McBride Sisters Launch Professional Development Fund For Black-and-Women-Owned Small Businesses

Sisters Andréa and Robin McBride — founders of the largest Black-owned wine company in the U.S., McBride Sisters Collection — have popped the cork on a new campaign as a part of the company’s SHE CAN Professional Development Fund: #YesSheCan2021.

According to a press release, the initiative was originally created to support the professional development of women in the wine & spirits, hospitality, and finance industries and help close the race and gender gap in these male-dominated fields. Now a 501(c)(3) corporation, the duo have widened the scope of the McBride Sisters SHE CAN Fund to focus on Black and women-owned small businesses affected by the pandemic. 

Varying grants will support continued education, coaching and professional certifications. In addition to donations made by corporate financial sponsors including Morgan Stanley and Silicon Valley bank, a portion of the proceeds from the 2021 sales of the McBride Sisters Collection SHE CAN wines (up to $100,000) will benefit the #YESSHECAN2021 initiative.

Co-founder and President, Robin McBride, said in a statement that it is their goal to empower women to grow their careers and to break barriers in professions they may have never thought possible in the past.

“We know first-hand just how hard it can be for women to break through in traditionally male-dominated industries and want to open as many doors as possible for the next generation of women leaders,” Robin said in a statement.

A 2019 Castle Project study found that only 12 percent of hospitality industry leadership roles are held by women. Even less are executives or hold venture capital and private equity leadership positions. 

“We want to create more opportunities for women every day,” said Andréa McBride John, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, in a press release. “Our time is now, and we want to do our part to help close the gender gap.”

The McBride Sisters SHE CAN Fund will begin accepting applications for the #YESSHECAN2021 initiative on May 3, 2021.

Entries will remain open through July 2, 2021 and grants will be awarded and announced in Fall 2021.