Cabinette Ascent Summit | Female Founder Collective

THE ASCENT

September 30th, 2026
8:30AM - 6:30PM

SANTA MONICA PROPER

RESERVE YOUR SPOT

a message from

ALI & REBECCA

( the founders )

WHEN WE BUILT FEMALE FOUNDER COLLECTIVE, OUR MISSION WAS SIMPLE: TO MAKE WOMEN RICHER BY GIVING THEM THE RESOURCES, RELATIONSHIPS, AND ROOMS THEY DESERVE.

The Ascent is one of those rooms: an intimate in-person experience designed to meet you exactly where you are and help you get to what’s next.

WHAT IS THE ASCENT SUMMIT?

A one-day, high-impact gathering of leaders who are ready to scale with intention. From keynotes and workshops to curated roundtables and breakouts, it’s a full day designed around the moments that spark real breakthroughs… on stage, at the table, and in the conversations in between. Best suited for high growth founders & executives generating upwards of $5M+.

WHY ATTEND?

Because no leader scales alone. The path from early wins to sustainable, long-term success requires more than hustle, it takes clarity on your role, a trusted circle, and strategies and relationships you can actually use. This is the space where high growth executives open up about the shifts no one prepares you for, and where experts give you frameworks to navigate money, power, partnerships, and scale.

WHAT YOU’LL GET:

A clear-eyed roadmap for your next stage of growth
Honest insight into the founder-to-CEO transition, relationship shifts, and leadership evolution
Tangible strategies for wealth planning, scaling internationally, creative marketing, and preparing for exit
Personal brand clarity to strengthen both your company and your presence as a leader
A circle of founders and allies who understand the real challenges—and will be there long after the Summit ends

We created this day to feel different: less surface, more substance. You’ll walk out with new connections, sharper strategies, and the kind of momentum you can’t manufacture alone.

Pull up a chair. Bring your questions, your challenges, and your ambition. We’ll bring the community, the tools, and the space to think bigger.

We’d love for you to join us.

- Ali Wyatt & Rebecca Minkoff

The Women You'll Meet

Founders in attendance last year

Taking the Stage at Ascent

alison-wyatt

Alison Wyatt

CEO of Female Founder Collective

Durana Elmi

Founder and Chief Creative & Experiential Officer of Cymbiotika

Kimberly Shenk Headshot_Resized_4x4

Kimberly Shenk

Co-Founder & CEO of Novi

Lauren Abney

Head of Strategic Partnerships and Business Development at Google | Advisor | Investor

Lil Fazop

Senior Vice President of Marketing at ELEMIS

Misbah Uraizee

CEO & Co-Founder of Nectar Social

rebecca-minkoff

Rebecca Minkoff

Co-Founder of Female Founder Collective and Founder of Rebecca Minkoff

Sheila Lirio Marcelo

Co-Founder & CEO, Ohai.ai and Founder of Care.com

Tara Bosch

Founder of SmartSweets, Bold Beginnings & Snackish

Yanghee Paik_cd5MnldY

Yanghee Paik

Co-Founder and CEO of Rael

A Look Back at Last Year’s Speakers

alison-wyatt

Alison Wyatt

CEO of Female Founder Collective

Allison_Fay

Allison Fay Novak

Executive Director, Head of Liquidity Specialists, J.P. Morgan Wealth Management

Alpa Patel Vitale

Alpa Patel Vitale

Managing Director West Coast Lead, Wealth Planning and Advice, J.P. Morgan Wealth Management

dulari-amin

Dulari Amin

Co-Founder of Sidelines VC

DainaTrout

Daina Trout

Co-Founder and longtime CEO of Health-Ade Kombucha

ebony-mackey

Ebony Mackey

Social Media Strategist & Virality Expert at EJ Content

jenefer-palmer

Jenefer Palmer

Founder of OSEA

julie_smolyansky_headshot

Julie Smolyansky

President and CEO of Lifeway Foods

Keleigh-Thomas-Morgan

Keleigh Thomas Morgan

Co-President and Partner at Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis

megan-molce

Megan Dolce

Co-Founder and Head Coach of RIPE

michelle-wahler

Michelle Wahler

Co-Founder and Former CEO of Beyond Yoga

robyn ward

Robyn Ward

CEO of FounderForward

rebecca-minkoff

Rebecca Minkoff

Co-Founder of Female Founder Collective and Founder of Rebecca Minkoff

sarah-jahnke

Sarah Jahnke

Co-Founder and CEO of Homecourt

Sarah Daya

Sarah Daya

Executive Director Central Lead, Wealth Planning and Advice, J.P. Morgan Wealth Management

siffat-haider

Siffat Haider

Co-Founder of Arrae

Ellen Chen

Ellen Chen

Co-Founder of Mendocino Farms/Adventurous Concepts

The CLIMB( the schedule )

FROM KEYNOTES AND WORKSHOPS TO PERSONALIZED SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS, FOLLOW THE PATH TO YOUR NEXT BREAKTHROUGH

The Cabinette Ascent Summit is designed for leaders who are deep in the work, and ready to go deeper. This year's programming covers the questions members are actually wrestling with like how to scale yourself out of the day-to-day, how to build a brand that lasts, and how to think about exits and what comes after. And because AI is reshaping how consumer brands operate right now, we've built dedicated programming around it. Not the high-level hype, but the practical tools and workflows founders can put to use immediately. Expect honest conversations, real frameworks, and a room full of people who get it.

8:30-9:30AM | BREAKFAST + NETWORKING + OPENING REMARKS

Ease into the morning with check-in, coffee, and a light breakfast. Connect with fellow founders before a warm welcome from FFC co-founders Rebecca & Ali.

9:35-10:05AM | RINGING THE BELL: THE ROAD TO IPO

In 2021, Heather Hasson and Trina Spear made history as the first female co-founders and co-CEOs to take a company public on the NYSE. In this conversation, they pull back the curtain on what came before the bell — and what they'd tell every founder building in a category the world hasn't figured out how to value yet.

10:05-11AM | BUILT TO LAST: THE LEADERSHIP BEHIND ENDURING BRANDS, PRESENTED BY ELEMIS

Most brands are built to grow. Very few are built to last. This panel explores how to protect your brand's DNA while scaling globally — and what it takes to lead a company that gets better with time.

11–11:55AM | OWNED AUDIENCE, OWNED GROWTH

Paid is expensive. Organic is crowded. The brands breaking through built something people actually want to be part of. This panel gets into how to use creators and community as relationship infrastructure — not just another channel.

11:55–1:05PM | SEATED LUNCH + FOUNDER THINK TANKS

Sit down with founders navigating similar chapters. Select your table by theme at registration — conversations are guided and intentional.

1:15–2:15PM | AI BOOTCAMP

A hands-on workshop with a personalized AI action plan you can put to work immediately.

2:15–3:05PM | AI AS INFRASTRUCTURE: WHAT SCALING FOUNDERS NEED TO KNOW

Go beyond the AI hype with leaders from Google, Nectar Social, and Ohai.ai. Learn how to identify the highest-impact opportunities for AI across your business, build it into how you operate and scale, and determine which tools are actually worth your time and investment.

3:15–4:05PM | BREAKOUT SESSIONS: CHOOSE YOUR PATH

The Founder Ceiling and How to Scale Past It

What got you here was you — and that same quality may be the ceiling. This fireside is about stepping into the kind of leader your company needs you to be right now.

or

How to Maximize Agentic Search as a Growth Channel

The funnel is moving into ChatGPT and Gemini. This hands-on session covers what you can do today to make sure your brand shows up where buyers are already looking.

4:15–4:45PM | CLOSING KEYNOTE

More details to be announced.

4:45-6:30PM | CLOSING CIRCLE+ COCKTAILS

Seal the day with intention, then cap it off with light bites, cocktails, and the conversations that tend to matter most.

11-11:50AM | THE FOUNDER’S ROLE + RELATIONSHIP SHIFTS PANEL

A discussion with founders and executives who have climbed the ranks while navigating the intersection of personal and business. Whether it be navigating co-founder relations, scaling a business with a partner or family member, or finding the right executive team members to usher in a new era of growth for the business, this candid conversation unpacks the real shifts founders face as both their businesses and personal lives evolve. Discussion includes:

Dealing with personal life integration
Building the right support system, both at home and in the office
Navigating identity shifts, personal integration, and succession without losing the vision

12-1:15PM | SEATED LUNCH & ROUNDTABLE CONVERSATIONS

At curated roundtables, dive into discussion prompts on navigating relationships — co-founders, family members, and the intersection of personal and professional life.

thank-you

1:30-2:20PM | BREAKOUT SESSIONS: CHOOSE YOUR GROWTH PATH

No two businesses are the same. Tailor your summit experience with sessions led by industry leaders that are designed to meet you where you are and help propel you forward. Topics include:

Strategic Partnerships + Collabs
Growth Levers Deep Dive: Mapping Your 2026 KPIs + Growth Opportunities
Preparing for International Expansion
Creative Marketing Strategies
Wealth Planning for Founders
Succession & Exit Planning

2:30-3:30PM | PERSONAL BRANDING PLAYBOOK WORKSHOP

Visibility is a growth lever — when done intentionally. In this hands-on session, you’ll develop your personal brand playbook and walk away with feedback on a headline or narrative you want to be known for — and a sharper strategy to turn your presence into profit.

3:40-4:20PM | MONEY, POWER, EXIT PANEL

Exiting a company is one of the biggest decisions a founder will ever make — and it’s about much more than the deal itself. This conversation brings together powerhouse founders and investors who’ve each navigated exits from different angles. Michelle Wahler, co-founder and former CEO of Beyond Yoga, will share lessons from scaling her brand to a $400M acquisition by Levi Strauss & Co. And Dulari Amin, entrepreneur, investor, and co-founder of Phenomenon, brings experience building a $100M+ company and guiding brands from early stage to IPO. Together, they’ll explore the signals it’s time to sell, how to define your personal exit number, the myths and trade-offs of acquisitions, and what it takes to build a legacy and a next chapter beyond the sale.

4:40-6:00PM | CLOSING CIRCLE & COCKTAIL HOUR

Seal the day with intention. Cap off the day with new ideas and connections with cocktails, small bites, and strategic networking.

workshop

FAQ

( frequently asked questions )

WHERE WILL THE EVENT BE HELD?

Canela Ballroom @ Santa Monica Proper Hotel
700 Wilshire Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90401

IS THERE PARKING AVAILABLE ONSITE?

Yes, the Proper Hotel offers valet parking for $30 per vehicle, inclusive of tax. Overnight parking is available for $90 per vehicle.

WHEN DOES PROGRAMMING BEGIN?

Check-in is from 8:30–9:30 AM. Main stage sessions begin promptly at 9:30 AM. Cocktail hour runs from about 5:00–6:00 PM.

HOW DO I REGISTER FOR BREAKOUT SESSIONS?

You can customize your experience using the registration form here. This link was also shared in your registration email. If you need any assistance, reach out to Carli Roth at carli.roth@femalefoundercollective.com.

WILL THERE BE FOOD?

Yes! Light breakfast and coffee will be served at check-in, followed by a seated lunch before breakouts. Coffee, tea, soft drinks, and water will be available throughout the day. We’ll wrap the day with light bites and cocktails.

WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?

Dress code is casual chic. You will be moving around throughout the day, so keep that in mind when planning your outfit. Pro tip: wear layers and comfortable shoes.

WHAT SHOULD I BRING?

At check-in, you’ll receive a personalized notebook, pen, and nametag. Be sure to bring your laptop for select hands-on breakout sessions—and give it a full charge the night before! Please also bring ID, business cards, and anything else you need for a day of learning + networking.

SOCIAL SHARING

We’d love for you to post during the event! Please tag @thefemalefoundercollective in your posts + stories.

IS THERE A DESIGNATED AREA FOR NURSING MOTHERS?

We deeply support and celebrate nursing mothers. While The Ascent is an adults-only event, the Proper Hotel can provide a private guest room or closed-door office space for pumping, if needed. Please let us know in advance so we can help coordinate this accommodation.

REFUND POLICY

Unfortunately, tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable.

I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION - WHO DO I CONTACT?

If you have any other questions please reach out to thecabinette@femalefoundercollective.com. We will do our best to get back to you within two (2) business days. Thanks in advance for your patience!

The STEP UP

( the tickets )

SECURE YOUR SEAT AT THE SUMMIT.
LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE.

RESERVE YOUR SPOT

*Given the nature of this event, all guests are subject to approval prior to ticket purchase. Please complete the form above—charges will only be processed upon approval.

The Ascent Summit is an invite-only event designed for women founders & executives generating $5M+ in revenue and the ecosystem partners who support them (investors, attorneys, consultants, and more). If you’re earlier in your journey, stay tuned for more details about Female Founders Day in March 2027. Questions? Contact us at thecabinette@femalefoundercollective.com