Empowered Women International

Entrepreneur Training for Success History and Student Achievements

The training curriculum is designed by Marga Fripp, an award-winning journalist, social entrepreneur and dynamic marketing coach, who understood the needs and struggles of the talented immigrant communities, yet lacking knowledge on how to market their work and navigate a complex system.

Marga launched the program in 2005 to create economic opportunities and provide business and marketing assistance to  immigrant women artists, artisans and other creative entrepreneurs in need of markets and creative outlets and approaches to tell their stories and sell their goods.

Over the past 5 years more than 100 women graduated from EWI Entrepreneur Training for Success and became successful, integrated members of their communities who contribute economically, socially and culturally.

Of EWI beneficiaries surveyed last year, 80% reported that they increased their income, changed jobs for “better” positions, and/or enrolled in college or other educational programs.  Seventy percent had taught art in schools, volunteered in their communities, or partnered with EWI to sell their products.  EWI graduates have gone on to exhibit, perform, and sell their works in renowned venues such as The Smithsonian, The Textile Museum, The Torpedo Factory, The Kennedy Center, and the Strathmore.

In a survey conducted this year of new program graduates, 80% rated their abilities as “Good” or “Excellent” in the areas of setting & achieving goals, networking & communicating with the public, English fluency, and managing money, and 60% rated their abilities as “Good” or “Excellent” in the areas of marketing & business skills, and presentation & public speaking skills.

A full 100% of EWI graduates rated their self-confidence as “Good” or “Excellent.”  On a scale of 1 to 9, 80% of EWI graduates rated the impact of EWI on their personal & professional success as a 9, “Very Strong Impact,” with an average rating of 8.75 out of 9.

What Our Graduates Have Accomplished after EWI Training

Sushmita Mazumdar, Writer, Book Artist & Educator

Empowered Women International has played an important role in Sushmita’s success. When she decided to turn her bookmaking hobby into a business, she knew she needed help.

She enrolled in some business classes, but was discouraged to find that her teachers and fellow students couldn’t grasp what she was doing and didn’t know how to help her. She stumbled onto EWI by chance and met with Marga Fripp. Sushmita was overjoyed to find that Marga instantly understood her vision and was able to guide her in many of the areas where she felt ill-equipped, such as marketing, copyright law, and contracts.

She completed the EWI Entrepreneur Training for Success Class 2008 and has continued to rely on EWI for help as she navigates the small business world. She explains, “EWI is different because it understands artists and business. It also understands that artists don’t understand business.” Sushmita has also turned to EWI to provide the sounding board so necessary for artists – something she had when she worked in ad agencies and that she sorely missed before finding EWI. “They are my co-workers and my bosses,” she says. “If an idea doesn’t work, they are the ones who I can trust to tell me.”

With the help and support of EWI, Sushmita has been able to create a business out of her passion for story and her unique artistic ability. Doing so has brought her into contact with many of the collaborators that she has since worked with, allowing her to create more diverse projects. Book by book, story by story, she continues her work, building bridges to many different worlds. Written by Therese Pennefather

Alison Sigethy, Glass Artist

Alison is an accomplished kayaker and artist. In recent years, Alison has been awarded the Emerging Artist Award from Artomatic, as well as making Artomatic’s Top 10 Picks Lists.  Besides her love for the outdoors, Alison uses glass to create art that often look as if they are alive.  She even recycles glass to create this art, saving it from landfills while also making use of it.

“Since graduation from the EWI Entrepreneur Training for Success, 2007, my art career has really taken off. Accomplishments include being juried into the Torpedo Factory Art Center in 2007, getting my own studio in 2009, winning Artist of the Year there in 2010, and getting a solo show (scheduled for January 2011). I also got into the prestigious Smithsonian Craft Show in 2010 and my work is currently carried in the Phillips Collection museum shop. Things are going quite well and I owe much of it to EWI.” Alison Sigethy

Mariana Fernandez, Set Designer

After completing EWI Entrepreneur Training, Class 2007, new doors opened up for Mariana.  With EWI’s assistance, she redesigned her resume and portfolio. In combination with a recommendation from Marga Fripp, EWI’s President, these helped her land jobs at local theater companies and at the University of Maryland in College Park.  She was inspired to create a professional website showcasing her work (with the enormous help of a generous Mexican friend). Mariana continued to build her portfolio as a set designer for several productions at the Gala Theater and other local theaters. She also expanded her work into international theater festivals in Europe and Latin America.

In 2009, EWI also encouraged Mariana to apply for the Mark K. Joseph Professional Development Award.  After putting in long hours on the application with Marga’s assistance, Mariana went onto win the award in recognition of the energy, expertise and high standard she has brought to the stage production program.

This recognition in turn opened even more doors for Mariana, whose current projects include working as the scenic artist for “The Nutcracker” at the Baltimore School for the Arts, the set designer for a children’s premier play at Galita (GALA’s Children’s Theater), set designer for a musical at the Inter-American Development Bank’s Barbara Simon Theater, and a set design advisor for one of her students for the Baltimore School for the Arts. Written by Emily Cintora

Read more success stories or learn about other biz graduates of EWI Entrepreneur Training for Success

To learn more about this EWI Entrepreneur Training for Success, contact Marga at cfripp@aol.com