"SHOW HER THE MONEY" SPEICAL SCREENING GALLERY
On November 8th, 2024 (days after the announcement of our 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump), the Women of Hollywood gathered at Panavision's headquarters in Woodland Hills to watch an impactful documentary, directed by Ky Dickens, produced by Catherine Gray, called "Show Her The Money" about how investing in women is a winning investment strategy.
Alongside Panavision, and our fiscal sponsor FiLM iNDEPENDENT, our event was made possible thanks to the generous donations made by JuneShine, EasyRider, Decabit Sound, Valhalla Grip & Electric, and Neon Soul Yoga.
During the doors open period, guests enjoyed free beverages as well as delicious catering provided by Stonefire Grill, while they mingled in Panavision's beautiful facility. This networking hour was filled with attendees from all different industries, not just the Women of Hollywood.
We opened this event to all genders, allowing our allies to also support us in our mission to inform women on how to maximize their investments.
Post-screening, we hosted a riveting panel conversation with:
Paige Blankenship - (Moderator, Left). With a focus on feature films and an extensive background in branded content and commercials, Paige Blankenship is an accomplished producer excelling in the art of building brand partnerships. From directing an award-winning documentary to producing countless targeted marketing campaigns, she brings a unique blend of creativity and strategic insight to the team. Paige gets excited about telling compelling stories as well as establishing effective brand integrations in cinema. She is dedicated to delivering content that resonates with audiences both on the silver screen and behind the scenes on social media to ensure the success of her clients' investments.
B. Pagels-Minor - (Panelist, Middle). An accomplished Black trans nonbinary lesbian who has significantly impacted the tech industry. As an executive coach, they have helped organizations achieve product-market fit with a focus on product culture. B. Pagels-Minor has helped elevate meaningful conversations on diversity and inclusion as a podcast host and international keynote speaker. Their numerous accolades, including recognition as a Queer 50 and LGBTQ Nation Hero of the Year, serve as a testament to their unwavering dedication to making the world a better place.
Naseem Sayani - (Panelist, Right). Naseem is an Operating Advisor and Venture Partner with How Women Invest Fund III where she invests in 100% female-founded teams across healthcare, climate, fintech, and the future of work at Series A/B. Over the last seven years, Naseem has invested as a VC and an angel in 30+ pre-seed and seed-stage companies led by ambitious female founders who are changing foundational systems, access, and equity so that women can live stronger, healthier, and wealthier lives.
OCTOBER 15TH EVENT GALLERY
The October 2024 event took place on the rooftop of E.P. & L.P again -- we just loved it so much, we came back for a second time! Film Independent (our non-profit fiscal sponsor who makes it possible for all of our donors to benefit from a tax write-off); we covered our expenses thanks to PostCredit (the best production expense software out there), private donors, and raffle ticket sales thanks to the generosity of Valhalla Grip giving away a $500 credit for a Grip Truck rental to a lucky winner!
JUNE 27TH EVENT GALLERY
The June 2024 event was special because it marked the 1 year anniversary of our initiative! We were lucky enough to host our mixer on the rooftop of E.P. & L.P (beautiful venue in WeHo) and Film Independent (our non-profit fiscal sponsor who makes it possible for all of our donors to benefit from a tax write-off); we covered our expenses thanks to TGWIB (free drinks and mixers for all), Croogloo (your ultimate distro solution), PostCredit (the best production expense software out there), and RivetAI (AI-powered script breakdowns, schedules, and budgets)!
Additionally, we wanted to make our anniversary event special and were therefore spoiled by Boxed Water, Versed, Bloom, Mush, Rosco, and Affirmation Darling :)
Watch the video to see all the fun sponsor activations we had!
We brought back the raffle prizes from last fall, which were a huge hit!
MARCH 27TH EVENT GALLERY
Our third event took place during quarter 1 of 2024 and was our most attended event yet! We hosted in partnership with Spring Place (Beverly Hills) who so generously offered their event space for free. The open floor plan had plenty of seating options and natural lighting to make for a welcoming and chic atmosphere.
With all of the feedback from October's event, we switched up the speed-networking activity to operate in groups instead of one-on-one sessions.
Of course it would not have been possible without the generosity of all of our sponsors! FiLM iNDEPENDENT (our non-profit fiscal sponsor who makes it possible for all of our donors to benefit from a tax write-off); the food was paid for by Croogloo, and the swag was gifted to us by Versed and Affirmation Darling, with free refreshments courtesy of Big Noise, Avaline, and Boxed Water :)
OCTOBER 11TH EVENT GALLERY
At the second event we tested a new model for the speed-networking prompts: using dice and a laminated sheet of questions on each table to act as our prompts. Having something interactive to play with to get the conversation going added an extra layer to the ice breaker.
The event hosted at Next Door Lounge on October 11th was a remix of the June event. After receiving messages from participants who wanted to do it again, but bigger, we expanded the guest list for the second event. We doubled our list with 40 women from all different creative backgrounds in attendance!
Another change we made at the second event was introducing sponsors! Versed Skin donated swag bags as well as a gift basket that we sold raffle tickets for the chance to win. After an hour of speed-networking, we ended the activity with announcing the winner of our special raffle prize!
With twice as many attendees and prizes to win, the second event was elevated with extra synergy and connection.
Almost 5 months into a writer strike (and almost 3 months into an actor strike), it was apparent our community needed connection more than ever.
With an event focused on kindness and connection, attendees felt a reprieve. The most frequent note we got on our feedback forms after the event was "I wish it lasted longer!"
JUNE 7TH EVENT GALLERY
The event hosted at The Britely on June 7th was a perfect case study in how a properly structured event can procure meaningful conversations around empowering women through networking. I wanted to keep the test small (and manageable), so I limited capacity to 20 women/female-identifying individuals.
Before speed networking began, we set intentions together to be fully present and to practice the mindset of both a mentor and a mentee in every conversation. What resulted from setting collective intentions before networking was a magical outcome that I could have never predicted. The amount of love and warmth in the room was beyond words. Ever since then, I’ve been receiving messages from every single participant, asking when the next event will be. I’ve also heard beautiful testimonials on the benefits each participant has found in her own life since that night.
I've since then made it my mission to keep these events going on a quarterly basis, expanding the guest list so that any of the women of Hollywood media can participate! Let's spread the word, the method, and the love!
