Boundless Futures Foundation is a private family foundation that provides grants and mentorship to female founders building purpose-driven businesses that address social issues. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Boundless Futures Foundation co-founder Soon Hagerty to learn more.
Background as a Brand Strategist and Entrepreneur
Asked about her background, Hagerty said:
I am a brand strategist, serial entrepreneur, and advocate for businesses that focus on growth and good. I have nearly 25 years of experience working with global brands and businesses that use purpose to break through the clutter. I have founded two public relations and marketing firms and most recently launched the nonprofit Boundless Futures Foundation, which supports female founders who create businesses that help solve some of society’s biggest issues.
I think my early childhood and the massive impact of being an immigrant from Vietnam have helped shape my entrepreneurial journey. I was one of the boat people from the late 1970s who were refugees fleeing from communist Vietnam. My dad fought alongside the Americans in the South Vietnamese army. After the fall of Saigon, we emigrated to the U.S. with seven kids and $300 in our pockets. After many years of hard work at remedial jobs, my parents started their own produce distribution business, which changed the trajectory of our lives.
This taught me a lot about resilience, hard work, and the power of entrepreneurship in defining your own destiny. Ironically, I didn’t recognize this impact until I started my first business when I turned 30. In addition to Boundless Futures Foundation, I also co-founded the mission-driven Vietnamese restaurant The Good Bowl in Traverse City, Michigan, which donates $1 of each bowl to a charity as a way of thanking the U.S. for taking my family in as refugees.
Origins of the Foundation
Asked how the idea for the non-profit came together, Hagerty explained:
I really believe in this idea that a business can be a force for both growth and good. I think talent is equally dispersed between men and women, but I think opportunities are not equally dispersed. So, my husband McKeel Hagerty, who is the CEO of Hagerty (NYSE: HGTY), and I co-founded Boundless Futures Foundation, a private family foundation to create more opportunities for female founders, particularly those creating businesses for social good.
The fact is that although women run 43% of small businesses in the U.S, less than 3% of venture capital goes to women, so there is definitely a need for additional support. We have seen that where there is more female leadership, you have better businesses, better societies, and better countries, and we wanted to be a part of investing in that. In 2023, we founded Boundless Futures Foundation and recently marked a major milestone of providing more than $1 million to over 50 female grantees and non-profits across the country. We have been so inspired by these women and the businesses they are building, but also the way they are giving back to the communities where they live. We have also helped build a community among these female founders who face many of the same challenges, but now they have each other to lean on. Being a female entrepreneur is not easy – but knowing that you have the support of a broader community can make all the difference.
A Favorite Memory
Asked about her favorite memory working for the non-profit so far, Hagerty reflected:
One of the things we are most proud of with Boundless Futures Foundation is that we fund grantees who have created purpose-driven businesses. We like to say that these businesses are for both growth and good. A purpose-driven business doesn’t just measure success by profits alone; it also exists to contribute to humanity’s greater good. For me, the decision to create a purpose- or mission-driven business is based on my childhood, as we were grateful to be part of the American dream as Vietnamese refugees and to build a good life from the opportunities we found here. Leading a purpose-driven business has many benefits, but one is that it builds camaraderie and loyalty among your team members and customers. When a company has an overarching goal, such as donating proceeds to a cause close to your heart, it can be a source of joy and pride that brings together your team and your community.
Significant Milestones
Asked about the non-profit’s most significant milestones, Hagerty noted:
Boundless Futures Foundation recently marked a major milestone of providing more than $1 million in EmpowHer and Her Village grants to more than 50 female founders and seven mission-aligned nonprofits across the country since its inception in 2023. Each of our grantees is a female entrepreneur in the early stages of starting a business that addresses a social issue (poverty and hunger, sustainability and the environment) or has a purpose-driven concept embedded in its business model. We are proud to offer these amazing women financial support, but one aspect of the Foundation that has particularly resonated with grantees is our Advisory Circle, comprised of female entrepreneurs who offer grantees no-cost mentorship and business coaching, including advice on branding, leadership, finance, and more. It has really made a difference.
What Differentiates the Foundation
Asked what differentiates her non-profit from others, Hagerty emphasized:
I think what differentiates us from others is the no-cost mentorship and business coaching that we provide for our grantees. We have female entrepreneurs as part of our Advisory Circle who work with the grantees for a year to provide mentorship and business coaching. These services can cost hundreds of dollars for female founders, and we provide it for free. The feedback we have received from grantees has been incredible. They find a great deal of value in spending time with other female entrepreneurs to ask questions and learn from someone who has done this before. I believe that mentorship builds a strong community, and it’s an opportunity to give back. I also get a lot out of mentoring these amazing women.
I also believe that our focus on supporting businesses that help society is also something unique. We want a boundless impact in society so supporting these businesses that help our communities is so vital to that boundless loop.
Future Goals
Asked about some of her non-profit’s future goals, Hagerty shared:
Boundless Futures Foundation wants to continue building our community of female founders devoted to both growth and good! We recently increased the amounts of our EmpowHer grants to female founders to up to $50,000 and raised the amount of our nonprofit Her Village grant to $125,000. This year’s Her Village grantee is Ladies Who Launch and we are actively partnering with them throughout 2026 on programs and events to help purpose-driven female founders around the nation.
On the Capital Gap for Women
Asked if there was anything else she would like to discuss, Hagerty concluded:
I think the lack of access to capital for women is a monumental issue in creating successful businesses. Without proper capital, women will take fewer risks, grow at a slower rate, have less ability to innovate and less opportunity to hire key talent. Until we create an environment where women can get the resources they need on par with men, the gender gap in businesses will continue and that’s unfortunate for innovation, society and our communities.
