How Women Inspire: Invest, Lead, Give

Women control 52% of wealth in the United States. Despite that, less than 5% of women who can invest in venture capital actually do so. Venture capital is often portrayed as an avenue of wealth for the “bros” but if we come together as women, our unique value sets and perspectives can change the world by funding innovative, women-founded startups looking to find solutions that benefit everyone, rather than a privileged few. Today, Julie and Barbara Iyayi, CEO and Founding Partner of Unicorn Growth Capital, invite you to learn about venture capital as an opportunity to grow your wealth and help women across the globe. This week’s episode 119 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about investing with purpose and power! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Barbara Iyayi is sharing the importance of investing in women-led companies, creating a more inclusive innovation economy, and actionable steps you can take right now to start investing in women-founded companies creating a better future. 

Barbara Iyayi is the CEO & Founding Partner of Unicorn Growth Capital, a Web3 VC fund that invests in the future of Finance, bridging TradFi & DeFi, to transform the financial infrastructure of the digital economy. She is an experienced venture capital and growth equity investor, and entrepreneur with over 17 years’ experience in financial services, spanning venture capital, private equity, investment banking/M&A and technology.

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

• How decentralized finance can open up investment opportunities worldwide.
• Aligning your investments with your values to help underserved markets.
• Investing in women-founded companies can help solve problems others ignore.
• The importance of investing in women-led companies and creating a more inclusive innovation economy.

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 BARBARA IYAYI:

LinkedIn

X (formerly Twitter)

Unicorn Growth Capital

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

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Entrepreneurship is never easy and it proves to be more difficult for women. But with resilience, determination, and support from a strong network, entrepreneurship is attainable for all women. Soon Hagerty knows more than most about what it takes to be a successful business owner and has made it her mission to support and mentor other women on this journey through the Boundless Futures Foundation. She is here this week to talk about all this and more. This week’s episode 118 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about empathy in philanthropy and entrepreneurship! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Soon Hagerty is sharing the importance of leading and mentoring others with empathy and compassion and actionable steps you can take right now to contribute to your community, no matter what stage of life you’re in. 

Soon Hagerty is the Co-Founder and President of the Boundless Futures Foundation, a non-profit that provides financial support and leadership resources for aspiring female entrepreneurs building businesses to solve today’s biggest social issues so they can have a boundless impact in society. She has co-owned several PR/marketing firms including Luxe Communications, which she founded, and Centigrade. In 2022, Soon was named one of the U.S.’s “Top Women in Communications” by Ragan Communications for her work in transforming the Hagerty brand.

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

• The founding and mission of the Boundless Futures Foundation is to help young women start businesses.
• How providing mentorship to grant recipients can mean more to them than the money.
• Soon’s story of immigrating from Vietnam and how that has shaped her principles today.
• Viewing “giving back to the community” as “contributing to society” instead.

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 SOON HAGERTY:

LinkedIn

Instagram

Boundless Futures Foundation

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

Investing in venture capital has historically been a men’s game, and the companies that receive funding reflect that. Less than 2% of venture funding is awarded to women-led companies, and that number has remained the same for many years. But as the pool of venture investors diversifies, we believe that number should grow. Tessa Flippin, Founder of Capitalize VC and Julie spoke about this topic in a LinkedIn Live that we’re sharing with you today. This week’s episode 117 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about rewriting the playbook for women’s investing! 

In this episode of the How Women Inspire Podcast, Tessa Flippin discusses the importance of investing in women-founded and diverse companies and actionable steps you can take right now to demystify investing jargon. 

Tessa Flippin is the Founder and Managing Partner of Capitalize VC, a Chicago-based VC fund investing in pre-seed stage, diverse founders in the multi-trillion dollar, rapidly growing commerce industry at the intersection of commerce enablement, commerce infrastructure, fintech and consumer brands. Tessa began her career in venture capital as a venture investor at TechNexus, a Chicago-based fund, where she invested in enterprise SaaS technologies at the seed stage. She joined Genius Guild Greenhouse Fund as a Venture Partner, investing in founders in fintech, health tech and connectivity.

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

• The challenges faced by diverse founders, including women and underrepresented groups, in accessing funding.
• Investing in social impact funds to drive financial return and support sustainable practices.
• The importance of diversity and inclusion in the entrepreneurial space.
• The impact of women-led businesses on society and the environment.

If you’re interested in joining The New Table, head over to our website for more information!

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of it to post in your stories and tag me! 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 TESSA FLIPPIN:

LinkedIn

X (formerly Twitter)

Capitalize VC

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

Less than 2% of all venture funding every year goes to women-founded businesses. But while that number has not changed in recent years, the amount of women actively investing has increased significantly. Our mission at How Women Lead is to create opportunities and access for women investors to help increase the amount of funding for women in the venture space. Naseem Sayani, Co-founder and GP of Emmeline Ventures joined Julie for a LinkedIn Live that we’re sharing with you today. This week’s episode 116 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about investing with purpose and making a difference in investing as women! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Naseem Sayani is sharing the importance of investing in women-founded companies and actionable steps you can take right now to begin your investing journey today. 

Naseem Sayani is the Co-founder and Director of Emmeline Ventures, a female-founded early-stage fund investing in ambitious female founders building businesses that are helping women, in particular, manage their health, build their wealth, and live in a cleaner, safer world. Naseem has over 20 years of expertise in investing and business-building and has experience as an angel investor on her own.

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

• The underrepresentation of women in venture capital and how the numbers have changed in the past few years.
•  How women-led companies perform better for their investors, are more capital efficient, and continue to grow despite challenges in the industry.
• The importance and power of values-based investing.
• Making entering the venture capital space clear and accessible for women everywhere.

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 NASEEM SAYANI:

Emmeline Ventures

LinkedIn

X (formerly Twitter)

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

As we progress in our careers, we better understand the importance of mentorship and coaching in our professional lives. Too often though, career coaching and professional development resources aren’t accessible to young professionals, whether it’s cost or time-prohibited. Ivoree Jordan and Myshell Gresham have started We Have Range to change that and create accessible resources for young professionals, especially women. This week’s episode 115 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about supporting young professionals through early career development! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Ivoree Jordan and Myshell Gresham are sharing the importance of creating access to career development resources for young professionals and actionable steps you can take right now to continue your professional self-discovery journey.

Ivoree Jordan is the Senior Vice President of Business Insurance at Newfront insurance and co-founder of We Have Range, a firm that combines coaching, business consulting, and emerging media. Ivoree was recently named one of the Top 25 Agents of 2021 by the Insurance Journal, one of only four women and the only black professional honored on that list. She was also awarded the 2022 Woman of the Year by her firm for her commitment to clients, colleagues in the community.

Myshell Gresham is the Senior Vice President of Partnership Engagement - West Region at the Ascot Group and co-founder of We Have Range. An award-winning insurance industry expert, Myshell has consistently demonstrated her capacity to drive partnerships, growth, and portfolio management through her 20-plus-year career. Through her various leadership roles, she has found a love for helping others develop their professional careers, and is an executive coach.

Some of the talking points Julie, Ivoree, and Myshell go over in this episode include:

• The importance of career development and how it often starts too late in the career.
• How building professional networks early in your career helps in the long term.
• Approaching your professional life with authenticity and honoring your identity at work.
• While others can help, self-discovery is primarily a solo journey.

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 IVOREE JORDAN:

LinkedIn

CONNECT WITH MYSHELL GRESHAM:

LinkedIn

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

Venture capital has a reputation for only funding certain demographics of entrepreneurs, particularly white men. As both entrepreneurs seeking funding and investors looking to support them become more diverse, we don’t necessarily see that trend change. Gayle Jennings O’Byrne is here today to talk about the power of storytelling in venture capital and how it can help build trust, break down barriers, and get capital into the hands of those who need it, especially women entrepreneurs. This week’s episode 114 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about the power of storytelling in venture capital! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Gayle Jennings O'Byrne is sharing the importance of diverse teams in the venture capital space and actionable steps you can take right now to break down barriers through storytelling. 

Gayle Jennings O'Byrne is the CEO of Wocstar Capital, and Co-Founder and General Partner of the Wocstar Fund, an early-stage venture fund that invests in the future of consumption and innovation using a female arbitrage strategy — women of color tech entrepreneurs (“WOCstars”). Gayle was named one of "10 Women Changing the Landscape of Leadership'' by the New York Times, March 2021, one of the top Black venture capitalists, Business Insider, February 2024, and one of the top “10 Women of Influence” by Venture Capital Journal, July 2022. She is an instructor at Wocstar Academy and co-founder of the Ally Capital Collab, an initiative aimed at tackling systemic underinvestment in women of color fund managers. 

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

• Gayle’s story and why she started Wocstar Capital to support women entrepreneurs.
• Women’s role in making consumer decisions and therefore the market in general.
• Raising capital by using storytelling to break down barriers.
• The importance of mentorship and leadership development for women in the tech industry.

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 GAYLE JENINGS O’BYRNE:

Wocstar

LinkedIn

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

There is no better time to prepare for your search for a board position than in the seasons of life leading up to it. And with 30% of those on public company boards now being women, there are more resources than ever to prepare you and stories from other women who have already made the journey to learn from. Join us for a replay of our recent Linkedin Live with Kimberley Goode where she shares  the blend of industry expertise, strategic networking, and impactful initiatives that paved the way for her recent board appointment. This week’s episode 113 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about preparing for the boardroom and strategies for success as a board member! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Kimberley Goode shares the importance of networking before you’re ready to be on a board and actionable steps you can take right now to prepare yourself for your search for a board seat. 

Kimberley Goode is the Chief Communications and Social Impact Officer of BMO Financial Group and a board director at Providence Health Plan. She is a leader with passion for stakeholder engagement strategies, integrated communication, reputation management, brand building, corporate social responsibility, culture, diversity and inclusion. Kimberley has been recognized on the Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business list by the San Francisco Business Times, as one of the Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America by Savoy magazine, and many others.

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

• Living by the How Women Lead credo.
• The importance of relationships and accountability in board service.
• Prioritizing board service based on stage and season of life.
• The need for diverse perspectives on boards to avoid recreating institutional biases in the changing world.

You can head to the How Women Lead Linkedin page to catch the original conversation!

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 KIMBERLEY GOODE:

LinkedIn

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

We have all learned rules around when our voices should and should not be heard; when it’s safe to speak up and moments when it’s too costly to use our voices. Anyone who carries a subordinated identity, particularly women, experience the expectation of silence baked into corporate policies and practices, while it goes unnoticed or misunderstood by leaders. Elaine Lin Hering is here today to share wisdom from her book, Unlearning  Silence, and encourage us all to start our journey to speaking up. This week’s episode 112 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about unlearning silence and promoting open communication! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Elaine Lin Hering is sharing the importance of agency and choice in communication and actionable steps you can take right now to start unlearning the versions of silence we have learned over time.

Elaine Lin Hering works with organizations and individuals to build skills in communication, collaboration, and conflict management. Elaine has worked on six continents and with a wide range of corporate, government, and nonprofit clients. She has trained mental health professionals, political officials, religious communities, and leaders at companies including American Express, Capital One, Google, Nike, Novartis, Shell, Pixar, and the Red Cross.  Elaine is a former Managing Partner of Triad Consulting Group and Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School, specializing in dispute resolution, mediation, and negotiation.

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

• Why encouraging someone to ‘just speak up’ doesn’t work.
• Recognizing systems, policies, and practices that silence marginalized voices.
• The four anchors of speaking up.
• Creating space for alternative methods of communication.

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 ELAINE LIN HERING:

LinkedIn

Website

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

Healthcare technologies continue to see innovation faster than ever before. But as technologies change to ideally improve healthcare for everyone, we cannot have the only minds in the space be white men. Michele Colucci is here today to talk about the shift towards more women getting involved in venture funding for healthcare technologies. This week’s episode 111 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about women-led healthcare innovation and investment! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Michele Colucci is sharing the importance of collaboration in heathcare and actionable steps you can take right now to invest in women-led ventures. 

Michele Colucci is the CEO and Managing Partner of DigitalDx Ventures, a majority woman-owned impact fund investing in early-stage health technology companies that deliver innovative solutions using artificial intelligence (AI) to better diagnose + treat illness. Michele has authored six patents in the technology space and founded companies in the legal, technology, retail, and entertainment spaces.She has worked at law firms including Hughes Hubbard & Reed, run her own media production company, owned and operated a chain of retail stores in the political space, run a political fundraising venue, and founded a legal technology company.

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

• How experience working across different vertices leads to unique problem-solving abilities.
• The importance of collaboration in the development of healthcare technologies.
• Three uses for AI in healthcare.
• Why it is important for women to participate in venture investing.

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 MICHELE COLUCCI:

LinkedIn

Email Michele

DigitalDx Ventures

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

Society and business are slow to change. Without leaders using disruption to create positive change, we would likely never see improvements to our quality of life, both personally and professionally. But there is evidence that shows women are less likely to be disruptors, since we grow up hearing that being disruptive is a negative trait. Charlene Li is here this week to encourage women to embrace disruption and see it as a strength. This week’s episode 110 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about empowering women to embrace disruption and drive positive change! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Charlene Li is sharing the importance of learning to embrace disruptive thinking as a woman and actionable steps you can take right now to incorporate generative AI into your work as a leader. 

Charlene Li is the Founder and CEO of Quantum Networks Group, an organization founded with the goal of helping disruptors and innovators succeed by providing a community—live and virtual—of like-minded individuals. She is a New York Times bestselling author of six books, including The Disruption Mindset, Open Leadership, and the critically acclaimed Groundswell. Charlene is a sought-after expert on disruptive transformation, leadership, customer experience, and the future of work, having worked with hundreds of organizations to provide winning strategies for disruptive growth.

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

• The gender gap in distuprive thinking and how women should embrace disruption.
• How generative AI can be a useful tool in disruptive change and leadership work.
• Taking care of yourself before giving of yourself to others.
• Being decisive and clear about what you want.

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 CHARLENE LI:

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram

YouTube

X (formerly Twitter)

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

LINKS MENTIONED:

Navigating Generative AI: A CEO Playbook