Program Details

We by Rising Tide is a Women Entrepreneurs 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 an 11-session program designed for Women 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 Women Entrepreneurs will be selected each year, helping to create a powerful community comprised of women business owners and women leaders in Hawaii that help each other rise. 

Who is right for the program:

  • Business must be 51% woman-owned, for-profit 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 (2023)

  • Maximum yearly revenue generation of $5,000,000 (2023)

Time Commitment:

This is an 11-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 7 and October 9 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 women entrepreneurs in the fourth cohort are being covered by a grant from Central Pacific Bank.

key dates

  • Spring 2025: Applications Open

  • Summer 2025: Applications Close

  • Summer 2025: Applicant Interviews Begin

Program Schedule*

  • August 7: Opening Session*

  • August 14: Financial Management - Overview of Closely Held Businesses

  • August 21: Financial Management - Understanding Your Business Financial Statements

  • August 28: Financial Management - Financial Plan & Budget

  • September 4: Financial Management - Strategies for Growth & Funding Sources

  • September 11: Journeys to Success

  • September 18: Resources for Growth Speed Mentoring*

  • September 27: Marketing Part 1*

  • September 28: Marketing Part 2*

  • October 2: Focus on People - Attracting, Hiring & Retaining Top Talent

  • October 9: Graduation Ceremony*

    *Neighbor Island cohort members attend in-person

    *DATES ARE FROM COHORT 4 AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE

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 women 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.