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Chef Rene
2025 Powerful Women of the Bay Entrepreneur of the Year
SHE'S BEEN FEATURED IN & SEEN ON
Forbes · Business Insider · EBONY · HuffPost
THE BUSINESS EXPERIENCE BEHIND LINK & THRIVEFEATURED IN & SEEN ON
Chef Rene brings the experience of building and leading Blackberry Soul Fine Catering, a million-dollar business trusted by leading companies, institutions, and cultural organizations, including:
MOAD · Black Girls Code · City of San Francisco · Google · Salesforce · Uber · Airbnb · Nordstrom · Golden State Warriors · USC · BioMarin · Genentech · City of Oakland
What Changes When You Have People in Your Corner.
Inside Link & Thrive, you’ll find honest conversations, trusted relationships, and practical support that meets you where you are and helps you move forward.
What You'll Find Inside
01
TRUSTED COMMUNITY
Connect with women who understand the journey and want to see you win.
02
PRACTICAL SUPPORT
Get useful tools, ideas, and guidance you can apply to your business.
03
VISIBILITY & OPPORTUNITY
Share your business, expand your reach, and build relationships that open doors..
04
MANAGEABLE ACCOUNTABILITY
Pick a next step you can actually hit, with real support and no pressure.
05
GUIDANCE & COACHING
Guest training and honest conversations, with room to think through your next step alongside women who get it.
Meet Chef Rene
Founder. Connector. Champion for Women Entrepreneurs.
Chef Rene Johnson left a career in finance to build Blackberry Soul Fine Catering from the ground up — a company that has served clients from Google to Salesforce. She created Link & Thrive to give women entrepreneurs the kind of community she wished she had: one rooted in meaningful relationships, practical support, greater visibility, and real opportunity.
Her work has been featured in EBONY, Forbes, Business Insider, and HuffPost, and on CBS, ABC, and KTLA. She is the author of From My Heart to Your Table and the 2025 Powerful Women of the Bay Entrepreneur of the Year.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How is Link & Thrive different from other membership groups?
Link & Thrive is built around real relationships and practical support, not random networking. You come as you are, share what you are building, and leave with honest conversation and a clear next step, alongside women who genuinely want to see you grow.
What if I don’t have time to fully participate?
You are exactly who Link & Thrive is built for. There is no homework pile and nothing that feels like school. The resources and connections are meant to be usable right away, so even on a busy week you leave with something you can act on. You take what you need and keep moving.
I’m a new entrepreneur. Is this still right for me?
Yes. Link & Thrive is a good fit no matter what stage you are at. You do not need experience, a following, or everything figured out. You come as you are, get real support and honest conversation, and leave with a clear next step you can actually use. It grows with you.
How soon will this actually help me?
Results depend on your participation and implementation, but the system is designed to help you start building momentum quickly. Every meeting, resource, and connection is designed to give you something usable immediately, not months down the road. You start building real relationships and momentum from your first conversation.
Do I need an existing audience or large network for
this to work?
No. You do not need a large audience, email list, or following. Link & Thrive supports women at every stage through real relationships, practical help, and visibility that grows over time.
What are some of the benefits of becoming a member?
Link & Thrive gives you real structure, built on the same approach Chef Rene used to grow her own business. When you join, you get: Workbook guidance Coaching and accountability Warm internal service leads This is networking with a plan behind it.
What does it mean to join during the founding member period?
Link & Thrive is in its founding member period, which means you have the opportunity to help shape the community as it grows. We will listen closely to your feedback, learn what support serves you best, and build future resources around the real needs of our members. You will receive the full Link & Thrive experience while also having a closer connection to the team and a voice in what comes next.
What if I join and decide it is not the right fit?
Your Link & Thrive membership includes a six-month commitment. You can pay $49 monthly or save by paying $270 upfront, which equals $45 per month. We want you to feel confident about joining, so you have 30 days to experience the community and request a full refund. After the first 30 days, your six-month membership commitment remains in place.