The top three finalists from Ally’s Daring to Disrupt contest share how they’re shattering the status quo in a challenging year.
Last year, women were forced to answer a serious question: How can I care for my kids while they attend school from home, and answer keep up with my own work? Millions decided they couldn’t physically or mentally do both: In fact, 80 percent of the people who left their jobs during the back-to-school season last year were women. It’s clear that the pandemic took a toll on female advancement in the workplace. And it continues to threaten the progress women have made in the working world.
That’s why Katie joined forces with our friends at Ally to co-host the first-ever Daring to Disrupt competition. Our goal? To champion, support, and shine a spotlight on 10 resilient female entrepreneurs who turned their passions into progress for female entrepreneurship during some very tough times.
Trailblazers across the U.S. told us how they’re disrupting their industries to make a positive difference in the world — and 10 of them had a chance to win up to $30,000 in prize money. (Let us tell you, selecting those winners from so many incredible submissions was no small feat.) Whether it’s teaching swimming in underserved communities, to helping with burdensome tasks after a loved one has passed, to creating uplifting greeting cards that pack a punch — these three Daring to Disrupt winners are truly women to celebrate.
She’s smashing Black stereotypes
Meet Daring to Disrupt’s grand prize winner, Paulana Lamonier. She founded Black People Will Swim which aims to smash stereotypes, provide education, and empower communities.
Why did you start Black People Will Swim?
It started off as a personal challenge of wanting to teach 30 Black people how to swim one summer. I had a client of mine say, ‘I can’t swim because my bones are too dense,’ and I was like, ‘Where did you hear that from?’ After doing my research, I realized that’s a stereotype that a lot of people have been told in the past. From that moment, I did more research and started thinking: What have we taken as truth that’s not actually true, but a false stereotype? I realized that this was a need in our community and it took off from there.
How are you disrupting your industry?
Swimming is a predominantly white sport: 64 percent of Black children don’t know how to swim. With our initiative, we’re not only smashing the stereotype that we can’t swim, but we’re also providing opportunities to those who can’t afford — or don’t have access to — swim lessons, to learn this life skill.
What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received?
- Get everything in writing — if it’s not in writing, it didn’t happen.
- Know your story you’re trying to tell. Ours is smashing the stereotype that Black people don’t swim.
- Feel the fear and do it, anyway. That’s been my mantra, and it’s what I teach our students. Feeling fear is totally OK. Just feel the fear, but still do it. That’s what’s most important.
What did winning the grand prize of Ally’s Daring to Disrupt competition mean to you and your company?
This means so much to me and my team. Due to Covid, we haven’t really been able sell products or teach people. But this grant allowed us to rent a pool and host our very first pilot swim program this summer. We started a five-week swim program and have about 50 students learning how to swim with us. That’s impressive for a startup like ours.
Our goal is to raise funding for us to have a pool to call home. Because of Covid, we’ve really been at the mercy of other pools and sports facilities. Also, there aren’t a lot of Black-owned pools: The residents and users may be predominantly Black, but it may not be Black-owned. We want to disrupt our industry and be one of the few Black-owned pools where it’s for Black people and by Black people, providing swim lessons for everyone.
She’s providing space to heal during difficult times
Meet Daring to Disrupt’s first-prize winner: Jasmine Hathaway. Her company, Compass Coordinators, helps those navigating hard times — such as divorce or the death of a loved one — by managing the bureaucracy, processes, and paperwork of tough life events, on behalf of clients.
Why did you start Compass Coordinators?
It comes from a very personal place: In 2015, when my first husband passed away from cancer, I was really overwhelmed with all of the work that came along after his passing. I was completely unprepared for that aspect of it. I had a lot of great support, and all kinds of different people making sure I could get back on my feet, but none of them were helping me with things like closing accounts, tracking down passwords, and making decisions that fell on me. I felt I was the least qualified person for it because I was grieving so profoundly, working full-time, and parenting a toddler.
The more I talked about my experience with other people who had gone through similar life transitions, the more I realized there was something here, and a space for me to provide more holistic care for people going through the loss of a loved one or divorce.
How are you disrupting your industry?
There are a lot of professionals and specialists who help with life transitions, and they all perform really valuable services. But there’s a real need for someone to come in and quarterback — to project-manage all the work and connect to them to the right people to make things run a bit smoother. A common theme I’ve run into is people describing even the simplest things as being overwhelming or easily postponed. I went into the business trying to meet a need, and it turns out that it’s something a lot of people recognize the need for, but no one’s really doing.
What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received?
When I first started, a lot of the business advice I got was coming from people who had very good intentions, but they didn’t get my business. The best advice I got was to stay true to who you are and your vision. I’m always learning, and I love that aspect of it, but there’s nothing that’s going to change my purpose, which is to help to make a positive impact in really dark times.
What did winning the first prize of Ally’s Daring to Disrupt competition mean to you and your company?
I was over the moon. It was incredible to hear from other people that my business idea really struck a chord. The prize money is great, and I can use it to accelerate the growth of my business, but the mentorship component has been really game-changing for me.
I really want to grow my community and build a strong network of people who understand the vision and support what I’m doing. I’m focused on keeping the momentum going and continuing to stay focused on the dream in the long term.
She’s helping people conquer the world through empowering, tech-forward greeting cards
Meet Daring to Disrupt’s other first-prize winner: Ashley Sutton. Her company, Hustle & Hope, is the first-ever aspirational greeting card company to imbed actionable digital guides to help empower the recipient of the card.
Why did you start Hustle & Hope?
We launched in May 2020, smack dab in the middle of the pandemic. During this really crazy time, when there were so many people unemployed and looking for ways to connect with friends to help them cope, greeting card sales actually started to rise. But when you went to search for cards for things like job loss, you would be shown sympathy cards. I was like, “Wait a minute, I’m sorry. Losing your job should not be a down-and-out, woe is me moment.” Like my mom always says, “No means next.” And that’s exactly the sentiment that helped to catapult Hustle & Hope.
I didn’t want to start a stationery business just selling greeting cards for greeting cards sake. I’ve always been on a mission to help people level up in their careers, their mindset, and their spirit, which is all about what Hustle & Hope is.
How are you disrupting your industry?
I thought, How do I reinvigorate the stationery industry? That’s how I came up with the free guide that comes with each card: We embed actionable digital guides that help people level up in their career, their mindset, and their spirit. When you turn the job loss card over, you scan the QR code to unlock a free guide that has covers everything from job-searching, to resume-building, to self-care, and budgeting tips.
As I was growing the business, people kept asking for seasonal cards, but I knew they had to align with what we do. So last year, we created a Halloween card that came with a guide on how to overcome your fear of presenting. That’s the fun of being an entrepreneur — finding a way.
What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received?
One of the best things someone ever told me was, “It just needs to be done, not perfect.” In this society, everybody is showing what great lives they’re living, but not showing how they got to the lives that they’re living. And there’s nothing wrong with wanting to lead a certain life, but first, you have to get started. You can’t be so in your head that you end up doing nothing because you’re endlessly striving for this destination of “perfection.”
What did winning the first prize of Ally’s Daring to Disrupt competition mean to you and your company?
I’m usually not one for external validation — I think you validate your own self. But it’s different when you’re creating a business that you really believe in and that you want to grow. For me, winning was recognition that finally, somebody sees what we’re doing. I’m so glad that there’s other people who think this is cool enough to invest in us, and help take it to the next level.
For 2022, my wild dream is to see our greeting cards in the aisles of Target and to expand our product line. This prize money is going to allow us to expand our selection, so we can create more guides, and help even more people.
What’s not to love about these inspiring business women? Even Katie agrees. “I’m amazed and inspired by the female entrepreneurs I’ve met who are disrupting the status quo, filling unmet needs and expanding the possibilities for women everywhere,” says Katie. “It gives me hope for the future… and the present! Their journeys and the lessons they’ve learned will help others follow their dreams — and what’s better than that?”
To meet the rest of the Daring to Disrupt winners and to learn more about the contest, click here.
