I live in a world where access to capital often feels like a locked room with no key.

In the early stages of my business, people would ask me all the time: “But how are you going to make money doing this?” “This” being my ability to connect people—to see patterns, make introductions, build bridges, and open doors.

I still get this question. But now, it’s from other women who identify as connectors.

We know our work has value. But the traditional funding system? It often doesn’t see us. Or worse—it sees us, but doesn’t understand us.

That’s why more and more micro-enterprise leaders, especially women, are breaking open a different kind of door.

We’re turning toward community-funded business models.

Who Are Women Micro-Enterprise Leaders?

When I say women micro-enterprise leaders, I’m talking about women building purpose-driven businesses—often solo or with small, agile teams.

These businesses might be early-stage or intentionally lean, but they’re built with vision.

Whether it’s:

• Consulting
• Coaching
• Product-based businesses
• Creative services
• Community organizing

…these women are running operations, shaping strategy, and leading with intention.

They’re not just side hustling—they’re building empires rooted in values and impact.

And because traditional funding often overlooks them, they’re getting creative: Self-funded. Community-supported. Deeply resourceful.

They’re not waiting for permission—they’re already positioning.

The Problem with Traditional Funding

The current funding system wasn’t built with women like me in mind.

• Banks want collateral I don’t have.
• Venture capital wants scale I’m not chasing.
• Grants come with gatekeepers, strings, or too many barriers.

For many women micro-enterprise leaders—especially those from underinvested communities—the math doesn’t add up.

We’re bootstrapping brilliance. Running high-impact ventures from home offices and co-working spaces. Funding ourselves through emergency savings, retirement accounts, credit cards, and community trust.

It’s not sustainable. It’s time for a different approach.

What Is a Community-Funded Model?

At its core, a community-funded model is exactly what it sounds like: A business supported by the people it serves.

Instead of asking a few investors for a lot, we ask a lot of people for a little. It’s like choosing between one big watermelon or a bunch of grapes— both can nourish you, but one depends on a single source, while the other spreads the weight, the risk, and the reward.

Community-funded models can look like:

• Monthly memberships or subscriptions
• Revenue-sharing or donation-based models
• Pay-it-forward access
• Crowdsourced startup capital

But more than structure—it’s a shift in mindset.

It’s about building with the community, not just for it.

This isn’t charity. It’s a values-based, relationship-driven approach to sustainable funding.

How Community Showed Up in My Business

I didn’t invent this model. I just implemented it.

After working with an expert business strategist, Celi Arias, I realized that a community-funded approach was a low-lift way to generate consistent, recurring revenue.

I wasn’t trying to build a unicorn. I was trying to build something sustainable, honest, and rooted in service.

And it worked. It felt aligned. That’s when I realized: this isn’t just a “me” thing. It’s a movement—and we’re only going to see more of it.

The DotConnectHer Network

DotConnectHer, the private membership platform I built to support micro-enterprise women worldwide, is a living, breathing example of this model in action.

It’s not backed by venture capital. It’s backed by us.

By the women who show up, contribute, and shape what we’re building—together.

Every relationship, every collaboration, every introduction is made possible by the trust and investment of the community itself.

We don’t just share resources. We are the resource.

And in a world where so many systems are built to extract, this model is regenerative by design.

Why This Matters More Than Ever

We’re in a moment of deep recalibration. Across industries and communities, people are navigating:

• Economic strain
• Social fragmentation
• Collective fatigue

In times like these, building regenerative models isn’t just ideal—it’s necessary.

Community-funded models:

• Shift power back to the people doing the work
• Create steady revenue without compromising values
• Make entrepreneurship accessible—not just aspirational
• Reflect the way many of us already operate: relationally, not transactionally

This isn’t a workaround. It’s a blueprint.

What Comes Next

If you’re a founder—especially a connector—and you’ve been wondering how to monetize your magic… consider starting here.

Start small. Start with your people. You may be surprised how ready they are to invest in what you’re building.

We already have the tools. We already have the trust. Now it’s about building the infrastructure—and doing it together.

👇 Let’s Connect! Are you experimenting with a community-funded model in your business? Thinking about it but unsure how to start? Drop your thoughts or link your work—I’d love to learn how you’re approaching this. Dot Connector Consulting