She’s Next New York: Paving the Way for Women Entrepreneurs

To inspire attendees, Mary Hines Droesch, Head of Consumer and Small Business Products at Bank of America, delivered opening remarks and discussed the event’s theme, “Setting the Gold Standard,” and what actions women entrepreneurs are taking to change the game in New York. Droesch set the stage for the panel event, headlined by three-time Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings and moderated by Carol Lee Mitchell, Head of Strategy for Small Business, Specialty, and Vehicle Lending at Bank of America.

During the fireside chat, Mitchell delved into Walsh Jennings’ remarkable accomplishments as a decorated Olympic athlete and her entrepreneurial journey – while also noting the challenges of creating a business compared to competing on the world’s biggest stage.

“The Olympics is easy – being an entrepreneur is way harder.” Walsh Jennings said.

“As a spa small business owner, I had to navigate many obstacles when it came to opening Chillhouse in one of the largest markets in the country,” said Ramirez-Fulton. “I set out to diversify the spa category for minorities, so people who look like me saw that they also deserve self-care.”

Ying also shared how remaining true to her identity has positioned Local Roots NYC as one of the most in-demand, farm-to-table small businesses in the city.

“While many companies claim they are farm-to-table, they are often not, and our customers can tell the difference in product quality,” said Ying. “I have never taken shortcuts with the products we provide to our customers, and that authenticity is what’s helped Local Roots edge out the competition in the regenerative agriculture space.”

Following the inspiring panel discussion that showed how women entrepreneurs can break barriers and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their male counterparts, attendees were given the opportunity for collaborative and informative conversations and networking. As attendees departed, they were equipped with new resources to set the gold standard for their business and pave the way for the next generation of successful women entrepreneurs.

To learn more about how we support our business owners, please visit https://promotions.bankofamerica.com/smallbusiness/sbwomen.

12/20/23