BOTOX® Cosmetic Reveals 2024 Women Entrepreneur Grant Recipients

Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie company (NYSE: ABBV) revealed this year’s 20 BOTOX^® Cosmetic grant recipients. Each inspiring woman entrepreneur will receive a $25,000 grant and mentorship. And she will have access to community through the BOTOX^® Cosmetic grant program in partnership with IFundWomen. The winners were hand-selected by a panel of experts with support from IFundWomen, aesthetic provider entrepreneurs and Allergan Aesthetics executives. 

“We were overwhelmed with the response to this year’s program, receiving nearly 11,000 applications, almost double what we received in 2023,” said Carrie Strom, President, Allergan Aesthetics and Senior Vice President, AbbVie. “This influx of applications further reinforces the need for this program. We are thrilled to support extraordinary women entrepreneurs. Last year’s recipients inspired us to continue to empower confidence among women entrepreneurs. Based on their feedback, we offer enhanced coaching and greater networking opportunities.”

Women grant recipients

The number of women-owned businesses in the country continues to grow. But less than three percent of venture capital (VC) funding goes to these businesses, with less than one percent of VC funding going to Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) women entrepreneurs. Additionally, women entrepreneurs report higher levels of burnout due to various reasons, including feelings of isolation, reinforcing the need for community among these women. These disparities create ample opportunity for the BOTOX^® Cosmetic grant program to further help bridge the Confidence Gap in the workplace.

Support for the 2024 class kicked off on June 6 in New York City with an entrepreneur bootcamp hosted by BOTOX^® Cosmetic featuring entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Live Tinted, Deepica Mutyala. The event featured additional executive-level coaches, including 2023 BOTOX^® Cosmetic grant recipients: Talia Boone, CEO and founder of Postal Petals^®; Erica Cole, founder of No Limbits; Chrishon Lampley, CEO and founder of Love Cork Screw; and Maria Palacio co-founder and CEO of Progeny Coffee.

Meet the 2024 grant recipients and their businesses

• Bo & Mei – Mai Truong (New York, N.Y.) – @boandmei
• Ellavate Wagon – Megan Lancaster (Newport Beach, Calif.) – @ellavate_wagon
• EQWAL Footing – Natasha Standard (New York, N.Y.) – @eqwalfooting
• Esōes Cosmetics – Joy Hoover (Las Vegas, Nev.) – @esoescosmetics
• Floof Cotton Candy – Hannah Perry (Auburn, Calif.) – @floof.cottoncandy
• Girlie Garage – Talena Handley (San Diego, Calif.) – @girliegarage
• GOALS Sports LLC – Caroline Fitzgerald (Pittsburgh, Pa.) – @goals_sports_
• Guardian Lane – Kristina Jones (Los Angeles, Calif.) – @guardianlane
• Iwi Nails – Līhau Willing (Kaunakakai, Hawaii) – @iwi.nails.hi
• Le Village Cowork – Daniella Cornue (Chicago, Ill.) – @levillagecowork
• OCOA Beauty – Cory & Nicol Varona (Reading, Pa.) – @ocoabeauty
• Ourside – Keta Burke-Williams (New York, N.Y.) – @ourside.nyc
• Pippy Sips – Amberlee Venti (Philadelphia, Pa.) – @pippysips
• PuffCuff LLC – Ceata E. Lash (Marietta, Ga.) – @thepuffcuff
• Rose Cat Coffee Company LLC – Brenda Kasaty (Lincoln, Neb.) – @rosecatcoffee
• SALUBATA – Yewande Akinse (Los Angeles, Calif.) – @salubata
• ShampooTime^® – Kia-Shun Voltz (Red Oak, Texas) – @loveshampootime
• SPRHRA – Marina Paul (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) – @shopsuperhera
• Vontélle LLC – Nancey Harris (New York, N.Y.) – @vontelleeyewear
• Wukkout!^® LLC – Krista Martins (New York, N.Y.) – @wukkout

“Watching the 2023 winners receive so much more than just funding inspired me to apply for the 2024 BOTOX^® Cosmetic grant program. As a BIPOC woman entrepreneur, I face systemic barriers that impact access to capital, networking opportunities, representation and more,” said Natasha Standard, founder of EQWAL Footing. “Seeing the platform and resources BOTOX^® Cosmetic provided to the 2023 grant recipients inspired me to trust them with my story and my business. I applied for the 2024 grant. I want to thank the selection panel for choosing me as one of the 20 women offered this amazing opportunity.”

Selection team

The entrepreneur healthcare professionals who aided in the grant recipient selection included Amy Shecter, CEO of Cast Jewelry and former CEO of Ever/Body; Carmen Kavali, MD, Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon and Owner at Monarch Plastic Surgery and Skin Renewal Center; Caroline Robinson, MD, FAAD, Board-Certified Dermatologist and Founder of Tone Dermatology; Kavita Mariwalla, MD, FAAD, Double Board-Certified Dermatologist and Mohs Surgeon and Founder of Mariwalla Dermatology; Nicci Levy, Entrepreneur and the CEO and Founder at ALCHEMY 43; Sarmela Sunder, MD, Double Board-Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon and Founder of Sunder Plastic Surgery; Shawna Chrisman, Board-Certified Nurse Practitioner and Founder of Destination Aesthetics Medical Spa™; Young Cho, MD, PhD, Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon and Co-Founder at Integrated Aesthetics.

BOTOX^® Cosmetic and IFundWomen will host an immersive ten-week Crowdfunding Coaching Accelerator program for the 20 grant recipients. The program will offer them educational courses led by experts across various industries. The program will also help them build a network among their fellow women entrepreneurs. Recipients will have access to these experts as they launch their crowdfunding campaigns and will be provided with a range of educational and networking opportunities.

Visit BotoxCosmetic.com/RealImpact to learn more about the partnership, the grant recipients and to explore how you can lend your support when crowdfunding initiatives launch. Each of the founders and their businesses will be spotlighted throughout the year and featured on @botoxcosmetic Instagram and YouTube.

About Allergan Aesthetics

At Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie company, we develop, manufacture and market a portfolio of leading aesthetics brands and products. Our aesthetics portfolio includes facial injectables, body contouring, plastics, skin care and more. Our goal is to consistently provide our customers with innovation, education, exceptional service and a commitment to excellence, all with a personal touch. For more information, visit www.allerganaesthetics.com.

About AbbVie

AbbVie’s mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people’s lives across several key therapeutic areas. These areas include immunology, oncology, neuroscience and eye care and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube.

About IFundWomen

IFundWomen is the go-to funding marketplace for entrepreneurs. The organization’s mission is to close the money gap for women-owned businesses through its proprietary mix of capital, coaching and connections. Since its founding, IFundWomen has empowered its members to raise $278M in early-stage capital and to create 55,000 new jobs, helping fuel the small businesses economy. IFundWomen’s marketplace offers its members multiple access points to capital, including crowdfunding, enterprise-brokered grants, collateral-free loans and the best funding of all – revenue, through its newest product, IFundWomen ServicesX, a marketplace connecting independent business services experts to customers. To learn more about IFundWomen, please visit www.ifundwomen.com. Follow @ifundwomen on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok.