Tory Burch Foundation

The extraordinary women entrepreneurs in our programs are making history every day, through their products, services and the way they give back to their communities. Thank you for leading the way. #WomensHistoryMonth Video description: Compilation video of Tory Burch Fellows answer the prompt "I am making history by.."

"Being a Tory Burch Fellow has been the most incredible and transformative experience in my 15+ year career as an entrepreneur. "I'm someone who typically likes to figure things out on my own and try to do it all myself, but as a small business owner, I completely underestimated the power of community. Having a core group of like-minded women to bounce ideas off of, ask for resources or help from, and even just share the joys and challenges of entrepreneurship, has helped ease some of the loneliness that comes with this career. I feel supported in ways I never knew I was lacking and have felt myself, and my business, grow in multitudes." "The Tory Burch Foundation community is truly a sisterhood and I am grateful beyond words for every single person I've met." - 2022 Tory Burch Fellow Emily Scott, co-founder/CEO of Dance Happy Designs, pictured here at our New York City headquarters #ToryBurchEntrepreneurs Image description: Photo of Dance Happy Designs co-founder Emily Scott sitting in a chair and smiling while looking off camera.

Careful strategic partnerships can help two companies go further together. 2022 Tory Burch Fellow and Reimagine Talent founder Chelsea C. Williams shared with us the three kinds of collaborations that have been impactful for her talent development company: affiliate, product and referral partnerships. 1. Affiliate partnerships: When a company receives a fee for each new client they recommend to another company. This payment can be a flat fee or a percentage of the partner’s contract. Example: Reimagine Talent provides training and development or consulting services that help their clients drive business growth. ReImagine Talent teamed up with a tech partner to amplify their offerings and recommended the tech partner to the clients they served. When those clients signed a contract with the new tech partner, ReImagine Talent received payment. 2. Product partnerships: When companies work together to co-create or co-brand a product or offering. Example: Reimagine Talent didn't have a product that allowed them to collect assessments from the thousands of employees they may serve at a particular company, so they partnered with a tech company to embed an assessment in their programs to collect data and feedback. 3. Referral partnership: When a company promotes another company's products or services to their community, and the referring company receives payment whenever the first company gets a new client. For example, Reimagine Talent partnered with a professional association that recommended their talent development inclusion solutions to all its members. The professional organization will get a fee for every time one of their members signed a ReImagine Talent contract. Williams also discussed when a company is ready for strategic partnerships, more examples of successful collaborations and how to make the most of the partnership. She even provided a loose script for your first brand partner meeting. Read the full article to hear more advice for scaling through a bond with other businesses: https://lnkd.in/eNFJadEr #ToryBurchEntrepreneur

2023 Tory Burch Fellow Afshan Abbas is the co-founder/CEO of Fuchsia Shoes, offering handmade sustainable footwear that not only provides comfort but also supports artisans and promotes environmentally responsible practices in the industry. Learn how this #WomanOwned business creates high-quality shoes by continuing a centuries-old tradition of craftsmanship, all while supporting the families and communities of their artisans: https://lnkd.in/echQdTgJ #ToryBurchEntrepreneur Image description: Photo of Fuchsia Shoes co-founder/CEO Afshan Abbas smiling at the camera while holding a pair of her shoes.

The best networking events don’t have ‘networking’ in the title. If you want to meet new people, look for substantive, content-focused industry events. Global Public Speaking LLC founder/CEO Allison Shapira joined our business webinar program to share her expert insights on making and maintaining authentic connections, whether you’re attending a massive conference or preparing for a one-on-one chat over coffee. Introduce yourself with Shapira's anti-pitch framework, "I have a background in X, and I’m currently doing/looking for Y" where you tailor X and Y to what you think they'd be most interested in. Ask the other person about their background and interests, then tailor your follow-up questions to assess what seems most important to them right now Introduce yourself based on what you feel will most spark the other person’s interest. The anti-pitch lets the other person visualize how connecting with you might be beneficial to them while remaining your authentic self. If networking doesn’t come naturally to you, you’re not alone. Read the full article for more advice on turning an introduction into a lasting, mutually beneficial relationship: https://lnkd.in/e3eqfUck Image description: Black graphic with white on-screen text: Networking isn’t just about who you know—it’s about who remembers you. Lead with curiosity, be of service and let authenticity guide your connections.

2024 Tory Burch Fellow Raina Kumra is the founder of Spicewell, a brand of nutrient-dense seasonings that combine modern science with Ayurvedic medicine. Learn more about this #WomanOwned business created from its founder's desire to add healthy ingredients to meals after experiencing multiple family health issues: https://lnkd.in/eNpZYZYa #ToryBurchEntrepreneurs Image descriptions: Black and white headshot photo of Spicewell founder Raina Kumra looking at the camera.

Open and honest communication is crucial when explaining operational changes to your employees. "You have to be comfortable repeating yourself. Context matters and clear communication provides a common ground for alignment and advancing your goals," Squarespace senior director of operations for Product Soraya Haas shared with us in a live Q&A. She discussed the operational challenges she’s tackled with teams of all sizes and how founders with small teams can apply some of those lessons to run more efficient, successful companies. She also stressed that people will only change their behavior when they understand why you need them to change, and why those changes matter to the company. Read more of her startup operations insights: https://lnkd.in/eqZz8X85

Ten years after founding The Chai Box Inc., 2022 Tory Burch Fellow Monica Sunny landed her first distribution deal, in Costco. The result? Viral success. A month after launching in Costco, The Chai Box Inc. website sessions went up 125% compared to the same time the year before, and online sales grew 56%. But it didn't stop at their website. Their Instagram reel announcing their launch at Costco brought in 2.2 million views within 72 hours of posting, was shared 25,000 times and had over 3,000 comments. Sunny has learned a lot since last year's Costco launch. We asked her to share what surprised her most, what she thinks businesses can do after going viral, and her top tips for founders looking for big store distribution. Watch the full video to hear her expert insights.

2021 Tory Burch Fellow Emily Bibb is the co-founder of breef, a platform that connects brands with the best agency from a vetted list of over 25,000, while also providing tools to manage timelines, payments and contracts. Learn how this #WomanOwned business ensures a streamlined experience that is on budget and hassle-free: https://lnkd.in/epnVHAJD #ToryBurchEntrepreneurs Image description: Headshot photo of Breef co-founder Emily Bibb sitting down and smiling at the camera.

Did you know we’re on #YouTube? Browse our library of webinar recordings, organized by business goal. If this is the year you take your processes to the next level, consider starting with our playlist on operations: https://lnkd.in/eJcdWz6N