Like many successful founders, Jennifer Hyman wanted to give back to other entrepreneurs.
Related: The Virtue Jennifer Hyman Values Most in Others
“I was given this incredible opportunity – this dream career,” she says. “I raised more money than any other woman in this country. I know there are thousands of women, millions of women, who should be in my shoes too.
Hyman and her co-founder Jenny Fleiss started Project Entrepreneur in partnership with UBS, a financial services company, to help other women entrepreneurs with their budding businesses. Hyman says that instead of holding inspirational talks or talks, they've opted for a more hands-on approach to helping.
Related: Jennifer Hyman on Taking Risks for Something You Believe in
“The goal of Project Entrepreneur is to get tactical feedback on how to get your idea from point A to point B,” says Hyman. "There are a lot of women who have million dollar businesses and very few who have $50 million or $100 million businesses."
How to help women go from 1 million to 100 million dollars? “You actually need a network,” says Hyman. “You need support. You need people who will do things for you. You need advice on your product roadmap, your technology, your marketing plan. ”
To do this, Rent the Runway is incubating businesses in its New York office through a five-week acceleration program, hosting a business competition, organizing city-specific events, and has a digital hub for entrepreneurs.
Related: How Jennifer Hyman is disrupting the way we dress
This article originally appeared in the December 2017 issue of SUCCESS magazine.
