and application materials.

Information Session:
Wednesday, November 19, 2008, 6:30 P.M.
Location TBD – Open to entrepreneurs, mentors, and apprentices – Please RSVP to [email protected]

Application Deadline:
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Entrepreneurs, mentors, and apprentices – Applications are attached

Download the_nywse_incubator_empowering_women_social_entrepreneurs_program_description_nov_10.pdf

Download nywse_incubator_applicationentrepreneur.xls

Download nywse_incubator_applicationapprentice.xls

Download nywse_incubator_applicationmentor.xls

For Women to Thrive during this Recession, Collaboration is Key

by Jerrilynn B. Thomas, Founder WomenPartner International

The government is not going to bail out your business if it fails. You need to start thinking collaboratively NOW if you want to thrive in this slow economy. Aggressive and quick action is required if you want to prosper this holiday season and beyond.

Ladies, you need to start forging cross marketing partnerships. Collaborate with companies that are already selling to your target audience. Develop win-win relationships with them to gain access to their clients and business associates.

WomenPartner International, a cross marketing consortium for seasoned business and professional women who want to fast track their first million in sales by servicing each others' existing client base while sharing marketing costs to stretch their precious marketing dollars, offers the following words of wisdom for women who want to engage in cross marketing.

Coaching My Inner Entrepreneur

by Jennifer Gleeson Blue, Founder of Get There From Here

Entrepreneurship for me began at the delightfully tender age of 11. After realizing I might be a hot commodity in the babysitting and pet sitting worlds, I got my dad to agree to buy me one – “Just one?!?” I whined – box of business cards.

Seventeen years have passed and I still have that one box. It’s completely full.