Meet Tory Burch

I launched our business in 2004. I had a concept and, working out of my kitchen with a small team, turned that concept into a collection. As our company has grown, I’ve learned about the obstacles that women in business face, from balancing work and family (my greatest challenge) to securing financing. Many also lack the confidence, business networks and training they need to see their ideas through. That is why in 2009 we created the Tory Burch Foundation to support the empowerment of women entrepreneurs. Drawing on our experiences and on conversations with businesswomen from around the world, we have developed programs and initiatives that invest in the success and sustainability of women-owned small businesses by providing:

ACCESS TO CAPITAL
Our Capital program with Bank of America offers access to affordable loans through Community Lenders | learn more

ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION
Our partnership with Goldman Sachs’s 10,000 Small Businesses program provides women small-business owners with business and management education | learn more

MENTORING & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
I have always believed in the value of mentors and, to this day, turn to trusted advisers from many different industries for insight. Our Foundation offers opportunities for women to network with business leaders and other entrepreneurs seeking to grow and scale their enterprises | learn more

One of the reasons I wanted to start a company was to start a foundation that would benefit women and children. Social responsibility is part of our brand DNA. It’s not about charity. It’s about helping to empower women to help themselves. By providing resources and tools, we can level the playing field for women entrepreneurs, and helping them to grow their businesses benefits their families, their communities and, in turn, all of us.

THE SUNFLOWER
The Foundation’s logo, a sunflower, is based on a pendant Tory’s father had made for her mother and then passed down to her. It is inscribed with the French saying: “Je t’aime un peu, beaucoup, passionnément,” which loosely translates as, “I love you a little, a lot, passionately.” The pendant is Tory’s most treasured keepsake. Her father, with her mother, was Tory’s greatest supporter when starting her business and instilled in her the wherewithal to follow her dreams.

TORY ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP

• Be resilient.
• Trust your instincts.
• Go outside your comfort zone.
• Be okay with failures (as long as you learn from them).
• Practice grace under pressure.
• Surround yourself with excellent people and let them shine.
• Don’t take things personally.
• Take a little time in between meetings to be thoughtful.
• Embrace your insecurities, learn from them and try and turn them into strengths.
• Look at everything in a positive way. (Negativity is noise)!

Learn more about the Tory Burch Foudnation