If you’ve got a business idea and are from a group underrepresented in entrepreneurship, create your profile to start meeting with business mentors right away. You’ll also get access to free, members-only events, business tools and templates, and funding opportunities.
This block is visible only in page builder. You can place this block in any position. Add only one video background for one section. Please don't set any different background (color, image, gradient) for section.
ENTREPRENEURS WITH MENTORS ARE 5X MORE LIKELY TO LAUNCH, GROW, AND STAY IN BUSINESS.
Membership Features
ONE-ON-ONE MENTORSHIP
You’ll get to meet with volunteer mentors from our network of thousands of area experts in the US, the UK, and across the globe.
HUMAN SUPPORT
Our Member Experience team will help you get started, invite you to member sessions, and connect you to startup resources.
TOOLS & RESOURCES
Our step-by-step guides will help break down important business milestones into manageable steps you can work on with a mentor.
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
We offer monthly grant opportunities through our Friends & Family Fund and exclusive larger grant invitations throughout the year.
community investment
friends & Family fund
Each month, our members vote for at least one Sky’s the Limit entrepreneur to receive a $2,500 startup grant. We’ve given out over $250,000 in grants so far and plan to fund millions more.
Do I qualify?
If you have a business or business idea and are from a group that is statistically underrepresented in traditional entrepreneurship, you likely qualify for full membership.
01
COMPLETE A PROFILE
Whether you want to get support for your startup or give support by mentoring or advising young entrepreneurs, it all starts with creating your free profile so you can MESSAGE and MEET members.
02
orbit AND COLLABORATE
As a member of Skysthelimit.org, you’ll be able to message, meet, and collaborate with other members to work on projects and complete business milestones that propel your business ideas forward.
03
CELEBRATE YOUR WINS!
Members develop valuable business skills and build meaningful relationships—all while building innovative businesses and increasing equity in entrepreneurship!
Meet Our
Community
Nearly 40,000 underrepresented entrepreneurs have signed up to get help for businesses in all industries,including fashion, food, beauty, health and wellness, consulting, and more!
0%
Identify as women
0%
Identify as Black
0%
Identify as people of color
0%
Report low income
Success stories
Niraj gave me insights on how I could improve certain aspects of my business. Through these insights, I was able to refine my business structure and launch it.
John Jairo
FOUNDER
They have helped me put my business out there on social media. From all of my various social media campaigns, I have already raised 5% of my goals and gotten another 10 customers. This is helping push my business to the next level.
Shira Goldsmith
FOUNDER
Ayodelo's help led to my first advertisement sale. My business grew from three to eighty-three! Quickly had my first draft for three magazines in a matter of months!
James Lauderdale
FOUNDER
How we can help you?
Get answers to your important questions!
What funding opportunities does Sky’s the Limit offer?
Sky’s the Limit offers monthly funding opportunities in the form of our Friends & Family Fund. Each month, we award a $2,500 / GBP2,000 startup grant to help young underrepresented entrepreneurs get closer to their business dreams.
Many entrepreneurs get their start by borrowing money from those around them. This kind of “friends and family” support works well for some, but at Sky’s the Limit, we know that plan doesn’t work for everyone, so we are pleased to help fill that gap.
Once an entrepreneur is eligible for funding and uploads their pitch, members of the community can boost their favorites! At the end of the month, the entrepreneur with the most boosts wins the grant.You can learn more by visiting the Friends & Family grant page.
Throughout the year, we also make available a range of funding opportunities for qualifying entrepreneurs based on different programs and initiatives. Entrepreneurs will be automatically entered for any rounds they qualify for, and we'll also message about any special or unique opportunities.
Note: Timelines to determine the grant winner can vary. Sometimes entrepreneurs win in their first month, sometimes it can take several months to win.
How do entrepreneurs become eligible for Sky’s the Limit grants?
STL offers a range of funding opportunities that are apply at different stages of the business journey.
Our core monthly grant program, the Friends & Family Fund grant, is available one time to all members who meet the following criteria: you must be based in the United States, Canada, or the United Kingdom and have a completed profile on Sky’s the Limit. Next, you must complete a Funding Pitch to let other members know how a grant would help fuel your business. The full guidelines for the Friends & Family process can be found here.
Other Funding Rounds typically have additional eligibility criteria which will be outlined in their descriptions. Here are some tips:
- Location (Typically!) Matters: Typically, you must base your business in the United States, Canada or the United Kingdom.
- Complete Your Profile: Ensure your Sky’s the Limit profile is thorough and up to date.
- Craft a Winning Pitch: Develop and post a Friends and Family Pitch showcasing how a grant can turbocharge your business.
- Participate: Active participation within our vibrant community dramatically heightens your chances of securing funding. Dive in and boost your eligibility today!
How are winner(s) selected?
Once an entrepreneur’s Funding Pitch is live, members of the community can view and boost it.
Entrepreneurs are only eligible to win each type of funding campaign once (BUT they are eligible for other types of funding rounds).
Entrepreneurs will be automatically entered for any round they are eligible for.
For Friends & Family Grants, one winner is chosen every month, typically on the last weekday of the month by 5pm PST / 8pm EST and notified of their status, and it's awarded based on the number of Boosts the community gives.
Depending on the type of Funding Round, there can be multiple winners in a Round.
Be sure to check out the Pitch FAQ to understand more.
Note: Sometimes entrepreneurs get enough boosts to win in their first month, sometimes it can take several months.
How do boosts work?
Boosts are a way to help raise the visibility of an entrepreneur’s funding pitch.
Entrepreneurs can not Boost themselves. At Sky’s the Limit, one core belief is that we rise together. We encourage you to visit the app daily, work on your business (or, if you are strictly a mentor-supporter, help entrepreneurs work on theirs!) and offer support to entrepreneurs in the form of Orbits, Assists, and Boosts.
Each member can Boost an entrepreneur’s pitch 1x a day. You can Boost as many pitches as you like 1x in that day.
How long does each funding round last?
What does the entrepreneur actually win?
Can entrepreneurs win more than one grant?
I submitted my Funding Pitch. How long does it take to go live?
I’m in the lead for more than one Funding Round, can I win both?
What if I boost an entrepreneur, but the entrepreneur I boosted doesn’t win the round?
If an entrepreneur receives boosts, but does not win the funding round, their pitch will be placed back into an “unpublished” state. Entrepreneurs then have the chance to tune up their pitch and re-publish it for the next funding rounds.
The reason for this is that entrepreneurs should have the chance to keep making their pitch as polished as possible and to ensure that all pitches are fresh, and encourage active use of the app. Boosts count remains the same – you don’t loose your Boosts even if you don’t win a given round.
Note: Winning Pitches can never be republished – to participate in future rounds, create a new pitch.
Do I qualify for the Sky’s the Limit program and services?
We serve underrepresented entrepreneurs from groups traditionally underrepresented in entrepreneurship, including those who identify as:
-
From a low-income background
-
Women
-
BIPOC (Black, Indigenous or other entrepreneurs of color)
-
LGBTQ+
-
Formerly incarcerated
-
Formerly in foster care
-
Experienced housing instability
-
Entrepreneurs with disabilities
-
Combat Veterans
- Refugees & Immigrants
Are the services from Sky's the Limit free?
Am I ready for support from an advisor or mentor?
How strongly do you believe that with the right mindset and support, you can transform yourself into the entrepreneur you want to be? If you feel strongly or very strongly this is the case, chances are you are in the right place!
Over 80% of our entrepreneurs embark on their journey in the earliest idea stage, seeking core guidance and assistance. The remaining 20% are in the growth stage, seeking to keep moving forward and believe they will benefit from collaboration and advice.
If you're ready to roll up your sleeves and work on your business, that's one half of the equation -- the other is to be prepared to receive and embrace the support necessary to become the entrepreneur you envision.
With STL, you'll not only discover guidance, but also a positive and empowering support system from our community to help you thrive.
How does it work?
Sky’s the Limit is a mutually beneficial community of Supporters and Entrepreneurs, all focused on creating the next generation of thriving businesses.
Supporters may be highly skilled professionals at Fortune 1000 companies who volunteer their time to mentor, advise and teach others; or they may be fellow entrepreneurs who range from highly seasoned to just starting out but eager to help others by sharing their own experiences in overcoming challenges.
Entrepreneurs are often very early idea-stage, building their first business venture, or could be on their second or third business and looking to benefit from peer support, expert mentorship and access to capital to help them move forward.
Once you are accepted as a full member, you can begin building out your network and initiating the messaging and meeting process by sending requests to “Orbit” other members. Once the other member accepts your request, you two will be “in Orbit.” This unlocks the Intercom function which allows you to schedule meetings and get to know each other. You can work on your most urgent business challenges and work together on tasks like your business plan, getting new customers, and more.
STL’s app helps connect you to mentors, resources, and funding opportunities; however, you must bring the right mindset and level of commitment to this community. It’s important that you believe that with the right mindset and support, you can transform yourself into the entrepreneur or supporter you want to be.
Successful STL members succeed in this community by taking a mindset that includes:
- willing to learn from your mistakes or failures
- honoring your commitments
- open to working with and learning from and alongside others
I was accepted as a full member. What should I do now?
1. → Click on “Orbits” send requests to get connected:
- View your recommended matches and start sending Orbit requests to other entrepreneurs and supporters you’d like to meet.
- Tell other members what you need help to receive rapid responses and fast feedback
- Messages are fun, but the real magic happens in meetings! And it’s easy to meet other members using voice or video chat. Once in orbit, you can schedule meetings through Intercom
- Track your progress, find new goals, and share your success! You can also acknowledge how other Sky’s the Limit members have helped you.
- Have you set up your Friends & Family campaign yet? You could be eligible for a startup grant of up to $2,500.
How do I connect with Supports for advice or mentorship?
Once you are a member, you can login and click on “Orbits'' to view profiles of the members we think you might like to meet first.
If you see someone you’d like to connect with, send them an Orbit request. In your request, you can introduce yourself and explain what areas you need help with.
Once they accept, you can easily exchange messages, schedule meetings and meet through the Intercom function.
If you’d like to meet, you will see options for creating in-app meetings, providing a link to an external meeting platform like Zoom or Microsoft Teams, or even phone or video options. After your intro meeting, you can determine how often you would like to meet and what you will work on together.
We don’t put a limit on how many members you can work with, and encourage you to explore a diverse variety of support!
What is the commitment that I make as a member?
By joining our community, you’re making the following commitments:
- As an Entrepreneur, you’ll request support when you’re ready to actively work with Supporters – in other words, you’re getting in contact when you’re ready to accept the help of advisors, peers, and mentors and take action to move forward
- If you’re playing a Supporter role, you’ll respond to messages timely and be clear about the commitments you can make – think under-promise, over-deliver!
- Once you’ve messaged with someone and agreed to meet, you should be ready to take action together and conduct that meeting within the next two weeks
- You’ll attend scheduled meetings on time and provide advance notice if you will be late or need to reschedule.
- You’ll rate your experience and provide feedback when asked by our Member Experience team.
What funding opportunities does Sky’s the Limit offer?
Sky’s the Limit offers monthly funding opportunities in the form of our Friends & Family Fund. Each month, we award a $2,500 / GBP2,000 startup grant to help young underrepresented entrepreneurs get closer to their business dreams.
Many entrepreneurs get their start by borrowing money from those around them. This kind of “friends and family” support works well for some, but at Sky’s the Limit, we know that plan doesn’t work for everyone, so we are pleased to help fill that gap.
Once an entrepreneur is eligible for funding and uploads their pitch, members of the community can boost their favorites! At the end of the month, the entrepreneur with the most boosts wins the grant.You can learn more by visiting the Friends & Family grant page.
Throughout the year, we also make available a range of funding opportunities for qualifying entrepreneurs based on different programs and initiatives. Entrepreneurs will be automatically entered for any rounds they qualify for, and we'll also message about any special or unique opportunities.
Note: Timelines to determine the grant winner can vary. Sometimes entrepreneurs win in their first month, sometimes it can take several months to win.
How do I become eligible for Sky’s the Limit grants?
Can I meet with other entrepreneurs?
What if I need to take a break from my business?
What if I’m working on multiple businesses or business ideas?
Who are the volunteer mentors and Supporters?
Anyone who has a desire to help underrepresented entrepreneurs achieve their goals can volunteer their time to be a mentor and supporter.
We have supporters at Sky's the Limit. Many entrepreneurs work to build out their Orbits the way they would an Advisory Board: seeking a diverse range of experiences and perspectives to help them move as efficiently as possible.
Supporters you'll encounter include:
- Volunteer Mentors from a wide variety of Fortune 500 companies who are eager to put their skills to use. Many times they’ve worked at or with a wide varieties of companies all over the world. Many have startup experience of their own and have created their own companies. These are typically people who are skilled business professionals with expertise in areas relevant to starting a business like:
-
-
Sales
-
Project/Product Management
-
Design
-
Marketing & Social Media
-
Human Resources
-
Finance & Bookkeeping
-
Legal & Regulatory
-
- Peer Supporters are fellow entrepreneurs who are building their own business. Some are very seasoned, and some are just starting out, but all are eager and able to help fellow entrepreneurs leapfrog challenges they're facing by offering advice based on their own "been there, done that" experiences.
How much time should I spend getting feedback on my business?
How do I get involved?
How do I send a message?
How do I schedule a meeting?
How do I upload my pitch?
How do I win funding?
How many times can I boost a pitch?
What are Assists? How do they work?
Assists are a feature that allow entrepreneurs to create and post a card for other members to view, enabling them to receive rapid responses and fast feedback from supporters for a short period of time.
When creating a request, focus on the specific challenge you’re facing. For example, you may receive more responses and support when you ask for “How can I improve the business financials section of my Pitch?” vs. “Can someone review my pitch?
If you see opportunities to deepen your engagement, Orbit the member and then Intercom them to ask for additional support.
I am an entrepreneur and I was accepted as a full member. What should I do now?
To begin your journey, try visiting Missions and take your Get Started Mission – this will help orient you to the way the app works and help you get the most value out of your experience.
If you prefer to be more hands-on right away, try this::
- Click on “Orbits” to send requests to get connected to other members: View your recommended matches and start sending Orbit requests to other entrepreneurs and supporters you’d like to meet.
- Post Your 1st Pitch: Have you set up your Friends & Family campaign yet? You could be eligible for a startup grant of up to $2,500/GBP2000!
- Post an Assist: Ask other members for help on your Pitch, or let them know what else you need help with start getting rapid responses and fast feedback
- Turn Orbits into Meetings: Messages are vital, but the real magic happens in meetings! And it’s easy to meet other members using voice or video chat. Once in Orbit, you can start to message and schedule meetings through Intercom
How should I get started if I want to talk to an entrepreneur?
- Go to “Orbits” to see a list of recommended entrepreneur profiles to get connected with. Each profile will have a “score match” that uses logic based on skills and industry to show a user how good of a match the other user is. > 80: Great Match, 50 - 80: Good Match, less than 50 is Some Match.
- When you find an entrepreneur profile that you are interested in, send a request to Orbit. Once that entrepreneur accepts, you two will be “In Orbit.”
- Being “In Orbit” unlocks the Intercom function, which allows you to send and receive messages from an entrepreneur. You can also set up meetings through Intercom.