Los Angeles, California (The Hollywood Times) 2/05/2021 – The She Angels Series hosted by actress Susan Anton was filmed in Southern California and features a creative, positive and resourceful panel— Celebrity Chef Cat Cora; Emmy Award-winning producer Nicole Ehrlich; Co-founder of Wolfgang Puck Brand, Barbara Lazaroff; renowned CEO of Fruiterie Milano, Celia Zaurrini Kahn; Co-curator of the Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx, NY, SenYon Kelly; fashion icon and Co-founder of True Religion Jeans, Kym Gold; Co-founder of the She Angels Foundation, Catherine Curry Williams, and trailblazing empowerment coach Andrea Quinn. The first season follows the journeys of women investing or being coached and funded by other women in business. It’s positive, inspiring, and part of a bigger effort by women investors to even the playing field for women entrepreneurs who currently receive less than 3% of venture capital funding in the U.S. The Hollywood Times spoke with Award-winning Producer, Author, and Podcaster, Catherine Gray. “Through the She Angels Series and other platforms we have created a way to help female business owners get ahead.”- Catherine Gray
Catherine, what can viewers learn from your new She Angels Series?
Viewers will be inspired by the journeys of these female entrepreneurs- seeing what it takes to have a groundbreaking idea and bring it to fruition. They will learn great advice that the winners are given by our mentors, who are successful businesswomen themselves. If they have a great idea, watching the show will provide information and resources on how to successfully launch and grow it!
Who are some of the She Angels-backed entrepreneurs featured on the show, and what can you tell us about their businesses and the process they go through in the She Angels Series?
The winners have an adversity to triumph stories. One is a single mom, who happens to be deaf and realized a new sportswear niche that didn’t exist when she started her business. And the other was a successful businesswoman who left corporate America to help women in an underserved community to thrive. To learn about them and their businesses, you will need to watch the riveting 6 episodes at www.SheANGELSseries.com !!
We have a woman of color about to take office as the U.S. Vice President, and projections that women are the fastest-growing segment of investors, what’s it going to take to overcome the enormous gap in venture capital funding of women-led startups?
As I mentioned in my recent TEDx Talk entitled “FUND WOMEN- SAVE THE WORLD
– there is a solution to the underfunding of women. It starts by having more women as decision-makers in the funding world- because people tend to invest in people they identify with. This means more women in venture capital and more women being angel investors. Women control more than 30% of the world’s wealth- which is trillions of dollars. Women also impact more than 80% of the buying decisions. At this time, more women are finally poised to be investors. And more and more groups are emerging to teach them how to become investors. Women investing in women will help level the playing field!
With regard to funding, what are some of the pitfalls women entrepreneurs should avoid, and what’s the most important step they can take to take initiative and build their ideas into reality?
The biggest pitfalls women make are that they are afraid to ask- and they need to build confidence in themselves. Most women who have been down this path of starting a business and finding funding are willing to help others. Entrepreneurs just need to ask for help. If they mail 20 successful women a day and they will find at least one to say yes. And they need to remember starting a business takes a village. Don’t go it alone. Find a group of supportive female entrepreneurs who can share frustrations and wins alike. It will be mutually beneficial. And my best advice is- once you are successful- pay it forward and help other women. Nothing is more satisfying than helping others to thrive!
SHE ANGEL INVESTORS Is a multimedia platform to fund women. It encompasses the SHE ANGELS Pitchfest and SERIES, the INVEST IN HER Podcast, and The SHE ANGELS FOUNDATION. We provide resources and funding for female entrepreneurs of both for-profit and nonprofit. On our website is a free download “6 Ways to Fund Your Business”.
Weblinks
She Angels Series sneak peek (00:58) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAP2LyW61Sg
Commercial (00:26) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oboHYAWUoq8
She Angels main website http://www.sheangelinvestors.com
She Angels Foundation website https://sheangelsfoundation.org
Podcast, Invest In Her with Catherine Gray https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/invest-in-her-with-catherine-gray/id1134670723
TEDx Talk: Fund Women—Save The World! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MstROEeLn4&feature=youtu.be