Burt’s Bees Natural Launchpad Seeks Female Entrepreneurs
By Paula Alexander, Director – Sustainable Business and Innovation, Burt’s Bees
Strong, women leaders are at the core of Burt’s Bees. It’s in our DNA.
That’s why we’re making a big pivot to reposition Natural Launchpad as a grant program for female health and well-being entrepreneurs. Harkening back to our co-founder, Roxanne Quimby, we’re looking for the next generation of women founders, CEOs and owners who want to improve the health and wellbeing of our planet, and everyone on it.
This is a powerful time for the Burt’s Bees brand to focus on women. It fits naturally, too, with the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day, #PressForProgress.
Participants in Natural Launchpad receive valuable tools to help them grow.
Ten grant recipients will each receive a $10,000 cash grant, two days of coaching at Burt’s Bees headquarters, access to an ecosystem of peers and a seal to place on marketing materials and product packaging.
Learn more about how Burt’s Bees helps launch entrepreneurs’ dreams in this video shot during the Cohort No. 2 Durham CEO Exchange in Fall 2017.
Irena Todd and Jean Sim of Fresh Monster Natural Haircare for Kids were part of the second Natural Launchpad cohort.
Natural Launchpad recognizes and supports people like Michelle Carfagno of The Greater Knead Bagels. And Irena Todd and Jean Sim of Fresh Monster Natural Haircare for Kids. And Lauren Gropper of Repurpose Compostable Picnicware.
“Natural Launchpad is a great program giving us an opportunity to ‘pay it forward’ and support the next generation of entrepreneurs launching their dreams,” says Mariah Eckhardt, Senior Director of Marketing at Burt’s Bees. “We’re excited to shift this year to focus on making Natural Launchpad for women. Not only does this honor our founder, Roxanne Quimby, but it also builds on our recent #IAMNOTSYNTHETIC campaign that celebrates the strength and beauty of women. Women entrepreneurs cite lack of coaching and advisers as a greater constraint than access to capital. That’s why Natural Launchpad is a win for us and a win for them.”
In addition to making the program for women, we’re also opening up the program to English-speaking Canada.
If you know someone who qualifies, please let her know about Natural Launchpad. We’ll be accepting applications for the next cohort through April 30. Winners will be announced in August.
Michelle Carfagno of The Greater Knead.