How Women Inspire: Invest, Lead, Give

“Deals are made on the golf course.” “Your network is your net worth.” How often have we women heard these phrases throughout our lives, only to be scolded or warned against doing these same things that men are encouraged to do? It’s time for us to change the cultural narrative around using our connections to create professional opportunities for ourselves and the women around us. This week’s episode 129 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about the second tenant of the How Women Lead credo: saying yes to helping each other! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Julie Castro Abrams is sharing the importance of making introductions for other women and actionable steps you can take right now to increase opportunities for yourself and women around you!

Some of the talking points Julie goes over in this episode include:

• It's not what you know, it’s who you know.
• How women are discouraged from making introductions for one another when men are encouraged to do so.
• The power of actively making connections.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

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LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

In a world where women leaders are still facing immense challenges and criticism, our role as advocates for each other has never been more important. Too often, we've seen women tear each other down, rather than lifting each other up. But when we commit to refusing to participate in the toxic dynamics that hold us back and instead use our voices to build other women up, amazing things happen. We’re thrilled to share this replay of Julie Castro Abrams discussing the first pillar of our How Women Lead credo. This week’s episode 128 of How Women Inspire is about the first tenet of the How Women Lead credo: be fierce advocacy for all women and transforming work culture! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Julie Castro Abrams shares the importance of lifting up and supporting other women and actionable steps you can take right now to advocate for the women in leadership roles in your life. 

Some of the talking points Julie goes over in this episode include:

• The physical toll of microaggressions in the workplace.
• What leadership is like for women in a world designed for men.
• The oxymoron of ‘women’s leadership” in America and the lack of models for women leaders.
• How being fierce advocates for one another will help women step into their confidence and power as leaders.

It's time we change the culture of how we are together so that all women can feel like they have a path forward and do it with fewer battle scars.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

The workforce in the US is more diverse than ever. And with a large part of the educated workforce being made up of Latina women, strategies and ideas around investments are shifting. Emma Rodriguez-Ayala is here today to talk about how investors need to learn how Latino communities view and value money, bridging the financial literacy gap by teaching kids about money from a young age, and much more. This week’s episode 127 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about unlocking the power of Latina investors and bridging the financial literacy gap! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Emma Rodriguez-Ayala is sharing the importance of investing in Latino communities and overcoming barriers to inclusion. and actionable steps you can take right now to start teaching your kids what they need to know about money. 

Emma Rodriguez-Ayala serves as Ariel’s Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel as well as Board Secretary of Ariel Investments and Ariel Alternatives. With almost two decades of experience in investment management, Emma is a seasoned legal and operations executive with a passion for impact investing, DEI, risk management, and corporate governance. Emma is an independent director of First Bank Chicago, one of the largest privately held banks in Chicagoland. She serves on the board of Chicago television station WTTW and the Chicago classical music station WFMT. Additionally, she is a founder and board member of Angeles Investors, a Latino-focused angel investing group, and is a member of the Latino Corporate Directors Association.

Some of the talking points Julie and Emma go over in this episode include:

• The growth of women in investment management.
• Investing in financial literacy and teaching kids about money from a young age.
• The importance of understanding the Latino community's value system when engaging with them financially.
• How leadership means looking at the big picture and watching for obstacles for your team.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 

CONNECT WITH EMMA RODRIGUEZ-AYALA:

LinkedIn

Ariel Investments

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

While women in general are underrepresented in leadership roles and corporate America, those least represented are Latina women. Despite being one of the largest sections of the workforce, Latina women make the least money of any demographic in the country; on average only being paid 62 cents for every dollar made by a white man. Marilyn Alverio founded Latinas & Power as a way to bring Latina women together to share their experiences, elevate their voices, build strong networks, and navigate the changing workplace landscape together so that all women have opportunities in leadership. This week’s episode 126 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about elevating Latina voices! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Marilyn Alverio is sharing the importance of creating work environments where you can bring your whole self to work and actionable steps you can take right now to build up your network. 

Marilyn Alverio is the Founder and CEO of Latinas & Power Corp., a non-profit organization that empowers Latinas to succeed as influential leaders and advocates in their careers and communities. She has over 30 years of experience in marketing, sales, and brand management, working with Fortune 100 companies and diverse audiences. Marilyn is also a keynote speaker on topics that include; DE&I, Women’s Market, Latino Market and ERG’s.

Some of the talking points Julie and Marilyn go over in this episode include:

• The problem with being the “only” in the room in corporate settings.
• Slowly building a nonprofit from a small group of individuals sharing their experiences.
• Underrepresentation of Latinas in leadership roles and the impact of their experiences on their leadership.
• Prioritizing self-care and authenticity for Latina leaders.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 

CONNECT WITH MARILYN ALVERIO:

LinkedIn

X (formerly Twitter)

Instagram

Latinas & Power

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

Women-led venture firms grew from 12 in 2010 to over 300 in 2020, representing new opportunities for women in leadership and innovation. As the first generation of women with decades of work experience and control of 50% of wealth, it’s up to us to invest in companies who share our values, especially in women’s healthcare. Ariane Tom is here this week to share about the importance of investing in healthcare technology, especially neuroscience technologies. This week’s episode 125 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about investing in her wellness! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Ariane Tom is sharing the importance of involving women in venture capital and actionable steps you can take right now to find venture firms to invest in that align with your values. 

Dr. Ariane Tom is Founder & Managing Director of Kaleida Capital, investing in neurotech with domain expertise across deeptech, AI, and neuroscience. Throughout her academic career at Stanford, Ariane spearheaded research programs in neural interfaces with applications in brain-mapping, prosthetics, drug delivery, and neuromodulation. She is a published co-author in top-tier research journals Science Magazine and Nature Portfolio, collaborating across disciplines with luminaries Karl Deisseroth (optogenetics & CLARITY), Zhenan Bao (electronic skin), and Sergiu Pasca (organoids). Beyond the bench, she has applied over a decade of research insight to venture capital, patent law, and public policy, cultivating a top-performing investment track record by identifying and backing technologies of multiple Nobel Laureates.

Some of the talking points Julie and Ariane go over in this episode include:

• Investing in neuroscience technology for the future of women’s health.
• The unique perspective women bring to the role of innovation.
• Finding venture firms that align with your values to invest in.
• A primer on how venture investing works and what you can expect.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 

CONNECT WITH ARIANE TOM:

LinkedIn

X (formerly Twitter)

Website

Kaleida Capital

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

As we mark two years since the Dobbs decision which overturned Roe v. Wade, highlighting inequality in healthcare is more important than ever. Limiting access to essential reproductive care disproportionatelty affects women of color, non-English speaking folks, people living in poverty, and other marginalized groups. Kwajelyn Jackson is here this week to discuss her work in fighting for reproductive justice in Georgia and across the US, as well as addressing the intersections of issues like economic insecurity, racism, and lack of community support. This week’s episode 124 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about intersectional reproductive justice! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Kwajelyn Jackson is sharing the importance of  considering multiple identities and systems of oppression when advocating for reproductive justice. and actionable steps you can take right now to support equal access to reproductive healthcare for all. 

Kwajelyn Jackson currently serves as Executive Director at Feminist Women’s Health Center (FWHC) in Atlanta, GA, leading the entire organization’s operations, abortion clinic, civic engagement, education and outreach teams. Since 2013 she has led the expansion of FWHC’s statewide and national impact, and significantly deepened community partnerships. Kwajelyn has been named one of the 500 most powerful leaders in Atlanta by Atlanta Magazine for five consecutive years.

Some of the talking points Julie and Kwajelyn go over in this episode include:

• The importance of acknowledging and addressing white supremacy and racial discrimination in policy.
• Community engagement and support for local organizations crucial for reproductive healthcare access.
• Challenges faced by independent clinics, including high costs of abortion care.
• Integrity-rooted leadership and balancing pragmatism and wild optimism.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 

CONNECT WITH KWAJELYN JACKSON:

X (formerly Twitter)

Instagram

Feminist Women’s Health Center

Black Mamas Matter Alliance

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

Local politics is often regarded as the most important level of government. It is where decisions are made that affect you and those in your community directly and daily, and where people come together to improve where they live. Aja Brown became mayor of Compton, California in 2013 by doing just that, caring for her community and inspiring others to do the same. She is here today to talk all about her time as mayor, her passion for creating effective technology, and more. This week’s episode 123 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about transforming communities through visionary leadership! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Aja Brown is sharing the importance of data in driving equity and justice and actionable steps you can take right now to be an effective, values-driven elected official. 

A visionary leader with an unshakeable commitment to equity, access, and opportunity, Aja Brown stands at the forefront of catalytic growth, harnessing technology to transform government, deliver efficiencies that remove red-tape, and empower stakeholders of communities across the U.S. through the democratization of data. Throughout her career, she has been a driving force for transformation, impacting people and places around the world through her leadership, fresh perspective and ability to strongly connect with people of diverse backgrounds and experiences. As Mayor, Aja pioneered groundbreaking initiatives that revolutionized city administration, broadened access to technology, and cultivated a culture of innovation and growth.

Some of the talking points Julie and Aja go over in this episode include:

• Aja’s journey to Compton and call to run for mayor.
• The 12 point vision for sustainable community development.
• The challenges of being a young, female leader and the physical toll it can take.
• The government's role in creating a demand for effective and efficient technology.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 

CONNECT WITH AJA BROWN:

LinkedIn

Instagram

X (formerly Twitter)

Website

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

Having diverse perspectives in your workplace is good not only for productivity and output, but also for creating a comfortable environment where all people can do their best work. In recent years, however, we have seen shifts on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) regulation. Nancy Geenen is an expert in DEI in the workplace, and on today’s show she’s sharing insights from her book The Advantage of Other: A Leader’s Guide to Building an Equitable, Dynamic, and Productive Workplace. This week’s episode 122 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about building an inclusive workplace culture for high performance! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Nancy Geenen is sharing the importance of finding your voice and actionable steps you can take right now to get involved in causes you care about. 

Nancy Geenen is the CEO of Flexability, a workplace equity & inclusion consulting firm. Nancy is an accomplished entrepreneur, trial attorney, and strategic facilitator. She is a sought-after advisor on matters of company culture, retention, career development, and leadership. Early in her career, she was a Senior Legal Officer for the United Nations in Geneva focused on adjudicating damages arising from Iraq’s unlawful invasion of Kuwait. Following her passion, Nancy writes and speaks on topics related to the social impact of employing individuals with disabilities

Some of the talking points Julie and Nancy go over in this episode include:

• Nancy’s entrepreneurial journey, starting with a women's group meeting in the conference room at her law firm.
• Affirmative Action rulings and how they will affect equal opportunity in the workplace.
• The importance of finding belonging in the workplace and in networks that share your values.
• How showing up is easier if you’re making a difference.

Don’t forget to order Nancy’s book, The Advantage of Other: A Leader’s Guide to Building an Equitable, Dynamic, and Productive Workplace!

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 

CONNECT WITH NANCY GEENEN:

LinkedIn

Website

Flexability

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

As women-founded companies receive only 2% of venture funding year after year, it’s more important than ever for women founders and women venture capitalists to band together to reshape what it means to be an investor and an entrepreneur. Winsome Kirton and Tatijana Janko are two women advocating for and leading this change. They’re here today to discuss diversity in investment, their experiences with bias in the investment space, and more. This week’s episode 121 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about women leading change in startups and capital! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast,Winsome Kirton and Tatijana Janko are sharing the importance of investing in diverse women founders, both ethically and financially and actionable steps you can take right now to begin investing with your values. 

Winsome Kirton is the founder and CEO of Heard.io, a B2B ecosystem that drives and measures social impact by connecting businesses with companies that meet their ESG goals. After working as a media director and working on her first startup, Pack Elephant, Winsome realized how difficult it was to work with small and diverse-owned businesses on a big scale. She started Heard.io to combat those difficulties and allow companies to shop thoughtfully and intentionally for their corporate gifting needs.

Tatijana Janko is the Founder and General Partner at Fjor venture capital. She most recently was a Mucker Capital backed founder of a software startup built for managing workflows of matrixed investment teams. As a fintech entrepreneur and independent sponsor she closed $56M in investments and helped to secure securitization and forward flow arrangements for insurance companies and hedge funds.

Some of the talking points Julie, Winsome, and Tatijana go over in this episode include:

• New Table’s mission to get 10,000 women investing.
• The challenges of being a black woman entrepreneur.
• The importance of amplifying women-owned and founded companies.
• The grit and unique perspectives offered by immigrant entrepreneurs.

To learn more and join The New Table, visit the How Women Lead website today!

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 

CONNECT WITH WINSOME KIRTON:

LinkedIn

Heard.io

CONNECT WITH TATIJANA JANKO:

LinkedIn

Fjor

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

In the world of founders and business owners, you’ll find many people who start more than one company. You’ll be hard-pressed, however, to find someone who has not only started multiple successful companies and a venture fund, but imbues all of her projects with as much passion, authenticity, and respect for her culture and values as Betsy Fore. Betsy has taken her success and turned to mentoring, funding, and supporting the next generation of Native American entrepreneurs through her from Velveteen Ventures, the non-profit Natives Rising, and more. Betsy is here today to talk about all of that and more! This week’s episode 120 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about inspiring and funding Native American entrepreneurs! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Betsy Fore is sharing the importance of understanding one’s deep inner ‘why’ and actionable steps you can take right now to support Native American entrepreneurs, founders, and young professionals. 

Betsy Fore is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Velveteen Ventures, a venture firm investing in Children & Planet for the next seven generations. Previously, she was the Co-Founder and CEO of Tiny Organics, Founder and CEO of Wondermento, creators of WonderWoof. Betsy is also Co-Founder & Board Member for Native Rising, a career accelerator for Indigenous founders & Indigenous technologists that provides funding and opportunities through mentorship, networking, events, job placements and career development.

Some of the talking points Julie and Betsy go over in this episode include:

• The challenges of being a "ceiling breaker" as a woman of color in the tech industry.
• Lifting up other entrepreneurs to help them build companies and generational wealth.
• Overcoming fundraising challenges as a Native American woman through authenticity and passion.
• Partnering with indigenous organizations for economic empowerment.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 

CONNECT WITH BETSY FORE:

LinkedIn

Instagram

Natives Rising

Velveteen Ventures

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL