Why I’m grateful: Updates on our collaborations, impact, and finding our flow.
We are just getting started, but we’ve already made a big difference, thanks to all of you!
coFLOWco has had a pretty great first 6+ months. We hired people, paid better than fair wages, reached out to and joined several organizations that were aligned with “business for good”and made big moves for several clients, increasing their budgets and contracted amounts. Overall, we assisted in adding several hundred thousand dollars in revenue for Portland’s women-owned small businesses and creators since our official launch back in September of 2019. I could not have done it without the amazing contractors, consultants and clients on this journey with me. I appreciate each of you!
Here are some highlights of our impact so far:
Served 9 women-owned small business leaders with business consulting and creative operations. Helped them hire more diverse support and identified opportunities to amplify or add to their social impact.
Volunteered over 200 hours to a women-focused local non-profit with fundraising, brand and creative operations consulting.
Supported 3 women on their career paths to lead with their purpose, 2 probono advising on resumes, job search strategy etc.
Contracted/hired 8 women of diverse ages, ethnicity/race, backgrounds and talents.
Partnered with clients to deliver 3 winning pitches.
Conducted 5 business intakes/mission audits and created a priority list of recommended improvements for increasing revenue, brand clarity and how to make an impact.
Coached negotiation tactics and guided conversations for clients who doubled their revenue on 3 different projects!
Sponsored 1 contract employee for a professional development opportunity. Together we attendeded PSU’s Impact Lab Conference at the Portland Armory. We learned about great social enterprise resources and left very inspired!
On the Philanthropy side:
We hosted a fundraiser for The Cupcake Girls in Fall 2019.
coFLOWco joined several amazing networks for women to amplify our voices and those of our clients, connect you with resources and help us all make a bigger impact.
For Women Who Roar (Amazing content!) Here's me in the WFN directory.
Women's Funding Network (Mostly philanthropists and research based but so supportive of me joining their org!) Here's me in the FWWR Ambassador section.
We donated (over 25%) of our revenue in 2019 to charities supporting women and marginalized communities including Take the Lead Women and the Runway Project. We gave to several mission-aligned nonprofits through the PDX Give Guide.
And we’re just getting started! What’s Next?
We kicked off this past Tuesday with PSU's B-Impact lab to start planning our organizational governance to become a certified B-Corp by the end of the year.
In 2020 will be creating an ongoing values-aligned strategy to donate to various orgs supporting gender equality, racial and economic justice, and orgs creating equity in the workplace.
We signed up with Portland Means Progress and committed to always paying more than minimum wage (obvi!) and will participate in their intern program. (I can’t wait!)
Do you want to know more about the state of gender and racial parity and pay equity in 2020?
Want to know how you can make a social impact through your small businesses?
Read our (Wo)manifesto: Leading with Purpose.
Link for Part 3 of our (Wo)manifesto published Sunday for IWD2020. Part 1 and 2 also up on medium.
NOW AVAILABLE for download with an updated intro (2023).
This is our take/research on the state of gender parity (how it sucks, how we feel, what we are doing for small biz/social entrepreneurs). I broke into 3 for Medium but could easily see pulling out a part or making a longer series out of it (6 instead of 3).
This is WHY I started coFLOWco and WHY I’ve been MIA/working so hard. Please read, tweet, share, and give me honest feedback (or comment /clap on medium).
Prefer long form and cool hyperlink bubbles (Thanks Jake!) than read on our blog: Part 1, 2 & 3 up on the blog, with over 260 cited articles, white papers, SNL videos and songs on being a woman in the world in the past decade.
Yes, this is definitely super long form as a full read.
Womanifesto is TL;DR? Highlights from our Instagram posts for #IWD2020
A post about all the days/months marginalized communities get instead of equality all the time! Cute image thanks to our intern and Canva!
A post about the ERA (less on the nose, but still relevant for women's history month, just not 100% IWD focused).
Thanks SO much for your support!!
