AT&T She’s Connected Spotlight On Women Entrepreneurs – Forbes

Report on the AT&T She’s Connected Program and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

The AT&T She’s Connected program is a national initiative designed to support women small business owners, directly contributing to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By providing funding, mentorship, and media exposure, the program fosters economic growth and gender equality. This report analyzes the program’s structure, partnerships, and the contributions of its 2025 finalists to specific SDGs, including Gender Equality (SDG 5), Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8), and Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10).

Program Overview and SDG Alignment

The AT&T She’s Connected initiative has evolved from a storytelling contest into a comprehensive support platform for women founders whose enterprises are centered on community impact. The program addresses systemic barriers faced by women entrepreneurs, thereby advancing key development goals.

• SDG 5: Gender Equality: The program’s core mission is to empower women business owners, providing them with resources to scale their operations and increase their economic participation.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: By funding and promoting small businesses, the initiative stimulates local economies, encourages entrepreneurship, and supports the creation of decent work.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The program exemplifies a multi-stakeholder partnership, leveraging corporate resources (AT&T), public figures (athlete ambassadors), and grassroots entrepreneurs to achieve shared development objectives.

In 2024, the program awarded a $50,000 grand prize to Aneesa Getaneh, founder of Daisy Medical Institute, underscoring its commitment to supporting impactful ventures. The program’s reach is significant, with over 11,000 applications received for the current cycle.

Strategic Ambassador Partnerships: Amplifying Impact

The program collaborates with athlete ambassadors who utilize their platforms to advocate for the program’s mission, reinforcing themes of resilience and visibility that are crucial for achieving the SDGs.

Michelle Alozie: Advocate for Health and Well-being (SDG 3)

Houston Dash defender Michelle Alozie’s involvement highlights a commitment to community health. Her dual career as a professional athlete and a cancer research technician in pediatric oncology directly aligns with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being). Her long-term goal to establish a medical clinic offering pro bono or low-cost services addresses SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by aiming to make healthcare accessible to all.

Deyna Castellanos: Champion for Quality Education and Gender Equality (SDG 4 & SDG 5)

Portland Thorns forward Deyna Castellanos’s foundation, the Queen Deyna Program, actively contributes to SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality). The foundation has facilitated over $4.6 million in impact by providing scholarships and mentorship to more than 50 young female athletes across ten countries, enabling them to pursue higher education and become community leaders.

Analysis of 2025 Finalists: Case Studies in Sustainable Enterprise

The five 2025 finalists represent diverse approaches to business that integrate sustainable development principles into their core models.

1. SOJO Coffee Company

   This Latina-owned brand contributes to the following SDGs:

   • SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): Empowers Salvadoran coffee farmers through ethical sourcing practices.
   • SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): Promotes a model of culturally grounded, ethically sourced consumer goods.
   • SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): Elevates a minority-owned business while supporting economic stability in farming communities.

2. Blueprint University

   This innovation hub and trade school advances:

   • SDG 4 (Quality Education): Provides practical, accessible entrepreneurship education.
   • SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): Equips founders with tools and access to capital, fostering sustainable business growth.
   • SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): Bridges the gap between small businesses and large corporations to create economic opportunities.

3. Sensori

   This non-alcoholic beverage company focuses on:

   • SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): Offers a wellness-centered product that promotes mindful social connection and an alternative to alcohol.

4. Bold Crumb House

   This Detroit-based bakery and media brand supports:

   • SDG 4 (Quality Education): Engages in community outreach through literacy workshops and school visits to build confidence and promote storytelling among children.

5. Nourish + Bloom Market

   As the first Black-owned autonomous grocery store, this enterprise makes significant contributions to multiple SDGs:

   • SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): Addresses food insecurity by establishing a grocery store that improves food access.
   • SDG 1 (No Poverty) & SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): Is the first autonomous grocery store in the U.S. to accept EBT/SNAP, ensuring access for low-income households.
   • SDG 4 (Quality Education): Supports youth entrepreneurship and STEAM education through its nonprofit initiatives.

SDGs Addressed in the Article

SDG 5: Gender Equality

• The article’s central theme is the economic empowerment of women through the “AT&T She’s Connected” program, which specifically supports “women small business owners” and “women founders.” It also highlights Deyna Castellanos’s “Queen Deyna Program,” which is “dedicated to empowering young female athletes worldwide.”

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• The article focuses on entrepreneurship and the growth of small businesses. It describes how the program provides “funding, mentorship, media exposure, and access to AT&T’s business tools” to foster innovation and economic growth. Businesses like Blueprint University are explicitly designed to create “measurable economic impact.”

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• The program aims to “uplift voices that are normally suppressed or overlooked” by supporting entrepreneurs who struggle to get “access through traditional funding channels.” It specifically showcases minority-owned businesses, such as SOJO Coffee Company (“Latina-owned”) and Nourish + Bloom Market (“first Black-owned frictionless grocery store”), and initiatives that increase accessibility, like accepting EBT/SNAP.

SDG 4: Quality Education

• The article highlights multiple educational initiatives. Blueprint University is a “trade school for entrepreneurs,” the Queen Deyna Program helps girls “develop the skills and confidence to become leaders,” Bold Crumb House conducts “literacy workshops,” and Nourish + Bloom Market supports “youth entrepreneurship, STEAM education.”

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• Health-related initiatives are prominent. The grand prize winner founded the “Daisy Medical Institute.” Athlete Michelle Alozie works in “pediatric oncology” and aims to open a clinic providing accessible care for all (“pro bono work or offer care at super discounted or no cost”). Additionally, the finalist company Sensori produces a “mood-boosting, non-alcoholic beverage” focused on wellness.

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

• The article addresses food access through Nourish + Bloom Market, a grocery store that is the “first autonomous grocery store in the U.S. accepting EBT/SNAP.” The company also runs “food-access programs,” directly tackling food security for vulnerable populations.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

• The article touches on sustainable business practices through the example of SOJO Coffee Company, which is described as a brand built on “culturally grounded, ethically sourced coffee.” This points to a commitment to responsible production within its supply chain.

Specific SDG Targets Identified

SDG 5: Gender Equality

• Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership in economic life. The “She’s Connected” program directly supports this by providing women founders with resources like funding and mentorship to become leaders in their industries.
• Target 5.a: Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to financial services. The program addresses this by providing “funding” ($50,000 grand prize) and “access to capital” to women who often face barriers in “traditional funding channels.”

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• Target 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises. The entire article is an example of this target in action, showcasing a program designed to help small businesses grow through funding, mentorship, and tools.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• Target 10.2: Empower and promote the social and economic inclusion of all, irrespective of race or ethnicity. The program’s support for a “Latina-owned” coffee company and the “first Black-owned” frictionless grocery store directly contributes to the economic inclusion of underrepresented groups.

SDG 4: Quality Education

• Target 4.4: Substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship. Blueprint University, as a “trade school for entrepreneurs,” directly addresses this by equipping founders with “practical tools” and skills for business growth.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection and access to quality essential health-care services. Michelle Alozie’s goal to “open her own medical clinic where care is accessible for all” and offer “pro bono work or care at super discounted or no cost” is a direct reflection of this target.

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

• Target 2.1: End hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food. Nourish + Bloom Market contributes to this by being the first autonomous grocery store to accept “EBT/SNAP,” thereby increasing food access for low-income individuals, and by running “food-access programs.”

Indicators for Measuring Progress

SDG 5: Gender Equality

• Implied Indicator: Number of women-owned businesses supported and funded. The article mentions a “$50,000” grand prize awarded to a woman founder and highlights five women-led finalist businesses.
• Implied Indicator: Number of women and girls receiving mentorship and educational opportunities. The Queen Deyna Program has provided scholarships and mentorship to “more than 50 athletes across ten countries.”

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• Implied Indicator: Number of entrepreneurs and small businesses applying for and receiving support. The article states that “more than 11,000 small business owners across the country applied” for the program this year.
• Implied Indicator: Amount of financial resources provided to small businesses. The article specifies the grand prize included “$50,000 in funding.”

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• Implied Indicator: Number of minority-owned businesses receiving support. The article explicitly identifies a “Latina-owned” and a “Black-owned” business among the finalists.
• Implied Indicator: Accessibility of services for low-income populations. A key feature of Nourish + Bloom Market is its acceptance of “EBT/SNAP,” a direct measure of its service to economically vulnerable groups.

SDG 4: Quality Education

• Implied Indicator: Number of participants in vocational and skills training programs. This can be measured by the enrollment in institutions like “Blueprint University” or participation in “literacy workshops” offered by Bold Crumb House.
• Implied Indicator: Value of educational support provided. Deyna Castellanos’s foundation has generated “over $4.6 million in impact” through scholarships and resources.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• Implied Indicator: Provision of affordable or free healthcare services. Michelle Alozie’s ambition to offer “pro bono work” and “no cost” care provides a potential future measure of progress.
• Implied Indicator: Market demand for wellness products. The article notes that Sensori’s “functional botanical blends have sold out multiple times, demonstrating strong early demand.”

Summary Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: forbes.com