The #FoundersRumble
A friendly wager to decide the best networking strategy turns into one Sister's holiday hairdo. May the odds be in their favor.
Project Description
Answer this question:
Which is most vital to business success in 2022?
- Your in-person game (Cris) OR
- Your virtual/remote game (Rae)
When you donate, put your answer in the donor comment to vote for one of The Wright Sisters. The Sister with the most votes after the Founders' Rumble will cut the other sister’s hair however she wants… and the losing Sister has to wear that style for 90 days (through the holidays).
What could be so crucial that the Sisters would risk their hair?
The 6 million business women working remotely without resources for stability. That’s what.
Rae and Cris built The WEM Sisterhood from a meetup group in Houston to a virtual country club after experiencing first-hand how debilitating work-from-home business ownership can be.
Entrepreneurship is already a rollercoaster of epic highs and demoralizing lows. Business women who work remotely – often juggling families and financial challenges – waste time and money trying to find resources that clearly explain business growth strategies. The programs and accelerators set up for entrepreneur training are intimidating, hard-to-find and confusing. And after the class – and cohort – is over, there is no connectivity. This leaves the entrepreneur stuck at home facing the statistics that say they are likely to fail and two times more likely to suffer depression.
At WEM (pronounced like "whim"), we leverage technology to ensure business women are connected to who and what they need to know to build sturdy businesses. And we do it as a family, primarily from The WEM House, our virtual country club. The unique space is conveniently accessed through any web browser, and is open 24/7. That means women anywhere can find their way to Sisters and resources they can trust. We have a running list of existing programming that assists the ladies. But we’re not all work. We also let our hair down for relatable events and conversations that grow us as women.
We’re currently raising $500,000 for a 2-year runway for the team, marketing and legal protections needed to reach as many business women as possible. The $25,000 from the Founder’s Rumble, as we call it, will springboard our marketing and legal protections, filling in the funding gap until we reach our full raise.
The Wright Sisters are the brains behind WEM. They’re biological sisters who are each business owners in their own right. They have forged virtual connections since they were children, and as siblings to five others, they know the dynamics behind relationships.
And they’ve never done anything without having fun!
So, pick an answer to the question, donate as much as you can, and follow us for the haircut!
--- And follow the details of the #FoundersRumble on our social media! Rae is hosting a BUNCH of virtual events in our virtual spaces. And Cris is networking across the country through a month-long road trip. ---
Updates
The Campaign FAQs
What is a virtual country club?
The virtual country club is what we call The WEM House. Accessible from any web browser, it is convenient to business women who work from home. At The House, the Sisters exchange strategies, war stories and their Rolodexes of trusted resources. They are able to share their screens (like in Zoom), while also working across rooms as a group or independently (like at WeWork). We also host special events at The WEM House, including our Family Reunion of 2020 and our regular Monday Mingles. Text our Big Sister (281.214.6981) for the full event schedule.
Why do Members join?
Sisters join WEM because they’re tired. They’re tired of jumping through hoops and running through quicksand. They’re tired of piecing together sporadic nuggets of information from uncertain resources. They’re tired of putting on a front that they have it together, as if they’re not part of the 90% of business women still trying to get to six figures. They’re tired of “business coaches” leading them astray. And they’re tired of doing it alone.
Why do they stay?
They stay because they get respect, family and sound advice. (That’s what our current members tell us.) Our Sisters need a safe space they know they can trust, and where they don’t have to act like everything is okay as they seek their next level of stability (both mentally and financially).
Is WEM for new business owners?
Yes! And ALSO, any level of business woman. Business requires a new level of growth at every milestone of the journey, and your WEM sisters are there to counsel, collaborate and cowork through each of them!
Is mentorship the main reason Sisters join?
Sisters join for varied reasons, all surrounding their need for connection. Some Sisters need connection of dots, between all the pieces they have already crafted and proven strategies for business growth. Other Sisters come for connection to like-minded peers, in an effort to escape the solitude of the entrepreneurial journey. All of our Sisters need introduction to verified business resources – including Small Business Development Centers, accelerators and referral networking groups – with proven track records. Our 24/7 connectivity model allows business women working remotely to dial into any connections they may need.
What would someone who is a 20+ vet in business get from being in a room with new business owners?
Every business woman needs help at every milestone, just like in any family. And the safest space to turn is WEM. For our vets, WEM is also a place they can giveback while receiving updates uses of technology.
Who are the founders?
The Wright Sisters are biological sisters and business owners in their own rights. Rae Wright-Burrell is an Operations Strategist for remote teams (Rae of Ligh Concepts & Staffing), and Cris Wright is a Communications Strategist for nonprofits (WrightNow Results). Alongside those businesses, they have grown WEM from a simple meetup group to a full-fledged tech startup with a unique virtual refuge for business women.
The Sisters have forged connections in virtual spaces since as far back as Yahoo! Chatroom days. They have intentionally used virtual conferencing and other technology to stay connected since 2012 to stay connected to each other and hold virtual events.
Rae is a former audio engineer and healthcare professional. Cris is a former local government reporter and proud Howard University of graduate. Together, they make a dynamic founders team … with just a bit of fun wrapped into every step of the journey.
In development
Just Because I Care
Our eternal gratitude for your contribution to business woman success. You rock!
Day pass
Keep it or gift it. The Choice is yours! And save $400! Come experience what connection can do for business success.
An Annual WEM membership (usually $650/yr) includes:
- 24/7 access to The WEM House (our virtual country club) to work alongside other like-minded businesswomen
- Access to our Private Library of resources
- Access to the rest of the WEM sisters via a private chat.
We leverage these technology offerings to ensure business women are always connected to who and what they need to know to gain stability.
You will also get:
- WEM workshop worksocks!
- Name on WEM Wall
- Website Official Sister Badge
In development
in development
in development
for aunties to advertise and give workshops at the house, exclusive texts with grants and speaking opportunities, team development coaching, named sponsor of the sisterhood, featured in groups and headline sponsor one monthly event/year
Everything from the first 2 options AND
Choose from 2 options:
- 1 Year of a private Room at The WEM House, OR
- 1 Year 15 Annual Memberships
PLUS:
- WEM Tumbler
- Named on website
Rewards
In development
Just Because I Care
Our eternal gratitude for your contribution to business woman success. You rock!
Day pass
Keep it or gift it. The Choice is yours! And save $400! Come experience what connection can do for business success.
An Annual WEM membership (usually $650/yr) includes:
- 24/7 access to The WEM House (our virtual country club) to work alongside other like-minded businesswomen
- Access to our Private Library of resources
- Access to the rest of the WEM sisters via a private chat.
We leverage these technology offerings to ensure business women are always connected to who and what they need to know to gain stability.
You will also get:
- WEM workshop worksocks!
- Name on WEM Wall
- Website Official Sister Badge
In development
in development
in development
for aunties to advertise and give workshops at the house, exclusive texts with grants and speaking opportunities, team development coaching, named sponsor of the sisterhood, featured in groups and headline sponsor one monthly event/year
Everything from the first 2 options AND
Choose from 2 options:
- 1 Year of a private Room at The WEM House, OR
- 1 Year 15 Annual Memberships
PLUS:
- WEM Tumbler
- Named on website