In only 4 months, Takes Heart initiative drove over $250,000 in new revenue to women-owned businesses across Kansas City. The 5-foot-tall interactive sculpture – acquired by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation – became a citywide movement for economic equity.
Activate
Women-Owned Spotlight Event
Local makers hired to distribute products to thousands of attendees
Entrepreneurs + Policy Event
80+ founders gathered for networking and childcare policy discussions alongside the release of United WE’s Care for the Economy report
Digital Community
Takes-Heart.org continues to support entrepreneurs online extending the initiative’s life and reach
Scale
The Takes Heart blueprint is a replicable model aligning cultural storytelling, large-scale partners, and measurable economic impact. The initiative and blueprint has evolved into Her Equity Rising (HER) and One Ball for All initiatives slated to drive economic equity and community impact at local and national levels in 2025 and 2026.