The Start of the Foundry
In early October, we welcomed our founding members to the very first Connect.Learn.Grow workshop ran by Sara Smalley of Venture Coaching and what a start it was. When we designed this series, we knew we wanted our first gathering to centre on something fundamental: purpose and direction. Not the glossy, high-level kind that ends up in a business plan, but the deeper, more personal clarity that shapes how you lead, make decisions and grow a business that actually serves the life you want.
So many female founders tell us that once they move beyond the start-up phase, the pace and pressure increase but the support often falls away. The doing takes over, and months slip by without ever pausing to ask the most important questions: Am I still moving in the direction I want? And does my business reflect the leader I’m becoming? Beginning our programme here wasn’t just intentional, it was essential.
What the session involved
This Connect.Learn.Grow session created the space to step back from the day-to-day and reconnect with the bigger vision each woman holds for herself as a leader. We explored what purpose truly means in practice, what “direction” looks like when you strip away expectation, and how aligning the two can shape a business that’s sustainable and meaningful.
Through a guided exercise, reflection prompts and small-group discussion, members were invited to:
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Articulate the future version of themselves as a leader
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Understand what that vision means for their business today
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Identify the one priority that matters most right now
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Recognise what support, resources or connections they need
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Share their commitments with another member for accountability
It was thoughtful, honest and at times surprisingly emotional; the kind of conversation many women rarely get the chance to have.
The impact we saw
By the end of the morning, something had shifted. Members who arrived feeling stretched or unsure left with fresh clarity and a renewed sense of agency. They named what mattered most, found language for things they’d felt but not voiced, and connected with peers who immediately understood the realities of leading a business at this stage.
Each member left with:
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A clear priority linked directly to their long-term vision
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A tangible understanding of what support they need next
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An accountability partner (“buddy”) through our community platform to help them stay on track
But beyond the practical takeaways, the real impact was in the atmosphere. The relief of having space to think, the reassurance of being around other women walking a similar path, and the confidence that comes from being seen and supported not just as a founder, but as a leader.
