Pride month is one of our favorite months of the year. Here at The BRA Network we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment for our diverse group of female and non-binary entrepreneurs. During Pride Month, we want to remind our members that our dedication to diversity includes unwavering support for our LGBTQI+ BRA Members all year around, not just in June.
It is important for us to shine a spotlight on businesses that take impactful initiatives to support the LGBTQI+ community, show allyship, make an effort to support their LGBTQI+ employees, or find ways to empower the queer community. Visibility is important all year long, but June is an extra amazing time to highlight businesses such as these. So let’s do it!
FAN YOUR FLAME: FINANCIAL LITERACY COACHING
BRA Member Diana Greshtchuk (She/Her) is the CEO of Fan Your Flame LLC, a financial literacy coach, and your best financial friend. Her business is founded on helping members of the LGBTQ community as one of many marginalized communities. Diana is passionately committed to guiding entrepreneurs, businesses and individuals to achieve a wide variety of financial goals. Diana gives back to the community by volunteering as a Board Member for the Point Foundation, a non-profit organization that empowers promising lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students to achieve their full academic and leadership potential – despite the obstacles often put before them – to make a significant impact on society.
We love the impact you are making, Diana, and we are thrilled to shine a light on the work you do lift up members of the LGBTQ community this Pride month and all throughout the year. To learn more about Diana and what she stands for, or to work with her, give her a follow on Instagram or connect with her on LinkedIn.
DAPPER BOI
Dapper Boi is a body-inclusive apparel line founded in 2015 by married couple Vicky Pashe and her wife, Charisse. They started Dapper Boi because Vicky was tired of shopping in the men’s section for clothes that just didn’t adhere to her body’s shape. She was tired of the getting sideways looks in both the men’s and women’s section. After a search for gender-neutral, size-inclusive clothing proved fruitless, Vicky and Charisse decided to do something about it. Dapper Boi was born.
Within five years of starting the online body-inclusive clothing brand, it is now a seven-figure company on a mission to revolutionize the genderless fashion movement. Vicky has always had a passion for compassion and believes that so many of us do not fit in today’s binary norms in the retail world. By creating a body-positive, accepting community, we can all build confidence within ourselves and within each other to create a world we can all “fit” into.
Vicky and Charisse, we love the way you are revolutionizing clothing and creating a space where all bodies and all humans can feel comfy in their fits! To see what Dapper Boi is up to, give them a follow on Instagram or connect with Vicky on LinkedIn.
GAINGELS INC.
BRA Member Jennifer Jeronimo (she/her) is the CEO and General Partner of Gaingels, an LGBTQIA+/Allies private investment syndicate, and one of the largest and most active private investors dedicated to supporting diversity and inclusion within the venture capital ecosystem. Their mission is to foster social change through business and profitable investment, and to create a more diverse, inclusive and accessible venture ecosystem at all levels of leadership.
Jennifer has over 20 years of experience in finance and banking working at large institutions such as Credit Suisse, Bear Stearns and JP Morgan earning the coveted position of Executive Director. She has a wide array of experience, both local and global, servicing institutional and hedge fund clients by running the collateral management, pricing, portfolio accounting and restricted securities departments. A passionate advocate for underrepresented leaders, innovators and founders, she is dedicated to growing the businesses and careers of the leaders of tomorrow.
We are inspired by the work you do Jennifer and are proud to call you a member of The BRA Network!
Check out Gaingels on Instagram and connect with Jennifer on LinkedIn.
FULL UMBRELLA TALENT
Full Umbrella Talent is the go-to executive search firm for inclusive and innovative teams who are impacting the world. Women and LGBT owned, the firm was founded by Alex Smith and Hannah Tyree to help forward-thinking Start-Ups, Tech Companies, and Non-Profits build outstanding teams.
By actively contributing to narrowing the diversity gap at the leadership level, they seek to change three sad statistics for the better:
- 50% of LGBT employees are not out to their current supervisor.
- Only 28% of C-Suite positions in North America are held by Women.
- Only 1% of Fortune 500 companies have African American or Black CEOs.
In addition, a percentage of their profits go to mission aligned non-profit organizations that increase opportunity access across intersectional identities!
Follow Full Umbrella Talent on Instagram and connect with Alex and Hannah on LinkedIn.
Lastly, we’re always looking for more impressive female entrepreneurs and non-binary business owners to join our professional community. If this sounds like you, sign up for the next Fitting Room. You’ll discover how we can support you and your business during this free virtual orientation. You’ll also get to know our Founder, Carrie Murray, and network with some of our high-quality BRA Members!
