In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve sits down with Crystal McGregor, General Manager at Tech Ready Women Academy, to talk about what it really takes to help more women start, grow, and fund businesses — and why the investment numbers still don’t reflect the performance data.

Crystal shares a career path that starts in local government in Central Queensland (building skateparks, pools, and community programs), then moves into entrepreneurship through an 18-year consulting business, and eventually into the startup world via a fashion-tech company where she raised funding (including a friends-and-family round) and learned, in her words, by “making every mistake possible.”

Now, she’s focused on scaling Tech Ready Women’s impact nationally after the business’s acquisition by Scolari, helping founders build traction, revenue, and confidence — without drowning in contradictory advice.

In this episode, we cover:

Crystal’s move from government to entrepreneurship — and why she “got sick of saying no.”

The youth entrepreneurship program that taught teens how to problem-solve (including twins who learned to read using audiobooks + physical books).

Raising a friends-and-family round ($100k) — how those conversations actually happen.

Why VC data says “invest in women” and the market still doesn’t follow it.

How AI is changing the game for non-technical founders.

Tech Ready Women’s three-step pathway: Ideation → Customers → Investment Readiness.

The “1 to 1000 customers” sprints — and founders making their first sales fast (e.g., $300 in 24 hours).

The worst advice founders hear: “Take every piece of advice.”

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro: Why this topic still isn’t shifting fast enough

00:52 – Crystal’s start in local government (sport & recreation)

03:20 – Leaving government + building an 18-year consulting business

04:30 – Youth entrepreneurship program: how it worked + the outcomes

08:52 – Fashion-tech startup: virtual try-on, grants, angels, and reality

10:33 – Friends-and-family round: how they raised $100k

11:25 – “We made every mistake possible” + lessons from the experience

13:00 – Tech Ready Women + the Scolari acquisition

15:10 – Has the environment changed for women founders?

16:14 – Why the VC model doesn’t match the data

17:18 – AI and the rise of the non-technical founder

22:14 – Program breakdown: Female Founders Startup Program

24:19 – “1 to 1000 customers” sprints + first sales momentum

26:38 – Investment Ready program (5 months) + capital options beyond VC

31:12 – Free resources, scholarships, and low-cost options

32:55 – Worst advice founders get: “Take every piece of advice”

33:23 – Closing thoughts

LINKS

Connect with Crystal → https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystal-mcgregor-86201068/

Tech Ready Women Academy → https://www.techreadywomen.academy/

Connect with Steve → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/

The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/

Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/

The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/