YWLA Celebrates a Successful New Entrepreneurship Program
The Young Women's Leadership Academy of San Antonio (YWLA San Antonio) is proud to announce the resounding success of our inaugural week-long Girls Summer Entrepreneurship Program (GSEP). Inspired by a similar initiative at the high school alma mater of one of our board members, GSEP was designed to expose rising junior and senior female students to the exciting world of entrepreneurship, empowering them to envision their futures as leaders and business owners.
Over the course of the week, 11 students were immersed in an array of activities and learning experiences that fueled their entrepreneurial spirit. Each day was dedicated to collaborating with one of our three incredible sponsors: Geekdom, UTSA Najim Center, and St. Mary’s University Professor Sergio Palacios. Throughout the week the girls engaged in hands-on workshops and discussions that broadened their understanding of entrepreneurship, and were introduced to members of the community who play an active role in San Antonio's burgeoning start-up ecosystem. The program also featured a Women in Entrepreneurship panel, providing students with an intimate look at the real lives of female entrepreneurs in San Antonio.
A highlight of the program was the UTSA City Trek led by Washington Navarro throughout downtown San Antonio, where the students visited local businesses and witnessed firsthand the significant impact of entrepreneurship and small business on our community. This experience was pivotal in helping them understand the practical aspects of running a business and the importance of local economic growth.
At the beginning of the week the girls brought their own business ideas to the program, and practised their elevator pitches to each other. The students worked in "co-founding teams" to craft and refine pitch presentations that were then delivered on stage at the Geekdom Event Center, in a friendly Shark Tank-style pitch competition. The students had full access to the Geekdom space to develop and refine their business ideas, and even worked with real entrepreneurs who dropped in as they worked and gave real-time advice to improve their pitches. Leveraging the knowledge gained throughout the week, each team delivered an outstanding presentation to a panel of local female entrepreneur judges, and an audience of family members. Ideas included an innovative solution to the affordable housing crisis, a female owned and operated gym providing mental and physical wellness respite to low-income and working mothers, a platform that breaks down barriers to entry for high schoolers looking to get into college, an artistic and mindful crochet craft that reduces plastic bag waste in grocery stores, and a delicious and healthy alternative desserts cafe with holistic and fair-trade ingredients that are good for you and the planet. Each idea was so unique and high impact, making the pitch event a truly amazing capstone to an incredible week.
One of this year's students shared, "I loved the program! I learned so much about entrepreneurship and the power of community and networking. It was an incredible experience." A parent of another student echoed this sentiment, stating, "Having a teenage daughter often means she comes home and goes straight to her homework, but every day after GSEP, she couldn't stop talking about how much fun she was having and how much she was learning. She was eager for each new day."
The success of GSEP would not have been possible without the support and collaboration of our sponsors. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to these partners at Geekdom, UTSA, and St Mary's, and look forward to working with them to make the program even better for next year's participants. A special thank you to Cristy Lime at Geekdom, who hosted and served as a lead educator on several days, and played a crucial role in the success of the week. The coordination efforts of YWLA board member Katherine Wadsworth Guido also ensured that the program ran smoothly and effectively.
Reflecting on the program, Katherine shared: "We as board members of YWLA San Antonio are privileged and honored to support such amazing, inspiring, driven, and intelligent young women. I personally feel so humbled to have been a part of GSEP and learned so much from these tremendous women. The future is bright for the students of YWLA, and experiences like GSEP are the moments that remind me there is nothing better or more fulfilling than to turn around and lift up the next generation of young female leadership with both hands."
Cheers to an amazing first year of GSEP, we can't wait to see how the program evolves next year!