Apply Now to The Operator Impact Grant
I was my first investor in my company.
Before I was a full-time entrepreneur. Before the ventures. Before the rooms and the recognition. It was just me.
Building quietly. Funding my own ideas. Betting on myself with no guarantees.
I applied for grants. I applied for opportunities that felt like they could accelerate what I was trying to build. And I didn’t get them. But here’s what’s important:
I kept building anyway.
What That Season Taught Me
That season didn’t just teach me resilience. It taught me what it feels like to:
Be overlooked.
Be early.
Be capable but unsupported.
Be serious, but not yet validated.
And I made a quiet promise to myself during that time. If I ever got to the point where I had the capacity to pour back into builders like me…I would. Not symbolically. Directly.
And So…
Years later, I funded my first $3,750 scholarship for the Women of PM Conference. Then I gave away my first $1,000 grant through PM Boss Academy at Offsite. Then more scholarships. And I’m not exaggerating when I say:
There is nothing like the feeling of being able to say,
“I see you. Keep going.”
That feeling doesn’t come from applause. It comes from impact.
Why the Operator Impact Grant Exists
The Operator Impact Grant is a $1,000 grant designed to support BIPOC-owned operators, consultants, and service-based businesses building real, sustainable companies.
Not hype or trend businesses. Service-based businesses. Businesses built on structure, delivery, and integrity. And sometimes, builders need fuel.
This Isn’t About Charity
This is about putting real capital in the hands of people who are:
In transition
Building consistency
Scaling responsibly
Betting on themselves in quiet seasons
I know what it feels like to fund your own vision when no one else is validating it yet. This grant exists because I never forgot that feeling.
If You’re Serious
If you’re building quietly.
If you’re navigating fear, but still moving.
If you’re structuring something sustainable.
This grant was created with you in mind. Not because you’re struggling. But because you’re serious.
The Bigger Vision
My platform was never meant to just teach.
It was meant to:
Develop leaders
Build community
And reinvest into the people doing the work
The Operator Impact Grant is just the next chapter in that commitment. I was my first investor. Now, I get to invest in others. And that matters more than any accolade ever could.
—
Nicole Jones
Habitual Visionary