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Program Details

We by Rising Tide is an entrepreneur program sponsored by Central Pacific Bank and aio Foundation, in partnership with YWCA Oahu’s Patsy T. Mink Center for Business and Leadership and Rising Tide Hawaii.

WE by Rising Tide is an11-session program designed for entrepreneurs to hone financial management, marketing, and leadership skills, and provides a host of benefits, including funded marketing consultation and access to established leaders to help selected participants grow their business.  A cohort of 20 entrepreneurs will be selected each year, helping to create a powerful community comprised of business owners and leaders in Hawaii that help each other rise. 

Who is right for the program:

  • Business must be a for-profit, 51% woman-owned business

  • Business must be in operation for a minimum of three years and currently 100% open for business

  • Minimum yearly revenue generation of $250,000 (2024)

  • Maximum yearly revenue generation of $5,000,000 (2024)

Time Commitment:

This is an 10-week program culminating in a graduation. To fully benefit from the WE by Rising Tide program, a commitment of 10 of the 11 sessions, including the Graduation Ceremony, is required. Sessions will take place every Wednesday evening between August 20 and October 22 at Central Pacific Bank’s corporate headquarters in downtown Honolulu.

Expectations:

Graduates of the WE by Rising Tide program will hone their financial management, marketing, and leadership skills with topics ranging from Financial Plan and Cash budget, Understanding Financial Statements, Resources for Growth, and Marketing & Branding.

Program Cost

No program cost. All fees for the 20 entrepreneurs in the fourth cohort are being covered by a grant from Central Pacific Bank.

key dates

  • March 24th, 2025: Applications Open

  • May 31st, 2025: Applications Close

  • May 19th, 2025: Applicant Interviews Begin

Program Schedule*

  • August 20: Opening Session*

  • August 27: Financial Management - Overview of Closely Held Businesses

  • September 3: Financial Management - Understanding Your Business Financial Statements

  • September 10: Financial Management - Financial Plan & Budget

  • September 17: Financial Management - Strategies for Growth & Funding Sources

  • September 24: Journeys to Success

  • October 1: Resources for Growth Speed Mentoring*

  • October 10: Marketing Part 1*

  • October 11: Marketing Part 2*

  • October 15: Cohort Choice

  • October 22: Graduation Ceremony*

    *Neighbor Island cohort members attend in-person with travel provided.

Organization & Participant Benefits

  • Financial management acumen to better manage your business

  • Marketing and branding strategies to help your business grow

  • Exclusive opportunities to network and mentor with successful business owners and executives

  • Build a network of peer support with your cohort and a growing base of alumni

for more information

Questions? Contact Colleen at cmcaluney@ywcaoahu.org or (808) 695-2636

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Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. All MCBL events and services are provided on a nondiscriminatory basis.