Hey! It’s Doone, your hype girl in business. I’m excited to jump straight into the good stuff this week, so a quick happy June and I hope you’ve been hitting those sales targets.

Today we’re covering 👇

• Melinda French Gates’ commitment to women

• The masterclass you’re in denial about needing

• Launches 🚀 raises 💸 & more news

• Global $50,000 grant for female founders

• & our top reccies this week!

Less than 2% of philanthropic giving in the US benefits women and girls, here’s how we can take action:

I’m guessing you saw this since it was all over our social feeds last week…. Melinda French Gates is putting serious money behind her mission to empower under-represented and under-funded women. After stepping down from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation earlier this month, she’s set on “setting her own agenda before someone else sets it.” And we couldn’t be more excited about it! 💥

Currently, less than 2% of philanthropic giving in the United States directly benefits women and girls. Riiiight. Well, Melinda’s donation through her organisation, Pivotal Ventures, aims to change that with $1B dollars. This is a HUGE step toward closing the gender gap in philanthropy and ensuring that women’s causes get the funding they deserve.

So, how can we take inspiration from Melinda and make a difference in our own communities? Here are three actionable steps you can take today:

1. Action Speaks Loudly 📣

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a leader in your community, or simply passionate about a cause, consider starting or supporting female-led initiatives. This could be anything from launching a mentorship program for young girls to organising a small fundraising event for a women’s charity. When we invest in each other, we create a ripple effect of change(!).

2. But Also, Use Your Voice 🗣

Use your voice to amplify women’s causes. Share information on social media, write to your local representatives, and engage in conversations about gender equality. Let’s be each others hype girls.

3. Money Talks 👼

If you’ve got the means, explore funding or angel investing in female-led businesses. Women entrepreneurs face significant challenges in securing funding (you know!) and your investment can help bridge that gap. Look into angel investing groups focused on women, or start with smaller contributions through crowdfunding platforms that support female entrepreneurs. For example:

• Support Lucy (the artist and owner of Chuubibi) here 👋

• Invest in Australia’s new fine fragrance brand Vahy right here 👋

• Female Invest is crowdfunding within their community 👋

Where Melinda is leading the charge, we can follow. Let’s continue to support and amplify efforts that drive meaningful change ‎✊

Join in on the conversation →

A Masterclass on Product Validation 👉

Ready to boost your biz with some killer partnerships? Let's dive into the magic of collaborations and how they can help you grow. Here are three actionable steps to help you start forging those powerhouse partnerships today:

1. Define Your Goals and KPIs 🕵️‍♀️

First things first, what do you want to achieve? Whether it’s expanding your reach, driving sales, or simply getting more eyeballs on your brand, it’s crucial to set clear goals and KPIs.

• Reach: Aim for more visibility? Consider collab posts and giveaways to attract new followers.

• Sales Driver: Want to boost sales? Think about bundling offers with a partner brand.

• Expansion: Looking to enter new markets? Collaborate with brands that have a strong presence in those areas.

Your campaign should be built around these objectives. Know what success looks like for you before diving in!

2. Find Like-Minded, Vibey Brands 🤗

Next up, scout for brands that are on the same level as you. Look for those with a similar audience size and a like-minded community. This ensures the partnership is mutually beneficial.

• Mutual Benefits: You want a win-win situation where both brands gain something valuable.

• Audience Alignment: Make sure your audiences align. This way, your collab will resonate better with followers and lead to more engagement.

3. Think Outside the Box 💭

Finally, get creative! Think about how you can drive excitement and make people feel something.

• Low Lift: If you're looking for something easy to manage, consider giveaways or content collaborations.

• Heavy Lift: Want to make a bigger splash? How about creating a product together? This might require more investment, but the payoff can be huge.

Ask yourself: Am I investing money or just my time and resources? Balance what you can give with what you hope to gain.

Remember, the key to successful partnerships is clarity, alignment, and creativity. Define your goals, find the right partners, and think outside the box to create something truly exciting.

Listen to the full breakdown on the podcast → 

• America's richest self-made women made a record $154B

• Grace Beverly breaks advertising rules wearing Tala

• Exactly.ai secures $4M to help artists use AI

• Naturium Skincare will enter Ulta Beauty this summer

• Techstars CEO Maëlle is leaving her role for health reasons

• The founders of Starface shut down eco personal care brand

• Meta’s Threads has surpassed more daily active users than X

• Maslow banks $410K in crowdfunding raise - & spot your girl!

• Meta started an AI advisory council and guess what?

• Now that’s a big “oopsy” from the hiring team…

• It’s time we stop calling women “accidental CEOs”

This week's accelerator...

The TiE Women Entrepreneur Program giving women founders from all over the world a chance to win $50,000+ in grants(!!!) | APPLY HERE.

This week's lineup...

This week's recommendations...

Ways I can help you this week…

REMOTE(ish) 🏝️

• LA-based The Quality Edit is calling all Sales and BD Strategists to help curate the web's best brands | APPLY HERE.

• One Girl, a high-impact feminist organisation harnessing the power of education to drive transformative change (in Aus!!), is seeking an experienced leader to serve as their next CEO | APPLY HERE.

LONDON 🇬🇧 

• Lab diamond & recycled gold jewellery brand Kimaï is looking for a Social Media Manager to join its growing business | APPLY HERE.

BRISBANE 🌆

• Vegas Fashion Agencies is on the hunt for a Fashion Sales Manager who enjoys getting out on the road | APPLY HERE.

That’s all for today folks! & don’t forget to be extra proud of yourself this week ✨