Peighton Woodard recently stepped into the Instant Teams and Twelve Million Plus Headquarters in Southern Pines, NC in search of some guidance for her entrepreneurial journey as a military spouse. Determined and ready to carve her path in the business world, Peighton, a military spouse and founder of Luna Leaf, had a chance to sit down with the CEO (and fellow military spouse) of Instant Teams, Liza Rodewald.
Fifteen months ago, the concept of a free coworking and community space for military spouses near Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg), NC, was launched. This initiative aimed to share resources, knowledge, and experiences, aligning perfectly with Liza’s vision for extending solutions under the Instant Teams umbrella.
The Founder Institute = Startup Success
As a graduate of both Founder Institute and its post graduate program, Funding Lab, Liza recommended that Peighton explore these programs that set her on a path of success back in 2018. The Founder Institute is the world’s largest pre-seed startup accelerator, having helped launch over 7,500 companies across 100 countries. They deliver on an ethos that there are talented people everywhere whose potential can be unlocked to make an impact on the world through entrepreneurship! Through their conversation, Liza immediately identified that Peighton was a prime candidate. Thanks to the Instant Teams’ specific scholarship offered to military spouses at Founder Institute, she was able to get Peighton connected.
“The Founder Institute is a transformative program that provides entrepreneurs with the resources, mentorship, and network they need to succeed. I knew it would be the perfect fit for Peighton and her vision for Luna Leaf,” said Liza Rodewald.
Peighton’s Journey Through the Founders Institute
Peighton moved fast, applied, and was 1 of 48 accepted into the FI Veteran and Military Family cohort, powered by JP Morgan Chase . She embraced the opportunity, dedicated her time and energy to the program, and became the first military spouse from the Instant Teams’ military spouse community (called Twelve Million Plus) and only 1 of 18 to complete the accelerator program and 1 of 4 women to graduate from the Founder Institute.
“Peighton embodies the spirit and resilience that define exceptional startup founders. Her unwavering dedication, innovative mindset, and ability to adapt and overcome challenges have set her apart in the accelerator program. She consistently demonstrates leadership, creativity, and a strong sense of community, making her a standout entrepreneur who is destined for success,” said Mike Sherbakov, Managing Director, Founder Institute Veteran and Military Family Accelerator.
Peighton recently shared on LinkedIn:
“Just landed in San Diego, CA to celebrate my graduation from the Founder Institute! The program was nothing short of inspiring and expansive, and I’ve met some incredible founders and mentors along the way! Luna Leaf wouldn’t be where it is today if it weren’t for this program. I am so grateful for all of those that I’ve connected with through this program!”
“Over the last 15 years, we’ve been working to support the creation of more US military Veteran and spouse Founders. When we met Peighton, we knew she had the capacity to become a great startup founder and leader in our community. The Founder Institute is tough, but spouses are tougher, and there is nothing they can’t do without the right mentorship and support,” said Ryan Micheletti, Head of Operations, Founder Institute.
Meet Luna Leaf: Empowering Women Through Wellness
Luna Leaf believes that a woman’s menstrual cycle is not merely a biological process but a powerful journey of self-discovery and well-being. They exist to empower women to embrace the full spectrum of their menstrual cycle, harnessing the wisdom of their natural flow while supporting their bodies with cycle-synced movement, meditation, and nutrition. Luna Leaf’s commitment to holistic health and well-being provides women with the resources and products they need to navigate their menstrual cycles with confidence and grace.
“Luna Leaf is more than a wellness brand; it’s a movement dedicated to empowering women to understand and embrace their bodies. Our goal is to support women through every phase of their menstrual cycle with the knowledge and tools they need to thrive,” said Peighton Woodard.
Join the Movement
Instant Teams and Twelve Million Plus are dedicated to empowering military spouses like Peighton by providing access to remote job opportunities, resources, mentorship, and opportunities for growth in a community space – both virtually in-app and locally at select military sites. If you’re a military spouse with entrepreneurial dreams like Peighton, we invite you to join our community and learn more. Your journey to success begins here.
Peighton’s story is a powerful example of what can be achieved with determination, support, and the right resources. Instant Teams is proud to be a part of her journey and look forward to celebrating many more success stories in our community. Together, we can empower more military spouses to rise, lead, and transform their dreams into reality.
The post ''The Power of Partnership: How The Founder Institute & Instant Teams Propel Military Spouse Innovation'' originally appeared on Instant Teams' blog. It has been republished here with permission.
Graduates of the Founder Institute are creating some of the world's fastest growing startups, having raised over $1.85BN in funding, and building products people love across over 200 cities worldwide.
See the most recent news from our Grads at FI.co/news, or learn more about their stories at FI.co/graduates.
