Application Portal Opens March 18
Get on the Waitlist for Cohort 6!!
Program Details
WE by CPB Rising Tide is an entrepreneur program sponsored by Central Pacific Bank and aio Foundation, in partnership with YWCA Oahu’s Patsy T. Mink Center for Business and Leadership and Rising Tide Hawaii.
WE by CPB Rising Tide is an11-session program designed for entrepreneurs to hone financial management, marketing, and leadership skills, and provides a host of benefits, including funded marketing consultation and access to established leaders to help selected participants grow their business. A cohort of 20 entrepreneurs will be selected each year, helping to create a powerful community comprised of business owners and leaders in Hawaii that help each other rise.
Who is right for the program:
Business must be a for-profit, 51% woman-owned business
Business must be in operation for a minimum of three years and currently 100% open for business
Minimum yearly revenue generation of $250,000 (FY2025)
Maximum yearly revenue generation of $5,000,000 (FY2025)
Time Commitment:
This is an 10-week program culminating in a graduation. To fully benefit from the WE by CPB Rising Tide program, a commitment of 10 of the 11 sessions, including the Graduation Ceremony, is required. Sessions will take place every Wednesday evening between August 26 and November 4 at Central Pacific Bank’s corporate headquarters in downtown Honolulu.
Expectations:
Graduates of the WE by CPB Rising Tide program will hone their financial management, marketing, and leadership skills with topics ranging from Financial Plan and Cash budget, Understanding Financial Statements, Resources for Growth, and Marketing & Branding.
Program Cost
No program cost. All fees for the 20 entrepreneurs in the sixth cohort are being funded by Central Pacific Bank.
key dates
March 18, 2026: Applications Open
May 31, 2026: Applications Close
May 19, 2026: Applicant Interviews Begin
Program Schedule*
Aug 26 ............. Opening Session***
Sept 02 ............. Journeys to Success Panel
Sept 09 ............. Financial Mgmt. "Overview of Closely Held Businesses"
Sept 16 ............. Financial Mgmt. "Understanding Your Financial Statements"
Sept 23 ............. Financial Mgmt. "Financial Plan & Cash Budget"
Sept 30 ............. Financial Mgmt. "Strategies for Growth & Funding Sources"
Oct 07 ............. Resources for Growth: Speed Mentoring***
Oct 16 ............. Marketing***
Oct 17 ............. Marketing***
Oct 21 ............. Cohort Choice
Nov 4 ............. Graduation***
*Neighbor Island cohort members attend in-person with travel provided.
Organization & Participant Benefits
Financial management acumen to better manage your business
Marketing and branding strategies to help your business grow
Exclusive opportunities to network and mentor with successful business owners and executives
Build a network of peer support with your cohort and a growing base of alumni
for more information
Questions? Contact Brittany at bmontilliano@ywcaoahu.org or (808) 695-2633
