Kirsty Du Toit
South Africa, January 2018 – Launched in August 2017 in South Africa, Future Females is a movement aimed at rapidly increasing the number of and success of female entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs. It has grown rapidly since its launch, reaching over 3,000 members in just four months, with new chapters opened across South Africa, Namibia and Germany. At the heart of it, Future Females is a connected community, who meet at monthly events to network, to learn and to be inspired by influential female leaders. Future Females are women who break the mould, think differently, and want a better future.
According to the GEM South African Report 2015/16, published by Ellevest last year in 2017, only 2.5% of VC funding went to female entrepreneurs in 2016. In South Africa, only 7% of South African women were involved in entrepreneurship in 2015. Despite owning just 1% of the world’s wealth, numerous studies show that companies with females in senior leadership positions delivered a 63% higher ROI than those comprising only male leaders.
Frustrated by the lack of support for female startups, Future Females co-founders Lauren Dallas and Cerina Bezuidenhout saw a huge potential for transformation. Designed to bridge the gap and work towards positive change, this movement strives to increase not only the number of female entrepreneurs but also the success rates of women in business. As a platform that provides a community and space that provides access to resources and support, this community of women is already on its way to meeting its goal to reach 20,000 members across 20 chapters in 2018
Technology plays a vital role in the movement’s focus. Lauren Dallas brings her extensive experience in growth hacking, while Cerina Bezuidenhout has a background in programme management and operational excellence. A key challenge for many female entrepreneurs is a lack of resources. Through frequently updated content and partnerships that reduce the barriers for women to access services, funding, grants, startups and other key resources, Future Females aims to help women to find the support they need to realise their dreams. “More focus is needed to encourage and accelerate the success of aspiring and existing female entrepreneurs,” says Cerina.
“We believe that to drive change through technology and entrepreneurship, we cannot have just 50% of the world focused on it,” adds Lauren. By levelling the proverbial playing field, Future Females is set to become the go-to platform for women dreaming of starting their own ventures.
Future Females is community-driven, with each member giving input and voting on themes that underpin all content and events globally in a given month. For 2018, these themes include balance and self-care, personal brand, getting started in entrepreneurship, financial management and feminine leadership. The monthly events are a major focus for the community, providing a physical environment for the women who interact and collaborate digitally to form stronger connections. These events currently take place across Cape Town and Johannesburg, with Durban launching in March.
Ambassadors play a vital role in these events, as the Future Females representative in their home cities, running events and driving the movement in their communities. The Future Females ambassador for Johannesburg, Cindy Laufs will oversee the Johannesburg launch of the movement, which takes place on 15 February 2018 at OPEN Workspace. In the next months, Future Females hopes to have secured ambassadors to continue their rapid expansion, across Africa and Europe, as well as Australian and Asian markets.
The Future Females Vanguard Series will launch later this year, offering a digital platform for women at the forefront of the movement, who want to transform themselves through education and personal development. This series will tap into global influencers to coach and mentor the community on areas that are key to success as a female entrepreneur or intrapreneur, delivered through digital workshops and live coaching circles and housed in a private membership platform.
Future Females is a collaborative, inclusive, giving and community-driven platform that is sure to inspire girls and women of all ages to dream big. To join the movement, visit the official website at http://futurefemales.co and join the Facebook community at www.facebook.com/groups/thefutureisfemale.
Find Future Females online:
Website: http://futurefemales.co
Email: hello@futurefemales.co
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/futurefemales
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thefutureisfemale
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/18143775
