Invisible Ink

How do you marry a burning desire to help women advance, with the need for economic viability?

How do you take something that works very well at the individual level, and carefully rebuild it so it works for thousands of people reliably and effectively?

And how do you balance the needs of individuals with those of large companies and make both of the happy?

In this episode, D Sangeeta, founder and CEO of Gotara, talks about the career-long frustrations that prompted her to found her startup, her patient journey to scaling the solution the right way, her laser focus on data and financial discipline, and much more

Episode Highlights

1. How and why timing matters for your startup
2. How to transform your life and career experience into a great startup idea
3. Ho to select the right idea from many, for your startup
4. How to design your startup to leverage your unique background, skills and strengths
5. How to craft your startup's focus to maximize impact AND viability
6. How to buck popular pressure if your startup is in a "hot" field but you're doing something different
7. How to price your offering for long term viability
8. How to achieve traction as a B2B startup
9. The dangerous trap facing ambitious founders and how to avoid it
10. How to make tough decisions simpler with one rule
11. How to balance mission and money when you're very ambitious on both
12. How to be an inspiring leader and still maintain authenticity
13. Smart tips on dealing with the investment community as a first time founder

Are you the founder of a STEM startup suddenly dealing with the vc pipeline closing up?

Are you intrigued by the influx of government funding especially into climate related fields, but even other sectors more broadly?

Have you ever tried diving into the wide world of government grants but quickly realized you’re out of your depth?

In this episode, Christine E.B. Howard, seasoned grant professional and founder of E.B. Howard Consulting talks about the how’s and what’s of government grant funding for for-profit startups, what you need to know and do to prepare your startup for grants, what startup founders miss about the must-have factors to qualify for government grants, especially for STEM startups, and much more.

Episode Highlights:

1. An overview of sources of government funding, and how federal grants differ from state grants
2. How to begin your search for "right fit" grant sources
3. An introduction to SBIR & STTR grants, and baseline eligibility requirements
4. Pros and cons of SBIR grants
5. Factors driving the success rate of grant funding, and how to assess your application's chances intelligently
6. The grant application process - a high level overview
7. A simple checklist to assess your startup's eligibility for science and technology grants
8. Common mistakes and pitfalls that trip up entrepreneurs in the grant funding process
9. A practical roadmap to evaluate and apply for right-fit government grants
10. How to be a diligent grantee once you've won the grant
11. Surprising benefits of applying for government grants even if you get rejected
12. A quick overview of other sources of government funding support for women entrepreneurs

How do you find a big market opportunity in a deeply technical, even boring field like chemistry?

How do you overcome years of training as a scientist and learn entirely new and uncomfortable skills as a founder?
And when you know you're new, how do you develop the insight to know which "expert" advice to take and which to leave alone?

In this episode, scientist and founder Lieza Marie Danan talks about her long journey in the field of mass spectrometry, how she learned to identify a growing market need from large pharma companies, how she patiently honed her skills and built an enviable network of other scientists, how she transitioned into a founder mastering pitching, financial skills and much more

Episode Highlights:

1. What mass sprectrometry has to do with your Vitamin D levels, or why hard science startups matter
2. How to build an advanced product platform one module at a time
3. The difference between a tech startup and a tech enabled startup and why that matters for your startup
4. How to overcome the pitfalls of building a startup as a technical founder
5. How to find the right business model for your startup when it flies against Silicon Valley wisdom
6. How to find and nail the make-or-break factors in designing your deep-science product
7. How to slim down your funding needs so your startup has the best shot at success
8. The go-to-market advantages of starting as a deep-science founder, and how to maximize that advantage
9. How to build a powerful personal brand in a "dry" technical field and why you should
10. A founder's guide to finding and pitching the right investors for your startup
11. The big change for fundraising post SVB and how founders should prepare
12. How to survive the bruising fundraising process with your confidence intact
13. Why resilience matters, and how to build it no matter what you get handed in your life

What’s the one negotiating lever women overlook in almost any negotiating situation?

What’s more important in a critical negotiation - looking for fairness or looking out for your best interests?

Why does even a top notch attorney work with ANOTHER attorney when engaging in a negotiation for herself?

In this episode, Jennifer Justice, entrepreneur and women’s advocate extraordinaire, talks about what it means to claim your space, how to use relationship building for long-term wins, the importance of having an objective champion, and much more.

Episode Highlights

1. Why negotiating is a lot like acting
2. The invisible, strong link between valuing self and being a good negotiator
3. How to claim space for yourself
4. How to handle fairness and getting great outcomes for yourself in a negotiation
5. The simple secret to instantly improving your negotiating effectiveness
6. The powerful but intangible benefits of working with top notch professionals
7. Ho to ensure that others treat you well and fairly
8. How to spot and heed early warnings and red flags in a negotiation
9. Why it's harder for women to raise money from other women in institutional settings
10. How to know if your negotiation has been successful

What are the three non-negotiable factors EVERY investor looks for, and every founder MUST demonstrate to get funded?

How can you create an intelligent yet simple startup roadmap no matter where you're starting and what resources you have access to?

What steps do you need to take as an early stage founder to get investors excited even when the market isn't hot?

In this episode, Pat Hedley, veteran private equity investor, advisor and author, talks about how to nail the trifecta of market, traction and returns, the sure-fire method of proving your concept, how to use every aspect of who you are and what you do to amplify your investment story, and much more.

Episode Highlights

1. What every entrepreneur should know about private equity, and yes, that includes venture capital
2. The three things every investor must love about your startup, no matter what your stage
3. The hardest thing to change about your startup and how to make that work in your favor
4. How to find creative ways to fund your early days
5. The fatal flaw that trips up startups and how to avoid it
6. What you can learn from Shark Tank even if you never plan to raise money for your startup
7. What founders must understand about how and why the markets impact their fundraising efforts more than they know
8. Why founders can never ignore understanding the investor's mindset if they want to get funded
9. How to leverage your nontraditional background as a founder to increase your chance of getting funded
10. The R-rating (risk) that makes or breaks your startup and how to tackle it effectively
11. Simple communication tips you must follow in every investor interaction
12. Networking secrets for the rest of us - especially if you plan to raise

Why is it important for women to understand the “view from the balcony”, and not just stay on the dance floor?

What’s the surprising barrier to entrepreneurship you never heard about?

Why do you need to be extra vigilant as a woman with entrepreneurial ambitions?

In this episode, Dr. Sameeksha Desai, Associate Professor, and Director, Manufacturing Policy Initiative at Indiana University, talks about the “iceberg” problem of entrepreneurship, why the step before the first step is so critical, and so overlooked for women, how women can push the odds in their own favor despite a challenging system, and much more.

Episode Highlights

1. How entrepreneurship can be the ticket to opportunity and success, no matter where you come from
2. Why society is missing out the biggest crop of potential entrepreneurs
3. How to spot invisible entrepreneurs, and why they matter
4. The hidden pipeline of women entrepreneurs and how to open the spigot
5. Why women abandon their dreams of entrepreneurship and how to stem the damage
6. How the entrepreneur stereotype hurts women and how we can fix it
7. Why representation in the financial world matters to women entrepreneurs and what will move the needle
8. Why the "whole person" approach is critical to advancing women entrepreneurs' success far more than for men
9. How the entrepreneurial ecosystem can better support women entrepreneurs
10. Why it's critical for everyone to learn entrepreneurship skills

What’s the single surprising thing you must get right as a founder before setting compensation for your team?

How can you avoid the typical pitfalls of early stage founders on HR issues so they don’t come back to bite you later?

What do you need to know about stock option plans and incentives so you’re setting up the best possible environment for your team AND your startup to succeed?

In this episode, startup advisor, HR expert and former Chief People Officer Susan Lovegren, talks about what founders need to know about the strategic and tactical issues of managing HR, how to avoid the typical mistakes early stage founders make, the bird’s eye view of setting up solid stock option and incentive plans, and much more.

Please note that the information shared in this episode does not constitute legal advice. Please consult a licensed attorney to discuss specific advice relative to your startup situation.Episode

Highlights

1. How great founders leverage HR to build better startups
2. How HR needs evolve over the life of your startup, and how you can manage them at every step
3. Critical HR mistakes founders make, and how to avoid them
4. Key HR milestones in your startup journey, and what to look for at each
5. How to stay on top of hot button HR issues as a founder
6. The surprising danger of unintended consequences you must watch for with your HR strategy
7. How philosophy and values play out when setting your compensation strategy
8. How to set effective performance metrics for your startup
9. Key tips to know in designing your Employee Stock Option Plan (ESOP)
10. How to balance dilution and employee motivation in designing your ESOP
11. How to use analytics effectively to stay ahead of your people issues
12. The big trends in people and talent, and expert tips on how to manage them as a founder

What's the one startup lesson that never changes no matter what your specific startup situation is?

How do you flesh out and test a B2B idea before spending a single dollar on building it?

What’s the surprising test to tell if you’ve priced your offering not too high, not too low, but just right?

In this episode, Vanessa Liu, Co-Founder and CEO of Sugarwork, talks about the biggest lessons she learned building and helping startups from the Netherlands to the United States, the one thing that’s critical for every startup to do, her go-to techniques to test every aspect of her product, how to get pricing right, and much more.

Episode Highlights:

1. A simple recipe for more successful startups
2. How to increase your odds in picking a great startup idea
3. How to move quickly from idea to real world testing
4. The biggest pricing mistake b2b startups make and how to avoid it
5. How to understand value
6. The art of customer acquisition in b2b startups
7. Product development dilemmas in b2b and how to tackle them skillfully
8. How to select and support your team pre-revenue
9. "Are we there yet?" - Key milestones in the fundraising journey of your startup
10. Why product market fit matters and the single biggest marker of product market fit
11. How to pick the right investors as a first time founder
12. How to surround yourself with the right kinds of support for your situation

What could a career on Wall Steet possibly teach you about creativity, innovation and ownership?

How can you translate the moves of high finance into eminently practical lessons for your entrepreneurial venture?

What's the single surprising thing that is at the heart of all the financial forces you'll have to contend with in your business? (Hint: it has nothing to do with spreadsheets)

In this episode, Lois Scott, former Wall Street banker, corporate director, investor and entrepreneur, talks about her fascinating journey from Wall Street and helping at-risk youth rebuild their lives, all the way to reinventing film-making so independent women directors get the funding they need and much more.

Episode Highlights

1. How finance can do good in the world
2. What a Wall Street career can teach you about entrepreneurship
3. The single biggest secret to greater self confidence
4. How to use every career experience to build an unbeatable skill portfolio
5. How being entrepreneurial can multiply your network access
6. How to use career challenges to discover new skills and opportunities
7. How to take smart personal risks to improve your chances of success
8. The surprising secret of finance no one tells you, and how it matters to your venture
9. The secret to building power networks in business
10. The five languages of finance every entrepreneur must master
11. Why personal brand building is a must for entrepreneurial success
12. How to wow investors in fundraising
13. The five big must-haves for entrepreneurs to succeed

What do you do when your cherished startup idea vaporizes right before launch, the world shuts down....and you've just had a baby?

How do you deal with the hand you've been dealt, and still make it work as a business?

What do you need to know, and how do you adapt in the midst of a maelstrom of change and uncertainty?

In this episode, Disha Gulati, cofounder and CEO of Here Here Market, talks about how she turned her entire startup on a dime when the pandemic destroyed their original business model, how she learned to find an attractive new market by turning disaster into opportunity, how she uses data to constantly find her way, and increase the value of her offerings to her customers, and much more.

Episode Highlights

1. How a new venture is born - right alongside a new baby
2. How to survive when your business model vaporizes overnight
3. How to find opportunities to serve your market in the midst of calamity
4. How to iterate your way to sustainable revenue streams
5. How to leverage customers' micro-behaviors to nail your value proposition
6. How to tap into market behaviors to find new revenue opportunities
7. How to use the industry leader's strategy to develop your competitive strategy and advantage
8. How to use non-scalable processes to build scale
9. How to build a two-sided marketplace
10. How to find the core metrics that are crucial for your revenue growth
11. How to find, test and roll out new value propositions
12. How to use data to stay one step ahead of consumer needs and actions
13. How to optimize your service model to simplify operations
14. How to blend art, science and instinct for effective fundraising