Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship
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Women's Owners Network

The program for what comes first.

I Want to Know More

The first five years of your business are arguably some of the hardest and scrappiest. It’s when the right support, resources, and community are critical…and you have no idea where to even start.

The Women’s Owners Network integrates the emotional with the practical—pairing operational curriculum around market validation, customer acquisition, lean operations, and early-stage funding with structured support for the isolation, emotional volatility, and decision fatigue that define the early years of building a company. You are in the highest-risk window of business ownership, and without the right structure, mentorship, and community, the odds are stacked against your survival.

You deserve the same caliber of sophisticated, integrated support established businesses receive, and until now, nothing like it existed.

Tell Me More
A member of WEF smiles at a meeting.

Who It's For

Built for women in the thick of it

Less than 5 years in business

In the highest-risk window of business ownership

Past the idea stage

Actively generating revenue and serving customers

Committed to growth

Ready to invest six months in the work

SBAM member

Active membership with the Small Business Association of Michigan is required for acceptance.

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Program Structure

Six months. Monthly in-person sessions. Ongoing support between.

The Women’s Owners Network is built around monthly in-person sessions that create the foundation for meaningful relationships and deep exploration of the challenges founders face in real time.

Monthly sessions:

  • Leadership: Shifting from reactive decision-making to intentional, strategic thinking
  • People: Identifying your authentic leadership style through assessment and peer reflection
  • Finance: Building financial fluency and finding the right advisor for your stage
  • Capital Access: Understanding your funding options and building lender relationships before you need them
  • Crisis Planning: Creating resilience frameworks and crisis plans for your specific business
  • Operations: Creating operational infrastructure before the business outgrows you

Between sessions:

  • One-on-one mentorship: You'll be matched with a business owner whose expertise aligns with your specific needs
  • The Learning Hub: Find tools, templates, peer collaboration, and progress tracking available long after the program ends
A member of WEF smiles at a meeting.

Cost

Invest in what comes next

$1,000 per cohort member

What’s included:

Note: Active SBAM membership is required for acceptance. Payment* is due upon acceptance into the program.

Email maddie@sbamwef.org with questions or to set up a payment plan.

Applications

Our next cohort launches in November 2026 and applications open soon. Leave your information below and we’ll reach out when the application goes live.