SheVentures

💡Have you ever helped friends and colleagues solve a workplace issue only to realize you've discovered a niche business opportunity?

That's what happened to Amy Spurling, so she created Compt, an HR tech management solution aimed at personalizing employee perks.

After spending more than two decades in mergers and acquisitions as a financial executive, Spurling knows how companies are built.

She successfully raised $1.5 million dollars in 2020 through venture capital firm Harlem Capital and talks about how "finding the right partners made all the difference for her company to scale and grow." Spurling also shares how she perceives women in tech and finance, both male-dominated industries. Best of all: pitching tips for female founders who are often faced with a disparaging vetting process when looking for funding.

Listen to Spurling describe the landscape of employee benefits in 2022 — and how more companies are supporting remote working positions and moving away from traditional productivity measurements on this episode of SheVentures.

1:55 Spurling explains how mergers and acquisitions are structured. 7:21 How does Spurling perceive herself in a male-dominated industry? 10:35 Spurling shares how she came up with the idea for Compt, an HR tech platform. 17:00 How has personalization helped to make Compt stand out? 21:45 Spurling describes customer traction since she was funded in 2020 amid the pandemic. 22:39 How does Compt make money? 24:04 What tips does Spurling have for female founders pitching to venture capitalists? 32:51 How does Spurling see employee benefits evolving? 38:28 How Spurling measures productivity with a fully 100 percent remote staff 43:23 Where can you learn more about Compt?

Erectile dysfunction products are widely accepted, but women's sexual health and wellness are far less so.

Christine Brown is helping to reclaim the female sexual health and hygiene market with The Kind Cup, an innovative, ergonomically designed silicone menstrual cup.

Brown was first introduced to the menstrual cup at their all-women undergraduate college (where they obtained a degree in critical thought) — and it changed their views on feminine products forever.

This American Sign Language (ASL) teacher juggled their career and helped to run their family's specialty fruit farming business, while casually researching product reviews about the incompatibility of some menstrual cups with women's bodies. This eventually led to their pivot into entrepreneurship, where The Kind Cup was born.

Brown shares how their own hard-of-hearing journey and non-binary identity helped shape their ideology, explains the misconceptions in label setting, and defines the limits they sought to overcome by challenging people's notions of what they think they know versus what they assume.

Brown shares how this philosophy is helping them to take the The Kind Cup to the next level on this episode of SheVentures.

5:38: Brown shares their hard-of-hearing journey. 15:00: How Brown pivoted from teaching ASL to designing menstrual cups 19:03: What sparked the idea for The Kind Cup? 23:54: How has their architectural background helped to inspire the design for The Kind Cup? 35:06: Brown takes on the Pink Tax. 41:23: What did Brown need to do to obtain FDA approval? 52:09: Is venture funding to scale in Brown's future? Find out!

When's the last time you had the courage to take a major risk on faith? 🎯

Liziana Carter challenged herself to leave her home and family agriculture business in Romania to start a new life after watching a fitness video filmed more than 8,000 miles away. "Perseverance and hard work (got) me further than just being brilliant," Carter reflects.

Her dream took a few years of planning, but she found her way to Australia's Gold Coast, newly divorced and a young daughter in tow.

Carter is the founder of Grow AI, a chatbot/AI platform, and shares her ideal client, product/market fit, wins, and challenges as a woman in tech.

Candid about her mistakes, Carter explains how mastermind groups eventually led her to find her business niche. Hear how fortitude is one of the key ingredients for a successful entrepreneurship on this episode of SheVentures.

2:55: Why Carter doesn't take hard work for granted. 4:22: The catalyst that led Carter to leave her family business in Romania. 15:32: What is the School of Bots, and how did it influence her entrepreneurial niche? 18:11: Carter describes her business model. 24:31: Tip alert! How to prospect for new clientele. 32:31: What makes Carter's company stand out in the AI/chatbot space? 36:39: Do women have a level playing field in the tech industry? 37:24: Carter shares her biggest wins and challenges.

Did you know that half of women don't have personal retirement savings, according to the U.S. Census?

If that's you — whether you are 25 or 55 — it's never too late to find your financial footing. Even if you are contributing to an individual or workplace retirement plan, you don't want to miss this knowledge-packed episode for financial literacy month.

Mary Beth Franklin, an award-winning and veteran financial journalist who specializes in retirement income, reminisces about her 40+ years in journalism, starting as a congressional cub reporter for United Press International before distinguishing herself at Kiplinger's Personal Finance, among other publications. During this time, she also became a wife and mother. Most inspiring, Franklin became a certified financial planner (CFP) late in her career, presenting to the CFP Board that her professional experience as a journalist was enough to meet the organization's practical experience requirement.

This episode kicks off Financial Literacy Month by emphasizing Franklin's prolific career and pivots while providing solid retirement information for all women — whether you are a homemaker, a solopreneur, or a CEO. Take a moment to jot down notes to ensure you are protected as best as possible when you retire. You are the one responsible for understanding your financial destiny, but there's help and resources galore.

Tune in to hear Franklin tell all in this SheVentures exclusive!

1:36 Franklin shares the opportunities and pivots she took in her career 12:06 What challenges does Franklin see arising as tech plays a central role in journalism? 22:43 Franklin delves into her view of the retirement gap and women 24:33 How she educates people on the optimization of Social Security benefits 25:46 Franklin defines how Social Security is calculated for you or as a divorced or surviving spouse 32:02 Franklin lists effective ways to contribute to retirement 41:24 Why Franklin thinks it's essential for stay-at-home moms to plan for — and understand — their retirement 45:14 Actions women can take to improve their financial future

Have you ever wondered why there is so much buzz around Big Data? Should it be exalted or feared?

Retired Air Force Captain Kimberly Shenk believes data, used responsibly, is a force for good.

She earned her master's degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a Draper Fellow, served as a senior data scientist in the Air Force at Pearl Harbor, and worked a few stints exploring how data can be segmented and inform marketing with companies like Sports Authority and Eventbrite.

How did Shenk pivot to her current role as co-founder and CEO of Novi, a database that catalogs the supply chain of chemicals and other ingredients used in everyday products?

Shenk explains that consumers are demanding more transparency, as are businesses, who want to ensure they can continue to rely on ingredients they use, as the supply chain has been tested during the pandemic. Shenk successfully raised more than $1M to fund Novi.

Listen to how this woman, with a "superpower in problem-solving" is serving both B2B and end consumers on this 100th episode of SheVentures.

• 5:36 Shenk shares how her upbringing encouraged her to bypass gender stereotypes
• 9:42 How her experiences at MIT and in the Air Force prepared her for entrepreneurship
• 20:07 What led Shenk to co-found Novi
• 31:51 How Shenk raised more than $1M in venture capital
• 38:02 Shenk talks about being a woman (and a mother) in male-dominated industries
• 40:21 How does Novi earn money?
• 41:27 Shenk offers insight on where big data is evolving, and how it can make the biggest impact

Have you ever felt afraid to find your voice and make some noise? Kristen Guillory, Ph.D, thrives on public speaking with a twist of dancing. She shares how to overcome fear, self-doubt, and show your authentic self.

A professor turned self-care coach, and author of Look, Stop Hiding! How to Find Your Voice and Never Dim Your Light Again, recalls becoming a professor in social work by age 27, and learned "not to put herself in boxes that weren't meant for her."

Guillory shares the mistakes she's made, and gives tips on how women can stop being apologetic. Learn how to take ownership as an entrepreneur on this episode of SheVentures.

• 2:49: Guillory shares how she learned to show up as who she is.
• 16:30 : How did Guillory overcome her fear of speaking about herself?
• 20:33: What was the catalyst for her pivot from professor to entrepreueur?
• 24:32 : Learn from the mistakes Guillory made as a young professor and entrepreneur
• 27:42 : Want to stop apologizing for being assertive? Yes!
• 32:12 : What are fears unique to female entrepreneurs, and how does Guillory recommend building courage?
• 43:33 : Worried about entrepreneurial burnout? Guillory shares tips on how not to lose your light.

Retired commander Majorie Eastman is not a career politician. Yet, this mom, Army intelligence officer, and award-winning author decided to run for North Carolina's U.S. Senate seat.

Why?

Having served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Eastman's decade-long commitment to defending our country speaks for itself.

How does she plan on shaking things up as a D.C. outsider if elected? And why is she running? Eastman reveals all in this SheVentures exclusive.

P.S. Eastman is the only veteran in the North Carolina GOP primary field. Plus she's the mother of a little boy who beat cancer. Her down-to-earth pragmatism is refreshing.

• 1:47 Eastman shares the defining moment when she decided to enter the Senate race.
• 4:34 Why should undecideds cast a vote for Marjorie Eastman?
• 5:53 What Eastman thinks it will take for a divided America to move forward.
• 10:24 Eastman delves into how socialism could be a threat to health care.
• 13:24 Eastman envisions her first 90 days as senator.
• 16:23 How will independents identify with her on the Republican ticket?
• 19:33 Does Eastman feel Gen Z has what it takes to effectively be political leaders?

The odds are stark: Women of color in tech raised less than half of 1 percent of all venture capital in 2020, according to Project Diane.

Can you imagine using a vision board to inspire you to raise $1.4 million in venture capital? Co-founders Angela Muhwezi-Hall and her sister Deborah Gladney did just that for their career discovery platform, QuickHire. Listen in as these siblings explain how they pivoted from careers in editorial public relations management and college placement and career counseling to venture capital success.

Muhwezi-Hall and Gladney explain how their upbringing in a small town in the Midwest, as first- generation Americans with Ugandan parents, helped to shape their "no excuses mindset." After working at a nonprofit, Gladney realized that underprivileged youth who decided not to take the traditional education route weren't getting their fair share of opportunity. This birthed the idea of QuickHire.

Learn how networking and tenacity earned the sisters spots in the competitive TechStars Accelerator Program, which helped them hone in on the product/market fit of their idea. Through the help of mentorship and continuous research, the duo focused on creating a platform that gives people what they need: equal opportunities, by focusing on empowering the job seeker to take hold of their career.

So how does QuickHire stand out as a new job platform? Tune in and find out!

• 2:25 Muhwezi-Hall and Gladney share where their tenacity as entrepreneurs came from.
• 5:01 The career pivots that helped them to identify their passions.
• 11:37 Muhwezi-Hall shares how she convinced her sister to become her business partner.
• 16:11 What is TechStars and how did confidence, research, and preparation help them get in?
• 20:48 How do QuickHire's founders identify their customers?
• 21:54 What are the perks of participating in an accelerator such as TechStars?
• 24:08 How has mentorship made a difference in their success?
• 25:06 What is the business model?
• 26:55 What's the difference between QuickHire and LinkedIn?
• 31:11 Was it easy for each partner to identify their roles in the business?
• 43:50 What are the dos and the don'ts for women of color raising capital?
• 48:30 What is QuickHire's plan for the future with the capital it raised?
• 50:19 How do Muhwezi-Hall and Gladney define success?
• 53:44 Where can you learn more about QuickHire?

Don't think social entrepreneurship can earn a profit? Think again. Rahama Wright discusses how she built Shea Yeleen, a skincare brand that focuses on high-quality shea butter, produced by women's cooperatives in Ghana.

Listen as Wright speaks about the decision to create living wage jobs (nearly five times the minimum wage) for women-owned shea butter cooperatives in Ghana, through Shea Yeleen. Wright offers some of the women the opportunity to travel to the United States to witness the business funnel from beginning to end.

Wright describes growing up as a first-generation American with Ghanian parents, which motivated her to volunteer for the Peace Corps in West Africa. Wright describes how her time there later sparked the idea for Shea Yeleen.

Discover how Wright pivoted from a foreign service officer for the State Department to bootstrapping her own social impact company. A classic type-A personality, Wright describes how she never let logistics get in the way of her goals, and how she's determined to see her business — and those of the women she works with — thrive.

If you're looking for inspiration, listen to this episode of SheVentures, as Wright covers everything from starting a business from scratch to scaling to partnership deals with WholeFoods and MGM Resorts International. For more stories of bold women who inspire, log on to sheventurespodcast.com.

Time Stamps:

• 2:10: Wright describes how her upbringing shaped her views on women empowerment.
• 3:20: She speaks about living in Africa while volunteering for the Peace Corps and how she witnessed the challenges that women face.
• 10:15: The pivot from foreign service officer for the State Department to starting a skincare brand.
• 12:15: Business Tips! Where did Wright find information after she had her initial idea of a social impact skincare brand?
• 15:00: Creating an ecosystem for women: Shea Yeleen's training program for the women in Ghana.
• 26:40: With no business degree, Wright explains how she figured out each business step from trading to shipping to selling.
• 33:30: She describes her time on the advisory council on Doing Business in Africa, under the Obama Administration — and how individuals have an inherent bias, unknowingly.
• 33:50: What are the biggest misconceptions about social entrepreneurship?
• 44:00: How should aspiring beauty entrepreneurs approach distributors today?
• 45:50: Wright opens up about her proudest and most difficult moments.
• 49:30: The impact the pandemic had on Wright's business.
• 52:15: Today's America: Wright speaks about what Black women entrepreneurs face.

What does it mean to be an organization that promotes equity? Listen as Kerry Mitchell Brown, Ph.D. (a diversity, inclusion, and equity strategist), shares her insights about how organizations can ensure they're practicing workplace impartiality — as in walk the walk, not simply check the boxes and call it a day.

Mitchell Brown discusses her pivot from a C-suite finance exec — at companies such as Disney and Prudential — to founding KMB,

her namesake diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) consulting firm, where she is CEO.

Like many women, Mitchell Brown faced work-life tradeoffs, as she juggled multiple personal and professional roles, both early on and later in her career.

Her motto: "You can do it all, but not at the same time; and you can't do it all by yourself."

Though the pandemic acted as a catalyst for many businesses to evaluate and invest in DEI, Mitchell Brown recognized the need more than a decade ago.

"Organizational health is based on how employees are valued, understood, and recognized," says Mitchell Brown. A workplace's culture that promotes equity will thrive as its staff's potential is maximized. How? Mitchell Brown transforms organizations focusing on sustainable, long-lasting, and impactful collaboration between employees and employers alike. That means listening to all points of view to find common ground.

After listening to Mitchell Brown, you will have a better understanding of DEI as a solid pillar in workplace culture. For more stories of bold women who inspire log on to sheventurespodcast.com.

Time Stamps:

• 2:26: Mitchell Brown outlines what drew her to the finance industry. • 5:03: Getting personal: Remembering juggling work, academics, marriage, and motherhood in her 20s, she emphasizes the importance of having a "village" to support her. • 11:21: How does one pivot professionally from C-suite finance roles to a DEI entrepreneur and company founder? • 18:08: If you are a working mother, you will identify with the tradeoffs Mitchell Brown faced with her personal and professional lives. • 20:26: In fact, this topic was of such interest that Mitchell Brown wrote her doctoral thesis on women of color and the challenges of balancing motherhood with work. Talk about pragmatic! • 20:43: Reshaping workplace ideals: Mitchell Brown shows how the pandemic acted as a catalyst. • 24:44: How Mitchell Brown defines diversity, equity, and inclusion. • 29:31: Ways organizations can tap into the power of present and future leaders. • 36:15: Candid talk: The conscious and unconscious biases Mitchell Brown faces as a woman of color business owner. Spoiler alert: Even the most "woke" among us have unconscious biases to tackle. • 37:05: Small business owner strategies to implement a DEI culture, where cost might be a factor. • 42:12: Mitchell Brown busts the one myth about DEI. What do YOU think it is? Listen!