November 11, 2024

Starting and running a business is not easy under the best of circumstances. Women in 2019 received only 3% of all venture capital funding, with women of color receiving only 0.2% For women entrepreneurs, the challenges can be even greater as research has shown they often have less access to the tools and resources needed to launch and sustain successful businesses. One important resource is access to mentors, and 72 percent of female founders say it's difficult to find a mentor, particularly in today's environment. That’s why leaders from Frito-Lay and parent company, PepsiCo, have committed to helping female entrepreneurs.

PepsiCo has long championed diversity and innovation, and continues to invest in entrepreneurs within the food and beverage space, specifically female founders. One of those investments has been in the WomanMade community, a forum dedicated to giving women entrepreneurs peer-to-peer mentorship, access to tools, relevant content and expert guidance.

Recently, three leaders from Frito-Lay and PepsiCo addressed the many challenges these enterprising women face. Dan Donohue, vice president of sales at Frito-Lay, Kent Montgomery, vice president and general manager of the global customer team at PepsiCo, and Carrie Sprintz, vice president of sales at PepsiCo spoke to attendees at a WomanMade event, sharing their expertise on how to build exceptional customer partnerships and take your business to the next level of growth.

“Helping these women overcome the hurdles of creating a business is very rewarding,” explained Carrie. “I admire their perseverance and their drive, and I’m only too happy to offer insights I hope will empower them.”

“It’s a real privilege to be a resource to these enterprising women,” stated Dan. “I personally enjoy sharing wisdom obtained through our many business partnerships at PepsiCo, in the hopes that these women entrepreneurs can leverage that knowledge for their own business opportunities.”

“During these incredibly challenging times, due to the pandemic, launching and sustaining a business is more difficult than ever,” concluded Kent. “That is why it’s important for us to do what we can to support these new business founders. I’m proud that PepsiCo is so committed to helping diverse businesses thrive.”