Hey! It’s Doone, your hype girl in business. It’s been quite the week for those of us who spend a lot of time on the internet… It turns out Taylor Swift is cousins with Emily Dickinson (ofc she is); Kate Middleton has gone missing (or has she?) & TikTok is about to be banned (for real). Right.

Today we’re covering👇

• Our two-cents on not-so-equal pay day

• Steal this 5-step pre-launch playbook

• News you really don’t want to miss

• Y Combinator is back baby!

• Job ops in NYC, Canada & AUS 🌎

Equal Pay Day: March 6th 📅

Equal Pay Day – this is a day that hits close to home for so many of us 💸

ICYMI: March 6th marked the day that we officially recognise that women have to work into the new year to catch up with men. In other words; we’ve all been working for free up until this day. Pretty wild if you ask me.

As for the latest numbers, women are now earning 84 cents for every dollar earned by men. And it gets worse for women of colour – Black women are making about 63 cents, and Latina women only about 55 cents for every dollar earned by white men. That's not just a gap…

But here's why Equal Pay Day matters: it's not just about the dollars in our paycheque. It's a rallying cry for the work that’s still left to be done when it comes to fairness, respect, equality, and opportunity. It’s about making entrepreneurship accessible and recognising it as a path for women to close the pay gap and rise to leadership positions, on your own terms.

Because what we see happen when more women become founders, is that we all win. We’re not just carving out our own paths, but creating opportunities for others to thrive. This looks like: equal pay policies, prioritising fair compensation and all-round spreading of wealth and goodness in the world.

So this equal pay day I want to celebrate you in fighting the good fight that female entrepreneurship brings into the world, because every woman deserves her fair share of the pie.

What are your thoughts? Let’s get chatty in FSC’s club →

Your 5-Step Pre-Launch Playbook ✨

So, you've got this incredible idea brewing, and you're ready to unleash it into the world. But wait – before you hit that launch button, let's talk strategy. In our latest hype-girl chat episode, we’re diving into and dishing out the top five essential steps for pre-launch success:

Step 1: Set Your Launch Date and Get Moving 🏃‍♀️

Give yourself a timeline, mark that launch date on your calendar, and let the countdown begin! Whether it's one month or three (I recommend three!), commit to consistent action every day until the big day arrives.

Step 2: Budget, Budget, Budget 💰

Money talks! Even if your budget is tight (or non-existent), outline where you plan to allocate your resources. From influencer gifting to photography, every penny counts.

Step 3: Build Your Lists Like a Boss 📝

Get organised with spreadsheets galore! One master spreadsheet, all the relevant tabs along the bottom. Create a detailed timeline checklist for every task leading up to launch day. Then, brainstorm your marketing strategy and curate your dream 100 list of the area you’re deciding to focus on.

Step 4: Dive into Organic Content Creation 🤳

It's showtime, baby! Fire up those TikTok’s, Reels, and Instagram Stories. Start pumping out content daily to build anticipation and get your audience hyped for what's to come.

Step 5: Action, Follow-Up, Repeat 🔁

Keep the momentum going! Follow up on tasks, engage with your community, and track everything in your trusty document. Before you know it, launch week will be upon you, and the real fun will begin.

Plug me into your ears for the full low-down →

(& if you want my ultimate pre-launch spreadsheet & starter bundle you can access it here)

• Rent the Runway is asking you to amplify your career goals

• TikTok has officially been left with two (tough) options

• Bougie influencer marketing vacations are so 2023

• Navigating the new reality of investing in CPG

• Execs putting “mom” on their LinkedIn profile is amazing

• Sophia Amoruso is back and she’s on the VC scene

• Starface is going neutral with their latest product launch

• Ooft, layoff announcements rose 410% YoY in February

• Inclusivity-focused Ada Ventures pulls in $80M for second fund

• We’re at a 10-year low for female representation in film

• Student launches haircare line in Target stores nationwide

• Artemis Fund has $36M for founders solving ‘big hairy problems’

This week's grant...

Run don’t walk! The infamous Y Combinator is accepting applications for their summer cohort - benefits include $500K in funding | Apply by April 22nd

This week's lineup...

This week's recommendations...

Ways I can help you this week…

NYC 🗽

• The waste reduction platform for businesses WATS is hiring a Customer Success Manager. Apply here.

• Wagmo, on a mission to inspire and empower responsible pet parenting, is looking for a Director of Finance. More here.

Toronto 🍁

• Period underwear brand Knix is hiring a (paid social) Growth Manager to worth on their social strategy. Something for you? 

Sydney 🌞

• At #gifted they’re developing a platform that allows brands to manage high volume gifting at scale and they’re looking for a CEO to join the founding team in going to market. Read more about it here.

That’s a wrap! Love that you made it all the way down here, have the best week 🫶