Banner photo reading: Unlocking Potential: How WeIGNITE Transformed 2 Women-Led Businesses

Unlocking Potential

How WeIGNITE Transformed Two Women-Led Businesses

The journey of entrepreneurship is often a winding path filled with both triumphs and challenges. For women entrepreneurs, particularly those navigating male-dominated industries, the stakes are even higher. Programs like WeIGNITE, designed to support women business owners, offer invaluable resources and guidance.

WeIGNITE, powered by EOS®, the Entrepreneurial Operating System®(a set of simple, practical, real-world tools that help entrepreneurs and leadership teams improve the operational value of their businesses), is a highly interactive, virtual, and in-person WBENC executive education program, brought to you by our 25th anniversary sponsor, Wells Fargo.

During the program, Certified EOS Implementers® help WBEs achieve traction in their businesses through learning to self-implement the Entrepreneurial Operating System described in the book Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman.

We sat down with former WeIgnite participants, Queirra Fenderson (The Ambition Studio®) and Elin Barton (Riveo Creative – two successful women entrepreneurs from our network – to see the profound impact that WeIGNITE has had on their businesses and could have on yours too!

Building a Million-Dollar Vision: Queirra Fenderson's Journey

“After nine years in business, I hoped to learn and implement a business structure that would support the growth of our firm to become a million-dollar business and serve exponentially more leaders.”

Queirra Fenderson, the CEO and Founder of The Ambition Studio®, has dedicated her career to empowering women leaders. Her coaching firm has already made significant strides, helping clients break sales records and achieve more than 1,000% growth without burnout. Yet, after nine years in business, Queirra recognized that in order to scale her company to the million-dollar mark and expand her impact, she needed a more robust business structure.

This led her to the WeIGNITE program, which was recommended by a fellow WBE from our network who had seen tremendous growth after implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). Queirra was particularly drawn to the potential of EOS to provide the structure and accountability necessary to keep her team focused and aligned.

Reflecting on her experience, Queirra highlighted the significance of tools like the Vision/Traction Organizer (V/TO), accountability charts, and the concept of Level 10 meetings. "Businesses need operating systems to keep everyone focused, on track, and accountable in a unified manner," she noted. These elements have not only streamlined operations at The Ambition Studio® but also set the stage for exponential growth.

A New Direction: Elin Barton's Strategic Rebrand

“It's really hard to run a small business and most people, I believe that go into business really don't know much about running business!”

For Elin Barton, founder and CEO of Riveo Creative, the WeIGNITE program came at a pivotal moment. Celebrating 15 years in business, Elin’s company had already established a strong reputation in video marketing. However, Elin felt a pull toward something more meaningful—telling stories of impact and leaning into sustainability.

Having applied to WeIGNITE three times, Elin’s persistence paid off when she was finally accepted into the program, just as her company was undergoing a major rebrand. The timing was serendipitous, as the structure provided by EOS complemented her company’s new direction perfectly. "For the first time in these 15 years, I feel like the burden isn’t on my back only," Barton shared, noting how EOS has empowered her small team of five to share the load and work towards common goals.

One of the most significant changes for Elin’s team has been the clarity and focus that EOS has brought to their operations. The concept of “Rocks”—key priorities that drive the business forward—has helped everyone understand their roles and contributions. This shared vision has energized the team, allowing them to move the needle in ways that were previously unattainable.

A Transformative Experience

“This is the single most important thing I’ve done for my business in all the 15 years we’ve been in business.”

The experiences shared by Queirra and Elin underscore the transformative potential of the WeIGNITE program. For Queirra, it has laid the foundation for scaling her business to new heights. For Elin, it has breathed new life into her company, aligning her team with a shared mission and clear goals. Elin went as far as to say: “This is the single most important thing I’ve done for my business in all the 15 years we’ve been in business.”

For women considering participating in WeIGNITE, their message is clear: the investment is worth it, and the impact can be truly game-changing!

Find out more about WeIGNITE here!