The Founding Females® Heartbeat January 2026
Credit: Hannah Knight of Always Flourishing Photography
January Heartbeat
We recently clarified our 2026 mission at Founding Females®: Open doors for 10,000 female entrepreneurs.
We open one door, and she opens the next, and the ripple continues in perpetuity. It only starts with one. One moment of feeling understood. One encouraging word. One pivotal introduction. One marketing idea. One new client. One celebration after a big win.
It starts with one, but then women pass it on to the next, and next, until we reach 10,000.
January is shaping up beautifully. Membership Week is coming up. Our new Business Hack series is creating momentum. We have three new Meet Up chapters in consideration from across the U.S.
And’s it’s only January!
Let’s jump in so you can learn all the amazing things happening at Founding Females®.
#1 Membership Week: January 26 - 30
Over 400 women (!!!) have raised their hands to express interest in Membership Week and we are ready to widen the circle with open arms!
If you’re considering whether our Women’s Mastermind would be a good fit, here’s what you should know:
Dates: January 26 - 30 where monthly access is $35 for the life of your membership; once Membership Week is over, the rate returns to $119/month.
Eligibility: We have only two requirements.
You can come with an open heart ready to support every other woman in the community
You run an original business under an original brand (if you have any questions about this, email us and let’s chat!)
Objections:
Still on the fence? Read here about 5 objections our most successful members have had before joining.
Want to make sure you’re notified?
Complete the form here and we’ll send all the Membership Week details!
What’s included?
A seat within a community of open-hearted female entrepreneurs who understand the journey and want to see you win
Space where your voice and your struggles matter inside a culture of compassion and generosity to help you through it (the vibe inside is celebratory and "come with me, we'll figure this out together")
Access to 3 calls every single month, including strategy sessions, peer coaching, co-working sessions, and expert speakers (these calls vary between 10a - 2p CT Monday - Friday)
Access to a "Power Circle," which is an optional group of 4-6 women for a tighter knit connection and regular accountability
Founding Females® Resource Library, including recordings of past strategy sessions and experts in their subject matter, templates, and guides
Members-Only Discounts to help you in your business and the option to add your own offer to connect with potential clients in the community
Private space away from social media with desktop and app access.
Credit: Captured Photography by Always Flourishing Photography
#2 2025 in Review: 16 Company Wins, 25 Member Wins, and 4 Lessons Learned
Every year, we perform a thorough review of how the year went. We look at what “yes’s” moved the needle, what we need to let go of because it isn’t working, and what trends predict future growth in the new year.
I’m thrilled to present you with Founding Females® 2025 in Review: 16 Founding Females® Wins, 25 Member Wins, and 4 Lessons Learned (i.e. “Lessons Learned” is a fluffy way to say “dang, we missed the mark”)…
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#3 Our Service Division Is Growing
As Founding Females® continues to grow, so does our ability to support women in deeper, more practical ways. You hear often how honored we are to work with clients by walking alongside them with new website builds, SEO/CRO/GEO, and website management services.
In 2026, we’re expanding our service division through strategic partnerships, allowing us to connect our community with trusted experts without losing the values, quality, and alignment you feel from Founding Females®.
Additional support available in 2026 includes:
Brand photography
Virtual assistant services & backend systems management
Strategic content creation
Mindset and teams coaching
Paid ads management for Meta and Google
There is strategy deeply embedded in this growth.
We’re being intentional to help women stop duct-taping solutions (though we totally know there’s a “DIY Dolly” season for that) to build businesses that are supported, scalable, and sustainable.
Want more details? Tap the button below.
#4 2026 February Meet Up Details
Founding Females® Meet Ups are your favorite kind of business hang-out, minus awkward networking vibes.
Come join a group of real, passionate women entrepreneurs for a free monthly in-person Meet Up where we chat, laugh, share wins, and crowdsource solutions together. Think of it like grabbing coffee with a circle of supportive founder friends who actually get what you’re juggling: business ideas, challenges, breakthroughs, and all.
Free + Open to All Women Entrepreneurs - Bring your business challenges, your goals, an open mind, and a friend!
✨ Champaign/Urbana, IL - 1st Tuesday at 8:45a CT at The CU Flower House (@thecuflowerhouse).
Feb 3rd. Hosted by Holly Birch (@hollybirchphoto), Ali Kreider (@thisisalikfitness) and Andrea Hunt, owner of The CU Flower House (2006 S Neil St, Champaign, IL 61820).
✨ Livingston County - 2nd Thursday at 10a CThosted by @ChristineBrownPhotography at Christine Brown Photography (117 S Main Street, Suite 3, Flanagan, IL 61740).
✨ Peoria Area, IL - 2nd Tuesday at 10a CT @cafesantarosa_co (1327 E Kelly Ave, Peoria Heights, IL).
Feb 10th hosted by Hannah Knight of @AlwaysFlourishingPhotography and @thestudioonsampson and Francie Hinrichsen, founder of Founding Females®.
*Please note - No outside drinks allowed. Please support your locally owned coffee shops.
✨ Danville, IL - *New time and place* Third Thursday at 10:30a CT
Feb 19th hosted by Jessica Nemecz of @two.roads.wellness at Mad Goat Coffee North (@MadGoatCoffee)
✨ Carmel, IN - *New day* Last Tuesday at 12pm ET at Link Office Suites (10255 Commerce DriveCarmel, IN, 46032). Feb 24th hosted by Crystal Rightor, founder of @IndyBrowBoss and Amanda Galloway (@amanda_galloway_insurance)
✨ Decatur, IL - Last Thursday of the month at 10a CT. Feb 26th. Hosted at Cass Concept by Cassie Yoder, founder of Cass Concepts (@cassconcepts) and Lindsey Kirk, founder of Lindsey the Ladysmith (@lindseytheladysmith).
All Founding Females® events and details are listed on our website at the link below
#5 Own Your Authority: 13 Ways to Go from Entrepreneur to Thought Leader
This month, we’re talking all about Freedom by Design: 18 Ways to Gain Time, Choice, and Peace as a Female Entrepreneur.
In February, we’re shifting our focus to share how to build your authority as a thought leader. In our new Business Hacks series, you’ll learn from 13 bold, authoritative women to learn how to expand your reach from running a business to disrupting conventional wisdom.
Read the post: Own Your Authority: 13 Ways to Go from Entrepreneur to Thought Leader
Submit Your Hack
If you’re an entrepreneur with a piece of hard-earned wisdom to share, we want to hear it. Your insight could be the exact shift another woman needs to move forward.
Upcoming themes:
• Marketing + Strategic Visibility: Attract Clients & Drive Revenue
• Nail the Consult: Leave Clients Excited to Work with You
• Diversify Revenue Streams and Scale Your Business
Submit Your Hack: www.FoundingFemalesCo.com/hack
Let’s chat about your business!
Have a personal business struggle or win you want someone to get excited about with? I’d love to talk through it with you! Comment below or click to email me.
Cheering for you!
Francie, Founder
Recent Blog Posts About Female Entrepreneurship
Past Founding Females® Heartbeat Newsletters
The Founding Females® Heartbeat December 2025
Founding Females® Heartbeat November 2025
Founding Females® Heartbeat October 2025
Founding Females® Heartbeat September 2025
P.S. Here are some of my top favorite female small business resources:
Dream, Build, Grow: A Female’s Step-by-Step Guide for How to Start a Business available on Amazon- a guided handbook including everything you need to know from business idea to launch to profiting and scaling your business.
Dream, Build, Grow Free Resource Suite - free business templates for your business plan, marketing plan, ideal client persona, financial statements, and more!
Founding Females Mastermind- an online female mastermind space for entrepreneurs to connect, support, and get inspired
Free Downloads for Female Entrepreneurs
Free PDF Download: 25 Ways to Market Your Business (Aside from Social Media)
Free PDF Download: 33 keys to Business Success
Free PDF Download: SEO Tips for Entrepreneurs
Related Articles for Female Entrepreneurs
Hi, I’m Francie!
Nice to meet you. I’m the founder of Founding Females®. Some call me a business sage because I love to empower female entrepreneurs to breathe life into the business dreams God called them to.
After feeling like a misfit in the corporate world, I discovered a life I loved waking up to through business ownership.
I’m the author of Dream, Build, Grow: A Female’s Step-by-Step Guide for How to Start a Business, a guided journal helping hundreds of women start and grow their businesses.
I’m also a passionate entrepreneurship hype girl, female leader, public speaker, and community enthusiast.
My MBA and 10 years in a corporate career and in business ownership positioned me as an entrepreneurship educator with forward-thinking strategies for starting and growing successful businesses.
As a community leader, I realized other women could thrive with the right guidance and support. I created the Founding Females® Mastermind Community that provides a safe space for women to build better businesses.
I believe that anyone with a dream on their heart can pull up a seat to change the world through entrepreneurship. Looking to grow your own business? Click for info about how to work with me.
About Founding Females®
The mission of Founding Females® is to help women build thriving businesses. We create safe spaces for women to share business challenges and receive peer support.
In addition, Founding Females® offers an online female business mastermind, a how-to guidebook for female entrepreneurs called Dream, Build, Grow: A Female’s Step-by-Step Guide for How to Start a Business, and in-person events, like an annual women’s business conference and local Founding Females® Meet Ups.
Founding Females® was founded by small business educator, Francie Hinrichsen. She believes anyone with a dream on their heart can pull up a seat to change the world through entrepreneurship. Click to learn more about working with Francie.
We recently clarified our 2026 mission at Founding Females®: Open doors for 10,000 female entrepreneurs.
We open one door, and she opens the next, and the ripple continues in perpetuity. It only starts with one. One moment of feeling understood. One encouraging word. One pivotal introduction. One marketing idea. One new client. One celebration after a big win.
Here’s the latest you need to know from Founding Females®…