Our mission was clear: to create professionalism in women’s tackle football, build a viable sports property, elevate the experience for women in the game, increase the value of women’s football, and establish the next big thing in sports.
From the start, my wife, Elizabeth “Dillow” Jenkins, took charge of operations while I focused on GTM strategy and sales. Together, we built this business while holding significant roles in our careers, her as a product leader at Charles Schwab and me as an executive at a tech startup.
What makes Dillow's story so remarkable is how she rose to the top without a college degree. A standout student in high school, she chose not to pursue higher education. Instead, she relied on the values she learned growing up in Hiram County, Ohio, where her angel of a mother and brilliant steelworker father taught her the value of hard work. From a young age, she understood that if you want something, you roll up your sleeves and work for it.
Her career began in consumer banking, and over the next 20 years, Dillow steadily rose through the ranks at Schwab. Despite working alongside Ivy League graduates, she not only held her own but outshined many of them, earning a reputation as one of the top performers in her division.
Her excellence wasn’t limited to the boardroom, she’s also widely recognized as the best offensive lineman to ever play women's football. In the second phase of her football career, she shifted from guard to center, becoming even more dominant in her new role. Just as she transitioned from Fortune 25 finance to running a startup sports league, she thrived on the field and became unstoppable. One day, I look forward to Jason Kelsey getting his opportunity to meet her, so the world can witness two of the greatest centers to ever do it laugh, talk their talk, and share their love for the game.
Elizabeth’s passion for representation and inclusion has always been at the heart of her journey. Standing proudly at 5’7” and 215 lbs., she sends a powerful message that beauty, size, and power belong in professional women’s sports. When others urged us to focus solely on flag football, Elizabeth held her ground. She believed there must be space for both tackle and flag football, and that every girl, no matter her body type, deserves to see herself represented in the game. Her resolve has always been about more than just creating a league, it’s about building a movement where every girl knows that she belongs.
In 2021, she made the ultimate sacrifice, leaving behind a $200K+ dream career at Schwab to focus full-time on the WNFC. She gave up everything she had built over two decades, a career she carved out without a degree. Elizabeth became full-time President of the WNFC (taking no salary), managing the league’s operations while I continued to grow my career in tech.
We bootstrapped this business for six years (no one has taken a salary), pouring every available resource (both personal and business) into building value for our teams, fans, customers, and partners. Elizabeth made this sacrifice because she believed in the mission of the WNFC, in herself, and in me.
Her grit, talent, and belief have finally paid off. Three years ago, I told her this business would have a million dollars in the bank. I missed that mark by a year, but now the WNFC is funded.
Yesterday, the world learned that the WNFC became the first women’s tackle football league to raise $1 million. While I may get the historical credit as the first Black woman founder to achieve this milestone, the real story is about the sacrifice, talent, and leadership of our president.
A special thank you to the GSD women who poured their hearts into this business throughout the years, and to Kristin and R. Davis, who made sacrifices no one will ever see.
Now that women’s football has the funding it deserves, it’s time to show the world what’s possible. This business is about more than profits , it’s a clear message to every girl that there is a place for her in football, for every body type and every dream.
Thank you to everyone who has followed us on this journey. I hope our triumphs and failures inspire you to take risks, trust your vision, and live out your dreams.
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