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On Point: THe ifundwomen blog

 

Key insights, tips, and advice for your funding journey

 

November 2019

NOVEMBER 22, 2019

How to craft a compelling business pitch

BY OLIVIA OWENS, HEAD OF PARTNERSHIPS & GM OF IFWOC, IFUNDWOMEN

 

A day in the life of a founder: Wake up, turn off your alarm, and ask yourself something along the lines of the following questions:

Where are my customers and what are their needs?

Where can I find mentors who can help me navigate my startup journey?

How am I going to ensure my business stands out in my market? 

And that just represents one minute of your day. 

Sound familiar?

But here’s the deal, no matter the question, what it all boils down to is: What is the story that you are telling? Whether you’re trying to increase lead generation, seek someone out to be your mentor or differentiate yourself from your competition, the key to your success is your ability to tell an engaging story.

FUN FACT: Women are better crowdfunders than men because they’re better storytellers. You could have a superior product, but if you’re unable to explain to someone why they should buy it, you’re not going to see the numbers you know your product deserves.

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NOVEMBER 14, 2019

Building Your Own Success Story (in 365 Days)

BY ZEINA MUNA, DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, IFUNDWOMEN

 

We’re on the brink of a new decade. This is an exciting time to consider where you have come from and where you will be going next. Where do you want your startup to be in 1 year’s time? In 5 years’ time? In 10 years’ time? Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and DREAM IT. Cue the boss b*tch playlists, channel your inner Oprah, download all the podcasts. THIS COULD BE YOU IN 2020, IN 2025, IN 2030.

You’ve seen it across your socials: DREAM BIG. Or even, DREAM BIGGER. It’s the words of affirmations that your dreams are valid, that your dreams can come true, and that dreams are the magic that has changed the world and will continue to do so.

Here’s the problem: Having a dream without the corresponding toolkit is like signing up to run a marathon without any training. There’s no doubt that you know what you want to achieve, and your dream is certainly valid, but you are relying on unprecedented, superhuman strength and a galaxy-sized portion of extraterrestrial luck to get you there. 

Most of us are not creating effective goals, and many of us are not setting goals at all. When we go about our lives without these goals we spend each day reacting to the world around us - possibly even reacting to other people’s dreams and goals and how they are achieving them. The days are long but the years are short. 365 days, specifically, can go by in a blink. 

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NOVEMBER 14, 2019

IFW is the golf course for female entrepreneurs

BY KAREN CAHN, FOUNDER & CEO, IFUNDWOMEN

 

We just concluded a 1,095 day beta test. The test was to see what would happen if we created our own “golf course” - a place where female entrepreneurs get access to the capital, coaching, and connections critical to launching and growing their businesses. Men have long had access to capital and connections all while playing 18 holes for decades. Now women entrepreneurs have a place to play too.

If we built it, would they come, and more importantly, would it work? The answer is yes and yes. 

Did you know that there are 111 million female entrepreneurs globally who are ideating, building, launching, pivoting, or marketing a product or service? There are 12.3M in the USA alone and this market is on fire and growing 4.8x faster than the national average.

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