SheVentures artwork

SheVentures

159 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 32 ratings

Sheventures is about women who pivot careers, take risks, and get it done.

Each interview-style episode will feature a woman who tells her story and provides actionable career and life tips. No mansplaining!

Get ready to listen, be inspired, and take action.

Entrepreneurship Business News Business News entrepreneurship femalefounders mompreneurs smallbusinessowners womeninbusiness
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Episodes

Finding Purpose After Sudden Loss

February 20, 2024 06:00 - 42 minutes - 29.3 MB

Imagine your significant other dies unexpectedly from a heart attack. In the midst of grief, you must find the resilience to go on while raising children and deciding how to move ahead professionally.   This week’s guest — Sejal Lakhani-Bhatt — shares her story of the unexpected and how she managed to balance her family, her health, and her profession. Lakhani-Bhatt speaks candidly about her global banking career and how mentorship helped her climb the ladder at Deutsche Bank. Her husban...

Has This Startup Vet Created the TikTok of Live Fashion Events?

February 13, 2024 06:00 - 32 minutes - 22.5 MB

Named one of Inc. magazine’s top 100 female founders to watch, Maggie Adhami-Boynton is well-versed in the pivots required for an early-stage company to morph into a viable, scalable business.  A 15-year startup veteran, she understood earlier than most the rapid evolution of digital apps and e-commerce and hit the ground more than a decade ago. Adhami-Boynton helped grow Canada’s Plastic Mobile, an award-winning mobile app agency, to acquisition in 2015.  In 2019, she soft-launched Shop...

This Woman Is Raising a Venture Capital Fund, Solo!

February 06, 2024 06:00 - 50 minutes - 69.2 MB

Kimberley Nixon tells it like it is. Yes, she is a Los Angeles–based venture capitalist and the founder and managing partner of Open Venture Capital. Yes, she is passionate about increasing access to investment for women of color, who we know raise less than 1 percent of all venture capital. Nixon is also keen to share the human side of her life. Health is a topic she knows intimately as she overcame cancer in her late 20s after a misdiagnosis. Today, she is balancing, like many of us, her...

Breaking Down Barriers: Women’s Representation in the Music Industry

January 30, 2024 06:00 - 38 minutes - 26.8 MB

If you’re feeling stuck in your pursuit of success in the music industry despite all the hard work and effort you’re putting in — you’re not alone! Karla Ortiz, founder of Monark Entertainment, delves into her struggles and victories as a woman of color in the entertainment industry.  Early in her career, Ortiz shaped digital marketing campaigns for megastars like Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, and Nelly Furtado. Decades later, she founded Monark Entertainment, an agency focused on streaming and ...

Transforming Women’s Health and Racial Equity

January 23, 2024 06:00 - 47 minutes - 33.1 MB

Ever wondered how one woman can impact racial wealth and investment equity as well as advancements in women’s health? In two decades, Erika Seth Davies transitioned from a career in development and fundraising to becoming the CEO of Rhia Ventures, a groundbreaking fund that secured an impressive $44 million (in 2022) to revolutionize the U.S. women’s health market through impact investing.  But wait, there’s more! Davies isn’t stopping at women’s health. She’s also the mastermind behind th...

How a Global Perspective Helped Pauline Idogho Create Her Business

October 26, 2023 20:23 - 38 minutes - 26.7 MB

From Nigeria to London to Paris to the United States, Pauline Idogho’s journey has taken her on a whirlwind tour of different cultures and experiences. But it’s her ability to adapt to change that has made her a successful entrepreneur. As the founder of Mocktail Club, an innovative line of elevated non-alcoholic beverages, not only does Idogho take pride in offering delicious, natural drinks, but she also dedicates 1 percent of her sales to support clean water initiatives around the world....

From Biomedical Engineer to Baby-Feeding Startup CEO

October 24, 2023 05:00 - 42 minutes - 58.6 MB

Becoming a parent is a seismic pivot in itself. Add the societal pressure to breastfeed — with virtually no support and sleepless nights — and you have a rocky six months. But it doesn’t need to be this way.   Andrea Ippolito, CEO of SimpliFed, created a community to help women navigate everything from finding an insurance-covered lactation consultant to exploring different formulas to scoring the best-quality breast pump. Ippolito offers free classes and directories of allies and providers...

Kenya Duke’s Divorce and Financial Empowerment

October 17, 2023 05:00 - 41 minutes - 28.9 MB

Divorce is a life pivot that touches many, and it can be civil or act as a wrecking ball. You may know Kenya Duke from her BET+ show The Gary Owen Show, with her now ex-husband and their three children. Duke, an entrepreneur, real estate investor, and host of the podcast Truly Kenya, shares her experience of divorce, as well as its emotional and financial impacts. The pain of financial instability and the struggle to make ends meet can be overwhelming. But there is a way to regain control a...

From Army Vet to Spa Creator

October 10, 2023 05:00 - 35 minutes - 49.4 MB

Have you ever considered opening a spa, but the number of unknowns stopped you? Not Crystal Bethea, founder and CEO of C3 Wellness Spa, who pivoted from Army veteran to  licensed massage therapist, cosmetologist, and entrepreneur. Bethea is passionate about massage, acupuncture, and other wellness modalities. Coming from a family of veterans, she’s passionate about helping vets maintain their health and to help them pursue their entrepreneurial dreams and find fulfillment in their post-milit...

How a Heart Attack Changed This Ph.D.’s Life — for the Better

October 03, 2023 05:00 - 1 hour - 98 MB

Imagine rising through the ranks of the Federal government for three decades until one day a sudden heart attack forced you to reevaluate your life priorities. Debra Owens, Ph.D., is an Army veteran, former U.S. Postal Service employee, and a U.S. Department of the Treasury human resources manager. By all accounts, she built a stable career while raising two children, going through a divorce, and taking every opportunity possible to educate/upskill herself, tireless in her pursuit of knowled...

Empowering Young Adults: Career Guidance with Beth Hendler-Grunt

September 26, 2023 05:00 - 36 minutes - 25.5 MB

The pivot from finishing high school, college, or graduate school to landing one’s first job is often filled with anxiety. If you are like most recent grads, you have zero idea of how to approach your job search — unless you are one of the smart or lucky students who proactively sought help or had an amazing career development department. The truth is many grads lack foundational knowledge in how to interview, write a winning cover letter and a resume, use LinkedIn, and most importantly, h...

Tanika Ray’s Candid and Explicit Convo About Her Divorce, Motherhood, and Hollywood’s Gender and Race Bias

September 19, 2023 05:00 - 45 minutes - 31.8 MB

In the cutthroat world of Hollywood, Tanika Ray — a renowned TV personality who appeared on networks such as NBC, HGTV, VH1, Lifetime, and is perhaps best known for covering red carpet events such as the the Oscars, MTV Music Awards, and the Golden Globes, to name a few — is refreshingly candid about her public and acrimonious divorce with her co-star and now former husband and the soul-searching required to pivot forward and focus on her passions. Ray, 51, describes her newish podcast Mamas...

From Stereotype to Success: Maya Ford’s Journey in Entrepreneurship and Inclusive Data Practices

September 12, 2023 05:00 - 54 minutes - 37.8 MB

Maya Ford cares deeply about truth in marketing. As the founder of Ford Momentum!, she challenges stereotypes, ignites innovation, and is conquering the business world with a diverse mentorship style and a strategic mindset.  Nearly all marketing consultants champion their data prowess, so what makes Ford stand out (in addition to her two decades of experience in marketing, communications, and operations)? Her hunger for knowledge and penchant to challenge the status quo cause her to break...

The Pros and Cons of Investing in Early-Stage Startups

August 29, 2023 05:00 - 52 minutes - 36.3 MB

What on Earth is the JOBS Act? How can I get my foot in the door of the investing world? Should I take my entire maternity leave? If you’ve ever asked yourself these questions, then this SheVentures episode is for you.  Shari Noonan, co-founder and CEO of Rialto Markets, has always had an eye for market shifts. Not only did she witness the days when Wall Street traders used actual paper to trade on the floor of the stock exchange, but Noonan was also integral in digitizing trades. Now, wit...

When Illness and Grief Act as a Catalyst for Reinvention

August 22, 2023 05:00 - 33 minutes - 23.2 MB

Major personal events can be agents of change. Jan Patterson, M.D., candidly reflects on how her own cancer diagnosis —  shortly after her son’s suicide —  implored her to find inner strength and alternatives to augment her traditional Western medicine background.  As a result, Dr. Patterson (an infectious disease and integrative medicine specialist) began to explore and embrace holistic remedies like breathwork, meditation, and essential oils to help balance and heal both her patients — a...

From K–12 to Trade School, Find Out How 529 Plans Can Cover a Range of Education Expenses!

August 15, 2023 05:00 - 53 minutes - 36.8 MB

The devil’s in the details, and it’s easy to get lost in them where money is concerned. Post–high school education is no exception, and it’s rarely made easy. From saving to taking out loans — and paying off said loans — the cycle seems downright Sisyphean.  Patricia Roberts, founder and COO of Gift of College and author of Route 529: A Parent’s Guide for Saving for College, gets it. And, with her expertise with education savings plans, she’s here to help you make the details and devil wit...

Trailblazing Mongolian Tech Entrepreneur Overcomes Adversity to Empower Girls

August 08, 2023 05:00 - 37 minutes - 26.4 MB

Imagine being the youngest female member of the Mongolian government and the country’s first female state secretary of digital development.  For Bolor-Erdene Battsengel, these are not mere titles. She crafted, implemented, and executed a plan to transform Mongolia into a “digital nation” by leading the E-Mongolia Project, ensuring internet access across the country. Before her plan, the nation faced challenges in digital inclusion. Today, she estimates 80 percent of Mongolian adults have i...

Build Workplace Confidence with Selena Rezvani

August 01, 2023 05:00 - 42 minutes - 58.8 MB

Many of us are told that confidence is innate. Not so fast, says Selena Rezvani, an award-winning journalist specializing in training people leadership skills and author of Quick Confidence: Be Authentic, Create Connections and Make Bold Bets on Yourself. Sure, many women face imposter syndrome, but they beat it one tiny step at a time. Action is the key. Rezvani started in social work, but after realizing that maintaining work-life balance was impossible, she transitioned to a position wh...

Mastering Mindfulness: Inspire and Engage as a Mindful Leader with Keren Tsuk, Ph.D.

July 25, 2023 05:00 - 36 minutes - 25.4 MB

Do you want to create a harmonious and productive work environment where employees feel engaged and innovative? Are you searching for ways to lead with mindfulness and unlock the full potential of your team? In this SheVentures episode, our guest, corporate mindfulness guru Keren Tsuk, Ph.D., reveals the key to achieving these goals as the founder of Wisdom To Lead, a company with clients including Google and Bayer. Tsuk explores her wide-ranging pivots within the corporate world and comb...

Debunking Work/Life Balance Myths in Venture Capital

July 11, 2023 06:00 - 32 minutes - 22.6 MB

Have you heard these myths about work-life balance in venture capital? Myth #1: You have to sacrifice your personal life to succeed. Myth #2: Only men can handle the demands of the industry. Myth #3: Taking time for self-care is a sign of weakness. But let’s be real, these are all…myths. And Ashley Aydin, principal at VamosVentures, is here to share the truth about balancing work and life in venture capital.  As a successful VC, she knows firsthand the challenges and rewards of juggling a ...

Thriving in the Workplace: A Guide for Women of Color

June 27, 2023 05:00 - 34 minutes - 24.4 MB

Most people move once or twice in their life, but the move is seldom across continents. Following her now husband, Carice Anderson undertook a journey that led to much more than just a new location. Her book, Intelligence Isn’t Enough: A Black Professional’s Guide to Thriving in the Workplace, outlines how to overcome such big changes, remain authentic, and much more. As a Black woman and the first member of her family to enter the corporate world, Anderson isn’t a stranger to facing chall...

Meet the CEO Behind a $40M+ Body-Positive Fashion Empire

June 20, 2023 05:00 - 37 minutes - 26.1 MB

Swank A Posh CEO Ebony Swank pivoted from being a high school dropout and teen mom to building a $40M+ year fashion empire that sells body-positive clothes for women in a little over a decade. Swank bootstrapped her company with $12,000, and the first iteration of her online business failed. She attributes her success to grit, determination, hard work, being data-driven, and trial and error.  The next time you think you can’t accomplish something or there are too many cards stacked against...

How to Overcome Sales Fears and Make Money

June 13, 2023 05:00 - 54 minutes - 37.8 MB

Do you struggle to monetize your business, need guidance on setting boundaries, and find sales to feel, well, sleazy? In this episode of SheVentures, Annie Ruggles, founder of the newly rebranded Quirk Works Consulting, speaks about coaching 200+ solopreneurs and small business owners who struggle with sales, much like Ruggles did in early entrepreneurship. You’ll listen to her tips on relational sales, the value of investing in personal and professional relationships, and the importance o...

Navigating Gender Imbalance in Podcasting: Tips From an Industry Veteran

June 06, 2023 05:00 - 42 minutes - 29.8 MB

A successful podcast entrepreneur, as well as the founder and CEO of Ginni Media — a podcast strategy and creation company that serves both big-ticket clients and fledgling entrepreneurs with quality audio strategy, monetization, community building, and production tips — Ginni Saraswati, is the audio authority. After all, Saraswati, who has hosted a few morning radio shows, has embraced audio since….what? Radio?! Saraswati shares her journey from Sri Lanka to Australia to the U.S. and deta...

How to Build, Scale, and Take Public a Global Business from Angel Funds

May 30, 2023 05:00 - 35 minutes - 24.9 MB

Marjorie Radlo-Zandi is an accomplished entrepreneur, board member, and angel investor who started her career in sales and marketing and continued as a business development executive for decades. One major professional accomplishment: She grew a life science diagnostic company with angel funds, expanded it to more than 100 countries, and sold it to a multi-billion-dollar publicly held firm. Do you think she may know a thing or two about how to scale a business? Radlo-Zandi also reflects on...

Lessons on Managing Mental Health as a Business Owner

May 23, 2023 05:00 - 49 minutes - 34.1 MB

If you’ve ever suffered from anxiety and depression so debilitating that you knew you had to slow down to focus on your mental, physical, and spiritual health —  and uncover your career and life purpose —  this SheVentures episode is for you. 🙏🏽   Jen Shultz’ career journey started in the music and entertainment industries before she pivoted to education. She returned to school herself, earned her master’s degree in education, and landed a job at an NYC charter school. But despite h...

Empowering Women in the Male-Dominated Cannabis Industry

May 16, 2023 05:00 - 49 minutes - 34.2 MB

Franny Tacy, the owner of Franny’s Farmacy, a cannabis franchise, shares her journey from pharmaceutical sales to cannabis farming. She discusses her struggles with student loans, disillusionment with the pharmaceutical industry, and love for farming. Tacy’s story is one of perseverance and reinvention, and she encourages other women to follow their passions and take advantage of opportunities like the USDA loan for beginning farmers. Tacy acknowledges the challenges she’s faced in the ma...

From Healthcare Admin to Nonprofit Founder: A Vision for Social Impact 🔥

May 09, 2023 05:00 - 52 minutes - 36.3 MB

Have you ever wished your passion project or side hustle could become your full-time gig ⁉️   Jamila Trimuel did, and though it took years of planning, she eventually transformed her personal and professional life. Today Trimuel is the founder and CEO of Chicago-based Ladies of Virtue, a nonprofit that’s worked with thousands of girls of color on confidence-building, leadership, job-readiness skills, and combating the marginalization young women of color often face.   Listen...

How to Identify a Niche Market and Build a Business

May 02, 2023 05:00 - 29 minutes - 20.6 MB

Imagine experiencing a range of tropical fruit year-round right in your own home. From pink pineapples grown on farms in Costa Rica to fresh yellow dragon fruit native to Mexico and Central America, Desiree Morales provides exotic, tropical fruit in a box delivered to your doorstep. Morales recognized this niche during the pandemic — and went all in. Morales, CEO and founder of Tropical Fruit Box, a company dedicated to providing fresh, exotic tropical fruit to consumers, is an offshoot of...

Former Russian Ballerina Twirls Her Way Into Handmade Lingerie Line

April 25, 2023 06:00 - 58 minutes - 40.3 MB

Imagine sourcing hand-sewn original lingerie from the labor of women who work in Ukraine and Russia, and navigating supply chain issues during the ongoing war. This is but one of many hurdles Angelina Mahany, founder, and CEO of Angie’s Showroom, has overcome in her personal and professional lives.  This ex-Russian ballerina studied and worked on three continents before deciding to settle in the U.S. after a two-year long-distance romance with her now husband. Mahany transitioned to life i...

Money Mindset Makeover: Transform Your Relationship with Personal Finance

April 18, 2023 05:00 - 38 minutes - 27.1 MB

Have you ever struggled with personal finance or worried that you may never attain financial wellness? You’re not alone. Certified financial planner Deanna LaRue is here to help you change your mindset.  LaRue recognizes the need for financial education, something often not taught in childhood or even high school. She started TimeWise Financial in 2009 — and with 18 years of experience — knows the importance of the personal connection between a financial advisor and her clients.  Money m...

Who Spends Billions Each Year and Wants to Do Business With Small Businesses?

April 11, 2023 05:00 - 46 minutes - 32.4 MB

Many of us are taught that it will take at least three to five years to crack a six-figure income as a small business. Dr. Karwanna D says it’s possible to earn that amount in three to six months. How? From the largest purchaser of goods and services in the world always has cash on hand: the government.  Dr. Karwanna started in telecommunication sales and earned a high five-figure salary. She soon realized that working for a corporation meant losing agency over her time. She started biddin...

From Orphan to Millionaire Options Trader with Sun Yong Kim-Manzolini

April 04, 2023 09:00 - 44 minutes - 30.5 MB

How does a South Korean orphan who had difficulty walking grow up to become a seven-figure entrepreneur? One thing’s for certain: It did not happen overnight for Sun Yong Kim-Manzolini.   Suffering from physical and psychological abuse for more than a decade as a child, Sun Yong Kim-Manzolini was adopted by an American family at the age of 14. The United States opened doors to a new life of creativity and hope for her.   While working as a nursing assistant for more than t...

From Burnout and Addiction to Entrepreneurship

March 28, 2023 06:00 - 34 minutes - 23.8 MB

Drinking in public can be awkward when you choose not to consume alcoholic beverages — for whatever reason. Becca Gardner, however, is paving the way to diminish this stigma.    Gardner is the founder and CEO of NKD LDY, an innovative company specializing in non-alcoholic spirits and beverages. The mission of NKD LDY is to ensure that delicious non-alcoholic mocktails are available along with wine and spirits. Gardner’s personal experience stems from embracing sobriety after years ...

Care.com’s Founder Shares How She Created, Scaled, and Negotiated a $500M Exit…and Why She’s at It Again

March 21, 2023 06:00 - 35 minutes - 25 MB

If anyone knows how to create, run, take public, and exit a company successfully, it is Sheila Lirio Marcelo. The Filipino technology entrepreneur is famously known for founding Care.com, an online marketplace for childcare, special needs caregivers, tutors, and more.    After selling Care.com in 2020 for $500M, Marcelo embarked on a new business venture: the creation of Proof of Learn, a Web3 education platform, which allows students the opportunity to earn rewards while learn...

Revolutionizing the Feminine Hygiene Market

March 14, 2023 05:00 - 54 minutes - 37.7 MB

Menstruation is often a taboo topic. From the potential confusion surrounding your first period to embarrassment while purchasing feminine hygiene products, there’s a negative stigma many people associate with menstruation. And that’s assuming you are not one of the 63 percent of women who have difficulty affording these necessary products.   However, CEO Vilmante Markeviciene, is bringing power and positivity to the feminine hygiene market. She is the founder of the U.S. brand Ge...

How to Write a Career Playbook for Women of Color

March 07, 2023 06:00 - 35 minutes - 24.6 MB

Octavia Goredema, the founder of career coaching agency Twenty Ten, offers a variety of work strategy sessions and workshops for underrepresented employees. With areas of expertise in career mentorship, stress management, and navigation, Goredema works to amplify and redirect the needs of women of color in entrepreneurship and corporate America.    Goredema is the author of Prep, Push, Pivot: Essential Career Strategies for Underrepresented Women, a career coaching guide for women...

Women of Color Founders Reveal Epic Struggles and Wins

February 28, 2023 06:00 - 35 minutes - 24.6 MB

When you realize you are role models for millions of women, it’s both exhilarating and scary. Sister co-founders Angela Muhwezi-Hall and Deborah Gladney had their reckoning this year as women of color founders. Both realized they are role models for all Black women — the 99.5 percent that haven’t yet succeeded in raising capital like they have — and they feel added pressure and responsibility to succeed. Last year when we spoke, these founders covered their oversubscribed raise of $1.4M af...

Raising $3M Seed Capital as a WOC Founder (and She’s Just Getting Started)

February 21, 2023 06:00 - 39 minutes - 27.4 MB

Representation of women in the fintech industry is scarce. So scarce that women make up less than 10 percent of fintech founders or executive board members, according to a recent paper from the International Monetary Fund. But Sofiat Abdulrazaaq is changing the game for women of color in fintech. Abdulrazaaq is the co-founder of Goodfynd, a platform that began as a way to help consumers find nearby food vendors/trucks and facilitate ordering and delivery where available.  Goodfynd also h...

From Corporate Fixer to Fresh Flower Entrepreneur with Talia Boone

February 14, 2023 06:00 - 47 minutes - 32.9 MB

With nearly two decades of experience in brand strategy, Talia Boone is no stranger to marketing and brand collaboration. From pioneering a creative marketing agency to starting a fresh-cut flower business, Boone is a prime example of what it takes to creatively execute an idea.  Boone discusses how branding, creativity, and social change were a catalyst to start Inter:Sect, an agency focused on brand amplification and social issues. By implementing multimedia strategies and social impact ...

From HR Exec to Unique Eatery Founder

February 07, 2023 06:00 - 32 minutes - 23 MB

If anyone knows how to pivot from a traditional job to entrepreneurship, it’s Kim Gros, founder of SteelCraft, a company that creates outdoor urban eateries from repurposed shipping containers. Starting in 2107 in Long Beach, California, Gros later expanded to outposts in Bellflower and Garden Grove. Gros — with a leap of faith and a loan — built eateries where tourists and locals can eat artisanal food, drink craft beer, and enjoy community events in a shared safe space.  Gros decided t...

From Single Mom to Millionaire Entrepreneur

January 31, 2023 06:00 - 29 minutes - 20.8 MB

How does a single mother battling substance abuse end up pivoting to a career in the White House? How does she then become founder and CEO of her own seven-figure business? The answer is within Rebecca Contreras herself. The CEO of Avant Garde, a human resources consulting firm, and author of a memoir, Lost Girl (in which she describes her childhood, her decisions as a young adult, and how she turned her life around), Contreras gives new meaning to perseverance, dedication, ambition, and h...

Facing Public Speaking Angst to Become An Award-Winning Anchor

January 24, 2023 06:00 - 35 minutes - 24.6 MB

With 20-plus years of experience as a news anchor, Kerry Barrett is the last person you’d imagine to have a paralyzing fear of public speaking. How did this Emmy-award winner overcome her crippling fear?  She faced it, and turned it into one of her core strengths. Barrett once suffered from anxiety that left her crouched in the proverbial fetal position — yes, it was that bad. Now, she shares her public speaking and media training knowledge with clients at her namesake company, Kerry Barre...

From Corporate Exec to Career Coach

January 17, 2023 06:00 - 38 minutes - 26.8 MB

How does one balance work and intimacy to achieve success and stay sane? If anyone knows this answer, it’s Cheryl Grace.  After decades as a corporate executive, Grace pivoted to entrepreneurship, to help other women achieve their dream work and personal lives.  Now she shares her tips through her business, Powerful Penny, a consulting firm for women who want to be intentional about identifying and achieving the next level of their career.  In this episode, Grace explains how she empha...

Going From Debt to 7 Figures with Tonya Rapley

June 07, 2022 05:00 - 35 minutes - 24.7 MB

Can you imagine being paid $1,000 per minute for a speaking engagement? Tonya Rapley, internationally recognized speaker, millennial money expert, financial educator, bestselling author, CEO and founder of My Fab Finance, and owner of Club Loofah, doesn’t need to imagine it because it happened to her. Learn about what attracted Rapley to entrepreneurship, why it matters to her to create generation wealth with passive income streams, and how she is able to so effectively engage with her a...

Translating Love to Success with Isabelle Andrieu

May 31, 2022 05:00 - 46 minutes - 31.8 MB

Has love ever inspired you to risk it all and start a new business? Isabelle Andrieu left her home in France to follow her heart and her future husband to Italy. How could they create a company that melded their passions — hers in linguistics and her husband’s in artificial intelligence (AI) and computer science — with an investment of $100? This was the catalyst for Translated, an AI-based translation company that — in the 20 years since its inception — now boasts 250,000 clients (inclu...

100 Million in Sales on Amazon with Annalisa DeMarta

May 24, 2022 05:00 - 52 minutes - 36.1 MB

This mom’s frustration with finding quality outdoor gear ⛷🧢 for her children drove her to start an Amazon business a decade ago. Annalisa DeMarta says her initial interest in Amazon was an experiment spurred by an unsuccessful shopping trip with her son. DeMarta learned how to find manufacturers, run quality checks, set up infrastructure to measure and maintain her supply chain — and learned the ins and outs of the Amazon marketplace. Her small children’s outdoor apparel business morphed i...

How to Fundraise as an Underrepresented Founder with Madeline Pratt

May 17, 2022 05:00 - 55 minutes - 38.2 MB

Imagine locking eyes with a venture capitalist and saying, “I’m building a big, badass company. You would be so lucky to invest in me.” 🥊 Though this example may seem hyperbolic, it comes from this week’s guest, Madeline Pratt, who is on a mission to help underrepresented founders fund their businesses. Pratt outlines three core reasons why entrepreneurs who are women and people of color often struggle to raise money — and she provides solutions. We think you’ll want to listen in! ✅ Prat...

How to Fundraise as an Underrepresented Founder with Madeline Reeves

May 17, 2022 05:00 - 55 minutes - 38.2 MB

Imagine locking eyes with a venture capitalist and saying, “I’m building a big, badass company. You would be so lucky to invest in me.” 🥊 Though this example may seem hyperbolic, it comes from this week’s guest, Madeline Reeves, who is on a mission to help underrepresented founders fund their businesses. Reeves outlines three core reasons why entrepreneurs who are women and people of color often struggle to raise money — and she provides solutions. We think you’ll want to listen in! ✅ Re...

In Search Of The Next Woman of Color–Founded Unicorn With Regina Gwynn

May 10, 2022 05:00 - 43 minutes - 30.1 MB

How many Black women billionaires can you name besides Oprah and Rihanna? 👩🏾 💵 🤔 This week’s guest is dedicated to making businesses owned by women of color more visible, fundable, and scalable. Regina Gwynn, angel and limited partnership investor and co-founder of Black Women Talk Tech, believes that businesses can be innovated, launched, led, and built by women of color. Gwynn is looking for the next tech unicorn — that is — a company that grows to a $1 billion valuation. Gwynn’s dream...