Ladies Who Launch

Who dares open up a brick & mortar space in the food & beverage industry… in San Francisco, of all places? Especially in this economy?!!

Jessica Bell (), that’s who.

During the early days of the pandemic, while helping her sister through the end of her life and questioning a career that no longer felt right, Jess found herself returning to the simplest rituals: sharing a meal, opening a bottle of wine, and laughing around a table.

Those moments became the start of something that’s since developed into something much bigger. 👉

Jess didn’t want to create another destination wine bar, or coworking hotspot in the technology hub of the world.

Instead, she pictured as the kind of place where neighbors became regulars. Where first dates go on for hours with sneaky make out sessions in a moody booth. And where belonging mattered more than what was in the glass.

(Though she wanted to make sure that what was in the glass was pretty special, too!) 👉

By innovatively partnering with local cult-favorite to launch a “roommate-style” co-op, Fat Cat & The Mantis has been a smashing success since opening their shared doors in April 2026.

The staff know their regulars, and conversations ping-pong across the bar. Wines are made by q***r and underrepresented vintners. The food is a beautiful homage to the local Vietnamese diaspora.

And bright pink walls, leopard-print chopsticks, vintage tchotchkes, disco balls, and oversized wedges of cheese remind you not to take any of it too seriously. 👉

It turns out that, in a city dominated by obsession with agents and AI, the people are hungry to just feel human.

And Fat Cat & The Mantis is the place giving folks permission to just be.

“Fat Cat is my ultimate expression of what it means to touch grass, feel love, and build the community you seek.” — Jessica Bell

Happy Pride. ❤️🌈

Meet Georgina, Founder of . We love Georgina’s story because it brings together so many beautiful layers: motherhood, caregiving, authenticity, starting a business later in life, building from a problem, unconditional love, innovation, and so much more.

From all of these layers Georgina has built a powerful, award-winning brand that helps people build a better relationship with their skin. We were so grateful to have her as part of last year’s FUNDED & FEARLESS event in London.

Which layers of Georgina’s story do you most relate to? 🩵

Throwing it back to April’s Launcher Spotlight: Georgina Tang, Founder of !

We love Georgina’s story because it models and marries so many beautiful things: problem solving, motherhood, career shifts, launching a business later in life, caregiving, compassion, and so much more.

She’s never tried to keep these things separate from one another, and embraces the overlap. She’s never been anyone but her true, authentic self. And the outcome? YNNY Limited has grown into an award-winning brand, loved the world over!

Show Georgina some love in the comments! What part of her story resonates most for you? 🩵

Is 2026 flying for anyone else, or just us?! With all the movement in the day-to-day, we go back to this important reminder from Tara, cofounder of .

How are you sustaining yourself and finding balance as we head into the weekend? 🩵🚀