Tiffany "Tip" Hayes
2X WNBA All-Star, NCAA champion, and lifelong investor in the next generation of women athletes.
Recap · Co-Produced with Rhymes with Reason, St. Leonard's Ministries & Grace House
Innovation Summit & Venture Challenge
The Challenge
How do we grow women's sports?
On July 24, 2026, during WNBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago, mothers and their teen children gathered at Northern Trust's 7th Floor Loop Room for a day most families never get invited into. The question on the table: how do we grow revenue, investment, and cultural capital for women's sports?
By design, it was a shared effort. Students led the research and pitch development. Their mothers brought mentorship, industry insight, and business strategy. The pitches reflected real problems these students see every day: gaps in mental health access for Black and Brown women athletes in underserved neighborhoods, and resource shortfalls on Chicago's Southeast Side, where a quarter of the city's youth live in poverty.
Mentors coached. Speakers pushed. And by 4 PM, every team had stood in front of a room of investors and mentors and presented something real.
Impacting generations. Mothers and their teen children · Co-produced by Living on Purpose × Rhymes with Reason · In partnership with St. Leonard's Ministries and Grace House
The Day
From welcome to winners
9 – 9:30 AM
Welcome
The day kicked off with energy-setting, music, and a clear view of the challenge ahead.
9:30 – 10:15 AM
"Bet on Yourself" Panel
Tiffany "Tip" Hayes, Mariah Cooks, Isis "Ice" Young, Jason Burns, and Bernie Kosar joined Austin Martin for an honest conversation on opportunity, equity, and what it looks like to believe in yourself before anyone else does.
10:15 – 11 AM
Rhymes with Reason Workshop
Teams formed and each picked the angle they were building around: marketing, sponsorship, media, community, or policy.
11 AM – 12 PM
Work Session One · Research
Teams defined the problem and dug into data in breakout rooms, guided by mentors.
12 – 12:45 PM
Lunch + Financial Literacy Session
Participants heard from a Northern Trust financial advisor on building personal wealth alongside community impact.
1:15 – 2:30 PM
Work Session Two · Build
Solution development and pitch deck. Mentors rotated through breakout rooms with real-time feedback.
2:30 – 3 PM
Movement Break
Basketball drills and a reset before the final stretch. The best teams paced themselves.
3 – 4 PM
Pitch + Judging
Every team presented live. Judges evaluated, winners were recognized, and the room celebrated together.
From the Room
The summit in pictures
Measured Impact
What the data showed
Measured via RwR's Social Entrepreneurship Index, pre- and post-survey. Eight matched participants used for growth analysis.
+53%
Avg increase in social entrepreneurship understanding
+20%
Avg increase in entrepreneurship interest
+29%
Avg increase in public speaking confidence
100%
Maintained or improved their understanding
75%
Maintained or increased entrepreneurship as career interest
Speakers + Judges
Who led the day
Mariah Cooks
San Francisco-based attorney, former NCAA and professional athlete, leading on legal and business formation.
Austin Martin
Hackathon facilitator and architect of the summit framework. Led workshop sessions and the day's full flow.
Taurean Dyer
Tech and entrepreneurship voice, on hand for STEM mentorship and product feedback across breakout rooms.
Isis "Ice" Young
Former D-I athlete turned WNBA and college basketball analyst, media entrepreneur, and founder of Your World Enterprises. Dual master's degrees from Syracuse's Newhouse School and Fordham's Gabelli School of Business.
Jason Burns
Entrepreneur and former NFL player. Spoke on the intersection of athletics, business, and purpose, and what it looks like to build something real from the ground up.
Bernie Kosar
NFL legend and founder of Kosar Wellness, joining the "Bet on Yourself" panel with perspective on building a second chapter and the power of community investment.
Northern Trust Representative
Led the financial literacy session during lunch, covering personal wealth-building alongside community and social impact.
With Gratitude
The people who made it possible.
Thank you to Northern Trust for hosting the summit, and to Kosar Wellness, ALKA, and Saint Leonard's Ministries for supporting every family who walked through the door. Special thanks to LOP Advisors Jacalyn Thompson-Champion and Louise Cochrane for sponsoring the tablets for every participant. And thank you to every mentor, volunteer, and speaker who gave these students something more valuable than advice: proof that someone was willing to bet on them.