Women’s History Month: The Foundation We Stand On

 - Written by Mandy Krickhahn, Collective Founder & CEO // March 2026

Women’s History Month isn’t just about celebration for me, it’s about remembering that the opportunities we have today exist because women before us pushed, challenged, and refused to accept less.

As a female business owner, I don’t take that lightly. There were women before us who couldn’t open bank accounts on their own, who struggled to access funding, who were excluded from rooms where decisions were made. Women had to push harder, speak louder, and endure more simply to access opportunities that were given to others. Because they did that work, I get to build The Collective, sign contracts, lead teams, host markets, and create platforms that amplify other entrepreneurs.

That’s not lost on me.

At the same time, progress isn’t something you achieve once and then move on from. It requires attention, engagement, and people who are willing to stay informed and get involved. There are still gaps, still conversations unfolding, still decisions being made that impact women and families in very real ways.

One of the things I’m most proud of within The Collective is how many women are leading businesses and shaping their own futures. Women rebuilding after divorce, working full-time jobs while growing their businesses at night, raising kids and running households while still finding the energy to chase something that’s theirs. Women pivoting careers midstream, choosing purpose over approval, creating opportunities not just for themselves but for others, and those building enough momentum to leave their full-time jobs and step fully into the businesses they created.

They’re not waiting for perfect timing or for permission, they’re building anyway. And they’re doing it with grit, integrity, and a level of resilience that deserves to be recognized.

To me, honoring Women’s History Month isn’t just about reflection. It’s about recognizing the foundation we stand on and supporting each other through real action; referrals, partnerships, mentorship, investment, and visibility. It’s about protecting what was fought for by continuing to work together to build something even better.

This journey has shaped me in ways I didn’t expect. It introduced me to women who challenge me, inspire me, hold me accountable, and remind me that leadership doesn’t have to look one way. It can be assertive and empathetic, calculated and collaborative, direct and kind all at the same time.

I’m grateful for the women who built before us, the ones building with me right now, and those who will continue shaping what comes next.

I don’t take this moment lightly. The access we have, the leadership we step into, the businesses we build, it all rests on women who refuse to accept less, and we are not finished.

🖤 Mandy