Victoria Yampolsky’s Post

#WomanCrushWednesday: Meet "The Oprah of Investing" "YC for Women" "Shark Tank for Women" Bridgette L. Smith 🦋 (Verified Page) →Today marks the First Wednesday of May, and I've got an extraordinary Woman Crush Wednesday to share. Bridgette will be speaking at an online Masterclass on how to become an investor for the Global Woman Club, where she's the New Director of Silicon Valley. →After her tenure at Google, Bridgette ventured into entrepreneurship, founding Purpose Led Ventures, Serenity and Sunshine Holdings, and Founder Pitch Week. These ventures are dedicated to uplifting undercapitalized and underrepresented women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ founders. Through her renowned "Investing With Confidence" and "Think Like an Investor" brands, she's empowered over 4,000 women to invest in private companies and build generational wealth. →Despite starting with zero knowledge in venture capital, Bridgette has built an impressive portfolio of startup investments, totaling 264 companies. When not investing, she serves as an Investment Consultant at US Capital and holds advisory roles at various prominent organizations. Prior to her entrepreneurial journey, Bridgette excelled in journalism, earning over 100 global media awards. →Bridgette's educational background spans prestigious institutions such as Harvard Business School and Yale School of Management. Currently residing in both Silicon Valley and Wisconsin, Bridgette continues to inspire and uplift women worldwide. 📌 If you find this valuable, please like, comment, and share! 👍🗣📩 🗣Who is your Woman Crush Wednesday? #investors #investing #financialfreedom #wealth #mindshift #founders #entrepreneurs #women #london ✈ #productchaste

The recent election results show how women are still not recognized for their leadership. A convicted felon, despite his lack of qualifications, won over a highly qualified woman—whether you agree with her or not, she was far more qualified. This is a reality women face in business too, where only 2% of venture capital funding goes to women, compared to their male counterparts. As of recent reports, funding for Black women and individuals on a gender journey in the venture capital space remains disproportionately low. For Black women specifically, startups led by them represented just 0.34% of total venture capital raised as of 2021 and stated in https://lnkd.in/e7MqMpKG More broadly, startups with at least one Black founder have been receiving only 1.2% of total venture funding https://lnkd.in/evhEgN4S The trans community receives less than 1% of VC money.https://https://lnkd.in/e8Gmz5S5 At ICW®, we’re committed to changing this for all women and anyone on a gender journey. By empowering women to become successful CEOs, we can help them gain the recognition, funding, and decision-making power needed to drive change. When women control the purse strings, they fund the future. Let’s keep pushing for equity. #WomenInLeadership #FundWomen #ICW #GenderEquity #womenentrepreneurs #transentrepreneurs #lgbtqia A photo of my girls for attention and also my #why

It really is quite black and white. Except it isn’t, is it? It’s just very white. It is time to address the lack of #diversity in startup investment. Increase funding for women. ALL women. Every ethnicity background All ages beliefs shapes preferences Across the talent spectrum and any other spectrum. When should any of these factors - except talent - be criteria for deciding investment? The ONLY way ‘All Women’ should be split into smaller segments for funding purposes is: -those who are willing and able to scale their business to produce the multiple returns that warrant the risk for investors and -those who are not. We are not there yet. I hope one day we will be. Increasing fractional segmentation into positive discrimination is a short term fix. It is not the long term answer. Positive discrimination is still discrimination. It is not inclusive. As an example, the push to include Black founders is leaving Asian founders out in the cold. People are resorting to this out of desperation, reaching out and pulling others up the ladder or pushing them up from below. I’m working to make funding choices more about other factors going forward. So reduce the need to focus on gender or skin colour. We know that diversity improves business results. Diversity of skills. Diversity in perspectives from different background and experiences. So it IS logical to increase diversity even taking fairness out of the equation. How can we make this happen faster? This isn’t a box-ticking exercise. Let 2025 be the year it starts to turn! First steps are: 1. Create a public manifesto 2. Build awareness 3. Decide metrics 4. Create a pipeline of investable business models run by strong founders. 5. Have courage, take the plunge, invest. What’s your experience of diversity? Is it like one of the 3Ds - death, divorce and diversity…or are things really changing? #femalefounders #innovation #startups #breakthebias --- Let's Fund More Women Invest in Women Taskforce investHER-UK ProspHER Business and Babies Fundfast Female Founders Rise TechFoundHer Women's Diversity Network --- Becky Lodge Elizabeth A. Dr Linda Odogwu Zandra Moore Bridget Greenwood Serena Fordham BA (Hons) CMgr FCMI ✨️ Erika Brodnock MBE Emmie Faust Grace Carter Máirín Murray Cindy Gallop Tara Attfield-Tomes Gwen Myslinski Sanjay Lobo MBE👫🌍 Jem Stein Dr Uzma Choudry Dr Lorna Treanor FRSA 🌞Sarah Morgan Bev Fawdington Jennifer Stojkovic Jennifer Faith Nash 🇿🇲🇬🇧🇺🇸 Mel Bound Nara Daubeney PhD Roxanne Goodman Bukky M. Babajide Barbara Gottardi Carla Ottersen Karli Büchling Katherine Church Natalie Haigh Jennifer Hoffman

A100 Associate Member, Bobbie Racette, one of very few female, Indigenous founders to raise a Series A, is on to the next round and looking to secure a Series B for her company Virtual Gurus. 👏🏼 BetaKit recently sat down with her to talk about why she’s planning her big expansion in the US and what companies get wrong about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). #DEI #inclusion #equity #diversity #indigenous #queer https://lnkd.in/gfz5yaH3

You’ve hit the nail on the head—ideally, “female founders” wouldn’t need to be a thing. Founders should just be founders, no qualifiers. But until the playing field is actually level, we need the term to spotlight the very real hurdles women face in business. It’s not just about labels; it’s about exposure and challenging outdated norms. The data speaks for itself—female-led companies generate 35% higher ROI and 63% higher valuations, yet women founders receive just 1.9% of VC funding. Even more striking, women-led startups produce $0.78 in revenue per dollar raised compared to $0.31 from all-male teams. So for now, "female founders" isn't just a term, it’s a statement. Until the system changes, it’s a necessary one. So, do I like the term? Not really. But until it’s obsolete, I’m all in.

New on the Blog: In the eye-opening documentary "Show Her The Money, The Power of Funding Women Entrepreneurs," Catherine Gray, podcast host and founder of She Angel Investors, alongside many influential women, exposes a critical issue: Women secure less than 2% of annual venture capital funding, despite their businesses booming and contributing nearly $3 trillion to the U.S. economy. This film does more than highlight disparities; it's an empowering narrative that showcases the untapped potential of female entrepreneurs, whose ideas could revolutionize our world. It serves as a testament to the resilience and innovation of women, urging us to recognize the immense value they bring to the table. This documentary extends a compelling call to action to pivot towards a future where gender equality in entrepreneurship is not just a goal but a norm. "Fund women and save the world" is more than a rallying cry. It's a viable solution to fostering economic growth and equity. https://lnkd.in/gnhv7wNA

New on the Blog: In the eye-opening documentary "Show Her The Money, The Power of Funding Women Entrepreneurs," Catherine Gray, podcast host and founder of She Angel Investors, alongside many influential women, exposes a critical issue: Women secure less than 2% of annual venture capital funding, despite their businesses booming and contributing nearly $3 trillion to the U.S. economy. This film does more than highlight disparities; it's an empowering narrative that showcases the untapped potential of female entrepreneurs, whose ideas could revolutionize our world. It serves as a testament to the resilience and innovation of women, urging us to recognize the immense value they bring to the table. This documentary extends a compelling call to action to pivot towards a future where gender equality in entrepreneurship is not just a goal but a norm. "Fund women and save the world" is more than a rallying cry. It's a viable solution to fostering economic growth and equity. https://lnkd.in/gjrREStG

Only 2% of VC funds go to female founders 🤯 Here's why this matters 👇 Incredible ideas and businesses are not getting the funding they deserve. Women bring diverse viewpoints that drive innovation and growth. Supporting female entrepreneurs is not just fair; it's essential for a thriving economy. Let's change the narrative together by: → Supporting women-owned businesses by choosing their products and services. → Encouraging entrepreneurial women in your network to pursue their dreams. → Mentoring women entrepreneurs by offering guidance and support. → Investing in women-led startups through crowdfunding or angel investing. → Advocating for female founders on social media and in conversations. → Connecting female entrepreneurs with potential investors, mentors, and resources. → Educating yourself and others about gender disparities in venture capital. Everyone can make an impact today. Let's support female founders in creating a more inclusive and innovative future. Kudos to Grace Beverley for raising awareness and inspiring this post.  

"People take me less seriously than white male VCs." - An anonymous female VC partner. Ask women around you and I am sure that you will get similar testimonials. VC remains a male-dominated industry (77% of investors are male), and sadly, some women are leaving as a result. At Five Seasons, 43% of our investment team are women. We're committed to promoting gender diversity with the following initiatives: ➤ Training our team on biases ➤ Implementing a policy on parental leave ➤ Providing additional coaching ➤ Encouraging networking in women-led events like WVC:E Do you have other ideas to build an inclusive culture in VC? Let me know in the comments!

I'd love for female founders to be a thing of the past. Like women doctors and female lawyers. Today they're doctors and lawyers, no need for gender referencing. It depends on who you ask, but the term "female founders" is either empowering or inhibiting. When I started Monthlee, I aimed to be recognized for my skills and achievements, not as a 'female founder.' I wanted to focus on what I could do, not my gender. Yet very quickly I realized my gender played a big role. After talking with other female founders, I realized I am not alone. It's clear women face unique challenges. In investor pitch meetings— ↳ Men get asked, "How will you handle a million customers?" ↳ Women get asked, "How will you get a million customers?" The stats are similar in the US and France, only 13% of startups in the US are female-led. Here's why it's ridiculous: · Female-led companies have 35% higher ROIs and 63% higher valuations · Generate $0.78 revenue per dollar raised compared to all male teams’ $0.31 · ... yet we received only 1.9% of VC funding While many are trying to change the broken system, we still need to work within it for now. Here are some things to change: · Exposure, because representation matters · Pay women speakers at events (duh!) · Invest in female founders · Founders: ask for bigger checks and ask sooner I'd love to stop using the term 'female founders'— But not until the status quo changes. I am a proud female founder so my daughters, and the founders of tomorrow, can just be 'founders.' —— What do you think about the term? Yay or nay? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Maria Molinar for more stories on being a founder, raising funds while raising kids, and the gender gap.