Company

Jennifer Freitas walked into a bank to secure a business loan. She was only 29 at the time but was in a better financial position than most of her peers: no debt, and enough money in her account to guarantee the loan. Still, she was denied—unless her dad co-signed. 62% of women entrepreneurs report that they experience some form of gender bias during the funding process. Through the stories of Jennifer and other women, we dive into the funding gender gap.

Many warn against mixing business with pleasure—but not these founders. In this heartfelt and candid series, Partners—in Business and Bed, you’ll hear from couples who not only weave their lives together romantically but professionally as well. We’re the ultimate third wheel, with you along for the ride. 

There is no better evidence of the power that failure holds than in the trajectory of small business owners, many of whom leap into a passion or a big idea without all of the answers—or the money. Reaching the other side, though, is the harder part. In our series, we asked successful business owners about their most spectacular failures, and how they survived them. These are their stories about overcoming adversity.

Elizabeth Grojean founded Baloo Living, a business that sells weighted blankets sourced from eco-friendly materials, after a trip to Bali left her questioning the corporate rat race. However, after unplanned press coverage left her scrambling to fulfill orders, Elizabeth started her search for a fulfillment partner—unfortunately, she found that most were rarely able to deliver what was promised.