Alumnus Connection Helps WIN Lab Go Global

SMART Liberia
Listen

Babson’s Women Innovating Now (WIN) Lab® has joined forces with alumnus Marvin Tarawally ’17 to support his organization, SMART Liberia, and its mission to empower young entrepreneurs of all kinds to lead and create change.

As part of a new initiative, WIN Lab staff and alumni are participating in a collaboration that pairs train-the-trainer curriculum with hands-on coaching to support women fellows in SMART Liberia’s local startup accelerator, Girls Entrepreneurship & Tech (G.E.T.).

WIN Lab in Liberia

Launched in March, and running continuously through October, the program gives SMART Liberia’s educators the opportunity to learn best practices and stage-based curriculum from the leading entrepreneurship school in the United States.

It also gives local women entrepreneurs one-on-one access to mentors who have completed Babson’s WIN Lab accelerator in either Boston or Miami, including: Shay Gaafar MBA’19, founder of Shay Jaffar; Maya Mutalik ’21, founder of Hope Sews; Jessica Do, founder of Palmpress Coffee; Krysta Lewis, founder of Aisling Organic Cosmetics; and Ruby Chan, founder of Fresh Zen.

“SMART Liberia is working toward a goal of developing 5,000 young leaders in five years … positioned to drive change across Liberia” said Tarawally, executive director of SMART Liberia. “It is my hope that upon completion of this program with Babson and the WIN Lab, our fellows will have a full understanding of the global business environment and how to operate a successful business.”

Course topics include Babson’s make-it-happen entrepreneurial mindset, operations and the customer journey, and self-reflection.

In Tarawally’s words, it is the “entrenchment of Entrepreneurial Thought & Action” that makes all the difference for leaders and changemakers like himself.

“Working against the system here in Liberia means constantly navigating through problems and challenges,” he shared. “With the mindset that Babson has instilled in me—that all of our problems are opportunities—our team has been able to stay the course with optimism and hopefulness.”

As a firm believer in entrepreneurship as a tool for sustainable development, Tarawally helped bring this program to life.

“Working with SMART Liberia is a beautifully aligned strategic collaboration for Babson’s Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (CWEL),” said Susan Duffy, executive director of CWEL at Babson. “Over the last seven years, we have designed and implemented a large portfolio of assets specifically designed for women entrepreneurs through our award-winning WIN Lab accelerator program. We are thrilled to be sharing these assets to continue our mission to empower women in reaching their full entrepreneurial potential.”

Posted in Community

More from Community »

Latest Stories

Members of the Babson community behind a Pride banner at the parade
Passion and Pride: How the Office of Belonging and Inclusion Supports the LGBTQ+ Community Babson’s participation in the Boston Pride Parade caps a busy and productive year of support for the LGBTQ+ community by the Office of Belonging and Inclusion, as it advances the College’s commitment to Inclusive Excellence.
By
Hillary Chabot
Writer
Hillary Chabot
Hillary Chabot is a writer for Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. An award-winning journalist, she is known for her insightful reporting and dedication to detailed storytelling. With a career spanning over two decades, she has covered a wide range of topics, from presidential campaigns and government policy to neighborhood issues and investigative series. As a reporter for The Boston Herald, Hillary earned a reputation for tenacity and integrity. Her work at Babson College fuels her passions—to learn something new every day and conduct thoughtful, empathic interviews. She’s thrilled to be at Babson College, where students, faculty, staff members and classes provide compelling copy daily.
June 27, 2025

Posted in Community

Two people sit next to each other in a classroom
As Workforce Needs Evolve, Babson Expands Its Commitment to Professional and Executive Education To better support organizations and professionals in rapidly changing times, Babson launches an expanded Professional and Executive Education portfolio, offering courses that are online, flexible, and urgently needed, while investing in a new lodging and conference center on campus.
By
John Crawford
Senior Journalist
John Crawford
A writer for Babson Thought & Action and the Babson Magazine, John Crawford has been telling the College’s entrepreneurial story for more than 15 years. Assignments for Babson have taken him from Rwanda to El Salvador, from the sweet-smelling factory of a Pennsylvania candy maker, to the stately Atlanta headquarters of an NFL owner, to the bustling office of a New York City fashion designer. Beyond his work for Babson, he has written articles and essays for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Notre Dame Magazine, The Good Men Project, and other publications. He can be found on Twitter, @crawfordwriter, where he tweets about climate change.
June 23, 2025

Posted in Community, Entrepreneurial Leadership

Andrew “Zach” Zacharakis applauds while sitting at a table during a BCERC dinner
Honoring Andrew ‘Zach’ Zacharakis for 20 Years as BCERC Director As the 45th annual entrepreneurship research conference returns to Babson’s campus, BCERC pays tribute to Professor Andrew “Zach” Zacharakis for two decades of service. Zacharakis shares reflections of BCERC and its impact.
By
Eric Beato
Editor / Writer
Eric Beato
Eric Beato is the Editor of Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. A native of Chicago and a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, Eric has worked as an editor and writer at newspapers across the country, including the Chicago Sun-Times and Boston Herald. Eric joined Babson College in 2019 after working as the communications director for a private educational travel company and as the managing editor of six regional sports publications.
June 16, 2025

Posted in Community, Entrepreneurial Leadership