Entrepreneurship is a challenging terrain, especially for women who venture into its dynamic landscape seeking independence, creativity, and financial freedom. Entreprenista is working to illuminate the path forward for women founders with an ethos rooted in community, collaboration, and empowerment.

Founded by Stephanie Cartin and Courtney Spritzer, Entreprenista didn’t just evolve as a media company and membership community by chance. Instead, it was born out of need from an urgency felt by numerous women founders seeking guidance in the complex world of business.

Entreprenista’s Origins

Entreprenista began with the inception of Socialfly, a social media marketing agency that not only soared to the top of Google searches but also garnered accolades and awards, positioning its founders as leading experts in the domain.

Stephanie Cartin recalls, “Many women founders began reaching out to us to meet for coffee to pick our brains and learn from us.” The demand for insights and advice was overwhelming, prompting Cartin and her co-founder to find a scalable solution. This led to the creation of the Entreprenista Podcast in 2018, a platform designed to disseminate success stories and business acumen to a wider audience.

With the arrival of the pandemic in 2020, an inflection point occurred. Many women were either losing their jobs or seeking to pivot their businesses. It caused the natural evolution of Entreprenista into a fully-fledged entity, one dedicated to offering women founders “the resources, network, and knowledge we wished we had when starting out.”

Mission and Community

While providing the necessary resources to women founders is a vital part of Entreprenista’s mission, it is also about creating a vibrant, collaborative community where competition takes a backseat to collective growth and success. It is about empowering women.

The ethos of the brand is best encapsulated by its dedication to “celebrating and sharing the stories, lessons, and insights of business leaders while creating a community that cultivates meaningful connections and support.”

The Entreprenista League stands as a testament to this mission, offering a safe space where questions are answered, advice is shared instantly, and members are networking and doing business together.

The Future of Women in Business

The current era is heralded as one of unprecedented opportunity for women entrepreneurs. With a noticeable surge in women-owned businesses, the future seems not just bright but attainable. In the words of Stephanie Cartin, “There are no limits anymore for women entrepreneurs — the possibilities are endless!”

Cartin’s optimistic outlook is bolstered by the availability of resources and communities like Entreprenista and Press for Success, which help women chart their own course, whether it’s scaling a business to sell or making a local impact. 

The Ongoing “Great Resignation”

While talk of the “Great Resignation” has died down, the trend continues to reshape the corporate landscape. More women are seeking the flexibility and creativity that entrepreneurship offers.

Cartin notes the rise of women leaving corporate America for entrepreneurship, pointing out that the work-from-home shift has provided the necessary impetus for many to make the leap. “Inside our community, countless women have already left their corporate jobs to pursue consulting, freelancing, and entrepreneurship on their own terms.”

Entreprenista serves as a crucial support system for these women, exemplified by members like Deb Boulanger, who coaches women in the transition from corporate roles to successful business owners.

“This is just the beginning — we’ll continue to see more women blaze new trails as they tap into their dreams of financial freedom and entrepreneurship,” said Cartin.

Advice for Aspiring Women Entrepreneurs

For women on the brink of entrepreneurship, Cartin’s advice is to take the plunge: “Just get started!” She emphasizes that the most effective learning happens in action, not in contemplation. She remarked, “Too often, aspiring founders get stuck endlessly talking about their business ideas without ever actually diving in.”

Communities like Entreprenista prevent aspiring founders from having to navigate the complexities of business alone.

The Entreprenista 100 Awards

The Entreprenista 100 Awards, presented by Chase Ink, showcases Entreprenista’s commitment to elevating women in business. Recognizing the achievements of women business owners, the awards aim to boost visibility and open doors to new opportunities.

Applications for these prestigious awards are open until November 22, 2023, and include categories that celebrate innovation, change-making, community-building, and overall excellence in entrepreneurship.

You can nominate your own business or an outstanding founder you know here.

A Pivotal Platform

Entreprenista offers resources and a community that believes in the collective success of women-led businesses. Its founders, Stephanie Cartin and Courtney Spritzer, have created a movement that is driving women toward a future where their entrepreneurial dreams are not just seen but realized and celebrated.