What Leading Ladies Connect does

Leading Ladies Connect (LLC) is a Canadian national non-profit organization that operates a community platform for women entrepreneurs, professionals, executives, and emerging leaders, with stated reach of 12,800+ women globally distributed across 8 member city groups in Canada and additional presence in markets such as Tanzania. Founded by Abimbola Akinnuoye and headquartered in Toronto, the organization delivers value through a bundled set of programs: the annual Leading Ladies Conference, the LLC Pitch Competition (CAD$35 application fee, up to CAD$15,000 in prizes), the MentorHER 1:1 mentorship program, the bimonthly Legacy Conversations podcast (formerly Leading Lady Talks), and the Leading Ladies Travel Club with Explorer and Trailblazer paid tiers. A CAD$141.25 annual LLC Membership underpins the model and bundles access to a business directory, curated funding and grants resources, partner discounts, co-working access, networking, mentorship, and VIP event perks. The technology base is primarily community- and event-driven: distribution runs through leadingladiesconnect.com with Stripe payments, the Luma event ticketing platform, and the Skool community platform; there is no proprietary technology platform or AI/ML stack disclosed. GTM is community-led and event-driven, with acquisition largely through word-of-mouth, social channels (LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube), in-person events, and strategic partnerships with Microsoft, BDC, L'Occitane, TD Bank, SkillHat, and YSpace. Revenue streams include annual memberships, Travel Club subscriptions, pitch application fees, event ticket revenue, and donations; financial figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Leading Ladies Connect

Legal name

Leading Ladies Connect

Website

https://leadingladiesconnect.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Leading Ladies Connect is a Canadian non-profit community platform that supports women entrepreneurs and professionals through an annual membership, the LLC Pitch Competition, the MentorHER mentorship program, the Legacy Conversations podcast, and the Leading Ladies Travel Club.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Women's Professional Networking Community

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Travel & Services Membership Clubs (Ancillary Services-Led) (CRAEADAK)

Keywords

• Women entrepreneur networking
• Professional mentorship programs
• Women business community
• Pitch competition funding
• Founder networking events

Headquarters

HQ city

North York

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Membership Fees: CAD$141.25 annual membership providing access to business directory listings, grants and funding resources, discounts at partner stores, co-working space access, exclusive events, mentorship opportunities, networking sessions, and VIP event perks.
2. Travel Club Memberships: Two-tier membership model for the Leading Ladies Travel Club: Explorer Membership at CAD$99.99 and Trailblazer Elite Membership at CAD$79.99, offering curated trips, destination guides, exclusive retreats, and networking benefits.
3. Pitch Competition Application Fees: CAD$35 non-refundable application fee for the LLC Pitch Competition 2026, which received 614 applications from founders across 13 countries in 2025.
4. Event Revenue: Revenue generated from annual conferences, networking events, and ticketed experiences including the flagship Leading Ladies Conference and various community events.
5. Donations: Charitable donations accepted through Stripe to support the organization's mission of empowering underrepresented women founders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Leading Ladies Connect is a Canadian national non-profit that operates a women's empowerment community platform, providing annual memberships (CAD $141.25), a flagship annual conference, a pitch competition with cash prizes, a 1:1 mentorship program (MentorHER), a travel club, and a bimonthly podcast (Legacy Conversations). Its core service is connecting women entrepreneurs and professionals to capital, visibility, mentors, and peer networks through events, memberships, and curated programs.

Product overview

Leading Ladies Connect is a Canadian national non-profit community platform providing a unified ecosystem of programs for women entrepreneurs and professionals. The core offering centers on the annual Leading Ladies Conference, supplemented by the LLC Pitch Competition (offering funding prizes), the Legacy Conversations podcast, the MentorHER mentorship program, and the Leading Ladies Travel Club. Cross-cutting value is delivered through the LLC Membership program, which bundles access to a business directory, grants and funding resources, exclusive events, workshops, networking sessions, mentorship opportunities, and VIP event perks. Additional programs include the TechRise for Women skill-building initiative and community events spanning networking brunches, business fairs, and galas across Canada.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Leading Ladies Travel Club: A global sisterhood of adventurous women seeking extraordinary travel experiences with curated trips, exclusive benefits, and a supportive community. Offers Explorer Membership ($99.99) and Trailblazer Membership ($79.99) tiers.
• MentorHER
• Legacy Conversations

Products and services

• Leading Ladies Connect Annual Membership Annual community membership (CAD $141.25) providing women entrepreneurs and professionals with access to a business directory, grants and funding resources, partner discounts, co-working and art studio access, exclusive events, mentorship, networking sessions, social media marketing support, and VIP event perks.
• Leading Ladies Conference Annual flagship in-person conference bringing together women founders, senior leaders, investors, and ecosystem partners for a curated day of networking, learning, and pitch opportunities. Ticketed via Luma.
• LLC Pitch Competition Annual pitch competition for women-led businesses offering up to $15,000 in cash prizes across Grand Prize (two $5,000 winners), Award ($3,000), and Community Choice Award ($2,000), with a CAD $35 non-refundable application fee. Provides visibility and mentorship to participants.
• MentorHER Program One-on-one mentorship matching program connecting women entrepreneurs and professionals with seasoned entrepreneurs and industry experts for personalized guidance and career development.
• Leading Ladies Travel Club Travel membership club with two tiers (Explorer at CAD $99.99 and Trailblazer Elite at CAD $79.99) offering curated group trips, business retreats, cultural immersion experiences, destination guides, budget hacks, and networking opportunities for adventurous women.
• Legacy Conversations Podcast Bimonthly podcast (formerly Leading Lady Talks) featuring candid conversations with inspiring women leaders about leadership, career, and success, distributed on Spotify and Amazon Music.
• TechRise for Women Program Technology skills training and career development program in partnership with SkillHat, offering courses in Agile Project Management, Business Analysis & AI, UX Design, Product Management, and Web Development with job placement and mentorship support.
• Funding & Grants Resources Curated directory of vetted funding and grant opportunities from partnering and governmental bodies, including the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Visa Women Empowerment, Cartier Women's Initiative, and others, with application support services.
• Business Directory Publicly accessible directory of women-led businesses and members, enhancing visibility and enabling networking within the LLC community.
• Community Events In-person networking brunches, social events, mentoring sessions, vision boarding sessions, and business fairs hosted across Canadian cities including Toronto, Ottawa, and Mississauga.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12,800+ women connected globally through the network
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• MicrosoftflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Microsoft for Future-Ready with AI: Embrace the Trends of 2025 event, demonstrating strategic alliance with major technology company to advance AI education and opportunities for women entrepreneurs.
• BDC (Business Development Bank of Canada)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted Evening at the BDC in partnership with BDC, providing access to BDC resources and networking opportunities for women entrepreneurs in the LLC community.
• L'OccitanecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with L'Occitane on creating impactful opportunities for women worldwide as part of the organization's brand partnership initiatives.
• TD BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with TD Bank on creating impactful opportunities for women entrepreneurs as part of TD's commitment to supporting women-owned businesses.
• Khaime AlminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Khaime Al to provide professional website and digital management services at special rates exclusively for LLC members, including website design, social media management, and SEO optimization.
• SkillHatcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechRise for Women partnership program with SkillHat aimed at bridging the gender gap in technology. Program includes Agile Project Management, Business Analysis & AI, UX Design, Product Management, and Web Development training.
• Leanin CanadaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounder Abimbola Akinnuoye serves as Director of Engagement at Leanin Canada, creating organizational connection between the two women empowerment organizations.
• YSpace (York University)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with YSpace for the ELLA Express program and Visa Women Empowerment mentorship program, providing accelerator and mentorship opportunities for women entrepreneurs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lean In: Sheryl Sandberg-founded global women empowerment community offering circles, mentorship, and education programs. Directly comparable to LLC's networking, mentorship, and career-advancement mission; founder Abimbola Akinnuoye also serves in a Lean In Canada leadership role.
• Ellevate Network: Membership-based professional networking community for women, offering circles, events, and mentorship. Closely mirrors LLC's annual subscription membership model, in-person events, and career-advancement focus.
• Girlboss: Media and community platform for women in business and careers, with content, events, and programming. Comparable to LLC's mix of podcast content (Legacy Conversations), events, and community membership.
• SheEO: Canadian-founded global community supporting women-led ventures through radical generosity, cohort funding, and venture support. Overlaps with LLC's focus on women founders, capital access, and BIPOC/underrepresented founders.
• Women Who Startup: Community organization supporting women and non-binary founders through events, mentorship, and accelerator programs. Closely comparable in size, community-led model, and founder-focused programming.
• Black Female Founders: Network and resource hub for Black women entrepreneurs offering events, mentorship, and pitch opportunities. Directly comparable niche focus on Black/BIPOC women founders and the pitch competition model.

Broad incumbents

• Soho House: Global membership-based club offering networking, events, and exclusive perks across multiple verticals. While much larger and broader, Soho House provides a comparable membership-as-access model to LLC's annual membership.
• NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners): Long-established U.S.-based membership organization for women business owners with chapters, advocacy, and programming. Overlaps with LLC's SMB/member directory and networking model but at much larger established scale.

Emerging players

• Women in Tech Global: Global nonprofit supporting women in technology through events, training, and career-matching. Overlaps with LLC's TechRise for Women / SkillHat partnership on tech training and career placement.
• The Helm (by Female Founders Fund): Community and resource platform for women entrepreneurs, offering curated content, founder networking, and investor access. Comparable in audience focus but operates as a digital-first community rather than events-led.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@LeadingladiesConnect
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leadingladiesconnect
• Instagraminstagram.com/leadingladiesconnect
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Leading Ladies Connect