From Employee to Entrepreneur (Founder or Freelance)
Schedule
Thu Apr 23 2026 at 06:30 pm to 09:00 pm
UTC+01:00Location
The Hearth | London, EN
About this Event
***free half day working pass at The Hearth with ticket purchase
If you’re ready to move on from asking “am I ready?”… to “how do I get started?”... then this workshop is for you.
More and more women are finding themselves at a crossroads; feeling the pull away from traditional employment, but unsure of what comes next and how to make it happen.
You may feel drawn to starting your own business or exploring freelance work, but find yourself stalling, unsure where to begin or what the right path looks like for you.
On 23 April, we’ll be joined by two women who have successfully made both of these transitions, and are now sharing their playbook for how to do it.
Elsie & Dominika left their corporate careers to build and scale a global skincare brand, raising VC funding before successfully exiting the business. They then pivoted into the freelance world, where they now offer strategic advisory services to early-stage consumer brands.
They are passionate about helping women lean into their lives and turn ambition into practical action, which is why this workshop is designed to lay a foundation of clarity you can then build from to move your career forward. You won’t get all the answers in one evening, but you will get the right questions, frameworks, and confidence to take your next step.
Join us for an honest, practical Women on Our Way (WOOW) workshop where you’ll have the space to think out loud, explore your options, and start mapping a path that actually fits you.
What you’ll leave with:
- Clarity on what’s driving your desire for change
- A grounded understanding of founder vs freelance paths
- A simple framework to map your next move
- Greater confidence in taking a first (or next) step
- Clear actions to take in the next 7 days
Meet the speakers
Elsie Rutterford & Dominika Minarovic
Elsie & Dominika are exited Founders and consumer brand builders. Having scaled BYBI Beauty, a sustainable skincare brand, to global distribution (3000+ retail doors & £10m funding raised) and successfully exiting in 2024, they're now building rayro. A playful kids’ care brand, rayro aims to make daily routines easier (and more joyful!) for families.
Alongside this, they run DE London Consulting, supporting early-stage consumer brands with brand, growth, fundraising and retail strategy. As seasoned fundraisers across equity and venture debt, they've raised capital from leading VCs including Unilever Ventures, as well as private equity, angel investors, and venture lenders. They're also published authors (Penguin), keynote speakers, Virgin Startup mentors, with extensive experience in beauty, consumer, personal care and parenting industries.
About the Organiser
Women on Our Way (WOOW)
WOOW is a community of women navigating towards more meaningful, values-aligned careers. Through curated workshops and intimate in-person gatherings, we create space for connection, reflection, and growth. We help women discover what fulfillment looks like on their own terms. Join along, and follow our journey on Instagram or LinkedIn.
Where is it happening?
The Hearth, 16 Lonsdale Road, London, United KingdomEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 17.50 to GBP 20.00
