How Women Inspire: Invest, Lead, Give How Women Lead

Venture capital has a reputation for only funding certain demographics of entrepreneurs, particularly white men. As both entrepreneurs seeking funding and investors looking to support them become more diverse, we don’t necessarily see that trend change. Gayle Jennings O’Byrne is here today to talk about the power of storytelling in venture capital and how it can help build trust, break down barriers, and get capital into the hands of those who need it, especially women entrepreneurs. This week’s episode 114 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about the power of storytelling in venture capital! 
In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Gayle Jennings O'Byrne is sharing the importance of diverse teams in the venture capital space and actionable steps you can take right now to break down barriers through storytelling. 


Gayle Jennings O'Byrne is the CEO of Wocstar Capital, and Co-Founder and General Partner of the Wocstar Fund, an early-stage venture fund that invests in the future of consumption and innovation using a female arbitrage strategy — women of color tech entrepreneurs (“WOCstars”). Gayle was named one of "10 Women Changing the Landscape of Leadership'' by the New York Times, March 2021, one of the top Black venture capitalists, Business Insider, February 2024, and one of the top “10 Women of Influence” by Venture Capital Journal, July 2022. She is an instructor at Wocstar Academy and co-founder of the Ally Capital Collab, an initiative aimed at tackling systemic underinvestment in women of color fund managers. 


Some of the talking points Julie and Gayle go over in this episode include:
Gayle’s story and why she started Wocstar Capital to support women entrepreneurs.Women’s role in making consumer decisions and therefore the market in general.Raising capital by using storytelling to break down barriers.The importance of mentorship and leadership development for women in the tech industry.Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!
Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 


CONNECT WITH GAYLE JENINGS O’BYRNE:
Wocstar
LinkedIn


CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:
LinkedIn - Julie
How Women Lead
How Women Invest
How Women Give
Instagram - HWL
LinkedIn - HWL
Facebook - HWL



Join us for Get On Board Week from October 16-20, 2023. Registration is now open at https://www.howwomenlead.com/getonboard  

There is no better time to prepare for your search for a board position than in the seasons of life leading up to it. And with 30% of those on public company boards now being women, there are more resources than ever to prepare you and stories from other women who have already made the journey to learn from. Join us for a replay of our recent Linkedin Live with Kimberley Goode where she shares  the blend of industry expertise, strategic networking, and impactful initiatives that paved the way for her recent board appointment. This week’s episode 113 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about preparing for the boardroom and strategies for success as a board member! 
In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Kimberley Goode shares the importance of networking before you’re ready to be on a board and actionable steps you can take right now to prepare yourself for your search for a board seat. 


Kimberley Goode is the Chief Communications and Social Impact Officer of BMO Financial Group and a board director at Providence Health Plan. She is a leader with passion for stakeholder engagement strategies, integrated communication, reputation management, brand building, corporate social responsibility, culture, diversity and inclusion. Kimberley has been recognized on the Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business list by the San Francisco Business Times, as one of the Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America by Savoy magazine, and many others.


Some of the talking points Julie and Kimberley go over in this episode include:
Living by the How Women Lead credo.The importance of relationships and accountability in board service.Prioritizing board service based on stage and season of life.The need for diverse perspectives on boards to avoid recreating institutional biases in the changing world.You can head to the How Women Lead Linkedin page to catch the original conversation!
Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!


Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 


CONNECT WITH KIMBERLEY GOODE:
LinkedIn


CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:
LinkedIn - Julie
How Women Lead
How Women Invest
How Women Give
Instagram - HWL
LinkedIn - HWL
Facebook - HWL



Join us for Get On Board Week from October 16-20, 2023. Registration is now open at https://www.howwomenlead.com/getonboard  

We have all learned rules around when our voices should and should not be heard; when it’s safe to speak up and moments when it’s too costly to use our voices. Anyone who carries a subordinated identity, particularly women, experience the expectation of silence baked into corporate policies and practices, while it goes unnoticed or misunderstood by leaders. Elaine Lin Hering is here today to share wisdom from her book, Unlearning  Silence, and encourage us all to start our journey to speaking up. This week’s episode 112 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about unlearning silence and promoting open communication! 
In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Elaine Lin Hering is sharing the importance of agency and choice in communication and actionable steps you can take right now to start unlearning the versions of silence we have learned over time.


Elaine Lin Hering works with organizations and individuals to build skills in communication, collaboration, and conflict management. Elaine has worked on six continents and with a wide range of corporate, government, and nonprofit clients. She has trained mental health professionals, political officials, religious communities, and leaders at companies including American Express, Capital One, Google, Nike, Novartis, Shell, Pixar, and the Red Cross.  Elaine is a former Managing Partner of Triad Consulting Group and Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School, specializing in dispute resolution, mediation, and negotiation.


Some of the talking points Julie and Elaine go over in this episode include:
Why encouraging someone to ‘just speak up’ doesn’t work.Recognizing systems, policies, and practices that silence marginalized voices.The four anchors of speaking up.Creating space for alternative methods of communication.Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!
Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 


CONNECT WITH ELAINE LIN HERING:
LinkedIn
Website


CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:
LinkedIn - Julie
How Women Lead
How Women Invest
How Women Give
Instagram - HWL
LinkedIn - HWL
Facebook - HWL

Healthcare technologies continue to see innovation faster than ever before. But as technologies change to ideally improve healthcare for everyone, we cannot have the only minds in the space be white men. Michele Colucci is here today to talk about the shift towards more women getting involved in venture funding for healthcare technologies. This week’s episode 111 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about women-led healthcare innovation and investment! 
In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Michele Colucci is sharing the importance of collaboration in heathcare and actionable steps you can take right now to invest in women-led ventures. 
Michele Colucci is the CEO and Managing Partner of DigitalDx Ventures, a majority woman-owned impact fund investing in early-stage health technology companies that deliver innovative solutions using artificial intelligence (AI) to better diagnose + treat illness. Michele has authored six patents in the technology space and founded companies in the legal, technology, retail, and entertainment spaces.She has worked at law firms including Hughes Hubbard & Reed, run her own media production company, owned and operated a chain of retail stores in the political space, run a political fundraising venue, and founded a legal technology company.


Some of the talking points Julie and Michele go over in this episode include:
How experience working across different vertices leads to unique problem-solving abilities.The importance of collaboration in the development of healthcare technologies.Three uses for AI in healthcare.Why it is important for women to participate in venture investing.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!


Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 


CONNECT WITH MICHELE COLUCCI:
LinkedIn
Email Michele
DigitalDx Ventures


CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:
LinkedIn - Julie
How Women Lead
How Women Invest
How Women Give
Instagram - HWL
LinkedIn - HWL
Facebook - HWL

Society and business are slow to change. Without leaders using disruption to create positive change, we would likely never see improvements to our quality of life, both personally and professionally. But there is evidence that shows women are less likely to be disruptors, since we grow up hearing that being disruptive is a negative trait. Charlene Li is here this week to encourage women to embrace disruption and see it as a strength. This week’s episode 110 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about empowering women to embrace disruption and drive positive change! 
In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Charlene Li is sharing the importance of learning to embrace disruptive thinking as a woman and actionable steps you can take right now to incorporate generative AI into your work as a leader. 


Charlene Li is the Founder and CEO of Quantum Networks Group, an organization founded with the goal of helping disruptors and innovators succeed by providing a community—live and virtual—of like-minded individuals. She is a New York Times bestselling author of six books, including The Disruption Mindset, Open Leadership, and the critically acclaimed Groundswell. Charlene is a sought-after expert on disruptive transformation, leadership, customer experience, and the future of work, having worked with hundreds of organizations to provide winning strategies for disruptive growth.


Some of the talking points Julie and Charlene go over in this episode include:
The gender gap in distuprive thinking and how women should embrace disruption.How generative AI can be a useful tool in disruptive change and leadership work.Taking care of yourself before giving of yourself to others.Being decisive and clear about what you want.Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!
Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 


CONNECT WITH CHARLENE LI:
Website
LinkedIn
Instagram
YouTube
X (formerly Twitter)


CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:
LinkedIn - Julie
How Women Lead
How Women Invest
How Women Give
Instagram - HWL
LinkedIn - HWL
Facebook - HWL


LINKS MENTIONED:
Navigating Generative AI: A CEO Playbook

Climate change is at the top of many people’s minds as we experience more and more of its effects each year. Finding ways to reduce your carbon emissions and even achieve carbon neutrality is easier than ever as technologies advance and we create smarter systems to achieve our business goals without using as many natural resources. Cathleen Turner, the founder of CZero is here this week to talk about the steps you can take as a business owner or executive to reduce your business's carbon footprint. This week’s episode 109 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about achieving carbon neutrality! 
In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Cathleen Turner is sharing the importance of carbon neutrality for businesses and actionable steps you can take right now to take care of yourself as a high-achieving person. 


Cat Turner is the Founder of CZero, a cutting-edge platform that allows for frictionless, carbon-neutral distribution for food and technology businesses. Through CZero, brands have access to carbon accounting, enabling them to shift towards eco-friendly logistics and achieve carbon neutrality. 


Some of the talking points Julie and Cathleen go over in this episode include:
The importance of taking steps toward carbon neutrality now, no matter the size of your business.The four steps to addressing your company’s carbon emissions.How CZero reduces carbon impact by utilizing empty commercial vehicles for cargo sharing.Taking care of yourself to keep yourself healthy and able to achieve great things.To read more on what was covered in today’s episode, check out Cat’s blog post on going carbon-neutral today.
Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!


Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 


CONNECT WITH CATHLEEN TURNER: 
LinkedIn
CZero
Email Cat


CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:
LinkedIn - Julie
How Women Lead
How Women Invest
How Women Give
Instagram - HWL
LinkedIn - HWL
Facebook - HWL



Join us for Get On Board Week from October 16-20, 2023. Registration is now open at https://www.howwomenlead.com/getonboard