Botox Cosmetic and IFundWomen Support Women Entrepreneurs

Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie company, encouraged consumers to support the businesses and empower women entrepreneurs participating in the Botox Cosmetic and IFundWomen grant program. Recipients of the grants recently launched crowdfunding campaigns to grow their businesses.¹

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The 20 recipients were announced in June, and each received a $25,000 grant from the company along with mentorship and coaching to help them reach their goals and refine strategies for their businesses. A 10-week Crowdfunding Accelerator Program held in the summer taught participants how to hone their business pitches and helped them prepare to launch their crowdfunding campaigns.

“The training for the grant recipients is such great opportunity! It is so important to create grants that monetarily support women in business but to truly be successful this has to be coupled with mentorship and education. The summer kicked off with a ten-week Crowdfunding Accelerator Program which allowed grant recipients to learn from IFundWomen coaches, leaders from Botox Cosmetic, and women founders from the aesthetics community," Caroline Robinson, MD, FAAD, and founder of Tone Dermatology in Chicago, Illinois, told Dermatology Times. "Through the training, each of the recipients have been engaging in coaching sessions on key business topics, helping them to hone skillsets that will improve their business pitches and prepare them for the next funding goals for their businesses.”

The Crowdfunding Accelerator Program was led by IFundWomen coaches, leaders from Botox Cosmetic, and women founders from the aesthetics community, including Lynn Heublein, co-founder and CEO of SkinSpirit, Nicci Levy, founder and CEO of Alchemy43, and Vanessa Lee, RN, founder and CEO of The Things We Do.

"We believe in a future where women-owned businesses can prosper with appropriate access to capital," said Carrie Strom, president, Global Allergan Aesthetics and senior vice president, AbbVie in a press release. "Today, women entrepreneurs receive less funding than men, and we invite our community to join us in supporting these carefully reviewed and selected women as they pursue additional funding for their businesses. Only by working together and through action can we help to close the ‘Confidence Gap.’”

The crowdfunding campaign will create broad exposure and the opportunity to receive funding from those who are eager to support the businesses. The entrepreneurs each offer different incentives for contributing to their campaign, and there are no monetary restrictions. Their businesses range from digital media and technology, to fashion, food, and community wellness. The final 20 entrepreneurs were selected from more than 6500 entries.²

The coaching program covered topics such as network mapping, content marketing, social media, and public relations, in addition to crowdfunding, equipping the grant recipients with tools for success.

References

1. Join Botox Cosmetic (onabotulinumtoxinA) and IFundWomen in supporting women entrepreneurs. September 6, 2023. Accessed September 6, 2023. https://news.abbvie.com/news/press-releases/join-botox-cosmetic-onabotulinumtoxina-and-ifundwomen-in-supporting-women-entrepreneurs.htm?view_id=15808
2. We’re doing our part to close the confidence gap and you can too. Botox Cosmetic. Accessed September 6, 2023. https://www.botoxcosmetic.com/realimpact