Failure Isn't Fatal Unless You Let It Be The Last Thing You Learn

What happens when you gather so many powerhouse women in one room? We found out Tuesday morning during our “Books & Brunch: Celebrating Women Making History” event.

The one and only Stacey Abrams , a 15-time author and former Georgia state representative, shared how her experience of “succeeding into failure” worked out in the long run. She recounted how she and her business partner, Lara Hodgson, were forced to shut down their baby and toddler care startup, Nourish, just as it was on the verge of scaling with Whole Foods, they channeled their energy into a new venture. This new endeavor targets the very problem they faced as founders of a small business trying to secure funds during a credit crunch. The answer: Now Corp., a fintech company that helps SMBs monetize their invoices by purchasing these assets.

Abrams urged everyone at the event to turn obstacles into opportunities. “Failure isn’t fatal unless you let it be the last thing you learn,” she said.

Rebecca Minkoff , designer behind her namesake fashion brand, author of Fearless and creator of the Female Founder Collective, reminded the audience to take risks and blaze trails instead of trying to copy what everyone else is doing. She said she learned that firsthand when her brand used real women instead of professional models during a DTC fashion show, breaking away from an industry norm.

For Kendra Bracken-Ferguson , founder, author of The Beauty of Success and CEO of brand consultancy BrainTrust, community amplifies impact. And that’s ultra-important when women are expected to work harder and faster and continuously prove their worth. The 209 Black entrepreneurs in BrainTrust Founders Studio have raised more than $114 million in capital, done $142 million in sales and sold products in 47,000 retail doors to consumers of all ethnicities. It’s inspiring to see what they’ve done and look out for what they’ll do next!

MSNBC’s Daniela Pierre-Bravo , author of The Other, discovered that helping women means giving them tools and platforms to reach the next level. It’s why she launched Acceso Community, an organization connecting young and mid-career women with mentorship opportunities.

Even the most successful among us can still do more by lifting up and empowering others as we climb the ladder and move up in the world. That was the one lesson Roya Shariat , author of Maman and Me, a cookbook celebrating her Iranian culinary heritage, wants women to file away. “Remember where you come from, and every step you take,” she noted.

Thank you to all of these wonderfully wise women for their work making the world a better place.