The morning following The WIE Suite and Diane von Furstenberg’s InCharge gathering with the focus shifting from legacy to what comes next — the founders actively building the future.
On March 19, The WIE Suite hosted its annual 2 Million Mentor Minutes LIVE initiative at DVF studio in Manhattan, convening a curated group of emerging female founders for an intimate morning of mentorship, strategy, and candid conversation. Held in partnership with Diane von Furstenberg and in celebration of Women’s History Month, this year’s program was intentionally founder-focused — designed to meet entrepreneurs at a pivotal moment as they navigate early growth, capital decisions, and the realities of scaling a company.
Across the room, founders rotated through mentorship roundtables tackling some of the most urgent questions in the founder journey: how to secure investment in a competitive landscape, build brands that resonate culturally, hire and lead high-performing teams, and translate early traction into sustainable momentum. The format created space for honest dialogue — founders sharing the challenges they are facing in real time, and mentors offering practical insights shaped by their own experiences building category-defining businesses.
This year’s distinguished mentors included Anna Mason (Ingebeorg Investments), Courtney Brown Warren (Kickstarter), Courtney Leimkuhler, (Springbank Collective), Jean Sonia Lee (Google Gemini), Kim Seymour (SKIMS), Michelle Cordeiro Grant (GORGIE), Gregg Renfrew (Counter), and Sally Holmes (InStyle).
Throughout the morning, mentors shared both tactical guidance and the often-unseen realities behind building enduring companies. Conversations ranged from navigating fundraising dynamics and identifying meaningful product-market fit to the growing importance of storytelling, community, and founder conviction. Michelle Cordeiro Grant spoke about building brand loyalty from day one, while Courtney Brown Warren and Sally Holmes emphasized the power of cultural relevance in shaping how modern brands break through. Gregg Renfrew encouraged founders to stay rooted in mission even when the path forward feels uncertain — a sentiment that resonated across the room.
The morning culminated in a pitch showcase, where four selected founders took the stage to present their businesses to the full panel of mentors. The session brought the day’s themes into sharp focus: clarity of vision, strength of storytelling, and the importance of building companies designed not only for growth, but for lasting impact. Mentors offered live feedback and encouragement, creating a powerful moment of visibility and momentum for founders at a critical stage.
By the close of the program, what began as a series of structured mentorship conversations had evolved into a network of new relationships and renewed confidence. As Diane von Furstenberg has long championed, women rise strongest when they rise together – and initiatives like 2 Million Mentor Minutes exist to ensure the next generation of founders has both the insight and the community needed to build what comes next.
