About
A platform for the women who play, build, and lead.
Mission
The PlayHers Summit is an entrepreneurship and leadership incubator built for current and former female athletes, ages 18–35, who are building businesses and brands of their own in sports. We believe the strongest founders in the business of sport are the ones who lived it: former student-athletes.
Who it's for
Athletes from universities and programs across the NCAA, ages 18–35. Plus a select group of attendees ages 15–18 for mentorship.
Hey, I'm Rachel. I kept being the only one in the room.
Rachel Maeng has spent years working across marquee events and activations on the business side of sport, with brands, clients and creators, and kept noticing the same absence. Minority women, and Asian American women in particular, were rarely in the rooms where deals were being made, and rarer still as the founders leading them. The NIL era has turned athletes into entrepreneurs, but almost no programming exists to give female athlete-founders education, access and opportunity. PlayHers exists to close that gap.
- of women executives surveyed played sport
0%
of women executives surveyed played sport
EY & espnW, 2014- of C-suite women played sport at the university level
0%
of C-suite women played sport at the university level
EY & espnW, 2014- women-owned U.S. businesses — 39.1% of all firms
0M
women-owned U.S. businesses — 39.1% of all firms
Wells Fargo, 2024- growth in women-owned businesses, 2019–2023 — nearly double men's rate
0.0%
growth in women-owned businesses, 2019–2023 — nearly double men's rate
Wells Fargo, 2024
"I spent years at Super Bowl and kept noticing I was 'the only': female, woman of color, and founder. The largest barrier to entry is gatekeeping. PlayHers gives them the room, the tools and the network to do it for themselves."
Rachel's accolades.
Founded GEN Agency in 2021; acquired June 2025
Influencer network of 250M followers and 180+ brand partnerships, including Netflix, Coca-Cola, TurboTax and Kellogg's
Featured in a 2025 Netflix documentary as the brand partnerships authority in the space
Fractional COO and Head of Partnerships at multiple entities, leading commercialization
Collegiate and high school NIL strategist featured in Forbes, On3, ESPN and Business Insider
Former Big Ten athlete, Rutgers women's rowing
Awards & honors
Crain's New York “20 in their Twenties”
Entrepreneurship & Sports, 2021
Asian Hustle Network Top 50 Unsung Heroes
2023
Top Creator Agency — GEN Agency
Beacons, 2023 & 2024
Rutgers University Chancellor's “Bridge Builder” Award
2016