Mastercard To Host SMB Summit For Women Entrepreneurs

Mastercard is celebrating National Women’s Small Business Month by gathering it’s Women’s Business Advisory Council for a retreat and launching its first ever Small Business Summit in New York City.

“Small Businesses are the heart of the nation. During a month where our attention turns to them, we are continuing to drive a dialogue with women entrepreneurs from across the country to better understand their needs and challenges and ensure that we are advocating for them through action,” Cheryl Guerin, executive vice president, integrated marketing and communications at Mastercard, said in a press release.

Mastercard gathered its council members and local entrepreneurs for an open discussion on their needs, with a focus on mentorship, cybersecurity and social responsibility. Some of the members present included Create & Cultivate CEO and Founder Jaclyn Johnson, Blavity CEO and Managing Director Morgan DeBaun, Victoria Pettibone, managing director at Astia and Unique Markets Founder Sonja Rasula.

The company also hosted its first small business summit in partnership with Create & Cultivate in New York City, with 500 small business owners and influential founders in attendance, including Kelsea Gaynor, CEO East Olivia floral designs; Bliss Lau, CEO of Bliss Lau Jewelry; and Elizabeth Foster, CEO of Maison Visionnaire.

“At Create & Cultivate, we have made it our mission to inspire women to create and cultivate the career of their dreams,” said Johnson. “We are thrilled to join forces with Mastercard for our first small business summit during National Women’s Small Business Month, to provide female business owners and entrepreneurs with the resources and tools they need to be successful. Through thought-provoking discussions and networking opportunities, we aim to help female entrepreneurs get one step closer to reaching their goals.”

In addition, Mastercard and Fred Segal Sunset teamed up with MADE to launch another round of their exclusive, limited-edition collections featuring female designers and artists. This newest offering from Lot Stock and Barrel features artwork by Lyz Olko.