Founder Spotlight: Jessica Gaffney

Meet Jessica Gaffney, founder of Pro Mama, and DivInc alumnus featured in this month’s Founder Spotlight series

Origin Story: I've always been an entrepreneur at heart. It started with a babysitting business when I was a teenager and I've launched two other companies since then. In between, my career path has certainly not been a straight line. It began in the fashion industry (where I launched my first company) and then I moved into entertainment marketing and then into non-profit. When I became a mother, I quickly realized that highly professional women were being left out of the workforce (or being forced to take demotions) because they needed a flexible schedule. With my business partner, Ariele Rosch, we decided to tackle this problem by launching Pro Mama, a platform that helps talent-seeking companies find high quality talent (mamas). It combined two things I am really passionate about - entrepreneurialism and supporting women. Ariele and I worked really hard on our company but ultimately couldn't find enough capital or product market fit. Now, I am the CEO and Executive Director for Beam, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that advances women entrepreneurs. Looking back, I am grateful for my non-linear career path and my entrepreneurial experiences because they have prepared me for my current, life-changing role.

Biggest Obstacle I’ve Faced:  The biggest obstacle I faced was accessing early stage capital. At Beam, we know that accessing capital is women founders biggest barrier to growth so it's really no surprise. That struggle has provided fuel for doing the work I currently do, that's for sure.

Advice I’d give someone thinking of starting their own business: I used to think of my entrepreneurial experiences that didn't work out as huge failures. My experience taught me to think more objectively, to focus on what I learned from those experiences, and to think of them as just another stepping stone in my journey. That shift in perspective has made all the difference for me and I'd highly recommend it.

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