SOE Founder Cathy Feldman

Sadly, Spirit of Entrepreneurship founder Cathy Feldman, passed away in February, 2019. Over the past decade, building SOE was an act love for Cathy and we will honor her memory by dedicating ourselves to continuing her work. You can read more about Cathy’s extraordinary life here.

Cathy loved connecting, supporting, and encouraging women and we were all fortunate to have her touch our lives. Whether it was as the founder, board chair, and CEO of the Spirit of Entrepreneurship, as the founder and publisher of Blue Point Books, co-founder of the Women’s Executive Network (WEN), or as the Executive Director of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) in Santa Barbara, Cathy never stopped inspiring us.

"I am just so thankful for all she has done in this community for entrepreneurs and to inspire everyone to keep going, to persevere and go for greatness,” said Julie Sampson, Executive Director, Scheinfeld Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation.

If you would like to remember Cathy, tributes can be made in her memory to the Cathy Feldman Fund to support high school and college student entrepreneurship through the Spirit of Entrepreneurship program. This fund was created in 2018 to honor Cathy and provide an opportunity for the SOE community to continue her legacy.