*In-person events have been canceled until further notice.

Nov. 4 Virtual Lunch: Social Entrepreneurship for a World in Need

Join Venture Connectors on Wednesday, Nov. 4, to hear from Colleen and Maggie Clines, sisters and co-founders of Louisville-based Anchal Project. They will share their story of social entrepreneurship, and how it is helping to change the world. Click here to register.

Anchal Project is a nonprofit social enterprise that addresses the exploitation of women by creating opportunities that support empowerment. Anchal’s one-of-a-kind pieces have been featured in The Guggenheim Museum, Madewell, Anthropologie, Vogue and Better Homes & Gardens. The organization has provided nearly 500 exploited women with alternative careers in textiles and design since it was founded in 2010.

Colleen, CEO, values how design can become the tool for sustainable solutions to gender inequality, social injustice and environmental degradation. She combines this passion as a social entrepreneur and impact designer through her work at Anchal. Colleen leads the overall strategic and operational planning for Anchal’s programs, partnerships, expansion and execution of its mission.

A Louisville native with a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from the University of Kentucky, Colleen earned her master’s in landscape architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design. In 2013, she was named one of Public Interest Design’s Top Global 100 designers, one of Louisville Business First’s 2016 Forty under 40, and earned the 2017 NAWBO Humanitarian Award.

Maggie, COO and Creative Director, spearheads Anchal's design aesthetic and product development. Responsible for visually communicating Anchal's story through creative content, she has successfully developed, designed and grown the organization into an internationally recognized brand. Maggie passionately manages Anchal's production and product design oversight, facilitating the success of multiple custom collaborations and innovative design solutions.

Maggie holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from UK and shares Colleen’s belief that design can be the catalyst for social innovation. She believes education is the first step to creating positive change; her drive for social impact started at a young age and guided her through design school.

Both have shared Anchal’s story through numerous speaking engagements, with Colleen focusing on Anchal’s mission and design-thinking model, while Maggie focuses on Anchal's unique, socially conscious business model.

The Nov. 4 event will be held via Zoom from noon-1 p.m. and is open to the public. It’s free to Venture Connectors members and $10 for guests. Click here to register. For questions, email us at contact@ventureconnectors.org.