How Women Inspire: Invest, Lead, Give

Women have powerful voices and have been using them to voice concerns and demand change forever. But when society is full of naysayers and those who undervalue women, it can be easy to back off of your convictions. Denise Brosseau has been on a mission for decades to help women crystalize their voices and use them to stand up for the causes they believe in. Today, she is here to talk about her causes and how she helps women find their voices! This week’s episode 99 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about amplifying your voice and message! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Denise Brosseau is sharing the importance of trusting ourselves and actionable steps you can take right now to start finding your voice. 

Denise Brosseau is a thought leader, strategist, author, and CEO of Thought Leadership Lab. Passionate about amplifying inspiring voices, she assists leaders and changemakers in expanding their influence and impact. As the co-founder of Watermark (now Upward) and Springboard Enterprises, Denise champions women-led companies and their access to capital. 

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

• How Denise’s time at Wellesley College shaped her career.
• The importance of seeing women in leadership roles and how it inspires other women.
• Exploring the role of leaders in using voice and platform for moral leadership.
• How purely performative acts of solidarity hurt companies in the long run.

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 DENISE BROSSEAU:

LinkedIn

X (formerly Twitter)

Thought Leadership Lab

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

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LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

Content warning: Discussion of sexual assault, eating disorders, and suicide.

There is a youth mental health crisis in the United States. On average, there is an 11-year age gap in youth mental health between when children experience their first symptoms and signals of mental illness to the first intervention and seeking of treatment. Kenzie Butera Davis started Maro to eliminate that age gap and provide early intervention and risk detection starting with a school-based mental health screening. She is here today to talk to us about the strides Maro has made thus far and how we can support their mission. This week’s episode 98 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about using technology to increase access to youth mental health services! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Kenzie Butera Davis is sharing the importance of screening for mental health symptoms at school and actionable steps you can take right now to support Maro and its mission to screen 1 million kids. 

Kenzie Butera Davis is the Founder and CEO of Maro, a digital health company that has been awarded the Leading Innovative Early-Stage Pediatric Health Company by Oracle Cerner and the World's Most Innovative Ed Tech Startup by ASU GSB for their work at the intersection of healthcare and education. Maro makes mental health an asset to student success instead of a roadblock by screening for warning signs of mental health problems in students and working with schools to engage families and provide access to resources. 

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

• When Kenzie knew Maro was starting to make a difference.
• Tracking social return on investment in addition to financial return on investment.
• The importance of mental health screenings for children at school.
• Building partnerships with schools and mental health providers.

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 KENZIE BUTERA DAVIS:

LinkedIn

Maro

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

Content Warning: This episode includes mention of child and animal neglect and abuse. 

There’s a developmental stage between 45-65 where having an impact is one of the most important parts of this stage in our lives and it is so important to take a moment to reflect on the impact we want to have on the world. In this week’s episode 97 of How Women Inspire Podcast, Julie shares her journey of philanthropy and impact!

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Julie Castro Abrams shares how her childhood experiences were the foundation for her decision early in life to spend the rest of her life trying to make the world a better place and reflecting on her continued efforts to open her heart and door to others by caring for them and loving and accepting them as they are. 

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

• Being cognizant of the power dynamics in nonprofit organizations and setting realistic expectations of gratitude. 
• Sharing Maimonides ‘Ladder of Philanthropy’ and the high value placed on philanthropy through partnership.
• The 3 levels of impact Julie focuses on and examples of how this has played out in her life. 
• Encouraging you to have a north star of your own values to drive the impact and influence you have on the world.  

Julie shares her story to show that being a life-long philanthropist and living a life of service is not easy but the gifts that come for both you and the people you help are immeasurable.  

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!

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

We’re always talking about diversity and the importance of having different perspectives in the room where decisions are made in every organization. Asking questions others haven’t thought of and offering a new way to look at a problem allows for a more informed decision to be made, no matter the issue. No one knows this better than Kristyn Shapiro, who has spent much of her career at the FBI as a senior executive and now at Guidehouse, helping organizations make tough decisions and guiding them through crises. Kristyn is here this week to talk about how her different perspective helped her have a strong presence in her career and so much more. This week’s episode 96 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about thinking differently and providing your unique perspective in every situation!

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Kristyn Shapiro is sharing the importance of recognizing that your perspective is different than those around you and actionable steps you can take right now to reach out and give others a voice. 

Kristyn Shapiro is an Associate Director of Defense and Security at Guidehouse, a leading global provider of consulting services to the public sector and commercial markets, with broad capabilities in management, technology, and risk consulting. She excels at bringing organizations from chaos to organization after spending 11 years with the FBI and six years with the Office of Naval Intelligence. Kristyn also thrives in environments where she can bring her outsider view to rethink how things have always been done.

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

• Are women better leaders during times of crisis?
• Challenging groupthink with your unique perspective.
• Advocating for others' voices and leaning into the way you think.
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions, others might have the same questions and not speak up.

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 KRISTYN SHAPIRO:

LinkedIn

Guidehouse

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

Poverty is a growing problem in the United States and 35% of single mothers face living in poverty. Eliminating poverty will take systemic and legislative change, but the fight against poverty begins and is currently most impactful at the local level through non-profits. These organizations strive to provide access to education and resources to those in need. WANDA, headed by Danika Dellor, strives to connect single mothers with these resources and teach women that of all the assets, they are the most valuable. Today, Danika Dellor is here to talk to us about all of that and more. This week’s episode 95 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about empowering single mothers through economic opportunity! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Danika Dellor shares the importance of recognizing individuals as their best assets and actionable steps you can take right now to involve diverse voices in your decision-making process. 

Danika Dellor is the President and CEO of WANDA Silicon Valley.  Danika brings a wealth of executive and fundraising experience accumulated over many years working with various growth-based nonprofit organizations. Her track record includes cultivating and sustaining philanthropic relations with foundations, donors, government agencies, and civic organizations. Danika’s expertise extends to establishing organizational policy, strategy, and program design in the fields of education, arts, health, and human services.

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

• The importance of recognizing individuals as their own best assets.
• A framework for combatting poverty, including private, public, and open assets.
• Universal Basic Income as a stepping stone for systemic change.
• The importance of having diverse voices in making decisions in the non-profit space.

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 DANIKA DELLOR:

LinkedIn

WANDA 

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

Climate change is a constant topic of conversation. And while headlines may seem bleak, the climate technology sector continues to grow and innovate to improve our use of resources and impact on the environment. With this sector expected to continue to see rapid substantial growth, it’s time for women to explore it as an option, no matter their professional field. Linda Kinney is here today to talk about the lack of women in climate tech, and what we can do to change it. This week’s episode 94 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about the role of women in climate tech! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Linda Kinney shares the importance of encouraging women to take jobs in climate technology and actionable steps you can take right now to invest in the future of climate technology companies. 

Linda Kinney is a climate tech visionary who served as the head of ESG and Product Regulatory Legal at Intel, which is repeatedly ranked at the top of Barron's list of the most sustainable public companies. She's an impact investor and plays an active role in advising climate tech CEOs and leadership teams. Before she moved to the private sector. Linda served in the federal government during three administrations, receiving the highest levels of civil service appointment as a career member of the senior executive service.

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

• Linda’s hope for climate technology because of government and private sector investment in climate tech.
• The current lack of women’s involvement in climate tech.
• Educating and empowering women to enter the climate tech space, no matter their career field.
• Adjusting investments on both personal and corporate levels to include climate 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 LINDA KINNEY:

LinkedIn

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

LINKS MENTIONED:

Canary Media

The majority of invested assets owned by women are not managed by women. Only 1.4% of assets are managed by women and people of color combined! With up to 70% of wealth projected to be controlled by women by 2030, that gender gap simply won’t do. Barbara Pierce, founder of Women with Capital, has made it her mission to empower women with financial literacy and teach women that they are in control of their investments. She is here today to talk about the community she has created with Women with Capital, and how women should be thinking about their investments. This week’s episode 93 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about unlocking women’s financial power! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Barbara Pierce is sharing the importance of financial and investing literacy for women and actionable steps you can take right now to take control of your own wealth management, while still being supported by professionals. 

Barbara is the founder of Women with Capital, a private learning community to inspire, educate, and support women in using their wealth as a tool for change. In addition to her roles as an individual investor and founder of Women with Capital®, Barbara has 25 years of experience facilitating partnerships between top philanthropists and nonprofits.

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

• Realizing early that investing is the key to building wealth.
• Empowering women through financial literacy and investing, especially for social good.
• The problem of women’s wealth predominantly being managed by men.
• The psychology of wealth and how it guides people's actions, beliefs, and feelings of worthiness.

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 PIERCE:

LinkedIn

Women with Capital

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

The technology industry is predominantly led by white men under the age of 45. While this has been the case for a long time, many different types of founders are starting to enter the space and attempting to get venture funding. Venture firms and funds that focus on often underrepresented founders, especially women of color, are truly making an impact in the technology space and paving the way to change other investor’s attitudes toward whom they invest in. Victoria Kennedy is here to talk about Seed to Harvest Ventures and how they put women of color first in their firm. This week’s episode 92 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about investing in women of color entrepreneurs and founders! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Julie Castro Abrams and Victoria Kennedy share the importance of using one's existing skills and strengths to pursue their passions and actionable steps you can take right now to build community and network as you seek funding. 

Victoria Kennedy is the Founder and GP at Seed to Harvest Ventures, a venture firm committed to setting up early-stage companies that are historically overlooked and providing them with education, resources, and connections to scale their business. Victoria has unparalleled expertise in building products and assembling high-performance teams and has consulted for companies like Goldman Sachs and The Today Show with NBC.

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

• Transitioning careers from a product leader to starting a venture firm.
• Women of color founders deliver 35% higher ROIs than white male founders.
• The challenges of being a black woman in a predominantly white male-led industry.
• Using your existing skills to pursue your passions.

You can listen to Seed to Harvest’s podcast, Adventures in Fun(d)land, on Spotify!

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 VICTORIA KENNEDY:

LinkedIn

Instagram

Seed to Harvest Ventures

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

Food technology and the food industry is a $9 trillion business, but most people wouldn’t think of it. Food and how we eat is often seen as a far more personal choice than a large industry. Because of this, there is ample opportunity for investors to get involved in the early stages of many companies. Brita Rosenheim is here today to talk about her experience in the food industry and how it will change in the years to come. This week’s episode 91 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about investing opportunities and innovation in food technology! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Brita Rosenheim is sharing the importance of specialization in venture capital and actionable steps you can take right now to support new food chain technology. 

Brita Rosenheim is the Managing Partner at Vita Vera Ventures, a venture firm that supports early-stage tech entrepreneurs defining our future by advancing the resiliency, efficiency, and sustainability of the food industry. Brita has been recognized as an expert on the food tech ecosystem for over a decade; recently named a “Tech Power Player” from BI and featured in NRN's annual "Power List" for the industry. She has 20 years of experience as a food & tech investor, M&A advisor, and corporate development professional.

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

• The intersection of technology and the food supply chain.
• How the food industry is ubiquitous and recession-proof, yet is often overlooked as an investment opportunity.
• The need for digitization in the food technology industry to lay a foundation for progress.
• Vita Vera’s commitment to investing in companies with diverse leadership.

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 BRITA ROSENHEIM:

LinkedIn

X (formerly Twitter)

Vita Vera Ventures

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

For many of us, we were told that talking openly about money was rude or even taboo. But times have changed, and financially empowering women is not only good for women but good for everyone. We see time and time again that when money is in the hands of women, they invest in the common good and bring everyone up with them. AdaPia d’Errico is here this week to talk about her journey of teaching women in her life about money, the impact of women’s investing, and more. This week’s episode 90 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about the intersection of impact and women’s investing!

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, AdaPia d’Errico shares the importance of financial literacy for women and actionable steps you can take right now to support women-owned projects. 

AdaPia d'Errico is an accomplished entrepreneur, investor, and advisor with over 20 years of experience in the financial industry. AdaPia’s 20-year career has spanned banking, insurance, hedge funds, private equity, real estate, venture capital, and digital assets. As a founder, angel investor, lifelong entrepreneur, and advisor, AdaPia brings a wealth of acumen and experience to the table.

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

• The importance of demystifying money for women.
• How and why women’s investments are hugely impactful, changing everything for the better.
• The massive transfer of wealth happening and the shifting landscape of women’s finances.
• AdaPia’s journey in angel investing and wanting to support women founders and learn alongside them.

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 ADAPIA D’ERRICO:

LinkedIn

Website

Womxn of Wealth

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL