In This Issue

• Letter from our Founder

• Your chance to add to Women’s History Month in March

• Many ways our entrepreneurs define success

• Recirculating the WEALF by the numbers

Dear Friends,

We entered 2026 with a great sense of anticipation for what lies ahead. Achieving our 501(c)(3) status marks an important milestone for WEALF, strengthening our organization and deepening our commitment to mission-driven work that expands our impact. WEALF’s journey has been remarkable, and we have even more planned for the next decade. With your support, we will continue to prove that age, zip code, and ethnicity are not barriers to accessing the resources needed to grow a business.

As an organization, we are always seeking meaningful ways to measure the impact of our programs on the women and businesses we support. Some outcomes are tangible, while others are less visible, but all are equally important.

This newsletter highlights just a few examples of what WEALF women accomplished over the past year as they worked toward realizing their dreams. There is much more happening behind the scenes, and we invite you to:

• Spread the word to women entrepreneurs who may benefit from our support

• Share opportunities with business leaders interested in mentoring

• Champion our mission with a tax-deductible donation

  
  

Perhaps this is the year you become more involved in our work. We would love the opportunity to connect, learn about your own business journey, and hear what inspires you about the innovation of women. Let’s work together in 2026!

Regards,

Vicki Weiner

Founder

Women’s Enterprise Action Leadership Fund

DEFINING SUCCESS:

How do we measure our impact? It depends on the goal of the entrepreneur. For some it is building a profitable sustainable business. For others, the end game is to sell.

This past year several WEALF women achieved important goals and tangible measures of success.

Building a Franchise Business

Kerri Quigley, The Fashion Class

Kerri Quigley is taking a different path to success by growing The Fashion Class, an innovative sewing and fashion education business she founded in 2010, into a thriving franchise. Currently, there are three open locations, two in Manhattan that she sold last year, and one in Virginia Beach, VA. She is set to open a company-owned location in River Vale, NJ this April.

Kerri developed a love of fashion, creating her first garments from fabric scraps and a glue gun before her grandmother taught her how to sew. She later attended Parsons School of Design and worked in the fashion industry before launching The Fashion Class.

The Fashion Class offers after-school classes, summer camps, workshops, and school programs where students ages 6–17 learn to sew real, wearable clothing. Kerri recently expanded the brand to include classes and party venues for adults.

Kerri is one of WEALF’s earliest entrepreneurs, receiving her first loan in 2012 to purchase new equipment and expand into new locations. In 2020, she became the first recipient of WEALF’s $25,000 Visionary Award, which she used to further develop and scale the franchise model.

Looking ahead, Kerri plans to continue expanding The Fashion Class nationwide, with a goal of adding ten new franchise locations each year. Thanks to her vision, kids and teens can find their perfect Fashion Class—and many more soon will!

Sustainable Business

Rachel Simons, Seed+Mill

Rachel Simons is celebrating the 10th Anniversary in business for Seed+Mill. In 2016 Rachel Simons and two friends opened a small kiosk in New York’s Chelsea Market serving tahini and halva. Today, the company has grown nationally, and its growing line of products is available in grocery chains, including Whole Foods, specialty shops, restaurant menus, and the company website. They celebrated with a weeklong Collab menu at Seed+Mill Chelsea Market stand, featuring Black seed bagels with chocolate halva cream cheese and Doughnuttery’s mini doughnuts glazed with chocolate tahini.  

Taking a Favorite Product to the Next Level

Rowena Scherer, Eat2Explore

Building on the success of Eat2Expore for children and families, Rowena Scherer’s Company has just introduced Eat2Explore Explorer Boxes for adults. In addition to all the favorite features of the family boxes, recipes from a foreign country, a 16-page booklet about the country, a shopping list, and spices to prepare the dishes, the adult explorer boxes contain a drink pairing brochure with recipes for cocktails and mocktails, along with wine and beer suggestions making them a wonderful centerpiece for entertaining.