'Ladies Making History' to Fete Local Entrepreneurs

Greenwich resident Linda McMahon, co-founder and former CEO of WWE, will be the keynote speaker at a Women's History Month event, “Ladies Making History,” celebrating local entrepreneurs on March 20.

McMahon will discuss the achievements and contributions of four women who have innovative ideas to grow their businesses. The Vince and Linda McMahon Family Foundation will award $4,000 in grants to these women at the event to be held at Safavieh Home Furnishings, 230 Atlantic St, in Stamford, from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday. 

“I am thrilled to be a part of this effort to recognize the achievements of women working to make their businesses succeed,” McMahon said in a statement. “Small businesses fuel our economy, and studies show women are starting businesses at twice the rate of men. I am proud to honor these four  entrepreneurs at this event.”

McMahon, who ran two U.S. Senate campaigns in Connecticut, has been widely recognized as one of the country’s top female business executives. She co-founded WWE with her husband and served as the company’s CEO. She helped grow WWE from a modest, 13-person operation to a publicly traded global enterprise with more than 700 employees in offices worldwide.

“Ladies Making History” was developed and is being co-sponsored by Ladies Who Launch of Southwestern CT and Unleash Your Voice, two organizations whose goals are to empower women entrepreneurs and help them grow their businesses. 

“Our mission is to make entrepreneurship available to all women by offering them resources to help them start and grow their businesses,” said Kathy McShane, managing director of Ladies Who Launch. “Bringing Linda McMahon into this event really will add value and should attract more women entrepreneurs. She is committed to helping small companies and is a dynamic speaker and a real fireball. We applaud Linda McMahon and her foundation for wanting to be a part of this effort.”

Allyson Spellman, CEO of Unleash Your Voice, said, “We’ve coached hundreds of women to stop settling for less and start living without limits. And working with Linda McMahon made perfect sense. This event is designed to celebrate women who are currently making history by creating their own legacy through their business. It will be an inspiring night to recognize their accomplishments.”