"We are beyond excited to announce the four awardees of the inaugural The Everygirl’s Women-Owned Business Grant, powered by La Marca Prosecco. Each of these small businesses will be awarded $5,000 in funding to take their companies to the next level.
Two of these winners were decided by a public vote, and two more were chosen by our editorial team. We are so appreciative of everyone who took the time to submit a vote over the past week. Over 5,000 of you voted—and created a very close race for our 10 finalists!
We want to extend a huge congratulations to these four winners, and to not only the six other small businesses that were in our top 10, but every single person who took the time to apply for this grant. Each application we received was amazing, and we had a very hard time narrowing it down because of that. We are so excited to see how this grant continues to grow in the coming years!
We encourage you to take the time to learn about each of these extraordinary women-owned businesses, and support them in any way that you can—whether that be through a product or membership purchase, a follow on social media, or sharing them with your friends and family.
Now—drumroll please—here are our four grant winners!
Winners of the public vote:
“At 26 years old I was diagnosed with a cervical tumor that was linked to chemicals found in 90 percent of the feminine hygiene options on shelves. I also discovered that the majority of these were designed by men, ergonomically uncomfortable, and harmful for the environment.”
About the Business
Femly is subscription box for feminine/period products with clean, plant-based ingredients. There is also the option to purchase products individually without a subscription. For every purchase, Femly provides donations to organizations promoting period equity, racial equity, and equality. They also donate products and more to organizations that increase access to those in need.
Company Mission Statement
Femly merges community and hi-tech manufacturing to provide healthier personal care alternatives and education.
$5,000 Plan
Half of the money will be used to acquire additional monthly subscription box subscribers, driving revenue. The other $2,500 will help Femly land their first major contract by making it possible to provide alternate product packaging for hospitality placements.
femlybox.com
“Wedding planning was tough and stressful beyond what it should be. It was difficult to find all the information we were looking for in one place; it was difficult to find vendors; it was difficult to compare pricing information; it was difficult to determine real-time availability; and in many cases, it was difficult just to get someone to pick up the phone. What should be a fun process turned out to be horrendous.”
About the Business
Pyaari Weddings is an online platform where couples can find wedding vendors, their pricing, and all the information needed to make a decision, cutting out the cost and need for a wedding planner. It easily displays wedding vendor information for more than 1000+ vendors in eight different cities, across the United States. Based on user selections, a user is delivered a final wedding plan in less than five minutes. Pyaari Weddings also offers consulting services, wedding merchandise sourced from local artisans in India, and open source advice and input via blog posts.
Company Mission Statement
Plan your dream wedding in less than five minutes!
$5,000 Plan
Pyaari Weddings will be using a portion of the grant to focus more on growing their footprint as well as furthering their network with local artisans in Asia. They will be expanding marketing strategies through additional social media channels, e-commerce software, and sponsorships. Additionally, the funds will help to build their network by attending wedding expos, Asian bridal conferences, and sourcing and working with local artisans in Asia. Lastly, Pyaari Weddings will be hiring an intern.
pyaariweddings.co
Winners chosen by The Everygirl team:
“I spent my free time snapping photos of my daughter in cute outfits, working with big name brands, and later turning that into a business as a brand photographer for female creatives and entrepreneurs. I’ve now expanded my business to stock photography for Women of Color and women who want to create a more inclusive brand.”
About the Business
Colorjoy Stock is a membership-based service that provides brands with access to a library of stock images celebrating diversity in all body types and skin tones, as well as other business resources. New clean, neutral, and professional images are uploaded weekly.
Company Mission Statement
To empower women to create more freedom in their lives through their creative businesses, and help them creative brand visuals that reflect their personality, personal style, and the work they love to do!
$5,000 Plan
Colorjoy Stock will be using the funds to invest in product and equipment to expand their stock photography library, as well as to hire even more diverse models of all skin tones, shapes, and sizes.
colorjoystock.com
“We knew the type of skin care products we were looking for, but couldn’t find them in store. We tried countless products that were too expensive and didn’t meet our expectations, leaving us disappointed and out of money. Frustrated but motivated, we decided to develop our own line of skin care products.”
About the Business
Brown and Coconut produces plant-based face and body care products. After researching and identifying the ingredients Letisha and Zeena found effective in healing their own skin, they came up with formulas that matched their needs: plant-based powerhouse products that did exactly what they said.
Company Mission Statement
Our mission is to provide experiential plant-based products that help the ingredient-conscious individual create delightfully lavish personal care moments while addressing their skin care needs. As a brand, we value authenticity, accessibility, and a high moral code. Simply put, we strive to be there for our customers and do right by them, always.
$5,000 Plan
Brown and Coconut will be using the funding to partner with a skin-care manufacturing lab that can manufacture their products on a larger scale so that they can continue to expand. Currently, they manufacture their products themselves, which can be time-consuming and prevents them from focusing on other aspects of the company.
brownandcoconut.com
The Everygirl’s Women-Owned Business Grant is powered by:
La Marca Prosecco is an elegant sparkling wine grown in the heart of Italy’s Prosecco region. La Marca Prosecco believes in celebrating the joy in everyday moments, including the tireless work that so many small business owners go through to make their dreams come true. A focus on career empowerment has always been part of The Everygirl’s mission, and La Marca Prosecco’s generous donation allows us to provide funding for women in business who are passionate about what they do.
Let’s raise a glass to that!