Ami Desai- Co-founder and CFO, Keren Perry-Shamir- Co-founder and CMO on how the Incubator program helped to transform their program, Early Earners

Our blog post: How the Incubator program is helping us transform our idea into a tangible and attainable enterprise.

Early Earners is an online financial education destination for families that combines education and action. We founded EE because most people do not learn about finance in school or at home. In fact, a recent study found that most parents felt better prepared to give their teens advice on sex than on investing. Managing money is a daily habit like brushing your teeth or eating well. The idea behind Early Earners is that it is a family focused program that teaches parents and kids how to execute a few simple financial principles. EE uses interactive tools, calculators, links to recommended financial products and fun games that bring to life concepts like saving a $1 a day. 

Incubator Training Partner – Baruch College’s Field Center for Entrepreneurship

The second phase of the NYWSE Incubator Program is designed to develop competence in the fundamentals of designing and operating a socially oriented business. Through partnering with the Field Center for Entrepreneurship, part of the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College, the participants benefit from the school’s overarching principles of research, teaching, and service. Since its inception in 1993, the Center has worked with 10,000 clients and has created 2,000 jobs. The well-respected faculty regularly gives back to the community to launch small start-ups and is genuinely committed to helping to launch the Incubator Program ventures.

 The Incubator and Field Center partnership includes five half-day class sessions taught by faculty on subjects like writing a business plan, fundraising, financial management, legal issues associated with start-up ventures, and various social enterprise models, coordinated by Coordinating Business Advisor Lendynette Pacheco. The professors have so much passion and for their subject matter that it makes learning an engaging, fun process.

Incubator Training Partner - Savor the Success/Angela Jia Kim

The NYWSE Incubator program began in January 2009, launched in the supportive and safe environment created by training partner Savor the Success (“Savor”) and its CEO Angela Jia Kim. “You need to surround yourself with positive and successful people not only to pull you up but also to meet key people that can change the course of your business and life.” Angela Jia Kim, also the founder of Savor, says the power of a strong female network is delivered by her boutique online destination for female entrepreneurs. Savor goes beyond being another social media site by actually providing participants with the necessary tools for developing concrete business competencies.

With Angela, the Incubator Program participants bonded as a group in a version of the “My Phenomenal Year” program tailed for social enterprises, exploring topics like goal setting, personal and venture branding, and developing and communicating an elevator pitch. The exchange of ideas, support, and inspiration was a great take away from the integrated four-week program that met on Saturday mornings. Several months later, the Incubator Program participants still work from six-month work plans that were refined in the course to achieve their goals and still participate in diverse Savor programs.

Savor is growing and continuing to develop women’s entrepreneurial ventures this spring both on-line and off-line with chapters in New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, and DC. Savor’s seminal event this spring will be in New York Wednesday May 6^th, the Women Entrepreneurs Rock the World Event, and will include speakers on topics like the advantages of launching businesses in this economy, developing a personal story about your business, and secrets to growing your sales.  For more information on this event, please see www.savorthesuccess.com/rock-the-world. The deadline for reduced ticket prices is Wednesday April 22, 2009.

 

 

Sabrin Chowdhury, Founder of Out Against Abuse, discusses group dynamics and staying open to new ideas

My Blog Post: How I have grown into an effective manager while launching my venture in the NYWSE Incubator program.

I first started Out Against Abuse, an online “hotline” for domestic violence victims and educational resource center in the South Asian community (www.outagainstabuse.org), as a blog to start openly discussing this problem.  However, soon I started receiving emails and online comments from victims themselves who either asked for help or started sharing their stories. It was then that I realized there was an immense need for an online resource to allow victims to ask questions anonymously and access a wide array of resources.  I soon started forming a board of directors and looking for any resources that would make it easier to establish a strong and efficient nonprofit organization.  Before the Incubator Program, I had so many different tasks and goals, including fundraising goals, contacting different organizations to establish partnerships, brainstorming event ideas, etc…and would constantly feel overwhelmed. But it wasn’t until recently that I realized that this was probably because I hadn’t done a good job of outsourcing or even taking advantage of outside help. 

Anastasia Holmes, Founder of Start Your Engine NYC, discusses how she found her momentum

My Blog Post: The most unexpected benefit I have learned during the NYWSE Incubator program

I kicked around my idea to create a nonprofit health and fitness program for low-income women for a year before my acceptance to the New York Women Social Entrepreneurs Incubator Program. My goal for the program is to address obesity by emphasizing health lifestyle choices through education and practice in nutrition, fitness, life coaching, and mental health. When I sent in my application, I knew I needed structure to stay on task and a community to work within. But I actually didn’t know what to expect from the program, and so far, unexpected benefits are everywhere.