This week we bring to you a special year-end wrap-up joint episode where I’m joined by my friend and fellow podcast host Marcia Dawood of the Angel Next Door Podcast.

We had a great conversation reflecting on everything 2024 had to offer, the inspiring guests, the lessons learned, and the topics that resonated with our listeners. From game-changing conversations with leading experts, investors, founders and change-makers to surprising behind the scenes stories. We’ve pulled back the curtain on what it really takes to create and sustain a weekly podcast.

2024 was a big year for Venture:F, we launched in January with a mission to help women invest in women. We’ve reached thousands of women who have told us that our bite-sized, easy to digest podcast episodes and our weekly newsletters that provide a skim of the latest financial and investing news have really educated them on building wealth, investing, and why invest in women.

I hope you enjoy this episode as we look back on the year, share a few laughs, and offer a glimpse of what we have In store for 2025.

SIGN UP for our newsletter at www.venturef.com/newsletter to get curated news and information about growing your wealth and investing in women delivered to your in-box every week.
 

DISCLAIMER: The information on this podcast is made available solely for general information purposes, is not tailored to the individual needs of a specific person or group, contains only disinterested commentary and analysis, and is not promotional material or an offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities. Venture:F does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness the information in this podcast. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. Venture:F does not offer any investment advice, we are not a broker-dealer or financial advisor, and this podcast does not constitute any form of legal, tax, or securities advice and may not be relied upon when making any investment decision. Investing entails risk, including the possible loss of principal, and past performance is not predictive of future results.

Halle Kaplan-Allen is the Director of Growth at Sydecar an innovative platform that helps you start and run your investment vehicles — so you can focus on making deals, not spreadsheets. In this conversation we talk about Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVS), how to angel invest alongside other women, how SPVS help founders add more angels to the cap table while managing the investor relations aspects, and Sydecar’s solutions for founders and fund managers.

SIGN UP for our newsletter at www.venturef.com/newsletter to get curated news and information about growing your wealth and investing in women delivered to your in-box every week.
 

DISCLAIMER: The information on this podcast is made available solely for general information purposes, is not tailored to the individual needs of a specific person or group, contains only disinterested commentary and analysis, and is not promotional material or an offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities. Venture:F does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness the information in this podcast. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. Venture:F does not offer any investment advice, we are not a broker-dealer or financial advisor, and this podcast does not constitute any form of legal, tax, or securities advice and may not be relied upon when making any investment decision. Investing entails risk, including the possible loss of principal, and past performance is not predictive of future results.

Kimberly Smith is the Chief Capital Formation Officer of Andalusian Credit Partners a solutions-oriented middle market direct lending platform. In this conversation we discuss private capital versus private equity, building opportunity and access to dealflow, women in private capital and finance, and why diverse leadership is important in finance.

Kimberly was previously the Chief Capital Formation Officer at Techstars, where she led the strategy and execution of fundraising, deal sourcing, and investor relations for the global network of entrepreneurs and mentors. Prior to her role at Techstars, Kimberly was a Partner and the Director of Marketing and Investor Relations at Owl Creek Investment Management, where she managed the communication and relationships with existing and prospective investors, as well as the firm's branding and marketing initiatives. She also previously held roles at Davidson Kempner Capital Management and ABN AMRO Bank.

Kimberly serves as an Honorary Trustee of the Ethical Culture Fieldston School after completing a five-year term as Chair of the Board. She is also a trustee of the Bridge Golf Foundation and Group for the East End, and serves on the advisory board of MeshEd, an EdTech company based in New York.

SIGN UP for our newsletter at www.venturef.com/newsletter to get curated news and information about growing your wealth and investing in women delivered to your in-box every week.
 

DISCLAIMER: The information on this podcast is made available solely for general information purposes, is not tailored to the individual needs of a specific person or group, contains only disinterested commentary and analysis, and is not promotional material or an offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities. Venture:F does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness the information in this podcast. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. Venture:F does not offer any investment advice, we are not a broker-dealer or financial advisor, and this podcast does not constitute any form of legal, tax, or securities advice and may not be relied upon when making any investment decision. Investing entails risk, including the possible loss of principal, and past performance is not predictive of future results.

Marisa Warren is the Founder & Managing Partner of ALIAVIA Ventures and Founder of ELEVACAO. Marisa invests in female-founded tech startups across the U.S. and Australia.

Beginning her career in enterprise software sales in 2001, Marisa went on to build the Microsoft Partner Development Centre for Australia and Southeast Asia. Marisa's efforts resulted in customer acquisition targets exceeding 230% and as a result she received the Microsoft Global Best-Practice award.

At SAP Australia, Marisa conceptualized and built the SAP Partner Sales Academy, a program supporting partners to source, train and deploy SAP-qualified and revenue-ready salespeople into the channel. Marisa's efforts resulted in receiving an Innovation Excellence Award for developing the SAP Sales Academy program, growing the customer base from 140 to 850 in 3 years and a 100% Sales Club Award.

Marisa left big corporate in 2015 to pursue her passion for early-stage businesses. She founded ELEVACAO a global pre-accelerator for women tech founders. Fast forward to today and ELEVACAO has empowered 175 women across the U.S. and Australia, who have raised $120m+ and produced 5 Exits.

In 2020, Marisa co-founded ALIAVIA Ventures, a California-based venture capital firm investing in early-stage female founders building world-changing technology companies in the United States and Australia.

SIGN UP for our newsletter at www.venturef.com/newsletter to get curated news and information about growing your wealth and investing in women delivered to your in-box every week.
 

DISCLAIMER: The information on this podcast is made available solely for general information purposes, is not tailored to the individual needs of a specific person or group, contains only disinterested commentary and analysis, and is not promotional material or an offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities. Venture:F does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness the information in this podcast. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. Venture:F does not offer any investment advice, we are not a broker-dealer or financial advisor, and this podcast does not constitute any form of legal, tax, or securities advice and may not be relied upon when making any investment decision. Investing entails risk, including the possible loss of principal, and past performance is not predictive of future results.

Jennifer Pullen and Zain Pirani are the co-founders of Zenn Capital a strategic partner for growth companies, providing a suite of services designed to propel success in today's dynamic business landscape. Their expertise lies in private placements encompassing equity, debt, and hybrid financing solutions. They specialize in fundraising for founders and fund managers across distinct categories, where the managers have established themselves as market leaders with a proven track record of excellence.

In this episode we discuss how their extensive careers in finance and as entrepreneurs lends to their ability to expertly advise founders and fund managers who are raising capital. 

SIGN UP for our newsletter at www.venturef.com/newsletter to get curated news and information about growing your wealth and investing in women delivered to your in-box every week.
 

DISCLAIMER: The information on this podcast is made available solely for general information purposes, is not tailored to the individual needs of a specific person or group, contains only disinterested commentary and analysis, and is not promotional material or an offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities. Venture:F does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness the information in this podcast. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. Venture:F does not offer any investment advice, we are not a broker-dealer or financial advisor, and this podcast does not constitute any form of legal, tax, or securities advice and may not be relied upon when making any investment decision. Investing entails risk, including the possible loss of principal, and past performance is not predictive of future results.

Nyakio Grieco, Co-founder of Thirteen Lune and Founder of Relevant: Your Skin Seen is a beauty entrepreneur and advocate for clean, inclusive beauty that suits all skin types, tones, and needs. As a veteran beauty founder and trusted industry voice, Nyakio has launched two successful businesses: her award- winning brand nyakioTM, based on her family’s Kenyan roots and beauty secrets that launched in 2002, and inclusive beauty e-commerce destination, Thirteen Lune, launched with cofounder Patrick Herning in 2020.

In this episode we discuss Nyakio's founder journey, the mission of Thirteen Lune as a destination for inclusive beauty, community among founders, mentorship, and more.  

Thirteen Lune launched as the first of its kind, e-commerce destination designed to inspire the discovery of beauty brands created by BIPOC founders that resonate with people of all colors. Thirteen Lune has since partnered with retailer JC Penney for inclusive beauty shop-in-shop locations in over 600 stores nationwide.

Continuing her commitment to inclusive beauty, Nyakio created Relevant, a clean, science-led skincare brand that works for all skin tones and types. Working with top labs to ensure a diverse mix of chemists, Nyakio formulated each product with superfruits and actives in efficacious percentages to create products that truly perform. Most recently, the brand expanded into the cosmetics category with six color and complexion products. All products in the range are formulated with skincare benefits and serve and celebrate every skin tone, while hyper prioritizing consumers who have been underserved.

Most recently, Nyakio Grieco has been honored with the CEW 2023 Female Founder Award, the Beauty Matter 2023 Future50 Award and included on the Inc. Magazine 2023 and 2024 Female Founders 200 List. She was recently recognized by Beauty Industry West as the 2024 Entrepreneur of the Year.

SIGN UP for our newsletter at www.venturef.com/newsletter to get curated news and information about growing your wealth and investing in women delivered to your in-box every week.
 

DISCLAIMER: The information on this podcast is made available solely for general information purposes, is not tailored to the individual needs of a specific person or group, contains only disinterested commentary and analysis, and is not promotional material or an offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities. Venture:F does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness the information in this podcast. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. Venture:F does not offer any investment advice, we are not a broker-dealer or financial advisor, and this podcast does not constitute any form of legal, tax, or securities advice and may not be relied upon when making any investment decision. Investing entails risk, including the possible loss of principal, and past performance is not predictive of future results.

Dr. Nikki Lanier, CEO of Harper Slade and Founder of the RAARE Woman Collective.  As CEO and founder of Harper Slade one of the fastest-growing and most highly recognized race, inclusion, equity, & diversity advisory firms in the country, Nikki’s work focuses on helping organizations cultivate environments where black and brown talent can thrive. Nikki alsofounded the RAARE Women Collective, a global coaching program for “inclined” white women who want to become better racial equity advocates in their homes, workplaces, and communities.

Nikki's commitment to advancing racial equity isn't just a career choice—it's in her DNA. Born into a family deeply rooted in the civil rights movement, Nikki's upbringing on the campus of Hampton University instilled in her a profound sense of duty to champion the rights of black communities. As a three-time Chief Human Resources Officer in both the private and public sectors and a former executive with the Federal Reserve, Nikki is a highly sought-after speaker, trainer, and thought leader on the future of work, race, and economics.

Featured in Ebony Media, Forbes, Essence, USA Today, CNBC, PBS, Today’s Woman, Tops Magazine and countless podcasts, Nikki earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law, a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Hampton University and holds a certification in Collective Bargaining from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

SIGN UP for our newsletter at www.venturef.com/newsletter to get curated news and information about growing your wealth and investing in women delivered to your in-box every week.
 

DISCLAIMER: The information on this podcast is made available solely for general information purposes, is not tailored to the individual needs of a specific person or group, contains only disinterested commentary and analysis, and is not promotional material or an offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities. Venture:F does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness the information in this podcast. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. Venture:F does not offer any investment advice, we are not a broker-dealer or financial advisor, and this podcast does not constitute any form of legal, tax, or securities advice and may not be relied upon when making any investment decision. Investing entails risk, including the possible loss of principal, and past performance is not predictive of future results.

Laura Rippy, is a Managing Partner and Board Member at Alumni Ventures. She runs the Women's Fund, the Harvard-focused fund (The Yard Ventures), and the Dartmouth-focused fund (Green D Ventures) which she grew to be the largest fund at Alumni Ventures. 

Alumni Ventures is America's Largest Venture Firm for Individuals with more than 10,000 individual accredited investors investing in their funds and is considered by PitchBook to be the #1 Most Active US Venture Firm and #3 Globally with over $1.25B+ raised & more than 1,300 portfolio companies since 2014.

In this episode we discuss Laura’s path to venture, including her years as a 3x CEO of a tech company and the funds she leads at Alumni Ventures. We explore the unique offering of Alumni Ventures, how they make it possible for thousands of individuals to invest in funds, and their winning investment strategy.

SIGN UP for our newsletter at www.venturef.com/newsletter to get curated news and information about growing your wealth and investing in women delivered to your in-box every week.
 

DISCLAIMER: The information on this podcast is made available solely for general information purposes, is not tailored to the individual needs of a specific person or group, contains only disinterested commentary and analysis, and is not promotional material or an offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities. Venture:F does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness the information in this podcast. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. Venture:F does not offer any investment advice, we are not a broker-dealer or financial advisor, and this podcast does not constitute any form of legal, tax, or securities advice and may not be relied upon when making any investment decision. Investing entails risk, including the possible loss of principal, and past performance is not predictive of future results.

Jenny co-founded PEAK6 in 1997 with $1.6M in seed capital as a proprietary options trading firm and since then has grown it into a multibillion-dollar financial services and technology giant housing the next generation of products & service brands including PEAK6 Capital Management, PEAK6 Strategic Capital, Apex Fintech Solutions, PEAK6 InsurTech, and Zogo.

With a true knack for unearthing talent and opportunities, Jenny looks for underfunded and underappreciated sectors to transform into high-growth businesses. Her passion specifically lies in finding opportunities for women to succeed at every table — from the classroom, to the conference room, to the poker room, to the boardroom.

This passion led her to launch Poker Power in 2020 with her daughter Juliette, a woman-led company that teaches poker to all who identify as female, and by extension, teaches women strategic thinking, capital allocation, and decision-making skills.

Additionally, Jenny has created programs to help women advance their careers including the Women’s Trading Experience and Women’s Technology Experience. She currently serves on the Women and Public Policy Program at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Jenny's remarkable success has earned her a number of accolades, including being named to Forbes’ list of America's Richest Self-Made Women, Forbes 50 over 50 and Worth’s Groundbreaking Women. She was also the recipient of the Women’s Poker Association’s Industry Innovation Recognition Award and received a Tony Award for her involvement in Memphis the Musical.

SIGN UP for our newsletter at www.venturef.com/newsletter to get curated news and information about growing your wealth and investing in women delivered to your in-box every week.
 

DISCLAIMER: The information on this podcast is made available solely for general information purposes, is not tailored to the individual needs of a specific person or group, contains only disinterested commentary and analysis, and is not promotional material or an offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities. Venture:F does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness the information in this podcast. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. Venture:F does not offer any investment advice, we are not a broker-dealer or financial advisor, and this podcast does not constitute any form of legal, tax, or securities advice and may not be relied upon when making any investment decision. Investing entails risk, including the possible loss of principal, and past performance is not predictive of future results.

Linnea Roberts is the Founder & CEO, GingerBread Capital a venture fund launched in 2016 to build and invest in women’s entrepreneurial success and support the growing ecosystem of emerging funders who share a vision of a more equitable and inclusive landscape for female and diverse founders.

Linnea, believes that women-led businesses are changing the world for the better and that they are also really smart investments that are too often overlooked and undervalued by investors.

Today, GingerBread Capital has invested in more than 75 women-led startups in a variety of industries. GingerBread Capital is also a Limited Partner in more than 25 emerging venture capital funds led by women and underrepresented managers. 

Previously, Linnea enjoyed a 30-year career in investment banking, the latter half as a Partner in the technology sector at Goldman Sachs, where she led many a start-up from launch to IPO. She also served as Goldman’s diversity ambassador to bring more women in finance into leadership roles. 

Linnea has been profiled in Entrepreneur, Forbes, The Skimm, and other major media outlets. She has served as keynote speaker and featured panelist at numerous special events and conferences including The Milken Institute Global Conference, Fortune Most Powerful Women Next Gen Summit, The Child Mind Institute, and Teach for America, among others. 

SIGN UP for our newsletter at www.venturef.com/newsletter to get curated news and information about growing your wealth and investing in women delivered to your in-box every week.
 

DISCLAIMER: The information on this podcast is made available solely for general information purposes, is not tailored to the individual needs of a specific person or group, contains only disinterested commentary and analysis, and is not promotional material or an offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities. Venture:F does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness the information in this podcast. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. Venture:F does not offer any investment advice, we are not a broker-dealer or financial advisor, and this podcast does not constitute any form of legal, tax, or securities advice and may not be relied upon when making any investment decision. Investing entails risk, including the possible loss of principal, and past performance is not predictive of future results.