Talent is equal; access is not.
Our mission at Silver Lining is to use the assets, influences, and resources we have to create a more just world. As a part of this mission, we have created the Impact 5X Economic Justice Project.
Talent is equal; access is not.
Our mission at Silver Lining is to use the assets, influences, and resources we have to create a more just world. As a part of this mission, we have created the Impact 5X Economic Justice Project.
“Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.”
Benjamin Franklin
“Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.”
Benjamin Franklin
We have worked with 10 000+ SMBs in over 25 countries and…
we have gained incredibly valuable insights including:
- Behavior Change Science Works – when someone is ready to take action and has resources, support, and structure wrapped around them – they CAN hit their goals. Our 13-month program has a meaningful impact on small business owners’ success rates. Scaling this success, we have the power to reduce poverty, increase job creation, develop strong communities, and create a more just economy.
- Character is More Important Than Charisma – the attributes that we so often celebrate in entrepreneurs are not what it really takes to grow a business. Based on the significant data that we collect through our SaaS platform, we know that focus, discipline, and accountability create success. These are not things you need to be born with – these are traits we can develop in every human.
- Small Business is BIG – we need to consciously foster a strong sense of pride in all small business owners. The story of entrepreneurship has become focused on raising millions, selling for billions, and building apps. The backbone of the economy, however, is and always will be small business owners. They are the ones who create jobs, pay taxes, contribute to their communities, and yet too often are overlooked.
- We Need Justice, Not Philanthropy – the old-school model for business owners focuses on getting rich at all costs – and then, once rich, giving money away. That model is not working. We must instill a new sense of responsibility among business leaders to use their businesses as a tool for justice.
- Privilege Creates Privilege – the reality is that for those of us lucky enough to be born into any privilege, the hard work we invest gets outsized rewards. We don’t have to feel guilty about our privilege – but we must use it to create businesses and opportunities that result in an equal chance of success for everyone.
We have worked with 10 000+ SMBs in over 25 countries and…
we have gained incredibly valuable insights including:
- Behavior Change Science Works – when someone is ready to take action and has resources, support, and structure wrapped around them – they CAN hit their goals. Our 13-month program has a meaningful impact on small business owners’ success rates. Scaling this success, we have the power to reduce poverty, increase job creation, develop strong communities, and create a more just economy.
- Character is More Important Than Charisma – the attributes that we so often celebrate in entrepreneurs are not what it really takes to grow a business. Based on the significant data that we collect through our SaaS platform, we know that focus, discipline, and accountability create success. These are not things you need to be born with – these are traits we can develop in every human.
- Small Business is BIG – we need to consciously foster a strong sense of pride in all small business owners. The story of entrepreneurship has become focused on raising millions, selling for billions, and building apps. The backbone of the economy, however, is and always will be small business owners. They are the ones who create jobs, pay taxes, contribute to their communities, and yet too often are overlooked.
- We Need Justice, Not Philanthropy – the old-school model for business owners focuses on getting rich at all costs – and then, once rich, giving money away. That model is not working. We must instill a new sense of responsibility among business leaders to use their businesses as a tool for justice.
- Privilege Creates Privilege – the reality is that for those of us lucky enough to be born into any privilege, the hard work we invest gets outsized rewards. We don’t have to feel guilty about our privilege – but we must use it to create businesses and opportunities that result in an equal chance of success for everyone.
Impact at Scale
We started Impact 50 in 2019 to provide 50 socially and economically disadvantaged business owners from around the world with structure and support, share their data and stories, and prove that talent is equal, but access is not.
In 2020, Covid-19 laid bare the vast scope of global injustice and inspired us to expand the initiative to support 500 businesses.
Tackling systemic bias and inequality is lifelong work, and in 2021 we renamed the initiative Impact 5X to signal our long-term commitment to Xponential impact.
We started Impact 50 in 2019 to provide 50 socially and economically disadvantaged business owners from around the world with structure and support, share their data and stories, and prove that talent is equal, but access is not.
In 2020, Covid-19 laid bare the vast scope of global injustice and inspired us to expand the initiative to support 500 businesses.
Tackling systemic bias and inequality is lifelong work, and in 2021 we renamed the initiative Impact 5X to signal our long-term commitment to Xponential impact.
Program Strategy
Impact 5X combats systemic bias and inequality and helps more small businesses succeed by providing underserved business owners with access to the same people, products, and services as their more privileged counterparts, exploring when community-specific programming makes sense and reframing the entrepreneurial narrative to open hearts and minds, combat prejudice, and activate ALL stakeholders to do their part.
Program Strategy
Impact 5X combats systemic bias and inequality and helps more small businesses succeed by providing underserved business owners with access to the same people, products, and services as their more privileged counterparts, exploring when community-specific programming makes sense and reframing the entrepreneurial narrative to open hearts and minds, combat prejudice, and activate ALL stakeholders to do their part.
Create Equal Opportunity for Under-served Small Business Owners
Working together with Impact Partners who know their communities best, we provide small business owners from diverse locations, economies, races, religions, gender associations, ages, and physical abilities with best-in-class structure and support and access to peer, business, and capital networks.
Improve the Cultural Competency of Small Business Support
Sometimes access is not enough. By leveraging data generated through our SaaS platform and the insights and experiences of the Impact Partners, we identify opportunities to improve small business support products and services’ cultural competency.
Use Storytelling
to Shift Perspectives
In partnership with artists, creatives, storytellers and filmmakers, we are using stories of the participating small business owners to create multimedia installations and projects and reframe the story of entrepreneurship.
5X Impact Partners
Each cohort of 20-50 small businesses is led by an Impact Partner representative of and works with an underserved community. Impact Partners deliver a customized program experience tailored to the needs of their communities. They also contribute to our shared understanding of how small business owners may experience bias and inequality, how the experiences have affected business owners’ ability to access, leverage, and benefit from small business support, and what types of ideas and innovations would improve the cultural competency of small business support for their respective communities. Logos represent confirmed Impact Partners, and we are in active conversations with Impact and Funding Partners to finalize all cohorts.
5X Impact Partners
Each cohort of 20-50 small businesses is led by an Impact Partner representative of and works with an underserved community. Impact Partners deliver a customized program experience tailored to the needs of their communities. They also contribute to our shared understanding of how small business owners may experience bias and inequality, how the experiences have affected business owners’ ability to access, leverage, and benefit from small business support, and what types of ideas and innovations would improve the cultural competency of small business support for their respective communities. Logos represent confirmed Impact Partners, and we are in active conversations with Impact and Funding Partners to finalize all cohorts.
IMPACT 50
Bringing together business owners who represent global diversity in age, race, religion, location, gender association, and physical ability to prove that talent is equal, but access is not. By sharing these global stories, we aim to combat bias and discrimination.
AMPLIFIER 50
Driving business and creative momentum for entrepreneurs in majority Black communities.
RESILIENT 50
Increasing success and investor readiness for refugee-led small businesses globally.
OVERCOMING 50
Supporting ex-convicts who are building small businesses and creating a new life for themselves.
LGBTQA 50
Exploring the unique realities and challenges faced by LGBTQA business owners around the world.
The Impact 5X Cohort Leaders form a Think Tank where leaders can share experiences, learn from each other, and, ultimately, work together to identify best practices. The aim is to share the knowledge and learnings widely to further educate others on better supporting under-served small business owners to increase success rates.
IMPACT 50
Bringing together business owners who represent global diversity in age, race, religion, location, gender association, and physical ability to prove that talent is equal, but access is not. By sharing these global stories, we aim to combat bias and discrimination.
AMPLIFIER 50
Driving business and creative momentum for entrepreneurs in majority Black communities.
RESILIENT 50
Increasing success and investor readiness for refugee-led small businesses globally.
OVERCOMING 50
Supporting ex-convicts who are building small businesses and creating a new life for themselves.
LGBTQA 50
Exploring the unique realities and challenges faced by LGBTQA business owners around the world.
FEMALE 50
Focused on increasing the revenue and profit of women-led businesses.
The Impact 5X Cohort Leaders form a Think Tank where leaders can share experiences, learn from each other, and, ultimately, work together to identify best practices. The aim is to share the knowledge and learnings widely to further educate others on better supporting under-served small business owners to increase success rates.
The SMB Experience
Combining our SLAP™ program, GoDaddy’s Empower program and the experience and wisdom of our Impact Partners, we will give each small business owner the opportunity to build a strong business strategy and access to all of the structure and support they need to hit their goals.
The SMB Experience
Combining our SLAP™ program, GoDaddy’s Empower program and the experience and wisdom of our Impact Partners, we will give each small business owner the opportunity to build a strong business strategy and access to all of the structure and support they need to hit their goals.
Small Businesses Profile
- Owner-operated
- Their business is their full-time job
- Non-venture backed/bootstrapped
- Any industry
- In Business 2+ Years
- Business revenue is owner’s primary source of income
- Located anywhere in the world
- Belong to an underserved or marginalized community (race, ethnicity, religion, citizenship, gender, age or physical ability)
Small Businesses Profile
- Owner-operated
- Their business is their full-time job
- Non-venture backed/bootstrapped
- Any industry
- In Business 2+ Years
- Business revenue is owner’s primary source of income
- Located anywhere in the world
- Belong to an underserved or marginalized community (race, ethnicity, religion, citizenship, gender, age or physical ability)
Partnership Opportunities
We are looking to engage with values-aligned individuals and organizations who share our mission to create a more just economy – one small business at a time.
Partnership Opportunities
We are looking to engage with values-aligned individuals and organizations who share our mission to create a more just economy – one small business at a time.
Impact Champions
This incredible group of successful business leaders knows that tackling systemic bias and inequality requires more than philanthropy. In addition to a financial contribution, they champion 5X Impact Partners and the participating small businesses with their time, shared connections, and a willingness to listen and learn.
Impact Champions
This incredible group of successful business leaders knows that tackling systemic bias and inequality requires more than philanthropy. In addition to a financial contribution, they champion 5X Impact Partners and the participating small businesses with their time, shared connections, and a willingness to listen and learn.
Hussain Al-Jibory | | Toronto, Canada
Founder & CEO, HelloArt
Mona Awad | New York, USA
EVP, Embodied Feminine Woman Institute
James Benedict | New York, USA
Co-Founder, Left Tackle Capital
Kirsten Bradford | Los Angeles, USA
Founder & CEO, Spohn Ranch
Nicole Contos | New York, USA
Founder & CEO, Smooth Synergy
Renate Crollini | New York, USA
Management Consultant, Robin Hood Foundation
Allison Engel | Los Angeles, USA
Sr Director, Diversity & Inclusion, Northwestern Mutual
Brian Finn | New York, USA
Founder & CEO, Marstar Investments
Carrie Freeman | Albuquerque, USA
Co-CEO, SecondMuse
Susan Gretchko | New York, USA
Entrepreneur & Investor
Will Hogan | New York, USA
Principal, Bequia Securities
Gerard Holland | Melbourne, Australia
Co-Founder & CEO, Outcome Life
Perry Hollowell | Los Angeles, USA
Sr Portfolio Manager, Guggenheim Partners
Lisa Kornick | Chicago, USA
Co-Founder, First Women’s Bank
Tamara Laine | New York, USA
Chief Marketing Officer, A.Lynn
Dr. Jen Messina | New York, USA
Founder, Messina Leadership Advising
Sari Miller | New York, USA
CEO, Sarjay Inc
Vince Molinari | New York, USA
Founder & CEO, Molinari Media
Colleen Molter | New York, USA
Founder & CEO, QED National
Robyn Morrison | New York, USA
Founder, MORR Strategy
Rob Samuelsen | CFO, Pima Association
CFO, Pima Association
Stephen Sheinbaum | New York, USA
Founder & CEO, Circadian Funding
Jeff Snyder | New York, USA
Founder & CEO, Inspira Marketing
Mamie Kanfer Stewart | New York, USA
Founder, The Modern Manager
John Verbrugge | Grand Rapids, USA
Founder & CEO, Transcend Tech
Julie Walters | New York, USA
Founder & Executive Director, Raremark
Hussain Al-Jibory | | Toronto, Canada
Founder & CEO, HelloArt
Mona Awad | New York, USA
EVP, Embodied Feminine Woman Institute
James Benedict | New York, USA
Co-Founder, Left Tackle Capital
Kirsten Bradford | Los Angeles, USA
Founder & CEO, Spohn Ranch
Nicole Contos | New York, USA
Founder & CEO, Smooth Synergy
Renate Crollini | New York, USA
Management Consultant, Robin Hood Foundation
Allison Engel | Los Angeles, USA
Sr Director, Diversity & Inclusion, Northwestern Mutual
Brian Finn | New York, USA
Founder & CEO, Marstar Investments
Carrie Freeman | Albuquerque, USA
Co-CEO, SecondMuse
Susan Gretchko | New York, USA
Entrepreneur & Investor
Will Hogan | New York, USA
Principal, Bequia Securities
Gerard Holland | Melbourne, Australia
Co-Founder & CEO, Outcome Life
Perry Hollowell | Los Angeles, USA
Sr Portfolio Manager, Guggenheim Partners
Lisa Kornick | Chicago, USA
Co-Founder, First Women’s Bank
Tamara Laine | New York, USA
Chief Marketing Officer, A.Lynn
Dr. Jen Messina | New York, USA
Founder, Messina Leadership Advising
Sari Miller | New York, USA
CEO, Sarjay Inc
Vince Molinari | New York, USA
Founder & CEO, Molinari Media
Colleen Molter | New York, USA
Founder & CEO, QED National
Robyn Morrison | New York, USA
Founder, MORR Strategy
Rob Samuelsen | CFO, Pima Association
CFO, Pima Association
Stephen Sheinbaum | New York, USA
Founder & CEO, Circadian Funding
Jeff Snyder | New York, USA
Founder & CEO, Inspira Marketing
Mamie Kanfer Stewart | New York, USA
Founder, The Modern Manager
John Verbrugge | Grand Rapids, USA
Founder & CEO, Transcend Tech
Julie Walters | New York, USA
Founder & Executive Director, Raremark