Thank you for your interest in applying to the James Beard Foundation’s Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (WEL) program. This application should take no longer than one (1) hour to complete.
To help you prepare: you will need up to two (2) professional references. We also ask for revenue and net profit numbers for 2023, 2022, and 2021 and total number of full-time and part-time staff. We may request to see a copy of your P&Ls for verification.
The WEL program is an advanced educational, training, and networking program for women in the hospitality industry. Targeted to owners or co-owners of one or more food or beverage businesses with a brick-and-mortar location in the United States, the curriculum will address advanced business and finance concepts while also providing gender-specific training and leadership development.
To qualify for WEL, you must be:
- 21 years of age or older
- A woman or nonbinary individual
- A current owner or co-owner of one or more food or beverage businesses with a brick-and-mortar location in the United States
- Have a minimum of $1M in annual revenue (from one or multiple businesses)
- Prepared to partake in an intensive entrepreneurial management program that also provides training and leadership development
- Committed to mandatory attendance to each session
- Committed to active engagement with cohort
- Committed to filling out mandatory follow-up surveys immediately upon completion of the program, then 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years post-program, as well as yearly check-ins
The program will be held virtually every Monday from 2 to 4 P.M. ET starting on September 11, 2023 and concluding on December 4, 2023. Live classes will not take place on October 9 and November 20.
Please only apply if you are able to commit to all the dates listed. Your certificate of completion and participation in future WEL events is contingent upon attending every class session. We recommend blocking the course dates on your calendar when you submit your application to ensure that you can attend if selected.
The application for the 2023 WEL cohort closes on June 12th at 11:59 P.M. EST
A maximum of 20 applicants will be selected. A committee consisting of industry leaders, WEL alumnae, and James Beard Foundation staff will review all applications. All applicants will be notified by August 1.
If you have any questions, please reach out to womensleadership@jamesbeard.org.
Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership 2023 Fall Cohort Application
Thank you for your interest in applying to the James Beard Foundation’s Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (WEL) program. This application should take no longer than one (1) hour to complete.
To help you prepare: you will need up to two (2) professional references. We also ask for revenue and net profit numbers for 2023, 2022, and 2021 and total number of full-time and part-time staff. We may request to see a copy of your P&Ls for verification.
The WEL program is an advanced educational, training, and networking program for women in the hospitality industry. Targeted to owners or co-owners of one or more food or beverage businesses with a brick-and-mortar location in the United States, the curriculum will address advanced business and finance concepts while also providing gender-specific training and leadership development.
To qualify for WEL, you must be:
- 21 years of age or older
- A woman or nonbinary individual
- A current owner or co-owner of one or more food or beverage businesses with a brick-and-mortar location in the United States
- Have a minimum of $1M in annual revenue (from one or multiple businesses)
- Prepared to partake in an intensive entrepreneurial management program that also provides training and leadership development
- Committed to mandatory attendance to each session
- Committed to active engagement with cohort
- Committed to filling out mandatory follow-up surveys immediately upon completion of the program, then 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years post-program, as well as yearly check-ins
The program will be held virtually every Monday from 2 to 4 P.M. ET starting on September 11, 2023 and concluding on December 4, 2023. Live classes will not take place on October 9 and November 20.
Please only apply if you are able to commit to all the dates listed. Your certificate of completion and participation in future WEL events is contingent upon attending every class session. We recommend blocking the course dates on your calendar when you submit your application to ensure that you can attend if selected.
The application for the 2023 WEL cohort closes on June 12th at 11:59 P.M. EST
A maximum of 20 applicants will be selected. A committee consisting of industry leaders, WEL alumnae, and James Beard Foundation staff will review all applications. All applicants will be notified by August 1.
If you have any questions, please reach out to womensleadership@jamesbeard.org.