Women Elevating Women Launches New Economic Engine to Help Entrepreneurs Unlock Untapped Capital

National Conference Introduces a New Framework That Challenges How Business Owners Think About Capital and Long-Term Growth

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD, UNITED STATES, August 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As entrepreneurs continue to navigate tighter access to financing, rising operating costs and a rapidly changing business landscape, Women Elevating Women (WEW) is challenging one of the biggest assumptions in business: What if the most valuable capital isn’t money at all?

That question is driving the launch of the WEW Economic Engine, a new framework designed to help entrepreneurs recognize and leverage six forms of capital – financial, knowledge, institutional, relationship, technology and global expansion – to build stronger, more sustainable businesses.

The WEW Economic Engine will be introduced during the 2026 Women Elevating Women Conference, Oct. 21-23, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, where entrepreneurs, executives and business leaders from across the country will explore practical strategies for growing their businesses beyond traditional financing.

The timing couldn't be more relevant. While women continue to launch businesses at record levels, access to capital remains one of the greatest obstacles to growth. Recent federal research found that 66% of women entrepreneurs say access to capital is critical to their success, yet 42% of applicants did not receive a bank loan after applying, forcing many business owners to rethink how they finance and grow their companies.

"We've spent years talking about access to capital and that conversation isn't going away," said Betty J. Hines, CEO and founder of Women Elevating Women. "But capital is much bigger than money. Sometimes the opportunity you've been looking for is already within your network, your knowledge, your technology or a relationship you haven't activated. When entrepreneurs recognize the value of those assets, they stop waiting for opportunity and start creating it."
Built around WEW's five guiding pillars – Connect, Collaborate, Communicate, Courage and Cultivate – the WEW Economic Engine encourages entrepreneurs to identify the resources they already possess while developing strategies to access the ones they need next.

"Today's entrepreneurs are being asked to do more with fewer resources," Hines said. "The businesses that will thrive aren't necessarily those with the deepest pockets. They'll be the ones that know how to leverage relationships, technology, innovation and collaboration as strategically as they leverage dollars."

The conversation begins before the conference with the inaugural WEW Capital Activation Series on Aug. 26 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at CereseD Jewelry in Atlanta. This complimentary, in-person experience will bring entrepreneurs and executives together for interactive conversations on financial readiness and global expansion, putting WEW's WE MUST BE OUR OWN CAPITAL™ philosophy into action and helping participants identify opportunities to leverage the resources they already possess.

The National Harbor conference will feature nationally recognized business leaders, including Eric L. Kelly, chairman and founder of Bridge 2 Technologies, who will deliver the opening keynote, and TEDCO CEO Troy LeMaile-Stovall, who will join Hines for a fireside conversation on entrepreneurship, innovation and building companies for long-term success.

The conference will open with the Entrepreneurial Women of Impact (EWOI) Awards, celebrating women whose leadership and achievements exemplify the spirit of Women Elevating Women. During the WEW Signature Luncheon, the organization will recognize 25 Women Pillar Honorees and 12 Visionary Men. Together, these leaders demonstrate that true impact is measured not only by personal success, but by the opportunities they create and the people they empower along the way.

"Being our own capital doesn't mean doing it alone," Hines said. "It means recognizing that every relationship, every lesson learned and every opportunity shared has value. When we intentionally invest those resources in one another, we don’t just grow stronger businesses – we create stronger communities. That’s the WEW Economic Engine in action.”

Early-bird registration ends Aug. 31. To learn more, become a sponsor or register for the conference, visit wewcrew.com.

About Women Elevating Women
Women Elevating Women (WEW) is a national organization that connects entrepreneurs, executives and business leaders with the relationships, knowledge and opportunities they need to grow successful businesses and careers. Founded by strategic consultant Betty J. Hines, WEW brings together women from diverse industries to learn from one another, expand their networks and create new opportunities for leadership and growth. Guided by the belief that "As iron sharpens iron, women elevate women," WEW is advancing its WEW Economic Engine, a framework that helps entrepreneurs identify, activate and leverage multiple forms of capital to achieve sustainable growth. Learn more at wewcrew.com.

Sandra Arnette
Arnette Media Strategies, LLC
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