Global payments provider Visa has launched a new initiative, She’s Next, to support women small business owners as they build, sustain and advance their businesses.
“Starting and growing a business can be both incredibly rewarding and daunting. That is why Visa is committed to empowering women business owners through a year-long program of education, cutting-edge digital payment technology and a powerful peer network,” said Suzan Kereere, global head of merchant sales & acquiring, Visa. “There is never enough time or enough resources, but when we work together to support each other, amazing things can happen.”
She’s Next will be supported by the Female Founder Collective (FFC), a network of businesses led by women, supporting women, that launched in 2018. Visa and FFC will together offer resources and opportunities for female entrepreneurs.
“As women, we have the power to shape and transform our communities—through our purchasing power and also through the leadership and employment opportunities we offer as business owners,” said Rebecca Minkoff, founder of Rebecca Minkoff and the Female Founder Collective. “By joining forces with Visa, we will help build awareness of women-owned businesses, provide them with more opportunities and invest in women across the socioeconomic spectrum around the globe.”
Over the course of 2019, Visa will create pop-up events around the world that offer a range of practical tools, resources, insights and networking opportunities for female entrepreneurs, including:
- Interactive Workshops: Beginning with an inaugural event in Atlanta on January 30, alongside Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta, Visa will host a series of interactive workshops to tackle business challenges specific to each community. Future events are planned for the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™ and beyond.
- Access to Experts: Each workshop will include experts from Visa, local and national subject matter experts, and partners to maximize benefits to female business owners. Specifically at the inaugural workshop in Atlanta, leaders from Visa, Square and Yelp will bring their own expertise and innovation to the workshop.
- New Research: Initial insights from a forthcoming survey commissioned by Visa of US-based female small business owners will help to inform the issues that matter most to women entrepreneurs.
She’s Next builds off the success of Visa-supported programs focusing on small businesses, as well as female business owners. Recent examples include Visa’s sponsorship of the Great British High Street program in the United Kingdom and Visa’s Money is Changing marketing campaign in the United States. In addition to Visa’s efforts, the Visa Foundation made its first financial commitment of up to $20 million to Women’s World Banking.