Thanks to the generosity of Goodera, our YEA! Chicago students received entrepreneurship kits filled with essential tools to fuel their growth and confidence in class last night! Each backpack includes a USB drive, business card holder, business planning guidebook, entrepreneurship success stories, planner, phone stand, and more to assist as our students as they continue developing their business ideas. We’re actively looking for 5 additional business mentors to volunteer with this year’s cohort starting in January! If you’re passionate about empowering the next generation of leaders, we’d love to have you. Find more info and submit your interest ASAP at https://lnkd.in/gTBwKrVy Shout out to the volunteers, sponsors, hosts, and speakers who make YEA! Chicago such a transformative experience for our students!
Female Strong
Non-profit Organizations
Chicago, Illinois 2,788 followers
The Future is Female Strong | Women-Led Community for Change | Empowering Females of All Ages to Step into Business
About us
Hi, we are Female Strong! We are on a mission to close the gender gap and empower young women to step up in business and life. Female Strong provides middle and high school-aged girls an opportunity to expand their self-confidence and business acumen in a supportive, women-led environment. By next year we will have seen over 1,000 girls complete our confidence-building entrepreneurial program—95% of which come from challenging circumstances and diverse backgrounds. We also offer community for female leaders and professionals of all ages. Our core offering is a six-month after-school program that teaches business principles, soft skills and life skills. Students walk away with firsthand knowledge of building a business and the skills needed to persevere in a corporate setting. Our strong focus on entrepreneurship sets us apart—no one else in this space offers what we offer. The future is female strong. Join us, won’t you?
- Website
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http://www.femalestrong.org
External link for Female Strong
- Industry
- Non-profit Organizations
- Company size
- 2-10 employees
- Headquarters
- Chicago, Illinois
- Type
- Nonprofit
- Founded
- 2014
Locations
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Primary
Get directions
444 N Michigan Ave
3450
Chicago, Illinois 60611, US
Employees at Female Strong
Updates
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Another Female Strong program alumna doing amazing things! Congratulations to 2019 YEA! graduate & 2022 Jean Shuman Scholarship winner Ayra Mudessir on her first (but definitely not last) TED Talk!
Neuroscience @ DePaul | 3x Author | TEDx Speaker CEO @ Success Seekers | Aspiring Physician
Thank you for coming to my TED Talk—literally. I recently crossed off a huge goal off my bucket list: standing on the TEDx stage to share a message deeply rooted in my experiences— leadership representation isn’t just empowering, it’s LIFESAVING. When leadership doesn’t reflect the diversity of our communities, it creates an invisible ceiling, not just for individuals, but for entire systems. I shared how underrepresentation in medicine isn’t just a gap in leadership—it’s a gap in trust, understanding, and equitable care. I also researched the neuroscience behind representation, showing how it rewires our neural pathways and inspires the next generation to dream bigger. In my journey, I’ve seen the “multiplier effect” in action through small acts of leadership creating ripples that transform entire communities. I use my voice to empower young women like me, underrepresented in competitive fields, to break barriers and step into their potential. On the TEDx stage, I showed how we all have the power to drive systemic change and inspire others to lead. Thank you, TEDxIllinois Tech and the incredible TEDx team, for inviting me to share my passion. I’m so grateful for this opportunity ♥️ The future of leadership doesn’t just depend on what we do—it depends on how we empower others to lead alongside us. And as a college student, I’m proof that age doesn’t define impact. I know we can work together to multiply the change we want to see in the world. #TEDx #YouthLeadership #WomenInSTEM #WomenInBusiness #BuildCommunity #DiversityinMedicine #FuturePhysicians
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Mark your calendars for Female Strong's first event of the year, our annual CEO Roundtable! Join us on February 5th to glean industry insights and business advice from female executives. As usual, our Young Entrepreneurs Academy students will be in attendance to ask their burning questions. This panel discussion will be moderated by Dawn Lauderdale, Director of Diversified Industries at BMO Commercial Bank. Stay tuned for the full lineup of panelists to be announced soon! Secure your spot for at https://lnkd.in/gytADwce. Interested in sponsoring a Female Strong event in 2025? Email [email protected] to learn more.
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We can't wait to host more programs for girls in 2025, and first on the list is Camp with Edlong Flavor Solutions! Female Strong Camp is perfect for girls interested in... - Art & Crafts - Food Science - Goal Planning - Storytelling - Entrepreneurship We invite the 8-12 year old girls in your life to join us for this confidence-building program in Elk Grove Village on Monday, January 20th. Spots are extremely limited, so sign up today at https://lnkd.in/eSxvqFrm!
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Calling women in business to join us as mentors for the 2024-2025 YEA! Chicago cohort! Mentorship is critical to success at all ages, and we pride ourselves on providing individualized support to our entrepreneurship students as they develop their businesses and prepare for launch. The ideal mentor is a professional woman with expertise in areas like strategy, marketing, or finance who is passionate about empowering young entrepreneurs. YEA! business mentors guide students through the process of developing the business plan and perfecting the pitch presentation. The commitment involves a virtual orientation on 1/13, weekly virtual mentoring sessions on Wednesdays from 1/22-3/5, and optional special events like the CEO Roundtable on 2/5 and the Investor Panel on 3/19. If you're ready to make an impact, complete the Interest Form at https://lnkd.in/gTBwKrVy. Spots are limited!
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This holiday season, we invite your company to make a difference by partnering with Female Strong. With your support, we can continue to empower young women to become tomorrow's entrepreneurs, leaders, and innovators. Explore how your organization can make an impact by sponsoring our programs and initiatives in 2025. Reach out to [email protected] directly to start the conversation.
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It takes a village to do the work we do at Female Strong, and we wouldn't be where we are today without ours! Thank you to all of our board members, volunteers, mentors, sponsors, donors, and advocates for your continued support of our mission. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Female Strong!
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This morning, Female Strong's current and former YEA! students were invited to attend a Behind the Scenes Event for TechRise Chicago's Season 4 Finale. Our young entrepreneurs heard the six finalists rehearse their pitches and participated in a practical pitch frame workshop led by Steven E. Shaw. Thank you Desiree Vargas Wrigley, Lucy Brennan, and the rest of the TechRise team for putting together another amazing student event. Best of luck to finalists Ayesha Kazi of ASL Aspire, Laura Epstein of Pulse Charter Connect, Gabriel Huertas del Pino of Arch Pet Food, Prarthana Gupta, of OrdrSmart, Stephane Manuel of TrueFiktion, and Camryn Ross of Fillow Inc. as they compete for the $100K grand prize this evening. Don’t miss the action—register to attend or watch the live stream at https://lnkd.in/gKpwgnN5!
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We’re still buzzing from Saturday's inspiring Female Strong Camp at Brookfield Zoo Chicago where more than 50 girls participated in activities that nurtured their creativity, confidence, and collaboration skills. Highlights included: - Exploring aviary animal science - Setting goals & creating vision boards with kits from Paper Source - Writing letters to their future selves - Simulating risk management & asset protection - Learning about pollinator conservation from young entrepreneur Evelyn Halbach and taking home one of her EcoFrenzy board games This special program served twice as many girls as our usual Camps, empowering them to embrace their passions and take steps toward becoming future leaders. This incredible impact was made possible by the generous support of Gallagher Insurance Company, Florence Ann Romano & The Agape Foundation, and of course the team at Brookfield Zoo Chicago. Thank you also to our dedicated volunteers: Jennifer Baader, Stephanie Harper, Kelly Reina, Jen Tadin, Sarah Austin, Melanie Griffin Pugh, Emily Feldmann, Sabrina Patlan, Ashley Biggs, and Sarah Sleevi. Your mentorship and enthusiasm transformed the day for our campers! Interested in inspiring the next generation of female leaders? Stay up to date about upcoming Camps for your daughter to attend or host a Female Strong Camp at your corporate office in 2025 by visiting https://lnkd.in/gKU2c75r!
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We love SRW | C.A. Fortune! Thank you to Kate Weidner (she/her) and Julie Baker (she/her) for hosting our YEA! Chicago students last night (and providing endless snacks). This YEA! Chicago class field trip gave our budding entrepreneurs invaluable insights into building brands that stand out in today’s market. Kate’s experience as a judge at our Investor Panel earlier this year also offered students a firsthand look at what makes a business fundable: innovation, preparation, and addressing a market gap. If you’re a professional interested in empowering future founders through mentorship or other hands on volunteer opportunities, we’d love to hear from you! Submit your interest today at https://lnkd.in/gZjVnP2P
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