Jamie Johnson wants to empower women by providing confidential, customized support during pregnancy, connecting them with the right resources when they need them the most. But first she realized she needed to empower herself to make her ideas a reality: by gaining entrepreneurial skills backed up by the confidence to forge ahead. Johnson is part of the Arkansas Collaborative for Technological and Innovative Venture Equality (ACTIVE), a supportive accelerator program for Arkansas entrepreneurs in healthcare or health tech who come from groups with historically limited access to business capital. ACTIVE is funded by the Capital Readiness Program from the Minority Business Development Agency. “Business ideas have crossed my mind, but I’ve always believed you have to come from a business background to do something like that,” Johnson said. “I know I want to make a difference in our state and the world someday, helping other women, and my eyes have been opened to new ways for me to do that.” empowerHERjourney: Providing women with anonymous, interactive resources Johnson is a licensed associate counselor with a Master of Science in marriage and family therapy. She has been a therapist since 2021 in a variety of settings and is transitioning to private practice to lean into her goal of working with the perinatal population. Her business venture, which she has named empowerHERjourney, is a web-based and mobile-friendly platform offering anonymous and interactive resources to equip women to make informed decisions about their pregnancy, healthcare, mental health and support networks. “I want women to have the resources they need at their fingertips for whatever issues or questions they have during pregnancy,” Johnson said. “And I want them to feel secure that the help they’re getting will be confidential and judgment-free.” ACTIVE: Supporting entrepreneurs with resources, networks and training Johnson is one of 25 members of the inaugural ACTIVE cohort. Since spring 2024, they have been learning business fundamentals through a bootcamp series hosted by ACTIVE partner, The Venture Center, while expanding their networks in the healthcare industry. Next, ACTIVE programming will shift to focus on one-on-one support through customized mentorship and services. Each participant will receive about $4,500 worth of individualized assistance, such as help with marketing, market research, technology, cybersecurity, accounting and more. The goal is for each cohort member to take their early-stage business to the next level, whether that’s just starting out, like Johnson, or ventures that are ready to raise funding and look for partners. For Johnson, her current focus is her brand story. Inspired by the bootcamp’s core curriculum, she is finetuning her pitch and messaging. The process has really made her think about just how much her personal story is the fuel behind her drive. Finding like-minded problem-solvers at the Maternal Health Hackathon Johnson found out about ACTIVE by participating in another BioVentures project, the Maternal Health Hackathon in April 2024. Once there, she found herself surrounded by passionate people like her from all types of backgrounds and expertise with interest in solving the tough issues confronting maternal health. (Arkansas has one of the highest maternal mortality rates and the third-highest infant mortality rate in the nation.) Although Johnson didn’t go to the event with a business idea in mind, when the round-robin brainstorming circle got to her, she spoke from the heart. She had faced her own challenges during the postpartum period and wants to make sure women facing any issue during pregnancy know where to turn. Taking empowerHERjourney to the next level The ideas flowed that night and continued to in the weeks that followed. Johnson decided to apply for ACTIVE, knowing she would need support to turn her idea into a business. “Honestly, one of the biggest benefits of the program has been the ongoing individual meetings with staff from ACTIVE or The Venture Center,” Johnson said about the program’s monthly individual mentoring check-ins. “For me, because I’m literally starting from scratch and because the business idea is so close to my heart, it’s so personal, I have had to learn not only the basic skills – how to market yourself, how to put your ideas out there on social media – but I’ve also had to learn that entrepreneurial mindset to put myself out there and not be afraid of rejection,” Johnson said. “That talking about your business and then receiving feedback, even if it’s critical – that’s actually a good thing.” Johnson will continue to work on her marketing in the months ahead, complimented by networking events and pitch-refining opportunities hosted by ACTIVE. Meanwhile, she is also looking for technical partners to help build the site and conducting research on the full scope of support she can provide. “I’m collecting data to find out more about where the need is. What are women wanting? What would be helpful? What do they wish they had more of?” Johnson said. “I can speak for myself, but everyone’s journey is different, and empowerHERjourney will be a resource for all women.”
