By WEE Global Live Blogger Paloma Alcantar
Sacramento, California. February 17, 2019.
Women's Economic Empowerment Global Live is thrilled to see our Ambassadors support women entrepreneurs. We met Virginia Madueno and Vihil Heather L. Vigil through our ambassador projects for WEE. When we partnered with Ulule, their team asked for us to connect women entrepreneurs in Northern, CA. We knew who to call for this first round of projects and referred 10 participants. It is with great honor that we share two of our network affiliates were selected to pitch at the Sacramento Event!
Vihil and Virginia were in the same position as many of the women entrepreneurs ready to pitch in Sacramento. It was their first time doing a crowdfunding campaign and pitching their business. It was an excitement filled event and week leading up to the event giving feedback and helping each entrepreneur prepare. The WEE Global Live time learned a few things in the process.
Lesson #1 is EVERYONE was nervous.
Lesson #2 EVERYONE did great and survived!
Lesson #3: No doubt, we need more women learning to pitch, fundraise, and sell!
There were more lessons, but we will save them for the next blog.
It is an honor for the WEE team to be part of the participant's journey and to encourage them to take future steps in their business growth. No matter the results, you all rock for taking the challenge! To all who applied, you are a step closer to reaching your goals. Rest assured, knowing that each accomplishment brings clarity to your entrepreneurial vision. Now you are prepared and stay tuned for future opportunities to come up with Ulule and other WEE Global Partners. You may still have a shot of pitching at their next event.
About Ulule & Bank of the West Pitch Pitch Event:
Bank of the West and Ulule are touring California for the Act for Impact Pitch Pitch Series. These events will showcase female and social impact entrepreneurs who are launching their projects
🎤 A selection of inspiring and creative entrepreneurs will get the chance to pitch their project to you.
⚡️ Your support will give them the boost they need to take their project to the next level! #ActForImpact
The Sacramento event was a complete success, and all the selected entrepreneurs have launched their crowdfunding campaigns. We will be sharing more details about the event and the featured participants in our next blog. For now, join us in cheering on our first two WEE Global network women who have launched their crowdfunding campaign on Ulule. Check them out:
Vihil Heather
Ms. Vihil Heather L. Vigil has over 20 years of experience in business, finance, executive development, mentoring and coaching. From Sacramento Valley to the San Francisco Bay Area, Ms. Vigil's work focuses on the empowerment of women ranging from new graduates, to mid-career professionals, business executives, women veterans, survivors of sexual assault, those struggling with addiction and anxiety, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Ms. Vihil brings a plethora of experience to coach and uplifts her clients. Offering educational workshops, online live uplifting group goal planning sessions and one-on-one coaching programs. She offers therapeutic empowerment including coaching based practice. She is focused on working with women to unleash their true potential by recognizing the past, successfully managing the current and planning for the future!
A native of the Sacramento Valley Ms. Vihil is a United States Navy Veteran, a previous non-profit program director, senior business analyst, and project management professional for several campuses of the University of California.
Ms. Vihil is a graduate of Humboldt State University in Northern California, received an MBA from Ashford University and received holistic health training from the Health Coach Institute. She continues to advance her knowledge and credentials by attending such courses as Certified Cognitive Behavioral Therapist credential from Achology Ltd. | The Academy of Modern Applied Psychology, while she works towards her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology.
Through The Vigil Center for the Arts, The Voices and Project Vihil, she empowers individuals by compiling their stories in printed anthologies such as:
Voices de Queer Femmes, Voices of Youth, Voices of the Feminine, Voices of Queer Parents and Voices of a Generation.
Ms. Vihil H. Vigil is CEO, Writer and Editor in Chief for Magistra Magazine whose focus resonates to Empower Women by Encouraging Expression through highlighting successful women in business and women entrepreneurs, telling their stories of success, and documenting their journey to serve as an encouragement to others.
Published author Ms. Vihil has written two books: "Not Without My Coffee" and "100 Affirmations”, and “Inspired by Women Empowerment Coaches”. (Books are available under the Empowerment Reading tab)
Ms. Vihil is currently working on a new book "Improving Wellness in a Corporate Environment" and by request has added Corporate Wellness Program Developer to her line of sought after work.
Here is her crowdfunding project for your reference and support. Show some love, sponsor, like share, comment, etc. on her campaign.
Virginia Madueño
Virginia Madueno, daughter of farm working immigrants grew up to become a mother, wife, small business owner, entrepreneur, social justice advocate, community leader, elected official and now a published author.
I lived hiding behind a mask for most of my life. When most people saw a happy, confident and aspiring leader on the outside, they didn’t know the dark moments that surrounded my life. It wasn’t until July of 2019 when my family suffered the most tragic of circumstances, that I was forced to remove my mask and share my darkest of secrets. At one point in time, I contemplated taking my own life.
As human beings and women, we often feel we have to wear a mask that protects us and shields us from the outside forces of judgment, public opinion and shame. I vowed to remove my mask and start sharing with others what I was hiding from for such a long time. I wanted to do this on a platform that allowed other women to do the same. The Silk Mask Project is an opportunity to help improve mental health, self-care, sisterhood, and self-empowerment by sharing our collective stories in a safe environment.
When I tried the Silk Reservoir Mask I was hooked. It was a quality product that helped me to uncover the luster of my skin. It was also a symbolic product that I felt could help get my message out to other women. This is how the SILK MASK PROJECT was born. If I could provide a luxury silk spa mask that women would like, I could donate a portion of the profits to help fund more women’s organizations whose objective was to help and empower. For every mask sold, 15% goes to VIVA Women, a bay area organization founded by Actress Mia Perez.
The Silk Mask Project is a luxury line of silk spa facial masks that celebrates advocacy, understanding, and acceptance. It encourages sisterhood as a quality product that will help initiate conversations among women. It also encourages them to share their stories. We hope to raise awareness and financial support for women’s self-empowerment programs. We give back to organizations that help build advocacy and empower women. The objective is to fully engage women who buy the Silk Mask to share their own stories of overcoming adversity. It allows us to grow a platform of sisterhood, proactive mental health, empowerment, and self-care. The Silk Mask Project will encompass a website, social media and QR Code, where women can share and see stories of other women who have removed their mask to capture their independence and share their voice.
The funds will be used to create our own mold for custom packages and designs. We currently use the manufacturer's packaging and customize it with a sleeve that we have designed. The Silk Mask Project will donate 15% of each mask sold to a local non-profit organization, helping women through mental health, self-care, and empowerment. We hope to create audiences in every community, state, and country to build a movement for women where they can feel accepted without judgment. We strive to inspire and share their story giving them a voice.
Here is her crowdfunding project for your reference and support. Show some love, sponsor, like share, comment, etc. on her campaign
What next you ask?
Well, not precisely raining money, but we do hope these ladies launch their campaign to reach their crowdfunding goal. This stage is where the work begins, and we are calling our network and extended networks to show some support by 1) Sharing their campaign 2) Funding their projects (any amount helps).
The goal here is that we help stimulate financial leadership and support for women entrepreneurs. We congratulate all of the participants, and we are ready to continue supporting the WEE Global Live leaders. Keep up the good work, ladies! Remember you are more than ready to take the Leap. If you wait for everything to be perfect, you will never do it.
Stay tuned for more announcements and the final two events in California with Ulule and Bank of the West. Visit www.ulule.com
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