The Dames adds limited day passes for Denver women’s business conference

The Dames is opening limited single-day access to its fifth annual FunFerence in Denver, giving women entrepreneurs a cheaper, more flexible way to attend the Oct. 7-10 event. The move comes during Women’s Small Business Month and targets founders seeking growth, partnerships and community without committing to the full conference.

Why it matters: - Women own 40.6% of U.S. businesses, but those businesses generate just 4.6% of total U.S. business revenue. - The Dames is aiming at that revenue gap by focusing on women building six-, seven- and eight-figure companies. - Limited day passes could make the Denver conference accessible to founders who want the networking and learning but cannot attend all three days.

What happened: - The Dames announced limited single-day passes for its fifth annual FunFerence, set for Oct. 7-10 in Denver. - The conference takes place at the Limelight Hotel Denver. - Guest attendees can choose Oct. 8 or Oct. 9 for a one-day pass priced at $797. - Full guest registration costs $1,597 and includes programming from Oct. 8-10. - Registration is available at conference registration.

The details: - The Dames was founded by Meghann Conter and is built for women running six-, seven- and eight-figure businesses. - FunFerence is designed for approximately 125 women entrepreneurs and business leaders from across the country. - The event centers on co-creation, strategic partnerships, referrals and meaningful connection rather than transactional networking. - Day-pass attendees will still be able to connect with six-, seven- and eight-figure women entrepreneurs. - The Dames says the event is meant to help women scale without sacrificing health and well-being. - The organization points to the 2026 Wells Fargo Impact of Women-Owned Businesses report, which says women-owned businesses average $179,000 in annual revenue, while the majority have typical revenues of $35,000. - The company also cites Forbes data showing women now own 40.6% of U.S. businesses.

Between the lines: - The day-pass offering signals a push to widen access while keeping the event focused on high-growth founders. - Conter’s message places sustainable growth and community support ahead of hustle culture. - That framing reflects a larger challenge for women entrepreneurs: many are starting businesses out of necessity, then struggling to build durable, well-staffed companies. - A member example underscores the business case for the event. Kim Russo, founder and CEO of On Brand Designs, said she has seen a return of more than 2,000% on her Dames membership in each of the last four years. - Russo said in-person connections led to clients, referrals, collaborations and friendships.

What's next: - FunFerence runs Oct. 7-10, with guest programming available Oct. 8-10 for full-conference attendees. - Conter will speak at the event about why successful women often struggle to ask for help, how trusted communities can speed growth and how to avoid burnout. - The Dames is positioning the conference as part of its broader community for women building sustainable businesses.

The bottom line: - The Dames is betting that more flexible access can bring more women founders into a conference built around growth, connection and sustainable success.