Today Luminary announced the acquisition of HeyMama, the nation's largest and fastest growing digital membership-based community of entrepreneurial and working moms. Luminary is acquiring the brand, its assets, and the operational continuity of its current members, and will rebrand as Luminary effective immediately. Co-Founder and Chief Community Officer Amri Kibbler will step down from her position as Chief Community Officer and will remain on as an advisor through the transition. CEO Erika Hanafin, will step down from her position, remain on as an advisor through the transition, and join the Luminary Advisory Board. Both will continue to be active members of the Luminary community.
Since its inception 10 years ago, HeyMama has built a thriving global community of career-driven mothers who inspire and support one another. This community encompasses entrepreneurs, executives, founders, advisors, and makers, bound by the shared mission of balancing ambition and motherhood. HeyMama has also produced best-in-class educational and networking programming and events that have equipped working moms with the skills and resources they need to excel at work and home. By joining forces with Luminary, HeyMama seamlessly integrates into a larger ecosystem of women’s leadership and professional development. Together, this partnership amplifies the strengths of both communities, offering enhanced programming, expanded connections, and holistic support for women navigating their personal and professional journeys.
This is Luminary's third strategic transaction, following its acquisition of Declare in 2020 and The Cru (founded by Luminary member Tiffany Dufu) in 2023. Since launching in late 2018 following a two decade career in banking, Luminary’s founder and CEO Cate Luzio has consistently identified and welcomed collaboration opportunities with mission-aligned entities that enhance and support the organization’s mission to advance, build, connect, and develop women and allies through all phases of their professional journeys -- including the Luminary Partner Network, Luminary Live, and the Luminary Fellowship Program, which supports thousands of women-owned businesses and jobseekers.
In 2023, HeyMama was acquired by MJR Investments, which recognized the value and potential of HeyMama's unique mission to support career-driven mothers. Through thoughtful collaboration and strategic planning, HeyMama continued to thrive under their guidance. In late 2024, during conversations between HeyMama CEO Erika Hanafin and Cate, they together recognized an opportunity to scale HeyMama beyond its current capacity, and it quickly emerged as an exciting growth opportunity for Luminary. With its established expertise in professional education and community-building, Luminary was uniquely positioned to take HeyMama's mission to the next level, expanding its reach and deepening its impact on working mothers worldwide.
“From the moment I met Cate, I knew she was someone who not only shared my passion for empowering women but also inspired me with her leadership, vision, and authenticity,” said Erika. “Cate’s unwavering commitment to building meaningful communities and creating opportunities for women has been a constant source of motivation for me. It’s a privilege to see HeyMama’s mission continue to grow in the hands of someone I respect so deeply, and I have no doubt she will take it to incredible new heights.”
"I have written, spoken and evangelized about how we make collaboration the norm vs. competition, especially for woman" said Cate. "While finding ways to collaborate takes time and investment, in the long run, it establishes real opportunities to do better together, creating a 1+1=3 equation. This is a great example. We're excited to welcome HeyMama into Luminary's global community and further enhance our support of working mothers everywhere."
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