Pepperdine Graziadio Hosts Inaugural "Franchise Power" Case Study Event to Empower Female Leaders

The Center for Women in Leadership at the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School recently hosted the inaugural Prodigious Case Study Event in partnership with Prodigious Advisors at the scenic Malibu campus. Titled "Franchise Power," the high-impact gathering brought together 45 highly accomplished women in business to examine how female influence can be effectively transformed into scalable equity. The day centered on a live case study titled The Post-Podium Pivot, which followed the journey of Maya, a retiring professional soccer player navigating limited savings, constrained visibility, and systemic barriers to traditional capital networks.

The event fostered intense collaboration as attendees divided into three cross-industry teams to tackle distinct dilemmas facing women in business. Participants developed strategic solutions focused on converting social capital into scalable equity, accessing capital outside of traditional financial gatekeepers, and holding institutions accountable for supporting female athletes beyond their active playing years. The core themes of visibility, access, mentorship, and institutional accountability resonated deeply with the attendees, mirroring the professional hurdles many women encounter and actively work to overcome in the corporate world.

The collaborative session yielded bold, practical strategies designed to drive systemic change for the next generation of female leaders. Organizers noted that the event proved to be more than just an abstract strategy session; it served as a powerful reflection of the shared experiences and collective determination of the leaders in the room. By hosting this foundational event, the Center for Women in Leadership continues to champion actionable solutions that empower women to break through traditional funding boundaries and scale their business influence.