1 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:35,525 Welcome I'm Sean Wilkerson Innovation 2 00:00:35,525 --> 00:00:37,672 development program manager here at the 3 00:00:37,672 --> 00:00:39,610 United States Patent and Trademark Office. 4 00:00:39,610 --> 00:00:41,878 I want to thank you for joining us today 5 00:00:41,878 --> 00:00:44,419 for the Women's Entrepreneurship Symposium. 6 00:00:44,420 --> 00:00:46,548 We're excited to have you here for the 7 00:00:46,548 --> 00:00:49,133 4th in our series of discussions held 8 00:00:49,133 --> 00:00:51,118 every Wednesday in March celebrating 9 00:00:51,181 --> 00:00:53,311 Women's History Month before we start 10 00:00:53,311 --> 00:00:55,144 the panel investing in innovation. 11 00:00:55,144 --> 00:00:58,780 I have a few housekeeping notes to go over. 12 00:00:58,780 --> 00:01:00,730 The agenda for today's program 13 00:01:00,730 --> 00:01:03,825 is in the inbox of everyone who 14 00:01:03,825 --> 00:01:05,949 registered for the program, 15 00:01:05,950 --> 00:01:08,799 but it can also be found on 16 00:01:08,799 --> 00:01:11,480 our website at www.uspto.gov. 17 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:13,232 During the panel we will be 18 00:01:13,232 --> 00:01:14,780 accepting questions for the panel, 19 00:01:14,780 --> 00:01:17,480 so if you'd like to send us your question, 20 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:20,090 you can do so by emailing us at WES at 21 00:01:20,165 --> 00:01:22,829 uspto.gov will do our best to get to all 22 00:01:22,829 --> 00:01:25,875 of your questions by the end of the panel. 23 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:28,247 And if we don't we will try and reach 24 00:01:28,247 --> 00:01:30,603 out to you after the program to make 25 00:01:30,603 --> 00:01:33,077 sure that we do answer your question. 26 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:34,880 If for any reason you get 27 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:36,080 disconnected during the program, 28 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:38,026 you can log back in using the 29 00:01:38,026 --> 00:01:39,978 Webex link that brought you here. 30 00:01:39,980 --> 00:01:42,276 If you missed the portion of today's 31 00:01:42,276 --> 00:01:44,896 program or if you have to leave early. 32 00:01:44,900 --> 00:01:47,764 You can find the program on our website 33 00:01:47,764 --> 00:01:50,716 in just a few weeks at www.uspto.gov. 34 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:53,352 If you're anxious to see the information 35 00:01:53,352 --> 00:01:56,538 again or see the portion that you missed, 36 00:01:56,540 --> 00:01:59,636 you can also go to our Facebook page. 37 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:03,132 USPTO at Facebook and find the video online. 38 00:02:03,140 --> 00:02:05,462 It will be available after the 39 00:02:05,462 --> 00:02:06,623 presentation today immediately, 40 00:02:06,630 --> 00:02:09,726 but if you'd like to watch it later, 41 00:02:09,730 --> 00:02:13,223 you can also find it on our 42 00:02:13,223 --> 00:02:14,720 website at www.uspto.gov. 43 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:15,539 At this time, 44 00:02:15,539 --> 00:02:17,941 I'd like to ask our panel to please 45 00:02:17,941 --> 00:02:20,026 make sure their microphones are 46 00:02:20,026 --> 00:02:22,219 unmuted and their cameras are on, 47 00:02:22,220 --> 00:02:24,355 and I'd like to introduce you to 48 00:02:24,355 --> 00:02:26,309 our moderator for today's program, 49 00:02:26,310 --> 00:02:26,992 Hope Shimabuku, 50 00:02:26,992 --> 00:02:29,038 director of USPTO Texas Regional Office, 51 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:30,770 Hope. 52 00:02:30,770 --> 00:02:31,682 Thank you Sean, 53 00:02:31,682 --> 00:02:33,810 and thank you for allowing me to 54 00:02:33,881 --> 00:02:36,036 moderate this very esteemed panel. 55 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:38,368 I am super excited to be here as 56 00:02:38,368 --> 00:02:40,653 we're talking about a really important 57 00:02:40,653 --> 00:02:42,693 topic on investing in innovation. 58 00:02:42,700 --> 00:02:45,283 One of the things and the questions 59 00:02:45,283 --> 00:02:48,315 that I get asked a lot is that OK, 60 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:51,065 I have this wonderful idea and I have all 61 00:02:51,065 --> 00:02:53,938 of these products and services to sell, 62 00:02:53,940 --> 00:02:56,356 but how do I get the funding to 63 00:02:56,356 --> 00:02:58,620 be able to support the business 64 00:02:58,620 --> 00:03:01,380 that I have and these women are 65 00:03:01,380 --> 00:03:02,920 Leaders in the industry who 66 00:03:02,920 --> 00:03:05,368 are going to be able to answer 67 00:03:05,368 --> 00:03:07,040 that very important question. 68 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:09,420 So I'm gonna start off by introducing 69 00:03:09,420 --> 00:03:11,815 each one of the panel members here 70 00:03:11,815 --> 00:03:14,604 and then let them talk a little bit 71 00:03:14,604 --> 00:03:17,271 about who they are and that the 72 00:03:17,271 --> 00:03:19,036 organization that they are working 73 00:03:19,036 --> 00:03:21,100 for or they are representing and 74 00:03:21,164 --> 00:03:23,330 I'm going to start with Elizabeth. 75 00:03:23,330 --> 00:03:25,808 Thank you so much for joining us. 76 00:03:25,810 --> 00:03:27,790 Elizabeth is the founder of an 77 00:03:27,790 --> 00:03:29,700 organization called SoGal Ventures, 78 00:03:29,700 --> 00:03:32,900 and so can you tell us a little bit about 79 00:03:32,986 --> 00:03:35,300 yourself. And SoGal Ventures and 80 00:03:35,300 --> 00:03:37,540 then give us a quick introduction 81 00:03:37,540 --> 00:03:40,310 on the differences between the 82 00:03:40,310 --> 00:03:42,526 different types of investment. 83 00:03:42,530 --> 00:03:44,338 An funding mechanisms. Specifically, 84 00:03:44,338 --> 00:03:47,050 what's the difference between an Angel 85 00:03:47,111 --> 00:03:49,156 investor and a venture capitalist? 86 00:03:51,170 --> 00:03:53,528 Thanks so much Hope, hi everyone, 87 00:03:53,530 --> 00:03:54,637 I'm Elizabeth Galbut. 88 00:03:54,637 --> 00:03:57,220 I'm one of the managing partners of 89 00:03:57,287 --> 00:03:59,615 Sogal Ventures were an early stage 90 00:03:59,615 --> 00:04:01,647 venture capital firm that invests 91 00:04:01,647 --> 00:04:03,687 in companies that are building 92 00:04:03,687 --> 00:04:05,712 how the next generations live, 93 00:04:05,712 --> 00:04:07,280 work and stay healthy. 94 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:08,852 So that's consumer tech. 95 00:04:08,852 --> 00:04:09,638 Health tech. 96 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:12,136 In enterprise software we invest in 97 00:04:12,136 --> 00:04:14,964 diverse founding teams so all of our 98 00:04:14,964 --> 00:04:17,498 companies have at least one woman founder. 99 00:04:17,500 --> 00:04:19,470 When we invest in them. 100 00:04:19,470 --> 00:04:22,214 But we invest in broad based diversity. 101 00:04:22,220 --> 00:04:23,558 So everything across 102 00:04:23,558 --> 00:04:25,788 making sure the team has. 103 00:04:25,790 --> 00:04:27,960 You know diversity and gender, 104 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:28,824 LGBTQ, immigrants, 105 00:04:28,824 --> 00:04:30,120 veterans, different races, 106 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:30,986 socioeconomic backgrounds. 107 00:04:30,986 --> 00:04:32,718 This is really important 108 00:04:32,718 --> 00:04:34,450 because in venture capital, 109 00:04:34,450 --> 00:04:36,615 these groups are traditionally under 110 00:04:36,615 --> 00:04:38,780 represented and who gets funding? 111 00:04:38,780 --> 00:04:40,512 And that's really important, 112 00:04:40,512 --> 00:04:41,378 and why? 113 00:04:41,380 --> 00:04:43,956 I'm sure all of you are on this 114 00:04:43,956 --> 00:04:46,764 call to figure out if something 115 00:04:46,764 --> 00:04:49,364 like venture capital or Angel 116 00:04:49,364 --> 00:04:52,200 investing is right for your business. 117 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:55,800 So as a venture capitalist and our firm. 118 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:57,552 We invest anywhere between 119 00:04:57,552 --> 00:04:59,742 100,000 and $1,000,000 into an 120 00:04:59,742 --> 00:05:01,875 early stage company and we're 121 00:05:01,875 --> 00:05:04,299 investing that on behalf of people 122 00:05:04,370 --> 00:05:06,458 who have invested in our fund. 123 00:05:06,460 --> 00:05:08,345 So we have investors ourselves 124 00:05:08,345 --> 00:05:10,230 in when you're accepting venture 125 00:05:10,293 --> 00:05:11,790 capital that's accepting. 126 00:05:11,790 --> 00:05:14,250 Kind of this pool of capital 127 00:05:14,250 --> 00:05:15,480 for many investors. 128 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:17,172 On the other hand, 129 00:05:17,172 --> 00:05:18,864 Angel investors are individuals 130 00:05:18,864 --> 00:05:21,541 who have created wealth in some way 131 00:05:21,541 --> 00:05:23,906 in their life that are investing 132 00:05:23,906 --> 00:05:26,030 their own Personal Capital. 133 00:05:26,030 --> 00:05:27,245 Into your company, 134 00:05:27,245 --> 00:05:29,675 oftentimes at the really early stages, 135 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:31,710 you might have actually Angel 136 00:05:31,710 --> 00:05:33,334 investors in venture capitalists, 137 00:05:33,340 --> 00:05:36,175 both coming in to fund your company, 138 00:05:36,180 --> 00:05:37,804 but something that's really 139 00:05:37,804 --> 00:05:39,428 important to sort of 140 00:05:39,430 --> 00:05:39,835 Remember, 141 00:05:39,835 --> 00:05:42,265 venture capital isn't right for everyone, 142 00:05:42,270 --> 00:05:44,425 it's right for certain types 143 00:05:44,425 --> 00:05:47,041 of businesses that do want to 144 00:05:47,041 --> 00:05:49,297 be high growth and have their 145 00:05:49,297 --> 00:05:51,609 sets have their sights set on. 146 00:05:51,610 --> 00:05:52,400 You know, 147 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:53,980 growing a business between 148 00:05:53,980 --> 00:05:56,170 $100 million a billion dollars. 149 00:05:56,170 --> 00:05:58,746 And beyond and do want to grow the 150 00:05:58,746 --> 00:06:00,552 business with prioritizing high 151 00:06:00,552 --> 00:06:03,272 growth compared to things like 152 00:06:03,272 --> 00:06:04,904 profitability or sustainability. 153 00:06:04,910 --> 00:06:07,090 And typically they have some 154 00:06:07,090 --> 00:06:08,834 sort of underlying technology, 155 00:06:08,840 --> 00:06:11,576 IP or business model that really 156 00:06:11,576 --> 00:06:13,870 makes sense when you're investing 157 00:06:13,870 --> 00:06:16,551 a lot of money into a company 158 00:06:16,551 --> 00:06:18,460 to grow very quickly. 159 00:06:18,460 --> 00:06:21,948 So is the right fit for some businesses, 160 00:06:21,950 --> 00:06:24,140 but not for all businesses. 161 00:06:24,140 --> 00:06:26,430 I know it's really publicized. 162 00:06:26,430 --> 00:06:28,518 A lot in the news as the only 163 00:06:28,518 --> 00:06:29,680 type of capital. 164 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:32,326 Or you know the move special type of capital. 165 00:06:32,330 --> 00:06:33,842 But there's so many other options 166 00:06:33,842 --> 00:06:36,235 and I know all the panelists day will 167 00:06:36,235 --> 00:06:37,890 be talking through the different 168 00:06:37,890 --> 00:06:39,728 options and I think it's really 169 00:06:39,728 --> 00:06:41,173 important as an entrepreneur to 170 00:06:41,180 --> 00:06:42,950 learn about all these different things. 171 00:06:42,950 --> 00:06:44,466 Whether it's venture capital, 172 00:06:44,466 --> 00:06:47,184 Angel financing or some of the other 173 00:06:47,184 --> 00:06:49,079 things we'll talk about today. 174 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:51,420 Alright, thank you Elizabeth. Our next 175 00:06:51,420 --> 00:06:55,320 guest is Ruth who is the CEO of Crowd Funding 176 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:56,481 Road map incorporated. 177 00:06:56,481 --> 00:06:59,642 Can you also tell us a little bit 178 00:06:59,642 --> 00:07:01,874 about yourself and give us an 179 00:07:01,874 --> 00:07:03,860 overview of your organization and 180 00:07:03,860 --> 00:07:06,625 then also tell us a little bit 181 00:07:06,625 --> 00:07:09,438 about the work that you have done 182 00:07:09,438 --> 00:07:11,050 legislatively to enable crowdfunding 183 00:07:11,121 --> 00:07:13,406 and why This is helpful especially 184 00:07:13,406 --> 00:07:16,026 to a woman business owner. 185 00:07:16,030 --> 00:07:17,678 Sure, thank you Hope. 186 00:07:17,678 --> 00:07:20,979 Thank you so much for having me today. 187 00:07:20,980 --> 00:07:23,857 Come. I am one of the original 188 00:07:23,857 --> 00:07:26,290 pioneers of every crowdfunding. 189 00:07:26,290 --> 00:07:29,546 I worked with a group of people who, 190 00:07:29,550 --> 00:07:31,998 during the last recession in 2008, 191 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:34,856 we realized that there was no capital. 192 00:07:34,860 --> 00:07:36,900 They've had all dried up, 193 00:07:36,900 --> 00:07:39,798 unlike this recession. 194 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:41,966 And there was no PPP loans. 195 00:07:41,970 --> 00:07:43,410 There was nothing basically 196 00:07:43,410 --> 00:07:44,490 saving small businesses. 197 00:07:44,490 --> 00:07:47,739 And so we went to Congress with this idea. 198 00:07:47,740 --> 00:07:50,278 The original draft of this was 199 00:07:50,278 --> 00:07:51,970 called the startup exemption 200 00:07:52,050 --> 00:07:54,409 and we got we spent two years 201 00:07:54,409 --> 00:07:56,881 walking the halls of Congress and 202 00:07:56,881 --> 00:07:58,725 speaking to different people. 203 00:07:58,730 --> 00:08:00,302 Actually Woopie 204 00:08:00,302 --> 00:08:03,970 Goldberg was one of our original supporters. 205 00:08:03,970 --> 00:08:06,280 Steve, the head of AOL, 206 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:09,040 was one of our early supporters. 207 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:11,656 the US Chamber of Commerce came 208 00:08:11,656 --> 00:08:14,073 on board and then eventually 209 00:08:14,073 --> 00:08:17,547 almost 400 Congressman 2/3 of the 210 00:08:17,547 --> 00:08:20,191 Senate and President Obama signed 211 00:08:20,191 --> 00:08:23,463 into law in the JOBS Act of 2012. 212 00:08:23,470 --> 00:08:25,829 This our title 3486 which was the 213 00:08:25,829 --> 00:08:28,443 bill that I helped create but we 214 00:08:28,443 --> 00:08:30,735 got regulation A plus which is 215 00:08:30,810 --> 00:08:33,192 another form of crowdfunding and we 216 00:08:33,192 --> 00:08:35,707 were able to also convert 5 217 00:08:35,707 --> 00:08:38,423 a Reg D offering to a 506C which 218 00:08:38,423 --> 00:08:40,808 is another form of crowdfunding. 219 00:08:40,810 --> 00:08:43,636 So in the bill there's three 220 00:08:43,636 --> 00:08:45,520 different kinds of crowdfunding 221 00:08:45,601 --> 00:08:48,240 that did not exist before and what 222 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:50,785 this means to all of you is that 223 00:08:50,785 --> 00:08:52,794 you can go to a funding portal. 224 00:08:52,794 --> 00:08:55,490 And or you can deal with if the 225 00:08:55,570 --> 00:08:58,198 company is dealing with the broker 226 00:08:58,198 --> 00:09:00,430 dealer on these registered offerings 227 00:09:00,430 --> 00:09:03,258 and you can as an average American, 228 00:09:03,260 --> 00:09:06,635 not as a VC and not as an Angel. 229 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:09,055 You can invest in any of these 230 00:09:09,055 --> 00:09:11,200 companies and this was not legal 231 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:13,615 before and we really feel like this 232 00:09:13,690 --> 00:09:15,805 is really where the conversation 233 00:09:15,805 --> 00:09:18,278 needs to be because there's trillions 234 00:09:18,278 --> 00:09:20,784 of dollars sitting in the hands of 235 00:09:20,784 --> 00:09:23,159 350 million Americans and they don't 236 00:09:23,159 --> 00:09:25,149 understand the power they have. 237 00:09:25,150 --> 00:09:28,012 In transforming the kinds of cities 238 00:09:28,012 --> 00:09:30,399 and communities that they want 239 00:09:30,399 --> 00:09:32,745 to live in with their dollars, 240 00:09:32,750 --> 00:09:36,326 and so we have launching later this year, 241 00:09:36,330 --> 00:09:40,248 a platform called Rise Up crowdfunding. 242 00:09:40,250 --> 00:09:43,010 Can learn about it at riseupcrowdfunding.com. 243 00:09:43,010 --> 00:09:45,818 We're working on this project with 244 00:09:45,818 --> 00:09:49,130 the Coca Cola Company and their head 245 00:09:49,130 --> 00:09:51,836 of supplier diversity and we are 246 00:09:51,836 --> 00:09:54,592 really trying to change the mindset 247 00:09:54,592 --> 00:09:57,288 of people who have spent their 248 00:09:57,288 --> 00:10:00,156 extra money on lottery tickets and. 249 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:03,562 And on on sports betting and 250 00:10:03,562 --> 00:10:06,650 gambling and just consuming things, 251 00:10:06,650 --> 00:10:07,830 purchasing things. 252 00:10:07,830 --> 00:10:10,780 And during this pandemic specifically, 253 00:10:10,780 --> 00:10:16,508 we we have seen a lot of people 254 00:10:16,510 --> 00:10:18,664 Come to the rescue on crowdfunding 255 00:10:18,664 --> 00:10:20,950 platforms and help save the the 256 00:10:20,950 --> 00:10:22,900 small businesses in their community. 257 00:10:22,900 --> 00:10:25,850 So I'm really excited about, you know, 258 00:10:25,850 --> 00:10:28,525 having this conversation today and 259 00:10:28,525 --> 00:10:32,018 thank you so much for having me. 260 00:10:32,020 --> 00:10:32,482 Alright, 261 00:10:32,482 --> 00:10:33,868 thank you Ruth, 262 00:10:33,868 --> 00:10:37,249 our next panelist is Natalie who is 263 00:10:37,249 --> 00:10:39,884 the assistant administrator for the 264 00:10:39,884 --> 00:10:42,786 Office of Women's Business Ownership 265 00:10:42,786 --> 00:10:45,638 and Small Business Administration. 266 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:48,216 Can you give us a little overview 267 00:10:48,216 --> 00:10:50,842 of yourself as well as the office 268 00:10:50,842 --> 00:10:53,002 that you are working for and 269 00:10:53,087 --> 00:10:55,197 then specifically also talk a 270 00:10:55,197 --> 00:10:58,134 little bit about the kind of funding 271 00:10:58,134 --> 00:11:00,194 mechanisms that the government can 272 00:11:00,194 --> 00:11:01,979 provide a specifically the SBA, 273 00:11:01,980 --> 00:11:04,720 including SBIR and STTR grants? 274 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:06,840 Absolutely so first thank you 275 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:09,290 all so much for having me. 276 00:11:09,290 --> 00:11:11,747 As was mentioned by name is Natalie 277 00:11:11,747 --> 00:11:14,395 Madeira Cofield and I'm the newly 278 00:11:14,395 --> 00:11:15,925 appointed assistant administrator, 279 00:11:15,930 --> 00:11:17,586 leading the Office of 280 00:11:17,586 --> 00:11:18,828 Women's Business Ownership, 281 00:11:18,830 --> 00:11:20,990 which sits in the Office of 282 00:11:20,990 --> 00:11:22,070 Entrepreneurial Development at 283 00:11:22,070 --> 00:11:24,228 the Small Business Administration. 284 00:11:24,230 --> 00:11:26,474 Our office is really the voice 285 00:11:26,474 --> 00:11:28,537 for women business owners across 286 00:11:28,537 --> 00:11:30,037 the federal government, 287 00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:31,696 working to support entrepreneurship, 288 00:11:31,696 --> 00:11:33,469 enterprise, access to capital, 289 00:11:33,469 --> 00:11:34,828 access to contracts. 290 00:11:34,830 --> 00:11:38,267 And access to equity for women entrepreneurs. 291 00:11:38,270 --> 00:11:41,350 We're very proud to have created the 292 00:11:41,350 --> 00:11:43,635 largest expansion of our women's 293 00:11:43,635 --> 00:11:46,275 business center program in the history 294 00:11:46,275 --> 00:11:49,559 of the Small Business Administration. 295 00:11:49,560 --> 00:11:51,033 When this year, 296 00:11:51,033 --> 00:11:52,997 we actually brought onboard 297 00:11:52,997 --> 00:11:54,470 another 20 centers, 298 00:11:54,470 --> 00:11:58,230 giving us a total of 135 women's business 299 00:11:58,230 --> 00:12:01,840 centers and 135 cities across the nation. 300 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:04,846 And each year the centers work 301 00:12:04,846 --> 00:12:06,349 with nearly 60. 302 00:12:06,350 --> 00:12:08,430 Thousand women supporting them through 303 00:12:08,430 --> 00:12:10,094 their entrepreneurial ambitions and 304 00:12:10,094 --> 00:12:11,919 their entrepreneurial interests. 305 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:14,144 With that being said, 306 00:12:14,144 --> 00:12:17,480 I think the Small Business Administration 307 00:12:17,573 --> 00:12:20,044 is it has become a agency that 308 00:12:20,044 --> 00:12:23,047 is top of mind for many people, 309 00:12:23,050 --> 00:12:25,370 particularly during the covid pandemic. 310 00:12:25,370 --> 00:12:28,408 I am sure that folks have already 311 00:12:28,408 --> 00:12:30,939 heard of the PPP program, 312 00:12:30,940 --> 00:12:34,188 which is an access to capital opportunity. 313 00:12:34,190 --> 00:12:37,454 Given the covid pandemic as well 314 00:12:37,454 --> 00:12:39,630 as the economic disaster 315 00:12:39,630 --> 00:12:41,450 Loan program that we have. 316 00:12:41,450 --> 00:12:44,816 I would like to make note that the PPP 317 00:12:44,816 --> 00:12:47,637 program is set to expire on May 31st, 318 00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:49,901 2021 and if you have not applied 319 00:12:49,901 --> 00:12:52,568 and you are in need of funding 320 00:12:52,568 --> 00:12:54,184 to support your business, 321 00:12:54,190 --> 00:12:56,731 please go to sba.gov and learn more 322 00:12:56,731 --> 00:12:58,691 about both the economic disaster 323 00:12:58,691 --> 00:13:01,085 an injury loan program as well 324 00:13:01,085 --> 00:13:02,829 as the PPP program. 325 00:13:02,830 --> 00:13:04,442 With that being said, 326 00:13:04,442 --> 00:13:06,860 if this is not disaster related, 327 00:13:06,860 --> 00:13:09,394 SBA has a number of other financing 328 00:13:09,394 --> 00:13:11,509 opportunities that it uses through 329 00:13:11,509 --> 00:13:13,437 intermediaries and financial institutions 330 00:13:13,437 --> 00:13:16,127 across the country as was just 331 00:13:16,127 --> 00:13:18,542 mentioned by one of our other panelists. 332 00:13:18,550 --> 00:13:21,292 The reality is that 99.95% of all 333 00:13:21,292 --> 00:13:23,488 businesses in the United States of 334 00:13:23,488 --> 00:13:26,197 America will not receive venture capital, 335 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:28,818 and so if you are interested in 336 00:13:28,818 --> 00:13:31,039 scaling and growing your business, 337 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:32,692 then obviously things like 338 00:13:32,692 --> 00:13:34,344 crowdfunding or seeking traditional. 339 00:13:34,350 --> 00:13:37,278 Financing is important to you and so the 340 00:13:37,278 --> 00:13:39,126 Small Business Administration provides 341 00:13:39,126 --> 00:13:41,206 microloans through intermediaries of 342 00:13:41,206 --> 00:13:44,490 up to $50,000 for small businesses. 343 00:13:44,490 --> 00:13:47,717 The average loan size is about $13,000. 344 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:50,372 They also have the 7A 345 00:13:50,372 --> 00:13:53,177 loan program which can give you 346 00:13:53,177 --> 00:13:56,015 working capital up to $5 million. 347 00:13:56,020 --> 00:13:58,798 SBA also provides the 504 loan 348 00:13:58,798 --> 00:14:02,117 program which can give you a capital 349 00:14:02,117 --> 00:14:04,859 for fixed assets up to 5,000,000. 350 00:14:04,860 --> 00:14:08,348 Dollars and that's just a few of the 351 00:14:08,348 --> 00:14:11,017 traditional lending programs that we have, 352 00:14:11,020 --> 00:14:13,660 but also do want to mention, 353 00:14:13,660 --> 00:14:15,826 and I was remiss in mentioning 354 00:14:15,826 --> 00:14:18,021 this around the disaster recovery 355 00:14:18,021 --> 00:14:19,379 funding opportunities. 356 00:14:19,380 --> 00:14:23,079 But if you are working in the spaces of 357 00:14:23,079 --> 00:14:25,978 entertainment or in the performance industry, 358 00:14:25,980 --> 00:14:28,878 we are very proud to have launched 359 00:14:28,878 --> 00:14:31,260 the shuttered venues Grant program, 360 00:14:31,260 --> 00:14:34,340 which will officially open on April 8th, 361 00:14:34,340 --> 00:14:36,590 providing $16.5 billion in federal 362 00:14:36,590 --> 00:14:38,550 Relief to entrepreneurs who are 363 00:14:38,550 --> 00:14:40,180 in the entertainment, production, 364 00:14:40,180 --> 00:14:41,530 acting performance industries. 365 00:14:41,530 --> 00:14:45,237 I encourage again you to take a look at that, 366 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:47,598 but Hope you asked me about 367 00:14:47,598 --> 00:14:49,170 specifically the SBIR program, 368 00:14:49,170 --> 00:14:51,770 and I think again when we think about 369 00:14:51,770 --> 00:14:54,763 the vast richness of what comes out 370 00:14:54,763 --> 00:14:57,028 of the Small Business Administration. 371 00:14:57,030 --> 00:14:59,558 And I just really want to say 372 00:14:59,558 --> 00:15:02,310 SBA has so many programs that many 373 00:15:02,310 --> 00:15:05,357 people are not aware of so many 374 00:15:05,357 --> 00:15:08,159 programs that are designed to empower 375 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:10,410 The nation's most critical businesses, 376 00:15:10,410 --> 00:15:12,660 which are small businesses across 377 00:15:12,660 --> 00:15:13,560 our country, 378 00:15:13,560 --> 00:15:15,855 the small Business Innovation research 379 00:15:15,855 --> 00:15:18,150 and the small business Technology 380 00:15:18,220 --> 00:15:19,956 Transfer program actually provides 381 00:15:19,956 --> 00:15:22,560 nearly 5000 new awards each year, 382 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:24,348 totaling about $4 billion. 383 00:15:24,348 --> 00:15:28,144 And it is possible for you to apply 384 00:15:28,144 --> 00:15:31,228 for funding through one of these 385 00:15:31,228 --> 00:15:33,832 particular programs by going to and 386 00:15:33,832 --> 00:15:36,518 I know Hope you mention this later 387 00:15:36,518 --> 00:15:39,266 today when you share the resources. 388 00:15:39,270 --> 00:15:41,629 By going to the website to learn 389 00:15:41,629 --> 00:15:44,500 more about how to apply for either 390 00:15:44,500 --> 00:15:46,280 SBIC backed investment companies 391 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:48,886 for these particular programs to 392 00:15:48,886 --> 00:15:51,616 support startups that are creating 393 00:15:51,616 --> 00:15:53,604 initiatives around new technologies, 394 00:15:53,604 --> 00:15:56,286 new innovation and new technology transfer. 395 00:15:56,290 --> 00:15:59,658 I do just want to also mention really 396 00:15:59,658 --> 00:16:02,297 quickly before I close that things 397 00:16:02,297 --> 00:16:04,871 that have been funded through the 398 00:16:04,953 --> 00:16:07,338 SBIR program include the Sonicare 399 00:16:07,338 --> 00:16:10,034 toothbrush as well as the Roomba. 400 00:16:10,034 --> 00:16:12,466 So if you have ever had that little 401 00:16:12,466 --> 00:16:14,355 vacuum going around your house one 402 00:16:14,355 --> 00:16:16,500 you should be proud to know that 403 00:16:16,500 --> 00:16:18,460 that is a company that was backed 404 00:16:18,460 --> 00:16:20,438 by the hard working folks at the 405 00:16:20,438 --> 00:16:21,287 Small Business Administration. 406 00:16:21,290 --> 00:16:23,274 But two also know that that is a 407 00:16:23,274 --> 00:16:25,156 company that was founded by women 408 00:16:25,156 --> 00:16:26,816 entrepreneurs like the very folks 409 00:16:26,816 --> 00:16:28,955 that we have on the call here today. 410 00:16:28,960 --> 00:16:31,224 So I will close with that and again, 411 00:16:31,230 --> 00:16:34,430 thank you for having me. 412 00:16:34,430 --> 00:16:36,570 Thank you Natalie for that 413 00:16:36,570 --> 00:16:37,426 wonderful information, 414 00:16:37,430 --> 00:16:40,419 so our last panelist is Corrine and 415 00:16:40,420 --> 00:16:43,234 She is the CEO of the Association 416 00:16:43,234 --> 00:16:45,130 of Women's Business Centers, 417 00:16:45,130 --> 00:16:46,315 so Corinne welcome. 418 00:16:46,315 --> 00:16:49,574 Can you also give us a little bit 419 00:16:49,574 --> 00:16:52,040 of an overview of your organization 420 00:16:52,040 --> 00:16:55,201 as well as yourself and then what 421 00:16:55,201 --> 00:16:57,961 kind of assistance do you provide 422 00:16:57,970 --> 00:16:59,882 to women business owners? 423 00:16:59,882 --> 00:17:03,739 Absolutely thank you so much for being here. 424 00:17:03,740 --> 00:17:05,480 At the Association of Women's 425 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:06,176 Business Centers, 426 00:17:06,180 --> 00:17:08,448 we work directly in support of the 427 00:17:08,448 --> 00:17:10,227 same women's business centers that 428 00:17:10,227 --> 00:17:12,087 Natalie's office serves so well. 429 00:17:12,090 --> 00:17:14,344 And so we're so proud and excited 430 00:17:14,344 --> 00:17:16,269 to be working with Natalie. 431 00:17:16,270 --> 00:17:18,566 As of March 1st and applaud her 432 00:17:18,566 --> 00:17:21,019 work and passion that we've seen 433 00:17:21,019 --> 00:17:22,420 in demonstration already. 434 00:17:22,420 --> 00:17:23,900 The Association of Women's 435 00:17:23,900 --> 00:17:25,380 Business Centers and I, 436 00:17:25,380 --> 00:17:27,816 We work each and every day to 437 00:17:27,816 --> 00:17:29,296 ignite opportunities for women 438 00:17:29,296 --> 00:17:31,865 who want to start and grow their 439 00:17:31,865 --> 00:17:33,812 businesses through the support of 440 00:17:33,812 --> 00:17:36,092 that network of 135 women's business 441 00:17:36,092 --> 00:17:37,584 centers across the country. 442 00:17:37,584 --> 00:17:39,424 And thanks to funding afforded 443 00:17:39,424 --> 00:17:42,105 through the CARES Act in 2020 and the 444 00:17:42,105 --> 00:17:43,873 record expansion of women's business 445 00:17:43,873 --> 00:17:46,098 centers that Natalie just mentioned, 446 00:17:46,100 --> 00:17:48,614 there are more women's business center 447 00:17:48,614 --> 00:17:50,290 resources available in communities 448 00:17:50,352 --> 00:17:52,416 across the country than ever before. 449 00:17:52,420 --> 00:17:54,742 And it's really no coincidence that 450 00:17:54,742 --> 00:17:57,044 women are breaking barriers and making 451 00:17:57,044 --> 00:17:59,114 their dreams come true right here. 452 00:17:59,120 --> 00:18:01,346 Right now during Women's History Month. 453 00:18:01,350 --> 00:18:03,582 And so it's the power of 454 00:18:03,582 --> 00:18:05,070 all of these partners. 455 00:18:05,070 --> 00:18:07,562 SBA, USPTO in the synergy of organizations 456 00:18:07,562 --> 00:18:09,975 on this call today that are behind 457 00:18:09,975 --> 00:18:12,376 each and every one of these women 458 00:18:12,376 --> 00:18:14,944 owned businesses and like wise women's 459 00:18:14,944 --> 00:18:16,686 business centers have resources 460 00:18:16,686 --> 00:18:19,878 to share in that regard and so. 461 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:23,424 You know, in 2020 we were able to 462 00:18:23,424 --> 00:18:26,633 demonstrate an increase of our impact by 463 00:18:26,633 --> 00:18:29,780 22% over 2019 serving 82,000 plus clients, 464 00:18:29,780 --> 00:18:32,030 70% of whom were women. 465 00:18:32,030 --> 00:18:34,730 So we're not turning anyone away, 466 00:18:34,730 --> 00:18:37,430 but we're definitely focused on women 467 00:18:37,430 --> 00:18:39,230 socially and economically disadvantaged. 468 00:18:39,230 --> 00:18:41,930 56% of our clients were minorities, 469 00:18:41,930 --> 00:18:44,765 you know, and they had a tremendous 470 00:18:44,765 --> 00:18:48,071 impact last year in terms of really 471 00:18:48,071 --> 00:18:50,454 inspiring business starts, we saw. 472 00:18:50,454 --> 00:18:52,639 More than 30,000 business starts 473 00:18:52,639 --> 00:18:54,556 and businesses sustained throughout 474 00:18:54,556 --> 00:18:56,170 this pandemic period, 475 00:18:56,170 --> 00:18:59,626 which was up 30% from 2019. 476 00:18:59,630 --> 00:19:01,645 And women's been the centers 477 00:19:01,645 --> 00:19:02,854 helped women businesses. 478 00:19:02,860 --> 00:19:04,890 Most importantly for the theme 479 00:19:04,890 --> 00:19:07,380 of this panel today leverage more 480 00:19:07,380 --> 00:19:09,330 than $362 million in capital. 481 00:19:09,330 --> 00:19:13,370 And that more than doubled the 2019 figures. 482 00:19:13,370 --> 00:19:14,098 So really, 483 00:19:14,098 --> 00:19:15,554 women's business centers are 484 00:19:15,554 --> 00:19:16,646 a tremendous resource. 485 00:19:16,650 --> 00:19:18,804 It's really just about #1 knowing 486 00:19:18,804 --> 00:19:21,379 that there out there before I joined, 487 00:19:21,380 --> 00:19:23,558 the Association of Women business centers, 488 00:19:23,560 --> 00:19:24,586 I'll be honest, 489 00:19:24,586 --> 00:19:26,638 I didn't even know that this 490 00:19:26,638 --> 00:19:27,570 resource existed, 491 00:19:27,570 --> 00:19:30,104 were sort of a best kept secret. 492 00:19:30,110 --> 00:19:32,420 The program funding and the resources 493 00:19:32,420 --> 00:19:34,856 at the Women's business centers are 494 00:19:34,856 --> 00:19:36,520 directly channeled towards service 495 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:39,084 delivery and not as much as we 496 00:19:39,084 --> 00:19:41,023 would like to see you in creating 497 00:19:41,030 --> 00:19:42,610 awareness about the program. 498 00:19:42,610 --> 00:19:43,400 So it's 499 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:45,385 Stage opportunities like this one 500 00:19:45,385 --> 00:19:48,192 here today where we get to really 501 00:19:48,192 --> 00:19:50,072 amplify the message and just 502 00:19:50,072 --> 00:19:52,691 let people know you can go 503 00:19:52,691 --> 00:19:53,637 to our website at awbc.org. 504 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:55,432 There's a WBC locator and we I 505 00:19:55,432 --> 00:19:57,301 know we provided that link through 506 00:19:57,301 --> 00:19:58,339 the panel resources. 507 00:19:58,340 --> 00:20:00,188 You could also go to SBA.gov 508 00:20:00,190 --> 00:20:02,815 and find this same link 509 00:20:02,815 --> 00:20:05,220 the same access to information. 510 00:20:05,220 --> 00:20:06,279 The fact is, 511 00:20:06,279 --> 00:20:08,397 every single state and Puerto Rico 512 00:20:08,397 --> 00:20:10,519 have women's business centers, 513 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:12,560 with the exception of Alaska. 514 00:20:12,560 --> 00:20:15,110 So hopefully maybe someday we'll actually 515 00:20:15,110 --> 00:20:18,679 be able to open one up again there soon. 516 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:19,937 But there's more. 517 00:20:19,937 --> 00:20:21,613 Congress actually directed the 518 00:20:21,613 --> 00:20:23,741 Association of Women's Business Centers 519 00:20:23,741 --> 00:20:26,555 and America's SBDC to launch a website 520 00:20:26,555 --> 00:20:28,187 specifically for small businesses 521 00:20:28,187 --> 00:20:30,917 who are not necessarily even just struggling, 522 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:33,045 just operating or considering starting 523 00:20:33,045 --> 00:20:35,680 up during this covid pandemic period. 524 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:37,708 And that website also provided as covid-sb.org 525 00:20:37,708 --> 00:20:40,750 another great place to find local 526 00:20:40,817 --> 00:20:42,199 assistance providers. 527 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:43,877 And most importantly, 528 00:20:43,877 --> 00:20:46,113 federal agency information that 529 00:20:46,113 --> 00:20:48,170 small businesses can use. 530 00:20:48,170 --> 00:20:50,880 USPTO Department of Labor transportation. 531 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:54,102 Practically every federal agency has some 532 00:20:54,102 --> 00:20:57,939 sort of small business resource out there, 533 00:20:57,940 --> 00:21:00,600 and they're all being collected 534 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:03,260 and easily archived and searchable 535 00:21:03,349 --> 00:21:05,689 at that covid-sp.org website. 536 00:21:05,690 --> 00:21:07,986 So it's my goal to really amplify 537 00:21:07,986 --> 00:21:10,046 the message for women's business 538 00:21:10,046 --> 00:21:13,058 centers and help business owners or 539 00:21:13,058 --> 00:21:14,492 aspiring entrepreneurs understand 540 00:21:14,492 --> 00:21:16,977 what happens when they walk in the 541 00:21:16,977 --> 00:21:19,290 door at a women's business center. 542 00:21:19,290 --> 00:21:22,090 Which is, you know, being greeted warmly, 543 00:21:22,090 --> 00:21:24,561 being told that they that their dream 544 00:21:24,561 --> 00:21:26,438 is important and being instilled 545 00:21:26,438 --> 00:21:28,676 with the confidence they need to 546 00:21:28,676 --> 00:21:31,387 take the next step toward counseling 547 00:21:31,387 --> 00:21:33,283 toward education and training. 548 00:21:33,290 --> 00:21:35,960 And then, ideally, access to capital. 549 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:37,717 So those are the metrics that were 550 00:21:37,717 --> 00:21:39,160 measured by starting that business, 551 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:39,961 sustaining that business, 552 00:21:39,961 --> 00:21:41,563 and of course access to funding. 553 00:21:41,570 --> 00:21:43,166 So that's critical to our success, 554 00:21:43,170 --> 00:21:44,712 and we know critical to the 555 00:21:44,712 --> 00:21:46,110 message of this panel today. 556 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:49,504 Thank you Corinne. 557 00:21:49,504 --> 00:21:51,952 So now let's move a little 558 00:21:51,952 --> 00:21:54,841 bit on to how to get educated 559 00:21:54,841 --> 00:21:57,040 on at these different funds. 560 00:21:57,040 --> 00:21:59,110 I know that you broadly 561 00:21:59,110 --> 00:22:01,620 talked about each one of you, 562 00:22:01,620 --> 00:22:03,288 the different things that 563 00:22:03,288 --> 00:22:04,956 your organization works on, 564 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:07,536 but one of the important things that 565 00:22:07,536 --> 00:22:10,252 I believe that you you touched on 566 00:22:10,252 --> 00:22:12,550 when we were in our organizational 567 00:22:12,625 --> 00:22:15,045 meeting is the importance of 568 00:22:15,045 --> 00:22:16,981 improving financial literacy for 569 00:22:16,981 --> 00:22:19,630 women and others who are starting. 570 00:22:19,630 --> 00:22:22,260 Their businesses. 571 00:22:22,260 --> 00:22:24,168 So are there important steps that 572 00:22:24,168 --> 00:22:26,668 women can take to get educated and 573 00:22:26,668 --> 00:22:28,216 become more financially literate 574 00:22:28,216 --> 00:22:30,439 and based on your experience, 575 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:32,630 Are there things that are missing 576 00:22:32,630 --> 00:22:34,942 when women are trying to pursue 577 00:22:34,942 --> 00:22:37,288 funding for their business and I'm 578 00:22:37,288 --> 00:22:39,526 actually going to start with Corinne 579 00:22:39,526 --> 00:22:41,596 on this question and then we'll 580 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:43,838 move to our other panelists so. 581 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:47,942 Well, I'm probably gonna sound much 582 00:22:47,942 --> 00:22:49,924 like a broken record, you know, 583 00:22:49,924 --> 00:22:52,143 because step number one is finding the 584 00:22:52,143 --> 00:22:54,273 Women's business center and finding your 585 00:22:54,273 --> 00:22:56,370 partner finding your your fan club 586 00:22:56,370 --> 00:22:58,380 If you will, and the person 587 00:22:58,380 --> 00:23:00,070 who's willing to tell you, 588 00:23:00,070 --> 00:23:02,098 here's where your weak points are. 589 00:23:02,100 --> 00:23:04,459 Here's where you could use some training. 590 00:23:04,460 --> 00:23:06,805 There's really no single nugget of advice 591 00:23:06,805 --> 00:23:09,497 that's going to be the right answer for 592 00:23:09,497 --> 00:23:11,530 every single business owner out there. 593 00:23:11,530 --> 00:23:13,552 We all come to the table 594 00:23:13,552 --> 00:23:14,563 with different skills, 595 00:23:14,570 --> 00:23:15,959 different financial acumen. 596 00:23:15,959 --> 00:23:17,811 And a different understanding 597 00:23:17,811 --> 00:23:20,148 about how finances really such an 598 00:23:20,148 --> 00:23:22,199 important lens that we can use to 599 00:23:22,260 --> 00:23:24,353 plan for to judge and to determine 600 00:23:24,353 --> 00:23:25,956 the success of our business. 601 00:23:25,956 --> 00:23:28,427 And so sometimes it might be hey, 602 00:23:28,430 --> 00:23:30,820 we need to start back. 603 00:23:30,820 --> 00:23:31,546 Much earlier, 604 00:23:31,546 --> 00:23:34,087 kind of in the financial education pipeline. 605 00:23:34,090 --> 00:23:36,046 We might need to understand what 606 00:23:36,046 --> 00:23:38,777 a balance sheet is and how we can 607 00:23:38,777 --> 00:23:40,472 actually manipulate the outcome of 608 00:23:40,472 --> 00:23:42,520 the business by changing different 609 00:23:42,520 --> 00:23:44,980 things about the business and how 610 00:23:44,980 --> 00:23:47,158 that translates to the balance sheet, 611 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:47,489 etc. 612 00:23:47,489 --> 00:23:50,121 And so you know one of the critical 613 00:23:50,121 --> 00:23:52,349 outcomes of really perfect financial 614 00:23:52,349 --> 00:23:54,634 literacy education is knowing which 615 00:23:54,634 --> 00:23:57,182 kind of capital is going to be the 616 00:23:57,182 --> 00:23:59,546 right kind of capital for your business, 617 00:23:59,546 --> 00:24:01,790 not to mention making sound financial. 618 00:24:01,790 --> 00:24:03,290 Decisions in every other area, 619 00:24:03,290 --> 00:24:03,890 how much, 620 00:24:03,890 --> 00:24:05,990 how many expenses can you really tolerate? 621 00:24:05,990 --> 00:24:08,390 How much revenue do you need to earn? 622 00:24:08,390 --> 00:24:10,147 How much money should I be taking 623 00:24:10,147 --> 00:24:11,989 out of the business's income? 624 00:24:11,990 --> 00:24:14,390 How much can I afford to pay employees? 625 00:24:14,390 --> 00:24:16,490 What should I charge for my product 626 00:24:16,490 --> 00:24:17,390 for my services? 627 00:24:17,390 --> 00:24:17,990 So really, 628 00:24:17,990 --> 00:24:19,190 that financial literacy component, 629 00:24:19,190 --> 00:24:21,110 it's pretty much important in every 630 00:24:21,110 --> 00:24:23,022 aspect of the business and it's 631 00:24:23,022 --> 00:24:24,744 really finding where are you weak 632 00:24:24,744 --> 00:24:27,060 and where can you sort of enter into 633 00:24:27,060 --> 00:24:28,790 that education stream at a point 634 00:24:28,790 --> 00:24:30,890 where you don't have to waste time. 635 00:24:30,890 --> 00:24:33,165 That's really the single thing we hear 636 00:24:33,165 --> 00:24:35,039 from small business owners is yeah. 637 00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:37,440 I left this skill. I need this training. 638 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:39,840 I need better acument in this financial area, 639 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:42,240 but I don't have time to go take, 640 00:24:42,240 --> 00:24:42,834 you know, 641 00:24:42,834 --> 00:24:44,616 an accounting course or understand all 642 00:24:44,616 --> 00:24:47,036 all that there is to know about accounting. 643 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:49,016 I just need to know this one specific 644 00:24:49,016 --> 00:24:50,622 thing and that's where women's 645 00:24:50,622 --> 00:24:52,382 business center kind of understands 646 00:24:52,382 --> 00:24:54,301 that small business need it can 647 00:24:54,301 --> 00:24:56,035 provide just the dose of education 648 00:24:56,040 --> 00:24:59,350 that that small business needs. 649 00:24:59,350 --> 00:25:01,702 Thanks Corinne and so Elizabeth do you 650 00:25:01,702 --> 00:25:03,610 have anything to add to that? 651 00:25:06,330 --> 00:25:08,375 Definitely, so I think understanding 652 00:25:08,375 --> 00:25:10,011 your different financing options 653 00:25:10,011 --> 00:25:11,634 is really, really important, 654 00:25:11,634 --> 00:25:14,650 and one way you can also go about 655 00:25:14,724 --> 00:25:17,720 that is to talk to other entrepreneurs 656 00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:20,349 in your communities and learn about 657 00:25:20,349 --> 00:25:22,875 their experiences and how they went 658 00:25:22,875 --> 00:25:24,876 about their own financing journeys. 659 00:25:24,876 --> 00:25:27,240 We also run a nonprofit called 660 00:25:27,310 --> 00:25:28,690 the Sogal Foundation. 661 00:25:28,690 --> 00:25:30,922 We have 50 hyper local chapters 662 00:25:30,922 --> 00:25:33,474 across 22 countries on six different 663 00:25:33,474 --> 00:25:35,939 continents and these bring together. 664 00:25:35,940 --> 00:25:37,644 Women, entrepreneurs and investors 665 00:25:37,644 --> 00:25:39,348 in these local communities. 666 00:25:39,350 --> 00:25:43,406 So you can find your tribe. 667 00:25:43,410 --> 00:25:46,162 You know having that fan Club and also 668 00:25:46,162 --> 00:25:48,533 peer support group as a business owner 669 00:25:48,533 --> 00:25:51,597 is so so important and being able to 670 00:25:51,597 --> 00:25:53,887 utilize your network to understand 671 00:25:53,887 --> 00:25:55,570 different financing opportunities and 672 00:25:55,570 --> 00:25:57,850 mechanisms is really important as well. 673 00:25:57,850 --> 00:26:00,890 So if you want to see if there's a so 674 00:26:00,972 --> 00:26:03,930 Cal chapter in your local community, 675 00:26:03,930 --> 00:26:05,830 you can look at iamsogal.com. 676 00:26:05,830 --> 00:26:08,350 We also have the opportunity to start 677 00:26:08,350 --> 00:26:10,768 so girl chapters in new communities, 678 00:26:10,770 --> 00:26:13,194 so if you're interested in doing 679 00:26:13,194 --> 00:26:15,440 that we provide financial support. 680 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:16,904 To create, you know, 681 00:26:16,904 --> 00:26:18,734 a network of women entrepreneurs 682 00:26:18,734 --> 00:26:20,974 in your own local community and 683 00:26:20,974 --> 00:26:23,170 we'd welcome folks on this call. 684 00:26:23,170 --> 00:26:25,739 If you don't see your city represented, 685 00:26:25,740 --> 00:26:28,372 please apply to be a chapter lead and 686 00:26:28,372 --> 00:26:31,234 we're happy to support you and give you 687 00:26:31,234 --> 00:26:33,546 resources in your journey of building 688 00:26:33,546 --> 00:26:36,416 that local tribe of women business leaders. 689 00:26:36,420 --> 00:26:38,418 I think there's tons of resources 690 00:26:38,418 --> 00:26:40,241 online to learn about venture 691 00:26:40,241 --> 00:26:41,937 capital in Angel investing. 692 00:26:41,940 --> 00:26:42,672 We actually, 693 00:26:42,672 --> 00:26:44,136 as a non profit, 694 00:26:44,140 --> 00:26:45,804 also train Angel investors 695 00:26:45,804 --> 00:26:48,300 Through a program called Fempire so 696 00:26:48,373 --> 00:26:51,012 that we can get more Angel investors 697 00:26:51,012 --> 00:26:53,399 investing into their local communities, 698 00:26:53,400 --> 00:26:55,950 because that's really important as well, 699 00:26:55,950 --> 00:26:58,876 and I think some of the resources 700 00:26:58,876 --> 00:27:01,488 actually around being trained as an 701 00:27:01,488 --> 00:27:04,470 investor also help you as an entrepreneur, 702 00:27:04,470 --> 00:27:06,912 think about how potential investors are 703 00:27:06,912 --> 00:27:09,160 looking at evaluating your business. 704 00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:11,866 There are certain metrics in different 705 00:27:11,866 --> 00:27:14,139 things that investors like myself 706 00:27:14,139 --> 00:27:16,515 as a venture capitalist look for 707 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:18,375 When we're determining which businesses 708 00:27:18,375 --> 00:27:21,419 to invest in in or not and sort of 709 00:27:21,419 --> 00:27:23,616 seeing the other side of the table 710 00:27:23,616 --> 00:27:25,821 an understanding these things that 711 00:27:25,821 --> 00:27:27,931 range from financial metrics to 712 00:27:27,931 --> 00:27:29,977 sort of investor terms and legal 713 00:27:29,977 --> 00:27:31,650 terminology are really important, 714 00:27:31,650 --> 00:27:33,492 as you're going on your financing 715 00:27:33,492 --> 00:27:36,481 journey so you can be having the right 716 00:27:36,481 --> 00:27:38,181 conversations and also understanding 717 00:27:38,181 --> 00:27:40,508 those different levers of your business. 718 00:27:40,510 --> 00:27:43,037 So Luckily there's so many resources out 719 00:27:43,037 --> 00:27:46,527 there an I think finding sort of your tribe. 720 00:27:46,530 --> 00:27:48,695 Of individuals in your local 721 00:27:48,695 --> 00:27:50,860 community which the Women's Business 722 00:27:50,935 --> 00:27:52,670 Center is also sound like. 723 00:27:52,670 --> 00:27:55,246 An excellent resource to do so is 724 00:27:55,246 --> 00:27:57,335 really important in helping determine 725 00:27:57,335 --> 00:27:59,615 the right type of financing. 726 00:27:59,620 --> 00:28:02,796 And I do want to say usually from 727 00:28:02,796 --> 00:28:05,338 the businesses I've seen and funded, 728 00:28:05,340 --> 00:28:07,320 is people utilized multiple different 729 00:28:07,320 --> 00:28:09,840 types of financing for their success. 730 00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:12,696 One company in our portfolio is cancer 731 00:28:12,696 --> 00:28:14,816 immunology for animals biotech company 732 00:28:14,816 --> 00:28:17,276 and they've been able to utilize. 733 00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:18,820 Everything from tax credits. 734 00:28:18,820 --> 00:28:21,584 You know NIH grants and loan loans 735 00:28:21,584 --> 00:28:23,520 from banks, venture capital financing, 736 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:24,300 Angel financing, 737 00:28:24,300 --> 00:28:25,860 self funding and bootstrapping 738 00:28:25,860 --> 00:28:27,420 at their very beginnings. 739 00:28:27,420 --> 00:28:29,760 So as you are an entrepreneur, 740 00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:31,320 you'll probably utilized multiple 741 00:28:31,320 --> 00:28:32,880 different types of financing, 742 00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:34,512 especially as you grow. 743 00:28:34,512 --> 00:28:36,960 So learning about all these resources 744 00:28:37,032 --> 00:28:39,510 is an important step of your journey, 745 00:28:39,510 --> 00:28:42,240 because although one may not be right 746 00:28:42,240 --> 00:28:45,750 for you today, perhaps in a year or two, 747 00:28:45,750 --> 00:28:48,473 it is the right type of financing 748 00:28:48,473 --> 00:28:50,529 for you to go after. 749 00:28:50,530 --> 00:28:53,718 As a business owner. 750 00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:55,568 Alright, thank you Elizabeth and I'm 751 00:28:55,568 --> 00:28:58,202 gonna move to Ruth to talk a little bit 752 00:28:58,202 --> 00:29:00,317 about the crowd funding and how that 753 00:29:00,317 --> 00:29:02,459 has been particularly impactful for women. 754 00:29:02,460 --> 00:29:05,070 We also do have a question that has come 755 00:29:05,070 --> 00:29:08,066 in and so just a reminder to our audience. 756 00:29:08,070 --> 00:29:10,142 If you do have a question please 757 00:29:10,142 --> 00:29:12,682 feel free to send it to the email 758 00:29:12,682 --> 00:29:14,950 box that Sean had mentioned at the 759 00:29:14,950 --> 00:29:17,113 beginning of the program and we will 760 00:29:17,113 --> 00:29:19,296 try to weave it into our program. 761 00:29:19,300 --> 00:29:19,962 So Ruth, 762 00:29:19,962 --> 00:29:21,948 if you don't mind answering this 763 00:29:21,948 --> 00:29:23,179 question or you can. 764 00:29:23,180 --> 00:29:25,820 Send it to Natalie if you would like, 765 00:29:25,820 --> 00:29:28,067 but when she connects on this the 766 00:29:28,067 --> 00:29:30,326 question is do I need a business 767 00:29:30,326 --> 00:29:32,168 plan when I look for funding 768 00:29:32,242 --> 00:29:34,324 opportunities and so if you can 769 00:29:34,324 --> 00:29:36,380 address that as well as crowd 770 00:29:36,380 --> 00:29:38,030 funding that would be fantastic, 771 00:29:38,030 --> 00:29:38,360 thanks. 772 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:42,344 So that you know there's a saying if 773 00:29:42,344 --> 00:29:44,632 you fail to plan, you plan to fail. 774 00:29:44,632 --> 00:29:47,299 And that nothing that is the the 775 00:29:47,299 --> 00:29:49,614 absolute perfect statement to that 776 00:29:49,614 --> 00:29:52,260 applies to running a business. 777 00:29:52,260 --> 00:29:55,590 And it's not just what you would think of 778 00:29:55,590 --> 00:29:59,350 as a traditional business plan, there is 779 00:29:59,350 --> 00:30:03,110 Planning say a time like use of proceeds. 780 00:30:03,110 --> 00:30:05,258 After you get the funding right, 781 00:30:05,260 --> 00:30:07,402 how are you actually going to 782 00:30:07,402 --> 00:30:08,473 spend this money? 783 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:11,609 Do you have a customer acquisition plan? 784 00:30:11,610 --> 00:30:12,693 That's another plan, 785 00:30:12,693 --> 00:30:15,220 so there's lots of pieces to this 786 00:30:15,291 --> 00:30:17,499 bigger word of the business plan, 787 00:30:17,500 --> 00:30:20,148 and you can kind of create those plans 788 00:30:20,148 --> 00:30:22,535 in small little chunks so you don't 789 00:30:22,535 --> 00:30:25,165 have to look at this whole thing 790 00:30:25,165 --> 00:30:27,425 as is overwhelming business plan. 791 00:30:27,430 --> 00:30:30,300 And you can create this plan in 792 00:30:30,300 --> 00:30:33,300 anything that you feel comfortable in. 793 00:30:33,300 --> 00:30:36,340 You know, back in the day and I'm 794 00:30:36,340 --> 00:30:37,460 talking like the .com day, 795 00:30:37,460 --> 00:30:39,350 people would have to write, 796 00:30:39,350 --> 00:30:41,654 you know 100 page business plan 797 00:30:41,654 --> 00:30:44,149 and it became this really big 798 00:30:44,149 --> 00:30:46,777 project that they would just spend 799 00:30:46,777 --> 00:30:49,119 an enormous amount of time on. 800 00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:49,649 And 801 00:30:49,649 --> 00:30:52,823 When you actually ask them the 802 00:30:52,823 --> 00:30:55,389 specific questions about that plan, 803 00:30:55,390 --> 00:30:57,928 they had no idea they could 804 00:30:57,928 --> 00:30:59,620 not answer that plan. 805 00:30:59,620 --> 00:31:01,735 So it's not just about 806 00:31:01,735 --> 00:31:03,427 this formal business plan, 807 00:31:03,430 --> 00:31:05,698 it's really more about you owning 808 00:31:05,698 --> 00:31:08,240 a plan of action and understanding 809 00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:10,615 the timeline of that plan, 810 00:31:10,620 --> 00:31:12,820 and understanding how that plan 811 00:31:12,820 --> 00:31:15,490 applies to the money that you 812 00:31:15,490 --> 00:31:17,806 will need to execute that plan, 813 00:31:17,810 --> 00:31:20,848 and how the money will come in. 814 00:31:20,850 --> 00:31:22,650 And when the money comes in, 815 00:31:22,650 --> 00:31:24,150 what you'll do with it? 816 00:31:24,150 --> 00:31:26,550 So you really absolutely 1000% need a plan. 817 00:31:28,630 --> 00:31:29,160 Yeah. 818 00:31:31,530 --> 00:31:34,786 And then do you want me to speak 819 00:31:34,786 --> 00:31:39,538 about the other? Yes, yes. So. 820 00:31:39,540 --> 00:31:41,930 When comes to equity crowdfunding. 821 00:31:41,930 --> 00:31:44,498 There is a bunch of terminology 822 00:31:44,498 --> 00:31:48,130 that is new to the financial world. 823 00:31:48,130 --> 00:31:50,986 In fact, the word funding portal, 824 00:31:50,990 --> 00:31:54,798 which is the platform that you go to, 825 00:31:54,800 --> 00:31:57,632 was not a legal word or 826 00:31:57,632 --> 00:32:00,050 entity until the JOBS Act. 827 00:32:00,050 --> 00:32:03,518 It was coined the funding portal. 828 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:05,120 And on the funding portal, 829 00:32:05,120 --> 00:32:07,028 lots of funding portals have glossary's 830 00:32:07,028 --> 00:32:09,629 where you can find a lot of terminology 831 00:32:09,629 --> 00:32:11,537 about financing and I would recommend 832 00:32:11,593 --> 00:32:13,777 that we come from failure with that 833 00:32:13,777 --> 00:32:16,172 terminology because a lot of it's 834 00:32:16,172 --> 00:32:19,076 applicable to every kind of funding. 835 00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:20,118 In equity crowdfunding, 836 00:32:20,118 --> 00:32:22,194 in certain types of equity crowdfunding 837 00:32:22,194 --> 00:32:24,560 you may need audited financial statements, 838 00:32:24,560 --> 00:32:27,227 so obviously you would have to have 839 00:32:27,227 --> 00:32:29,670 an accountant do that for you, 840 00:32:29,670 --> 00:32:32,798 but it would be important for you to 841 00:32:32,798 --> 00:32:35,435 understand what that means so that you 842 00:32:35,435 --> 00:32:38,788 get the right accountant to do that with you, 843 00:32:38,790 --> 00:32:41,370 and I'm sure the. 844 00:32:41,370 --> 00:32:44,538 The agencies that you all represent 845 00:32:44,538 --> 00:32:48,290 understand how to help somebody do that. 846 00:32:48,290 --> 00:32:52,019 There is obviously. 847 00:32:52,020 --> 00:32:54,090 You have to understand the valuation. 848 00:32:54,090 --> 00:32:55,125 That's another terminology 849 00:32:55,125 --> 00:32:56,160 of financial terminology, 850 00:32:56,160 --> 00:32:57,252 so understanding valuation. 851 00:32:57,252 --> 00:32:59,072 'cause if you're going to 852 00:32:59,072 --> 00:33:00,650 sell equity to the public, 853 00:33:00,650 --> 00:33:02,932 you have to decide how much equity 854 00:33:02,932 --> 00:33:05,682 you want to sell and then you have 855 00:33:05,682 --> 00:33:08,163 to determine the value of that equity 856 00:33:08,163 --> 00:33:10,995 and you have to have the due diligence 857 00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:13,640 behind that and you have to be able 858 00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:16,065 to quantify that and you have to 859 00:33:16,065 --> 00:33:18,182 be able most importantly to defend 860 00:33:18,182 --> 00:33:20,646 it because you can't just go out 861 00:33:20,646 --> 00:33:23,042 there with some you know inflated. 862 00:33:23,042 --> 00:33:25,157 Valuation and think the public's 863 00:33:25,157 --> 00:33:26,810 going to buy into that. 864 00:33:26,810 --> 00:33:28,214 So there there is, 865 00:33:28,214 --> 00:33:28,916 you know, 866 00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:30,505 a certain amount of financial 867 00:33:30,505 --> 00:33:32,552 terminology that I think is important 868 00:33:32,552 --> 00:33:34,547 not just for equity crowdfunding, 869 00:33:34,550 --> 00:33:37,366 but long into the future of your business. 870 00:33:37,370 --> 00:33:39,827 Because at the end of the day, 871 00:33:39,830 --> 00:33:42,134 your business is going to continuously 872 00:33:42,134 --> 00:33:44,102 be bringing in revenue and 873 00:33:44,102 --> 00:33:46,256 scaling and maybe going back for 874 00:33:46,256 --> 00:33:48,159 additional rounds of funding and. 875 00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:49,316 And, like Elizabeth said, 876 00:33:49,316 --> 00:33:51,451 you know they'll be a whole variety 877 00:33:51,451 --> 00:33:53,509 of types of funding and they'll 878 00:33:53,509 --> 00:33:55,062 be financial terminology that you 879 00:33:55,062 --> 00:33:56,707 will have to be familiar with to 880 00:33:56,707 --> 00:33:59,008 be able to understand what that you 881 00:33:59,008 --> 00:34:01,598 know what it is you're doing so. 882 00:34:01,600 --> 00:34:03,478 I hope that answers your question. 883 00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:04,072 Thanks, Ruth. 884 00:34:04,072 --> 00:34:06,144 Alright so now I'm going to turn 885 00:34:06,144 --> 00:34:08,882 it over to Natalie to ask the same 886 00:34:08,882 --> 00:34:10,252 question about financial literacy 887 00:34:10,252 --> 00:34:12,572 and if you want to weigh in on 888 00:34:12,572 --> 00:34:13,172 business plans. 889 00:34:13,172 --> 00:34:14,682 But there's also another question 890 00:34:14,682 --> 00:34:16,757 that I feel like is important that 891 00:34:16,757 --> 00:34:18,647 has also come in and the question 892 00:34:18,706 --> 00:34:20,836 is there support for building a 893 00:34:20,836 --> 00:34:22,256 business without getting financing? 894 00:34:22,260 --> 00:34:23,825 Or organizations that teach growing 895 00:34:23,825 --> 00:34:25,077 without going into debt? 896 00:34:25,080 --> 00:34:27,576 And so I think that's a great question, 897 00:34:27,580 --> 00:34:29,145 especially since you know when 898 00:34:29,145 --> 00:34:30,397 you build a business. 899 00:34:30,400 --> 00:34:33,160 The last thing you want to do is to get 900 00:34:33,237 --> 00:34:35,785 into too much debt when you're just. 901 00:34:35,790 --> 00:34:36,720 Starting right off, 902 00:34:36,720 --> 00:34:38,890 so do you have anything to add 903 00:34:38,954 --> 00:34:41,362 to that? And then I'll open it up to any 904 00:34:41,362 --> 00:34:44,424 of the other panelists who want to add to 905 00:34:44,424 --> 00:34:46,767 that specific question as well so Natalie, 906 00:34:46,770 --> 00:34:48,600 can you repeat that last question? 907 00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:51,345 I just want to make sure I fully digest it. 908 00:34:51,350 --> 00:34:54,100 So is there a place that you can go to seek 909 00:34:54,100 --> 00:34:56,438 support for your business where you don't 910 00:34:56,438 --> 00:34:59,275 have to assume debt for that support? Yes, 911 00:34:59,275 --> 00:35:01,715 so that's the first part of the question, 912 00:35:01,720 --> 00:35:03,760 and the second part of the question is 913 00:35:03,760 --> 00:35:06,179 there an organization that teaches growing? 914 00:35:06,180 --> 00:35:08,429 But without going into debt, got it OK, 915 00:35:08,429 --> 00:35:10,528 so I'll try to answer all of the 916 00:35:10,528 --> 00:35:12,880 questions as best I can without repeating 917 00:35:12,880 --> 00:35:15,298 too much of what I've already heard, 918 00:35:15,300 --> 00:35:17,796 because I think the panelists have done such 919 00:35:17,796 --> 00:35:20,158 a fantastic job of covering so many bases. 920 00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:22,392 The only thing that I'll add to what 921 00:35:22,392 --> 00:35:24,300 you've already heard of those two 922 00:35:24,300 --> 00:35:26,238 things as released a financial literacy. 923 00:35:26,240 --> 00:35:28,016 One thing that I always say is the 924 00:35:28,016 --> 00:35:30,154 way in which you manage your personal 925 00:35:30,154 --> 00:35:32,212 finances is indicative of how you're 926 00:35:32,212 --> 00:35:34,444 going to manage your business's finances. 927 00:35:34,450 --> 00:35:36,698 And I also find that people are very 928 00:35:36,698 --> 00:35:38,699 intrigued by the concept of running 929 00:35:38,699 --> 00:35:40,763 a multi $1,000,000 business or having 930 00:35:40,828 --> 00:35:43,338 $1,000,000. But if you can manage $1000, 931 00:35:43,340 --> 00:35:44,592 you can manage $1,000,000. 932 00:35:44,592 --> 00:35:46,793 If you can manage $1,000,000 you can 933 00:35:46,793 --> 00:35:48,683 manage $2,000,000 and part of this is 934 00:35:48,683 --> 00:35:50,658 about the growth process of learning 935 00:35:50,658 --> 00:35:52,378 how you personally manage finances 936 00:35:52,378 --> 00:35:54,590 and how you personally manage just the 937 00:35:54,590 --> 00:35:56,799 resources that you have available to you. 938 00:35:56,800 --> 00:35:58,732 You can blow $1000 just as easily 939 00:35:58,732 --> 00:36:00,549 as someone can blow $1,000,000. 940 00:36:00,550 --> 00:36:02,428 It will feel just the same. 941 00:36:02,430 --> 00:36:04,758 So I think just being mindful of that 942 00:36:04,758 --> 00:36:07,224 and then the second thing I will say 943 00:36:07,224 --> 00:36:09,238 is social capital is something that 944 00:36:09,238 --> 00:36:11,793 we haven't really talked a lot about. 945 00:36:11,800 --> 00:36:13,738 As it relates to financial capitals, 946 00:36:13,740 --> 00:36:16,316 so so much of the Angel investment community, 947 00:36:16,320 --> 00:36:17,935 the venture capital community is 948 00:36:17,935 --> 00:36:19,550 so predicated off of relationships. 949 00:36:19,550 --> 00:36:22,457 Who do you know who can vouch for you? 950 00:36:22,460 --> 00:36:24,989 Who is going to pick up the call to 951 00:36:24,989 --> 00:36:27,300 say that they know this person, 952 00:36:27,300 --> 00:36:28,592 that you have credibility? 953 00:36:28,592 --> 00:36:29,884 That is social capital. 954 00:36:29,890 --> 00:36:32,610 Even the ability for you to develop a 955 00:36:32,610 --> 00:36:34,179 crowdfunding campaign and ask people 956 00:36:34,179 --> 00:36:36,517 to do something on your behalf is an 957 00:36:36,517 --> 00:36:38,217 intern utilizing your social capital 958 00:36:38,217 --> 00:36:40,336 for the benefit and upliftment of 959 00:36:40,336 --> 00:36:42,604 your business and social capital is. 960 00:36:42,610 --> 00:36:45,396 The ability for you to take your 961 00:36:45,396 --> 00:36:47,402 social relationships and turn them 962 00:36:47,402 --> 00:36:49,247 into some form of economic. 963 00:36:49,250 --> 00:36:50,258 Opportunity or gain, 964 00:36:50,258 --> 00:36:51,938 and that only happens through 965 00:36:51,938 --> 00:36:53,740 trust and through reputation. 966 00:36:53,740 --> 00:36:56,863 So just as important as your credit score is 967 00:36:56,863 --> 00:37:00,097 in terms of how you manage your finances, 968 00:37:00,100 --> 00:37:02,620 so is your social capital score in terms 969 00:37:02,620 --> 00:37:05,330 of how you manage your relationships. 970 00:37:05,330 --> 00:37:08,282 So I will just add those as two 971 00:37:08,282 --> 00:37:10,219 additional components to the financial 972 00:37:10,219 --> 00:37:12,851 literacy piece as it relates to where 973 00:37:12,922 --> 00:37:15,428 you can go to support your business. 974 00:37:15,430 --> 00:37:17,698 So I think Corinne will smile 975 00:37:17,698 --> 00:37:19,620 when she hears me say. 976 00:37:19,620 --> 00:37:22,720 The women's business centers. 977 00:37:22,720 --> 00:37:24,460 She has so eloquently talked 978 00:37:24,460 --> 00:37:26,200 about the rich vastness of 979 00:37:26,271 --> 00:37:28,359 of how the Women's Business Center 980 00:37:28,359 --> 00:37:30,745 network again in 135 cities across 981 00:37:30,745 --> 00:37:33,055 this country is supporting thousands 982 00:37:33,055 --> 00:37:35,232 of women entrepreneurs and doing 983 00:37:35,232 --> 00:37:38,360 so for free and so many of many, 984 00:37:38,360 --> 00:37:40,936 many times and for many programs these 985 00:37:40,936 --> 00:37:43,770 are come as you are walking into the 986 00:37:43,770 --> 00:37:47,367 centre or join us on line in this kind 987 00:37:47,367 --> 00:37:49,697 of circumstance and receive assistance. 988 00:37:49,700 --> 00:37:51,735 There are very very very 989 00:37:51,735 --> 00:37:53,363 few programs that you. 990 00:37:53,370 --> 00:37:55,834 And possibly have to pay for it. 991 00:37:55,840 --> 00:37:58,160 I also would say that the SBA has 992 00:37:58,160 --> 00:38:00,430 a program called emerging leaders, 993 00:38:00,430 --> 00:38:03,062 which is also a free resource for those 994 00:38:03,062 --> 00:38:05,938 who are in the 250,000 or above mark 995 00:38:05,938 --> 00:38:09,228 that are interested in being a part of a 996 00:38:09,228 --> 00:38:11,372 cohort going through a structured program. 997 00:38:11,372 --> 00:38:12,780 The application process for 998 00:38:12,780 --> 00:38:13,836 that particular program, 999 00:38:13,840 --> 00:38:15,256 which again is free, 1000 00:38:15,256 --> 00:38:16,318 is March 31st. 1001 00:38:16,320 --> 00:38:19,074 So I encourage you to go again to sba.gov 1002 00:38:19,074 --> 00:38:21,967 to learn more about emerging leaders to 1003 00:38:21,967 --> 00:38:24,758 find a women's business center in your. 1004 00:38:24,760 --> 00:38:26,240 Community now you know financing. 1005 00:38:26,240 --> 00:38:28,305 If so, there was the first question, 1006 00:38:28,310 --> 00:38:30,473 and then there's kind of like my 1007 00:38:30,473 --> 00:38:31,860 interpretation of what I feel. 1008 00:38:31,860 --> 00:38:33,340 This person is probably asking, 1009 00:38:33,340 --> 00:38:35,756 which is how can I get funded without 1010 00:38:35,756 --> 00:38:37,778 ever having to pay the funds back. 1011 00:38:37,780 --> 00:38:40,910 So I will just say, you know? 1012 00:38:40,910 --> 00:38:42,810 A couple of things one. 1013 00:38:42,810 --> 00:38:45,309 I think starting a business with the 1014 00:38:45,309 --> 00:38:47,639 idea that you're going to receive 1015 00:38:47,639 --> 00:38:50,021 grants is probably not the most 1016 00:38:50,021 --> 00:38:52,306 fortuitous way of creating a business. 1017 00:38:52,310 --> 00:38:54,822 I think that you want to always be 1018 00:38:54,822 --> 00:38:57,249 thinking about your monetization strategy. 1019 00:38:57,250 --> 00:39:00,290 How do you actually plan to make money? 1020 00:39:00,290 --> 00:39:02,747 And so having an initial business grant 1021 00:39:02,747 --> 00:39:05,989 if that is something that exists for you? 1022 00:39:05,990 --> 00:39:07,510 Many philanthropic private sector 1023 00:39:07,510 --> 00:39:08,650 organizations provide them. 1024 00:39:08,650 --> 00:39:11,436 There are no kind of direct business. 1025 00:39:11,440 --> 00:39:13,250 Grants for a startup circumstance 1026 00:39:13,250 --> 00:39:16,240 that I'm aware of that the Small 1027 00:39:16,240 --> 00:39:17,908 Business Administration provides, 1028 00:39:17,910 --> 00:39:20,490 but you may find something right, 1029 00:39:20,490 --> 00:39:23,024 but that can't just be the basis 1030 00:39:23,024 --> 00:39:26,263 for how your business is going to 1031 00:39:26,263 --> 00:39:28,174 succeed into perpetuity, right? 1032 00:39:28,174 --> 00:39:31,006 So you need to develop and hone how 1033 00:39:31,006 --> 00:39:33,895 you plan to actually make money from 1034 00:39:33,895 --> 00:39:37,182 your business and to sustain it through 1035 00:39:37,182 --> 00:39:40,320 revenue through sales and through service, 1036 00:39:40,320 --> 00:39:41,373 and that is. 1037 00:39:41,373 --> 00:39:43,479 Important at every phase of your 1038 00:39:43,479 --> 00:39:45,271 business endeavors and at every 1039 00:39:45,271 --> 00:39:47,335 phase of its scale and growth. 1040 00:39:47,340 --> 00:39:49,475 And I honestly feel to the question 1041 00:39:49,475 --> 00:39:51,309 about having a business plan. 1042 00:39:51,310 --> 00:39:52,945 This is something that you 1043 00:39:52,945 --> 00:39:54,950 should be looking at every year. 1044 00:39:54,950 --> 00:39:57,794 How can I improve the way in which I'm 1045 00:39:57,794 --> 00:40:00,326 spending my money and improve the access? 1046 00:40:00,330 --> 00:40:02,544 But I have to receiving additional 1047 00:40:02,544 --> 00:40:04,474 funds through services and through 1048 00:40:04,474 --> 00:40:06,808 revenue through sales for my company. 1049 00:40:06,810 --> 00:40:09,858 So that would probably be my best answer. 1050 00:40:09,860 --> 00:40:13,052 I'm sure that's not the answer 1051 00:40:13,052 --> 00:40:15,690 the person was looking for. 1052 00:40:15,690 --> 00:40:18,453 But I don't know about a a pot of 1053 00:40:18,453 --> 00:40:20,867 gold that sits under a bridge, 1054 00:40:20,870 --> 00:40:23,442 but I would just say, you know. 1055 00:40:23,442 --> 00:40:26,424 To think if you're thinking about that, 1056 00:40:26,430 --> 00:40:28,212 the energy that you have there 1057 00:40:28,212 --> 00:40:30,123 put that into thinking about how 1058 00:40:30,123 --> 00:40:31,768 you can monetize your business. 1059 00:40:31,770 --> 00:40:34,506 And I think that that will 1060 00:40:34,506 --> 00:40:36,330 actually position you better 1061 00:40:36,413 --> 00:40:37,737 in the long run. 1062 00:40:37,740 --> 00:40:39,204 Alright, thank you Natalie. 1063 00:40:39,204 --> 00:40:41,034 So Corrine Elizabeth And Ruth 1064 00:40:41,040 --> 00:40:43,742 Do you have anything to add to 1065 00:40:43,742 --> 00:40:45,719 that specific question and then 1066 00:40:45,719 --> 00:40:47,945 we'll move on to IP strategies 1067 00:40:47,945 --> 00:40:49,753 in addition to business plans 1068 00:40:49,753 --> 00:40:52,417 so opening it up for one of you 1069 00:40:52,417 --> 00:40:54,619 if you have anything to add. 1070 00:40:58,270 --> 00:41:00,713 I just think Natalie said it so 1071 00:41:00,713 --> 00:41:02,743 perfectly because the majority of the 1072 00:41:02,743 --> 00:41:05,292 calls that we do get right now are 1073 00:41:05,292 --> 00:41:07,428 businesses that are ideas they wanting 1074 00:41:07,428 --> 00:41:09,944 to start up there wanting to build 1075 00:41:09,944 --> 00:41:12,589 and they're wanting a grant to do so, 1076 00:41:12,590 --> 00:41:15,292 and I'm not really sure where the 1077 00:41:15,292 --> 00:41:17,529 assumption of there's got to be a 1078 00:41:17,529 --> 00:41:19,750 grant for me to start my business. 1079 00:41:19,750 --> 00:41:21,610 I don't know where that assumption 1080 00:41:21,610 --> 00:41:24,397 was born or why it does exist in the 1081 00:41:24,397 --> 00:41:26,756 minds of so many innovators and and 1082 00:41:26,756 --> 00:41:28,368 really intelligent people because 1083 00:41:28,368 --> 00:41:30,714 there aren't those pots of gold. 1084 00:41:30,714 --> 00:41:32,549 Under bridges or under rainbows, 1085 00:41:32,550 --> 00:41:34,180 or anywhere that I mean, 1086 00:41:34,180 --> 00:41:36,364 I have stumbled across one either and so 1087 00:41:36,364 --> 00:41:38,420 we women's business centers sometimes. 1088 00:41:38,420 --> 00:41:40,370 Do know about some very small, 1089 00:41:40,370 --> 00:41:41,351 very specific grants. 1090 00:41:41,351 --> 00:41:42,659 Sometimes there's training grants, 1091 00:41:42,660 --> 00:41:44,290 reimbursement grants, but you know, 1092 00:41:44,290 --> 00:41:46,482 usually a funder is going to want to 1093 00:41:46,482 --> 00:41:48,899 see some sort of record of performance 1094 00:41:48,899 --> 00:41:51,130 before they put their dollars there, 1095 00:41:51,130 --> 00:41:53,056 similar to the way an investor 1096 00:41:53,056 --> 00:41:55,370 is going to look at a business. 1097 00:41:55,370 --> 00:41:56,312 So I mean, 1098 00:41:56,312 --> 00:41:58,196 I just didn't want Natalie's remarks 1099 00:41:58,196 --> 00:42:00,586 to stand there un-echoed because 1100 00:42:00,586 --> 00:42:03,040 everything she said was completely right. 1101 00:42:03,040 --> 00:42:05,080 I've heard of the anomaly startup 1102 00:42:05,080 --> 00:42:06,100 Grant out there, 1103 00:42:06,100 --> 00:42:07,765 but it's really the exception 1104 00:42:07,765 --> 00:42:10,180 and not the rule by the way, 1105 00:42:10,180 --> 00:42:13,197 even though it's the most sought after 1106 00:42:13,197 --> 00:42:15,733 former capital yet truly isn't the 1107 00:42:15,733 --> 00:42:18,435 most healthy way to get this start. 1108 00:42:18,440 --> 00:42:21,600 Can I can I see something here long 1109 00:42:21,600 --> 00:42:24,920 before there was equity crowdfunding there 1110 00:42:24,920 --> 00:42:28,580 was what's called reward based crowdfunding. 1111 00:42:28,580 --> 00:42:31,065 And you did not take on any 1112 00:42:31,065 --> 00:42:33,539 debt with reward based crowdfunding. 1113 00:42:33,540 --> 00:42:35,625 Obviously you have to manufacture 1114 00:42:35,625 --> 00:42:38,489 the reward and deliver on that part, 1115 00:42:38,490 --> 00:42:42,235 but the funding takes care of that. 1116 00:42:42,240 --> 00:42:44,676 And you do not have to have 1117 00:42:44,676 --> 00:42:46,660 any assets to crowdfund. 1118 00:42:46,660 --> 00:42:49,138 That way you do not have to 1119 00:42:49,138 --> 00:42:51,890 have go into debt to crowdfund. 1120 00:42:51,890 --> 00:42:53,705 That way hundreds of thousands 1121 00:42:53,705 --> 00:42:55,996 of businesses every month go on 1122 00:42:55,996 --> 00:42:57,624 platforms like Kickstarter and 1123 00:42:57,624 --> 00:42:59,659 Indiegogo and thousands of other 1124 00:42:59,720 --> 00:43:01,940 platforms actually around the world. 1125 00:43:01,940 --> 00:43:03,950 They do reward based crowdfunding. 1126 00:43:03,950 --> 00:43:06,320 And they raised billions of dollars 1127 00:43:06,320 --> 00:43:08,769 collectively using this type of financing. 1128 00:43:08,770 --> 00:43:09,907 And you know, 1129 00:43:09,907 --> 00:43:13,709 I could sit here and talk for hours about. 1130 00:43:13,710 --> 00:43:15,555 All of this successful companies 1131 00:43:15,555 --> 00:43:17,400 who then took that money, 1132 00:43:17,400 --> 00:43:18,876 for example Oculus Rift, 1133 00:43:18,876 --> 00:43:21,090 which is the big 3D glasses, 1134 00:43:21,090 --> 00:43:23,673 was crowd funded by a 22 year 1135 00:43:23,673 --> 00:43:24,780 old on Kickstarter, 1136 00:43:24,780 --> 00:43:25,773 raised $1.2 million, 1137 00:43:25,773 --> 00:43:28,090 but then went on to raise $40 1138 00:43:28,160 --> 00:43:29,948 million in venture capital. 1139 00:43:29,950 --> 00:43:32,758 And then the next year was bought out 1140 00:43:32,758 --> 00:43:35,476 by Facebook for over a billion dollars. 1141 00:43:35,480 --> 00:43:38,410 So there are lots of ways to do this outside 1142 00:43:38,484 --> 00:43:41,019 of the traditional funding mechanisms. 1143 00:43:41,020 --> 00:43:43,128 If people are interested 1144 00:43:43,128 --> 00:43:45,236 in learning about that. 1145 00:43:45,240 --> 00:43:45,605 Alright, 1146 00:43:45,605 --> 00:43:46,700 thank you Ruth. 1147 00:43:46,700 --> 00:43:49,397 So let's change the topic a little 1148 00:43:49,397 --> 00:43:52,007 bit and let's talk about marketing 1149 00:43:52,007 --> 00:43:53,807 yourself and putting yourself 1150 00:43:53,807 --> 00:43:56,333 in the best position to qualify 1151 00:43:56,333 --> 00:43:58,012 for these financial resources. 1152 00:43:58,012 --> 00:44:01,720 I know we talked a little bit about it, 1153 00:44:01,720 --> 00:44:04,186 but let's specifically talk about IP, 1154 00:44:04,190 --> 00:44:05,399 which the USPTO, 1155 00:44:05,399 --> 00:44:07,414 the United States Patent Trademark 1156 00:44:07,414 --> 00:44:09,550 Office is very interested in. 1157 00:44:09,550 --> 00:44:11,605 For us, we recognize that 1158 00:44:11,605 --> 00:44:12,427 intellectual property, 1159 00:44:12,430 --> 00:44:13,705 meaning patents, trademarks, 1160 00:44:13,705 --> 00:44:15,405 copyrights, and trade secrets. 1161 00:44:15,410 --> 00:44:17,923 The ownership of that is very important 1162 00:44:17,923 --> 00:44:20,054 and that creating your business 1163 00:44:20,054 --> 00:44:22,514 strategy also means creating your 1164 00:44:22,514 --> 00:44:24,559 intellectual property strategy as well. 1165 00:44:24,560 --> 00:44:27,236 It's also important to have that 1166 00:44:27,236 --> 00:44:29,879 IP strategy 'cause it can help 1167 00:44:29,879 --> 00:44:32,595 support your ability to be able to 1168 00:44:32,595 --> 00:44:35,377 get funding as a matter of fact, 1169 00:44:35,380 --> 00:44:37,460 statistics show that patent ownership, 1170 00:44:37,460 --> 00:44:40,036 or even being able to say that you 1171 00:44:40,036 --> 00:44:42,800 have a patent pending increases the 1172 00:44:42,800 --> 00:44:46,260 likelihood of you getting funding by 70%. 1173 00:44:46,260 --> 00:44:48,628 And that's a lot but one of the 1174 00:44:48,628 --> 00:44:50,947 things that I know our organization. 1175 00:44:50,950 --> 00:44:52,630 Here's a lot is that? 1176 00:44:52,630 --> 00:44:54,796 Well, that's great that you know 1177 00:44:54,796 --> 00:44:56,240 getting an electoral property 1178 00:44:56,300 --> 00:44:57,986 will help me get the funding. 1179 00:44:57,990 --> 00:44:59,706 But it's also very expensive to 1180 00:44:59,706 --> 00:45:01,688 be able to get that intellectual 1181 00:45:01,688 --> 00:45:04,016 property right in the 1st place, 1182 00:45:04,020 --> 00:45:04,992 particularly a patent. 1183 00:45:04,992 --> 00:45:07,696 And so we wanted to spend a couple 1184 00:45:07,696 --> 00:45:09,910 of minutes just sharing some of 1185 00:45:09,910 --> 00:45:12,059 the resources that the USPTO has, 1186 00:45:12,060 --> 00:45:14,190 and then we'll talk about the 1187 00:45:14,190 --> 00:45:15,610 importance of intellectual property 1188 00:45:15,672 --> 00:45:17,604 with our panelists at with respect 1189 00:45:17,604 --> 00:45:18,892 to getting and securing. 1190 00:45:18,900 --> 00:45:22,392 Funding so at the USPTO we have many, 1191 00:45:22,400 --> 00:45:25,116 many resources that are available to you. 1192 00:45:25,120 --> 00:45:26,680 We've partnered with organizations 1193 00:45:26,680 --> 00:45:29,466 across the country to be able to 1194 00:45:29,466 --> 00:45:31,346 secure pro bono attorney services. 1195 00:45:31,350 --> 00:45:34,454 If you are below a certain income threshold, 1196 00:45:34,460 --> 00:45:36,310 you can secure those services 1197 00:45:36,310 --> 00:45:38,740 to help you with your patent 1198 00:45:38,740 --> 00:45:40,822 Filing an as well as your 1199 00:45:40,822 --> 00:45:43,175 trademark filing with some of the 1200 00:45:43,175 --> 00:45:44,955 organizations around the country 1201 00:45:44,960 --> 00:45:47,378 You can also get Copyright and 1202 00:45:47,378 --> 00:45:49,470 trade secret help as well. 1203 00:45:49,470 --> 00:45:50,700 And So what? 1204 00:45:50,700 --> 00:45:53,160 We've also secured an have relationships 1205 00:45:53,160 --> 00:45:56,187 with many law schools around the country, 1206 00:45:56,190 --> 00:45:58,506 in which if you don't qualify 1207 00:45:58,506 --> 00:46:00,810 for pro bono attorney services, 1208 00:46:00,810 --> 00:46:02,952 you can have a student attorney 1209 00:46:02,952 --> 00:46:05,915 who is under the supervision of a 1210 00:46:05,915 --> 00:46:08,335 practicing attorney help you with 1211 00:46:08,335 --> 00:46:10,590 those services and securing those 1212 00:46:10,590 --> 00:46:13,404 rights as well at the USPTO itself. 1213 00:46:13,410 --> 00:46:15,876 We have many one 800 numbers 1214 00:46:15,876 --> 00:46:18,510 or websites and emails that you 1215 00:46:18,510 --> 00:46:20,760 can ask us questions directly. 1216 00:46:20,760 --> 00:46:21,944 Our Trademark Assistant center, 1217 00:46:21,944 --> 00:46:24,090 as well as our inventor assistant center, 1218 00:46:24,090 --> 00:46:25,490 are opportunities for you to 1219 00:46:25,490 --> 00:46:27,285 reach out to us directly and 1220 00:46:27,285 --> 00:46:28,637 get your questions answered. 1221 00:46:28,640 --> 00:46:30,155 For things that you are 1222 00:46:30,155 --> 00:46:31,367 filing with our office. 1223 00:46:31,370 --> 00:46:32,702 In addition to that, 1224 00:46:32,702 --> 00:46:34,700 we have also partnered with libraries 1225 00:46:34,764 --> 00:46:36,558 over 80 libraries around the country 1226 00:46:36,558 --> 00:46:38,870 who are able to help you with your 1227 00:46:38,870 --> 00:46:41,130 searches to be able to find out, hey, 1228 00:46:41,130 --> 00:46:43,475 is my invention already out there and 1229 00:46:43,475 --> 00:46:45,906 patented or I want to start a new business. 1230 00:46:45,910 --> 00:46:47,420 I have a new logo, 1231 00:46:47,420 --> 00:46:48,564 a new brand name. 1232 00:46:48,564 --> 00:46:50,695 How do I know that someone else 1233 00:46:50,695 --> 00:46:52,430 has not taken that already? 1234 00:46:52,430 --> 00:46:55,342 You can do that search using the same 1235 00:46:55,342 --> 00:46:57,893 systems that the USPTO uses to be 1236 00:46:57,893 --> 00:47:00,348 able to search our registers to be 1237 00:47:00,348 --> 00:47:02,772 able to find out that information, 1238 00:47:02,780 --> 00:47:05,076 and those are really close at hand 1239 00:47:05,076 --> 00:47:07,295 because those are at your local 1240 00:47:07,295 --> 00:47:08,847 libraries around the country. 1241 00:47:08,850 --> 00:47:10,860 All of this information is actually 1242 00:47:10,860 --> 00:47:12,780 found on our PTO website, 1243 00:47:12,780 --> 00:47:14,978 so if you would like to find 1244 00:47:14,978 --> 00:47:15,920 out more information 1245 00:47:15,985 --> 00:47:17,777 and get contact information, 1246 00:47:17,780 --> 00:47:19,992 please feel free to go to uspto.gov 1247 00:47:19,992 --> 00:47:22,658 and click on small inventor resources. 1248 00:47:22,660 --> 00:47:25,972 And it will point you to all the contact 1249 00:47:25,972 --> 00:47:27,897 information with respect to that. 1250 00:47:27,900 --> 00:47:30,618 But you can also refer to some of our 1251 00:47:30,618 --> 00:47:32,770 previous programs that talks about 1252 00:47:32,770 --> 00:47:34,995 these specific resources in person. 1253 00:47:35,000 --> 00:47:37,598 You can visit our pro Women's 1254 00:47:37,598 --> 00:47:39,330 Entrepreneurship Symposium program page 1255 00:47:39,394 --> 00:47:41,898 and look at the different events that we 1256 00:47:41,898 --> 00:47:44,726 have held throughout the month on March 3rd, 1257 00:47:44,730 --> 00:47:46,600 March 10th and March 17th, 1258 00:47:46,600 --> 00:47:49,141 and listen to those particular videos and 1259 00:47:49,141 --> 00:47:51,827 hear more about those resources as well. 1260 00:47:51,830 --> 00:47:53,700 So with that in mind, 1261 00:47:53,700 --> 00:47:55,630 I'm actually going to transition 1262 00:47:55,630 --> 00:47:56,788 back to Natalie. 1263 00:47:56,790 --> 00:47:57,894 And ask this question, 1264 00:47:57,894 --> 00:48:00,014 can you also discuss some of the 1265 00:48:00,014 --> 00:48:01,626 additional resources beyond what 1266 00:48:01,626 --> 00:48:03,641 you've already talked about already, 1267 00:48:03,650 --> 00:48:06,490 that the SBA can provide to help our 1268 00:48:06,490 --> 00:48:08,636 organizations that are listening on this 1269 00:48:08,636 --> 00:48:11,072 call with some of the different things 1270 00:48:11,072 --> 00:48:13,592 that they are trying to apply for us? 1271 00:48:13,600 --> 00:48:15,325 They start their business. Absolutely 1272 00:48:15,325 --> 00:48:18,144 and hope I also think at the beginning 1273 00:48:18,144 --> 00:48:20,214 you kind of mentioned that companies 1274 00:48:20,214 --> 00:48:22,254 that own some form of intellectual 1275 00:48:22,254 --> 00:48:24,297 property seems to be more financially 1276 00:48:24,297 --> 00:48:28,500 viable and a lot of that has to do with. 1277 00:48:28,500 --> 00:48:30,964 The fact that when investors are looking, 1278 00:48:30,970 --> 00:48:32,940 they're looking for your competitive 1279 00:48:32,940 --> 00:48:35,550 advantage and the fact that you are 1280 00:48:35,550 --> 00:48:37,862 coming to the table with a patent would 1281 00:48:37,927 --> 00:48:39,742 potentially preclude someone else from 1282 00:48:39,742 --> 00:48:42,547 being able to get to market as quickly 1283 00:48:42,547 --> 00:48:45,440 as you would if you own the patent, 1284 00:48:45,440 --> 00:48:48,048 or if you only IP around this and 1285 00:48:48,048 --> 00:48:50,268 just kind of talking about what 1286 00:48:50,268 --> 00:48:52,846 IP is because it's so vast, right? 1287 00:48:52,846 --> 00:48:54,576 We're talking about service marks 1288 00:48:54,576 --> 00:48:55,960 were talking about copyrights 1289 00:48:56,015 --> 00:48:57,447 for talking about trademarks, 1290 00:48:57,450 --> 00:48:58,910 were talking about patents. 1291 00:48:58,910 --> 00:48:59,640 I mean, 1292 00:48:59,640 --> 00:49:02,139 this could be everything from you built, 1293 00:49:02,140 --> 00:49:03,930 the latest innovation and technology. 1294 00:49:03,930 --> 00:49:06,821 To you have a recipe that you 1295 00:49:06,821 --> 00:49:09,030 would like to actually 1296 00:49:09,030 --> 00:49:11,630 You would like you would like to protect 1297 00:49:11,630 --> 00:49:13,526 the ingredients of for something that 1298 00:49:13,526 --> 00:49:15,770 you might be selling for your family. 1299 00:49:15,770 --> 00:49:18,155 And so I think if we if we if 1300 00:49:18,155 --> 00:49:20,587 we share it in that context, 1301 00:49:20,590 --> 00:49:22,648 I think that people can see both 1302 00:49:22,648 --> 00:49:24,796 the things that they write on their 1303 00:49:24,796 --> 00:49:27,017 blogs as things that would be under 1304 00:49:27,017 --> 00:49:29,147 Copyright to what they would produced 1305 00:49:29,147 --> 00:49:32,098 for someone in a novel and sell off or 1306 00:49:32,098 --> 00:49:34,707 to provide access to in the same light. 1307 00:49:34,710 --> 00:49:36,733 And I only say that just because 1308 00:49:36,733 --> 00:49:39,112 you know we have women at every 1309 00:49:39,112 --> 00:49:40,556 stage of their business. 1310 00:49:40,560 --> 00:49:43,404 On this call we have women who are sole 1311 00:49:43,404 --> 00:49:45,840 proprietors who are creating Instagram posts, 1312 00:49:45,840 --> 00:49:46,544 blog posts, 1313 00:49:46,544 --> 00:49:48,656 or photographers that could be copywriting, 1314 00:49:48,660 --> 00:49:49,656 their their photography, 1315 00:49:49,656 --> 00:49:51,980 or we have people who are running 1316 00:49:52,046 --> 00:49:53,303 multi $1,000,000 manufacturing 1317 00:49:53,303 --> 00:49:55,817 companies that have just innovative in 1318 00:49:55,817 --> 00:49:58,045 the way in which they are producing 1319 00:49:58,045 --> 00:50:00,345 whatever it is that they are producing. 1320 00:50:00,345 --> 00:50:04,280 And I I want to speak to both of those. 1321 00:50:04,280 --> 00:50:06,180 With that being said again, 1322 00:50:06,180 --> 00:50:09,300 SBA has a vast network of resources to 1323 00:50:09,300 --> 00:50:11,120 support entrepreneurs at every level. 1324 00:50:11,120 --> 00:50:13,120 I'll mention a few additional 1325 00:50:13,120 --> 00:50:15,120 initiatives in addition to the 1326 00:50:15,196 --> 00:50:17,200 one for which my office funds, 1327 00:50:17,200 --> 00:50:19,860 which is the Women's Business center program. 1328 00:50:19,860 --> 00:50:22,056 But we have the service core 1329 00:50:22,056 --> 00:50:23,520 of retired executives which 1330 00:50:23,594 --> 00:50:25,559 provide one on one mentorship, 1331 00:50:25,560 --> 00:50:27,192 an advisement to entrepreneurs 1332 00:50:27,192 --> 00:50:29,232 who are seeking support for 1333 00:50:29,232 --> 00:50:31,420 the growth of their companies. 1334 00:50:31,420 --> 00:50:33,535 We have the small business 1335 00:50:33,535 --> 00:50:35,650 development centers SBDC's which are 1336 00:50:35,725 --> 00:50:38,010 in communities across the country 1337 00:50:38,010 --> 00:50:40,295 which provide access to resources, 1338 00:50:40,300 --> 00:50:42,520 training, scope and scale for 1339 00:50:42,520 --> 00:50:44,296 small businesses as well. 1340 00:50:44,300 --> 00:50:46,650 We have veteran business centers 1341 00:50:46,650 --> 00:50:49,000 across the nation supporting the 1342 00:50:49,078 --> 00:50:51,640 growth of veteran businesses and in 1343 00:50:51,640 --> 00:50:54,678 this support baked into that is is 1344 00:50:54,678 --> 00:50:56,773 this intellectual property piece for 1345 00:50:56,773 --> 00:50:59,264 which this question has been asked. 1346 00:50:59,264 --> 00:51:02,560 We also have tribal and Native Americans. 1347 00:51:02,560 --> 00:51:05,434 Centers that support our tribal and 1348 00:51:05,434 --> 00:51:07,350 native communities and indigenous 1349 00:51:07,429 --> 00:51:09,721 communities here in the United States 1350 00:51:09,721 --> 00:51:12,796 of America and so want to insure one 1351 00:51:12,796 --> 00:51:15,004 that we're letting folks know that 1352 00:51:15,010 --> 00:51:17,915 we have a portfolio of of centers. 1353 00:51:17,920 --> 00:51:20,884 A portfolio of programs and portfolio 1354 00:51:20,884 --> 00:51:23,869 of initiatives designed to support you. 1355 00:51:23,870 --> 00:51:26,582 And you can find out more about all 1356 00:51:26,582 --> 00:51:29,356 of them by going again to sba.gov 1357 00:51:29,356 --> 00:51:31,770 and finding a center near you. 1358 00:51:35,210 --> 00:51:36,064 Thanks Natalie, 1359 00:51:36,064 --> 00:51:38,626 I'm gonna move to Elizabeth and 1360 00:51:38,626 --> 00:51:40,890 Ruth next and then 1361 00:51:40,890 --> 00:51:43,302 I will ask you specific questions 1362 00:51:43,302 --> 00:51:45,360 that we've gotten as well. 1363 00:51:45,360 --> 00:51:47,796 In addition to answering these questions. 1364 00:51:47,800 --> 00:51:49,388 But Elizabeth and Ruth. 1365 00:51:49,388 --> 00:51:51,770 How often is IP actually brought 1366 00:51:51,847 --> 00:51:53,479 up in your discussions? 1367 00:51:53,480 --> 00:51:57,130 And how important do you feel it is to have 1368 00:51:57,220 --> 00:52:00,788 IP as part of a business owners portfolio? 1369 00:52:00,790 --> 00:52:03,316 Does it truly increase the likelihood 1370 00:52:03,320 --> 00:52:04,800 That you will get funding. 1371 00:52:04,800 --> 00:52:06,920 And as Natalie said I mean it does 1372 00:52:06,920 --> 00:52:08,867 reduce the risk for the investor so 1373 00:52:08,867 --> 00:52:11,304 I would like to think that that makes 1374 00:52:11,304 --> 00:52:13,344 it more attractive for the investor. 1375 00:52:13,350 --> 00:52:15,740 So Elizabeth if you could 1376 00:52:15,740 --> 00:52:17,652 start off with that. 1377 00:52:17,660 --> 00:52:20,551 I think it really depends on the 1378 00:52:20,551 --> 00:52:23,043 type of business and it also 1379 00:52:23,043 --> 00:52:25,759 matters not just that you have IP, 1380 00:52:25,760 --> 00:52:29,000 but if somebody else has the IP right? 1381 00:52:29,000 --> 00:52:31,625 So as an investor we're often looking 1382 00:52:31,625 --> 00:52:34,739 for if you're bringing a new technology. 1383 00:52:34,740 --> 00:52:37,785 Or product to market if somebody else 1384 00:52:37,785 --> 00:52:41,270 owns that IP, there's a lot of risk, 1385 00:52:41,270 --> 00:52:41,669 right? 1386 00:52:41,669 --> 00:52:44,462 And funding your company if you don't 1387 00:52:44,462 --> 00:52:47,683 kind of have the legal right of way 1388 00:52:47,683 --> 00:52:50,379 to actually produce and sell that 1389 00:52:50,379 --> 00:52:53,009 product or technology you're creating. 1390 00:52:53,010 --> 00:52:55,620 So I think IP is important, 1391 00:52:55,620 --> 00:52:57,360 and understanding what you're 1392 00:52:57,360 --> 00:52:58,230 actually building. 1393 00:52:58,230 --> 00:52:59,970 What technologically differentiates you, 1394 00:52:59,970 --> 00:53:02,145 what your competitive advantage is? 1395 00:53:02,150 --> 00:53:04,838 Are you able to actually sell? 1396 00:53:04,840 --> 00:53:07,276 In produce what you want to be 1397 00:53:07,276 --> 00:53:09,980 able to get that financing for, 1398 00:53:09,980 --> 00:53:12,548 I think a lot of I've seen just 1399 00:53:12,548 --> 00:53:15,579 in my own experience a lot of 1400 00:53:15,579 --> 00:53:17,879 women business owners do get, 1401 00:53:17,880 --> 00:53:18,586 you know, 1402 00:53:18,586 --> 00:53:20,704 legal sort of threats and orders 1403 00:53:20,704 --> 00:53:22,388 against their trademarks or 1404 00:53:22,388 --> 00:53:24,200 different words they've used, 1405 00:53:24,200 --> 00:53:26,070 or different product they sell 1406 00:53:26,070 --> 00:53:28,805 and that can be really scary for 1407 00:53:28,805 --> 00:53:31,175 a business owner when you haven't 1408 00:53:31,175 --> 00:53:32,890 gone through that before, 1409 00:53:32,890 --> 00:53:35,490 and I think you know. 1410 00:53:35,490 --> 00:53:37,926 Lawyers are here to help you write. 1411 00:53:37,930 --> 00:53:40,149 Understand that and you can find Pro 1412 00:53:40,149 --> 00:53:42,100 Bona resources to understand that. 1413 00:53:42,100 --> 00:53:43,966 But I think also knowing that 1414 00:53:43,966 --> 00:53:45,945 these are things that all business 1415 00:53:45,945 --> 00:53:48,290 owners face at some point in their 1416 00:53:48,290 --> 00:53:50,230 journey because right IP both 1417 00:53:50,230 --> 00:53:52,150 protects your business and protects 1418 00:53:52,150 --> 00:53:53,605 other people's businesses, right? 1419 00:53:53,605 --> 00:53:56,090 And so I think it is something 1420 00:53:56,152 --> 00:53:57,070 to think about. 1421 00:53:57,070 --> 00:53:59,846 It's something to have at top of mind, 1422 00:53:59,850 --> 00:54:01,590 and I think of course, 1423 00:54:01,590 --> 00:54:04,366 if somebody does have a very strong right, 1424 00:54:04,370 --> 00:54:05,540 let's say patent. 1425 00:54:05,540 --> 00:54:06,710 Portfolio that's obviously 1426 00:54:06,710 --> 00:54:08,900 an asset to their business, 1427 00:54:08,900 --> 00:54:11,364 and as an investor you're looking for 1428 00:54:11,364 --> 00:54:13,502 what are the competitive advantages 1429 00:54:13,502 --> 00:54:16,514 of a business you're investing in? 1430 00:54:16,520 --> 00:54:19,348 What are the assets that this business 1431 00:54:19,348 --> 00:54:22,324 owns an can capitalize on and right 1432 00:54:22,324 --> 00:54:25,820 IP is considered an asset in that sense, 1433 00:54:25,820 --> 00:54:27,940 so especially if you are, 1434 00:54:27,940 --> 00:54:28,734 you know, 1435 00:54:28,734 --> 00:54:31,116 a scientific company where you have 1436 00:54:31,116 --> 00:54:33,440 something super innovative and unique. 1437 00:54:33,440 --> 00:54:35,555 I would definitely say patent 1438 00:54:35,555 --> 00:54:37,247 protection is quite valuable. 1439 00:54:39,720 --> 00:54:40,788 Alright, and Ruth, 1440 00:54:40,788 --> 00:54:43,720 do you have anything to add to that? 1441 00:54:43,720 --> 00:54:48,130 Yes. So what we haven't touched on, 1442 00:54:48,130 --> 00:54:50,992 which is the other side of your sort of 1443 00:54:50,992 --> 00:54:53,781 intellectual property, which is your. 1444 00:54:53,781 --> 00:54:58,100 I'm your URL securing the right URLs. 1445 00:54:58,100 --> 00:55:00,215 Your Facebook, LinkedIn, 1446 00:55:00,215 --> 00:55:03,740 Twitter, branding all of the 1447 00:55:03,740 --> 00:55:06,590 branding around social media. 1448 00:55:06,590 --> 00:55:07,806 Email marketing. 1449 00:55:07,806 --> 00:55:11,454 All of those kinds of things, 1450 00:55:11,460 --> 00:55:12,711 anything that somebody 1451 00:55:12,711 --> 00:55:14,379 would Google about you, 1452 00:55:14,380 --> 00:55:16,470 the principles of the company, 1453 00:55:16,470 --> 00:55:18,560 all of those things matter 1454 00:55:18,560 --> 00:55:20,232 in in getting funded, 1455 00:55:20,240 --> 00:55:24,410 and then obviously protecting those things. 1456 00:55:24,410 --> 00:55:26,666 I can't tell you how many times I've 1457 00:55:26,666 --> 00:55:29,059 worked with companies where they have not. 1458 00:55:29,060 --> 00:55:30,300 They've already started down 1459 00:55:30,300 --> 00:55:32,160 this road and they have done. 1460 00:55:32,160 --> 00:55:33,865 Haven't done even those simple 1461 00:55:33,865 --> 00:55:36,171 basic things which are free and we 1462 00:55:36,171 --> 00:55:38,047 would take you know nothing to do, 1463 00:55:38,050 --> 00:55:40,220 but they haven't locked to those in. 1464 00:55:40,220 --> 00:55:42,660 And then when they go to find a set up 1465 00:55:42,726 --> 00:55:45,484 like a LinkedIn profile for their business, 1466 00:55:45,490 --> 00:55:47,040 they realized the name has 1467 00:55:47,040 --> 00:55:48,590 been taken by somebody else. 1468 00:55:48,590 --> 00:55:50,760 And sometimes they're not even using it. 1469 00:55:50,760 --> 00:55:52,260 It's just sitting there. 1470 00:55:52,260 --> 00:55:54,760 So it's really important in addition to. 1471 00:55:54,760 --> 00:55:58,330 The services that we talked about already. 1472 00:55:58,330 --> 00:56:01,680 The Trademark Patent Office offers. 1473 00:56:01,680 --> 00:56:05,226 These other places where your brands 1474 00:56:05,226 --> 00:56:09,670 name resides need to be secured as well. 1475 00:56:09,670 --> 00:56:10,065 Alright, 1476 00:56:10,065 --> 00:56:12,040 thank you Ruth and Corrine. 1477 00:56:12,040 --> 00:56:15,200 If you have anything to add to that, 1478 00:56:15,200 --> 00:56:16,202 please do so, 1479 00:56:16,202 --> 00:56:18,206 but a couple of questions that 1480 00:56:18,206 --> 00:56:20,410 came through with respect to 1481 00:56:20,410 --> 00:56:22,210 businesses and challenges during 1482 00:56:22,210 --> 00:56:24,680 covid and in particular in 2020. 1483 00:56:24,680 --> 00:56:27,242 There are many people who have actually 1484 00:56:27,242 --> 00:56:30,209 lost jobs and their credit was impacted. 1485 00:56:30,210 --> 00:56:33,418 We talked a lot about the importance of 1486 00:56:33,418 --> 00:56:36,269 your credit and how that will increase 1487 00:56:36,269 --> 00:56:39,498 your ability to be able to get funding. 1488 00:56:39,500 --> 00:56:41,810 But are there solutions or resources 1489 00:56:41,810 --> 00:56:43,691 for women entrepreneurs who are 1490 00:56:43,691 --> 00:56:45,630 trying to start a business and they 1491 00:56:45,630 --> 00:56:47,929 do not have a perfect credit score? 1492 00:56:50,940 --> 00:56:53,550 It is so amazing that questions 1493 00:56:53,550 --> 00:56:55,290 timing because my answer 1494 00:56:55,290 --> 00:56:58,770 The first question ties to this as well. 1495 00:56:58,770 --> 00:57:00,078 An intellectual property. 1496 00:57:00,078 --> 00:57:03,560 Ruth touched on this too with URLs, 1497 00:57:03,560 --> 00:57:06,480 but pretty much every business. 1498 00:57:06,480 --> 00:57:08,860 Is going to have some form of 1499 00:57:08,860 --> 00:57:10,330 intellectual property at stake. 1500 00:57:10,330 --> 00:57:13,304 It's the name, it's the logo. It's URL. 1501 00:57:13,304 --> 00:57:15,489 Ruth mentioned it's the recipe. 1502 00:57:15,490 --> 00:57:16,814 Of the hamburger seasoning, 1503 00:57:16,814 --> 00:57:18,469 it's the whatever it is. 1504 00:57:18,470 --> 00:57:19,794 There's always an electoral 1505 00:57:19,794 --> 00:57:20,787 property at stake, 1506 00:57:20,790 --> 00:57:23,150 and so having a plan to protect the 1507 00:57:23,150 --> 00:57:24,801 intellectual property and defend the 1508 00:57:24,801 --> 00:57:26,145 business against encroachment from 1509 00:57:26,145 --> 00:57:28,400 others and also claims of encroachment. 1510 00:57:28,400 --> 00:57:30,068 Super important and I dealt with 1511 00:57:30,068 --> 00:57:32,039 this in my own small business 1512 00:57:32,039 --> 00:57:34,024 which was an advertising agency. 1513 00:57:34,030 --> 00:57:35,680 We were creating marketing campaigns. 1514 00:57:35,680 --> 00:57:36,667 We were creating. 1515 00:57:36,667 --> 00:57:38,970 Brand identity is and this is a 1516 00:57:39,040 --> 00:57:41,352 world that I lived in and so it's 1517 00:57:41,352 --> 00:57:43,501 very much something that the small 1518 00:57:43,501 --> 00:57:45,757 business may not be aware that. 1519 00:57:45,760 --> 00:57:47,758 They will someday be affected by, 1520 00:57:47,760 --> 00:57:50,416 even if they planned not to address it. 1521 00:57:50,420 --> 00:57:52,090 So, just like Ruth said, 1522 00:57:52,090 --> 00:57:55,078 you know failing to plan is planning to fail. 1523 00:57:55,080 --> 00:57:55,772 I've adopted, 1524 00:57:55,772 --> 00:57:57,848 I've coined a new phrase which 1525 00:57:57,848 --> 00:57:59,409 is Plan B is better. 1526 00:57:59,410 --> 00:58:01,444 Most of the businesses come out 1527 00:58:01,444 --> 00:58:03,738 with a plan and you know it. 1528 00:58:03,740 --> 00:58:06,068 That's plan A and they think plan is 1529 00:58:06,068 --> 00:58:08,397 going to be just hugely successful. 1530 00:58:08,400 --> 00:58:10,738 And then they have to change something. 1531 00:58:10,740 --> 00:58:12,636 They have to adapt to their 1532 00:58:12,636 --> 00:58:14,359 environment or the consumer demand 1533 00:58:14,359 --> 00:58:16,369 or some other unknown circumstance. 1534 00:58:16,370 --> 00:58:18,687 And they end up sort of feeling 1535 00:58:18,687 --> 00:58:20,428 like they settled on Plan B, 1536 00:58:20,430 --> 00:58:22,926 but Plan B may be the one that's 1537 00:58:22,926 --> 00:58:23,550 super successful, 1538 00:58:23,550 --> 00:58:25,830 and so I like to remind people Plan 1539 00:58:25,830 --> 00:58:28,540 B is better. And here's where we are. 1540 00:58:28,540 --> 00:58:30,260 We're in this pandemic. 1541 00:58:30,260 --> 00:58:32,410 Small businesses have been challenged. 1542 00:58:32,410 --> 00:58:33,742 They may be closing. 1543 00:58:33,742 --> 00:58:36,520 They may have to be reinventing themselves. 1544 00:58:36,520 --> 00:58:38,806 This is their chance to develop 1545 00:58:38,806 --> 00:58:41,388 Plan B and Plan B is better. 1546 00:58:41,390 --> 00:58:43,628 Plan B is better because it's 1547 00:58:43,628 --> 00:58:44,374 better informed. 1548 00:58:44,380 --> 00:58:48,120 It's more wise it it has a sense of 1549 00:58:48,120 --> 00:58:49,985 Here's why it's so important 1550 00:58:49,985 --> 00:58:51,477 for me to succeed, 1551 00:58:51,480 --> 00:58:53,730 and so there's a new motivation 1552 00:58:53,730 --> 00:58:54,854 and excitement, enthusiasm, 1553 00:58:54,854 --> 00:58:56,724 and so for the business 1554 00:58:56,724 --> 00:58:58,220 who suffered a challenge, 1555 00:58:58,220 --> 00:59:00,590 who suffered a set back. 1556 00:59:00,590 --> 00:59:02,522 It's OK 'cause Plan B is better 1557 00:59:02,522 --> 00:59:04,425 and we want to build resiliency 1558 00:59:04,425 --> 00:59:06,763 into that new plan and that does 1559 00:59:06,836 --> 00:59:09,086 include addressing access or sorry, 1560 00:59:09,090 --> 00:59:10,197 the addressing intellectual 1561 00:59:10,197 --> 00:59:12,411 property and so it was funny 1562 00:59:12,411 --> 00:59:14,228 because while Ruth was talking I 1563 00:59:14,228 --> 00:59:16,414 did just a quick Google search and 1564 00:59:16,414 --> 00:59:18,269 I looked up intellectual property, 1565 00:59:18,270 --> 00:59:20,220 women's business center just to see 1566 00:59:20,220 --> 00:59:22,544 who out there in the 135 centers 1567 00:59:22,544 --> 00:59:24,458 is doing training on this right 1568 00:59:24,458 --> 00:59:27,013 now and I found a new women's 1569 00:59:27,013 --> 00:59:28,461 business center who's partnering 1570 00:59:28,470 --> 00:59:30,780 with several of the community. 1571 00:59:30,780 --> 00:59:32,510 Organizations in in their community 1572 00:59:32,510 --> 00:59:35,043 is offering a whole series on how to 1573 00:59:35,043 --> 00:59:36,765 be resilient and guess what one of 1574 00:59:36,823 --> 00:59:39,169 the weeks workshops is is completely 1575 00:59:39,169 --> 00:59:40,733 devoted to intellectual property. 1576 00:59:40,740 --> 00:59:43,476 It's so important as part of that planning 1577 00:59:43,476 --> 00:59:45,716 process here in this pandemic or not, 1578 00:59:45,720 --> 00:59:47,430 that that the Women's business 1579 00:59:47,430 --> 00:59:49,140 center devoted entire week to 1580 00:59:49,199 --> 00:59:51,350 it. And so every women's business center 1581 00:59:51,350 --> 00:59:53,359 should have some form of support. 1582 00:59:53,360 --> 00:59:56,168 Whether it's counseling or a training 1583 00:59:56,168 --> 00:59:58,499 workshop that's just sitting there 1584 00:59:58,499 --> 01:00:00,809 and waiting for you to register. 1585 01:00:00,810 --> 01:00:03,148 Thanks, Corrine And. I know it's at 1586 01:00:03,148 --> 01:00:05,190 the beginning of the hour again, 1587 01:00:05,190 --> 01:00:07,362 and but Natalie actually has another 1588 01:00:07,362 --> 01:00:09,568 engagement that she needs to jump to 1589 01:00:09,570 --> 01:00:12,603 So Natalie thank you so much for joining us. 1590 01:00:12,610 --> 01:00:14,668 We really appreciate the words of 1591 01:00:14,668 --> 01:00:17,319 wisdom that you have given us for today. 1592 01:00:17,320 --> 01:00:19,055 Absolutely, I'm grateful to have 1593 01:00:19,055 --> 01:00:21,485 been here and to have shared the 1594 01:00:21,485 --> 01:00:23,045 stage with each of you. 1595 01:00:23,050 --> 01:00:24,740 Thank you for having me. 1596 01:00:27,600 --> 01:00:31,520 Alright, and so let's move on to another 1597 01:00:31,520 --> 01:00:35,381 segment and that let's continue to talk 1598 01:00:35,381 --> 01:00:39,535 about what else business owners can do to 1599 01:00:39,535 --> 01:00:43,006 set themselves up and place them in the 1600 01:00:43,006 --> 01:00:46,974 best position to go ahead and get funding. 1601 01:00:46,980 --> 01:00:48,968 And specifically without any 1602 01:00:48,968 --> 01:00:50,956 purpose of stereotyping. 1603 01:00:50,960 --> 01:00:54,158 How do women owned businesses differentiate 1604 01:00:54,158 --> 01:00:57,070 themselves from other businesses to obtain 1605 01:00:57,070 --> 01:01:00,182 Funding? Is owning a business as a woman 1606 01:01:00,182 --> 01:01:02,366 generally an advantage or disadvantage 1607 01:01:02,366 --> 01:01:05,893 an are there niche areas that you suggest 1608 01:01:05,893 --> 01:01:08,765 women get into that are not seeing a 1609 01:01:08,765 --> 01:01:10,758 lot of women business participation? 1610 01:01:10,758 --> 01:01:13,650 And I'm actually going to start with 1611 01:01:13,650 --> 01:01:15,560 Ruth on this specific question. 1612 01:01:18,510 --> 01:01:21,849 I mean look women have gotten the short end 1613 01:01:21,849 --> 01:01:25,529 of the stick in this country on everything. 1614 01:01:25,530 --> 01:01:28,882 I just read an article the other day 1615 01:01:28,882 --> 01:01:32,190 that said that women need that one in 1616 01:01:32,190 --> 01:01:35,858 five or 20% of women compared to one in 1617 01:01:35,858 --> 01:01:39,030 three or 30% of men make investments in 1618 01:01:39,030 --> 01:01:42,460 in in the stock market in anything. Women, 1619 01:01:42,460 --> 01:01:45,358 That is one way to create wealth. 1620 01:01:45,360 --> 01:01:47,958 That is one way to create 1621 01:01:47,958 --> 01:01:48,824 generational wealth. 1622 01:01:48,830 --> 01:01:51,678 And that is one way to create wealth 1623 01:01:51,678 --> 01:01:53,560 to invest in a business. 1624 01:01:53,560 --> 01:01:55,486 If you're not doing any of 1625 01:01:55,486 --> 01:01:56,770 that over your lifetime, 1626 01:01:56,770 --> 01:01:58,982 you are losing out on creating that 1627 01:01:58,982 --> 01:02:01,259 kind of wealth that could help you. 1628 01:02:01,260 --> 01:02:02,223 At some point, 1629 01:02:02,223 --> 01:02:04,470 if you needed to launch a business. 1630 01:02:04,470 --> 01:02:07,210 I mean during this pandemic. 1631 01:02:07,210 --> 01:02:09,450 People had to tap into their 401K 1632 01:02:09,450 --> 01:02:12,045 plans to get access to capital for 1633 01:02:12,045 --> 01:02:14,385 their business to start a business 1634 01:02:14,456 --> 01:02:16,794 'cause they lost their job and that 1635 01:02:16,794 --> 01:02:19,260 was the only way that they could 1636 01:02:19,260 --> 01:02:21,450 build an income and sell their 1637 01:02:21,524 --> 01:02:23,820 homes and live in their cars and 1638 01:02:23,820 --> 01:02:26,267 do all kinds of you know really, 1639 01:02:26,270 --> 01:02:28,040 really sad and bad things. 1640 01:02:28,040 --> 01:02:28,961 And you know, 1641 01:02:28,961 --> 01:02:31,110 I wanted to to talk about this 1642 01:02:31,186 --> 01:02:33,141 quote from Vice President Kamala 1643 01:02:33,141 --> 01:02:35,450 Harris just a few weeks ago. 1644 01:02:35,450 --> 01:02:35,803 She, 1645 01:02:35,803 --> 01:02:38,980 she wrote an Op Ed in the Washington Post. 1646 01:02:38,980 --> 01:02:42,229 I believe it was and she said in February 1647 01:02:42,230 --> 01:02:45,079 2025 million women were business owners by 1648 01:02:45,079 --> 01:02:48,409 April one and four had closed their doors, 1649 01:02:48,410 --> 01:02:50,786 about 2.5 million women have lost 1650 01:02:50,786 --> 01:02:53,717 their jobs or dropped out of the 1651 01:02:53,717 --> 01:02:55,405 workforce during the pandemic. 1652 01:02:55,410 --> 01:02:58,294 That's enough to fill 40 football stadiums. 1653 01:02:58,300 --> 01:03:00,750 This mass exodus of women from the 1654 01:03:00,750 --> 01:03:03,240 workforce is a national emergency, 1655 01:03:03,240 --> 01:03:05,706 and it demands a national solution. 1656 01:03:05,710 --> 01:03:06,841 And you know, 1657 01:03:06,841 --> 01:03:07,218 we, 1658 01:03:07,218 --> 01:03:09,103 that's why we're launching Rise 1659 01:03:09,103 --> 01:03:10,939 of crowdfunding because we're 1660 01:03:10,939 --> 01:03:13,249 going to focus on women. 1661 01:03:13,250 --> 01:03:14,734 And minorities and veterans 1662 01:03:14,734 --> 01:03:17,524 and LGBT and all of the diverse 1663 01:03:17,524 --> 01:03:19,472 communities that have historically 1664 01:03:19,472 --> 01:03:22,280 been left out of funding 1665 01:03:22,280 --> 01:03:25,502 And we're changing the way we look at this 1666 01:03:25,502 --> 01:03:28,376 because we have looked at this lopsidedly, 1667 01:03:28,380 --> 01:03:30,474 which is that we have to 1668 01:03:30,474 --> 01:03:32,570 go to a funding source. 1669 01:03:32,570 --> 01:03:34,470 We are the funding source. 1670 01:03:34,470 --> 01:03:35,994 Crowdfunding is the crowd. 1671 01:03:35,994 --> 01:03:38,280 The crowd when they say crowdfunding, 1672 01:03:38,280 --> 01:03:39,804 it's all of us. 1673 01:03:39,804 --> 01:03:40,947 So you know, 1674 01:03:40,950 --> 01:03:43,818 we're really excited and hopeful to 1675 01:03:43,818 --> 01:03:46,233 really change this entire process 1676 01:03:46,233 --> 01:03:49,194 where somebody comes up with an idea 1677 01:03:49,194 --> 01:03:52,156 and where do they go to get funding? 1678 01:03:52,160 --> 01:03:54,072 Or they feel like they have to go 1679 01:03:54,072 --> 01:03:55,349 somewhere else to get funding, 1680 01:03:55,350 --> 01:03:56,820 but they're actually surrounded by funding. 1681 01:03:56,820 --> 01:03:58,212 They just don't understand the process 1682 01:03:58,212 --> 01:03:59,998 on how to tap into that funding. 1683 01:04:02,830 --> 01:04:04,285 Thanks, Ruth, Elizabeth 1684 01:04:04,285 --> 01:04:07,195 Do you have anything to add? 1685 01:04:07,200 --> 01:04:10,096 Yeah, I wanna take this at a little 1686 01:04:10,096 --> 01:04:12,798 bit more of an optimistic angle, 1687 01:04:12,800 --> 01:04:16,120 so just what we've seen we've made over 1688 01:04:16,120 --> 01:04:18,796 90 investments in the past five years. 1689 01:04:18,800 --> 01:04:21,920 And we've built a portfolio of women lead 1690 01:04:21,920 --> 01:04:23,574 businesses that's actually performing 1691 01:04:23,574 --> 01:04:26,395 at the top decile in the industry. 1692 01:04:26,400 --> 01:04:28,800 There hasn't been in venture capital. 1693 01:04:28,800 --> 01:04:31,200 Many firms that have invested in 1694 01:04:31,200 --> 01:04:32,800 majority women lead businesses, 1695 01:04:32,800 --> 01:04:35,579 so it's amazing to see the data 1696 01:04:35,579 --> 01:04:38,069 that even when you do invest. 1697 01:04:38,070 --> 01:04:40,045 In an entire portfolio of 1698 01:04:40,045 --> 01:04:41,230 women lead businesses, 1699 01:04:41,230 --> 01:04:43,600 you can actually outperform the market. 1700 01:04:43,600 --> 01:04:45,970 So as a woman business owner, 1701 01:04:45,970 --> 01:04:48,706 I think a lot of us right take 1702 01:04:48,706 --> 01:04:51,256 problems we see in our everyday 1703 01:04:51,256 --> 01:04:53,476 lives and find really unique. 1704 01:04:53,480 --> 01:04:55,760 An inventive solutions to help yourselves 1705 01:04:55,760 --> 01:04:58,609 and to help others in your communities. 1706 01:04:58,610 --> 01:05:00,806 And that's part of what you're 1707 01:05:00,806 --> 01:05:02,960 doing by building this business, 1708 01:05:02,960 --> 01:05:05,592 and I think that's the power we 1709 01:05:05,592 --> 01:05:07,706 really have as women, right? 1710 01:05:07,706 --> 01:05:09,736 As being intuitive, being empathetic. 1711 01:05:09,740 --> 01:05:11,184 Understanding what really needs 1712 01:05:11,184 --> 01:05:13,350 to happen in our communities and 1713 01:05:13,414 --> 01:05:15,279 how our businesses conserve them. 1714 01:05:15,280 --> 01:05:17,488 And so my advice would be, 1715 01:05:17,490 --> 01:05:18,184 you know, 1716 01:05:18,184 --> 01:05:20,613 continue on your path even when it 1717 01:05:20,613 --> 01:05:23,020 gets hard or there are obstacles, 1718 01:05:23,020 --> 01:05:24,970 because there is an incredible 1719 01:05:24,970 --> 01:05:28,077 amount of value that we can create as 1720 01:05:28,077 --> 01:05:30,604 women and that we should be creating 1721 01:05:30,678 --> 01:05:32,988 as women and that can be really, 1722 01:05:32,990 --> 01:05:33,696 really powerful. 1723 01:05:33,696 --> 01:05:36,972 Part of the reason that I do what I 1724 01:05:36,972 --> 01:05:39,625 do is through the investments we've made. 1725 01:05:39,630 --> 01:05:40,998 There's been over 2500. 1726 01:05:40,998 --> 01:05:43,050 New jobs created by these women 1727 01:05:43,120 --> 01:05:44,180 business leaders. 1728 01:05:44,180 --> 01:05:46,070 And that's just the start, 1729 01:05:46,070 --> 01:05:48,716 we're only a few years in right, 1730 01:05:48,720 --> 01:05:51,359 but I think when you're a woman 1731 01:05:51,359 --> 01:05:52,113 business owner, 1732 01:05:52,120 --> 01:05:54,382 you get to decide the culture 1733 01:05:54,382 --> 01:05:55,513 of your company. 1734 01:05:55,520 --> 01:05:57,976 You get to decide if you want right 1735 01:05:57,976 --> 01:05:59,908 to have an inclusive workforce 1736 01:05:59,908 --> 01:06:02,392 and culture and how you create 1737 01:06:02,392 --> 01:06:04,600 that within your own company. 1738 01:06:04,600 --> 01:06:07,057 And I'm really optimistic as we have 1739 01:06:07,057 --> 01:06:09,008 more women leaders leading these 1740 01:06:09,008 --> 01:06:11,498 companies that we can actually create a 1741 01:06:11,500 --> 01:06:13,265 Much more equitable and inclusive 1742 01:06:13,265 --> 01:06:15,501 workforce that will be better for 1743 01:06:15,501 --> 01:06:17,157 ourselves and future generations, 1744 01:06:17,160 --> 01:06:19,813 and I think that's really the power 1745 01:06:19,813 --> 01:06:22,466 you have as a woman, business owner. 1746 01:06:22,466 --> 01:06:24,824 And I would really encourage you 1747 01:06:24,824 --> 01:06:27,440 all to harness it an even when 1748 01:06:27,440 --> 01:06:28,840 the days get really, 1749 01:06:28,840 --> 01:06:31,276 really tough to just keep pushing 1750 01:06:31,276 --> 01:06:34,059 and keep going because what each of 1751 01:06:34,059 --> 01:06:36,231 you are doing is really important 1752 01:06:36,231 --> 01:06:39,106 and you know there's a lot of people 1753 01:06:39,106 --> 01:06:41,698 that are trying to build support systems. 1754 01:06:41,698 --> 01:06:44,020 Like ourselves and the other panelists 1755 01:06:44,089 --> 01:06:46,630 on this call to really support women 1756 01:06:46,630 --> 01:06:48,270 entrepreneurs and their journey. 1757 01:06:48,270 --> 01:06:52,020 And we're here for you and we want you to, 1758 01:06:52,020 --> 01:06:52,806 you know, 1759 01:06:52,806 --> 01:06:55,164 win and create the things that 1760 01:06:55,164 --> 01:06:56,520 you want to do. 1761 01:06:56,520 --> 01:07:00,139 So I want to just give it a little bit more 1762 01:07:00,139 --> 01:07:03,268 of an optimistic lens because there is, 1763 01:07:03,270 --> 01:07:04,016 you know, 1764 01:07:04,016 --> 01:07:06,254 this newgard of women LED businesses 1765 01:07:06,254 --> 01:07:08,234 that are thriving and overcoming 1766 01:07:08,234 --> 01:07:10,943 the obstacles that all of us face 1767 01:07:11,011 --> 01:07:13,524 and we just need to be right 1768 01:07:13,524 --> 01:07:14,601 resilient and tenacious. 1769 01:07:14,610 --> 01:07:17,666 Because there needs to be more of us, 1770 01:07:17,670 --> 01:07:20,850 and when there is more of us we can do 1771 01:07:20,937 --> 01:07:24,537 things like re invest that wealth into you 1772 01:07:24,540 --> 01:07:25,686 Know, crowdfunding campaigns 1773 01:07:25,686 --> 01:07:27,596 of other women LED businesses, 1774 01:07:27,600 --> 01:07:29,980 we can Angel invest into other women 1775 01:07:29,980 --> 01:07:31,879 LED businesses and become investors 1776 01:07:31,879 --> 01:07:34,327 ourselves as we've created that own 1777 01:07:34,327 --> 01:07:36,378 wealth within our own businesses. 1778 01:07:36,380 --> 01:07:38,678 So keep going and you know, 1779 01:07:38,680 --> 01:07:42,054 know that your intuition and your unique 1780 01:07:42,054 --> 01:07:45,369 perspective is really valuable and important. 1781 01:07:45,370 --> 01:07:46,423 Thank you Elizabeth. 1782 01:07:46,423 --> 01:07:49,480 And so before I move on to Corrine, 1783 01:07:49,480 --> 01:07:52,007 I wanted to remind everyone to continue 1784 01:07:52,007 --> 01:07:54,895 to please send your questions in and that 1785 01:07:54,895 --> 01:07:57,710 we can continue to answer your questions. 1786 01:07:57,710 --> 01:08:00,788 We have about 10 more minutes or actually 7 1787 01:08:00,788 --> 01:08:03,496 minutes in this particular program and so 1788 01:08:03,496 --> 01:08:06,310 please continue to send in your questions. 1789 01:08:06,310 --> 01:08:07,156 So Corrine. 1790 01:08:07,156 --> 01:08:10,540 Do you have anything else to add to 1791 01:08:10,639 --> 01:08:13,765 what Elizabeth and Ruth have said? 1792 01:08:13,770 --> 01:08:16,227 No, I I love what's already been 1793 01:08:16,227 --> 01:08:18,105 said and especially the optimism 1794 01:08:18,105 --> 01:08:19,985 and Elizabeth is so right. 1795 01:08:19,990 --> 01:08:22,041 That's where I want to connect is 1796 01:08:22,041 --> 01:08:24,415 that there are more women entering 1797 01:08:24,415 --> 01:08:25,849 the entrepreneurship cycle. 1798 01:08:25,850 --> 01:08:27,720 Right now they're they're exiting 1799 01:08:27,720 --> 01:08:29,216 the workforce because they're 1800 01:08:29,216 --> 01:08:30,970 finding it's not flexible enough. 1801 01:08:30,970 --> 01:08:32,800 They're looking to have more 1802 01:08:32,800 --> 01:08:34,264 control over their destiny. 1803 01:08:34,270 --> 01:08:36,874 They're looking to take part in the 1804 01:08:36,874 --> 01:08:38,659 entrepreneurial dream more than ever, 1805 01:08:38,660 --> 01:08:40,942 and so we are seeing more opportunities 1806 01:08:40,942 --> 01:08:43,618 for women who are entering into spaces 1807 01:08:43,618 --> 01:08:46,060 that are traditionally occupied by women. 1808 01:08:46,060 --> 01:08:48,448 And not traditionally occupied by women, 1809 01:08:48,450 --> 01:08:51,880 you asked what were some of the 1810 01:08:51,880 --> 01:08:55,148 areas where we're not seeing women? 1811 01:08:55,150 --> 01:08:55,519 Traditionally, 1812 01:08:55,519 --> 01:08:57,733 we haven't been seeing very many 1813 01:08:57,733 --> 01:09:00,030 in the defense contracting space, 1814 01:09:00,030 --> 01:09:02,280 for example, and really quite frankly, 1815 01:09:02,280 --> 01:09:04,314 federal contracting is still one 1816 01:09:04,314 --> 01:09:06,958 of the areas that there's so much 1817 01:09:06,958 --> 01:09:09,394 opportunity there set asides for women. 1818 01:09:09,400 --> 01:09:11,450 Business is going through the 1819 01:09:11,450 --> 01:09:14,244 SBA's program to be certified as a 1820 01:09:14,244 --> 01:09:16,248 woman owned small business is just 1821 01:09:16,248 --> 01:09:18,030 one step of the process. 1822 01:09:18,030 --> 01:09:19,530 There are other opportunities 1823 01:09:19,530 --> 01:09:21,030 out there as well, 1824 01:09:21,030 --> 01:09:23,280 to be a sub contractor before 1825 01:09:23,280 --> 01:09:25,077 ever becoming a prime, but. 1826 01:09:25,077 --> 01:09:26,562 But I wouldn't necessarily go 1827 01:09:26,562 --> 01:09:28,045 after an industry just because 1828 01:09:28,045 --> 01:09:29,989 there aren't a lot of women in it. 1829 01:09:29,990 --> 01:09:32,078 I think if that's where the drive is, 1830 01:09:32,080 --> 01:09:33,646 and that's where the talent is, 1831 01:09:33,650 --> 01:09:35,228 then that's where you should go. 1832 01:09:35,230 --> 01:09:36,742 But we are seeing more and 1833 01:09:36,742 --> 01:09:38,110 more women occupy those areas, 1834 01:09:38,110 --> 01:09:38,890 and that's exciting. 1835 01:09:47,580 --> 01:09:48,840 Hope I think you're on mute. 1836 01:09:52,530 --> 01:09:54,510 OK sorry, thank you, Corrine. 1837 01:09:54,510 --> 01:09:57,542 Let's move on to a couple of success 1838 01:09:57,542 --> 01:10:00,600 stories and I think success stories are 1839 01:10:00,600 --> 01:10:02,994 Things that all of you have experienced, 1840 01:10:03,000 --> 01:10:04,715 and so we're going to 1841 01:10:04,715 --> 01:10:06,087 actually start with you Corrine. 1842 01:10:06,090 --> 01:10:07,992 What are some of the success 1843 01:10:07,992 --> 01:10:10,341 stories that you can share and what 1844 01:10:10,341 --> 01:10:12,363 do you think made their funding 1845 01:10:12,363 --> 01:10:14,317 story of particular a success? 1846 01:10:16,470 --> 01:10:19,215 Yeah, so I I spent in preparing for this 1847 01:10:19,215 --> 01:10:21,649 panel today preparing for all of you. 1848 01:10:21,650 --> 01:10:23,535 I looked through literally hundreds 1849 01:10:23,535 --> 01:10:25,767 of success stories because I wanted 1850 01:10:25,767 --> 01:10:28,071 to find the right one that I thought 1851 01:10:28,071 --> 01:10:30,189 spoke to all of the the greatest 1852 01:10:30,189 --> 01:10:32,294 strengths of this panel and the message 1853 01:10:32,294 --> 01:10:34,850 is today an I found the perfect one 1854 01:10:34,850 --> 01:10:37,146 and you can actually see their website 1855 01:10:37,146 --> 01:10:39,477 and see that there in the middle 1856 01:10:39,477 --> 01:10:41,435 route of a crowd funding campaign 1857 01:10:41,435 --> 01:10:43,505 Right now it's an equity crowdfunding 1858 01:10:43,505 --> 01:10:45,570 campaign and the company is called 1859 01:10:45,570 --> 01:10:48,562 Neboso N like Nancy AB like Boy 1860 01:10:48,562 --> 01:10:51,765 OS like Sam o.com Novo so no Boso 1861 01:10:51,765 --> 01:10:54,832 was started by a woman who was 1862 01:10:54,832 --> 01:10:58,101 inspired by her drive to be healthy. 1863 01:10:58,110 --> 01:11:00,225 Her travels an understanding that 1864 01:11:00,225 --> 01:11:02,792 stimulating our bodies is what stimulates 1865 01:11:02,792 --> 01:11:05,473 our nervous system can make us healthier 1866 01:11:05,473 --> 01:11:08,556 and so she created these really exciting. 1867 01:11:08,560 --> 01:11:12,142 I don't know how to describe it like a 1868 01:11:12,142 --> 01:11:15,718 bumpy texture to an insole in your shoe. 1869 01:11:15,720 --> 01:11:17,936 Or a bumpy texture on a floor mat 1870 01:11:17,936 --> 01:11:20,680 or a floor tile standing on those 1871 01:11:20,680 --> 01:11:22,368 makes you stand taller, 1872 01:11:22,370 --> 01:11:24,120 it it corrects your posture, 1873 01:11:24,120 --> 01:11:24,993 it can it. 1874 01:11:24,993 --> 01:11:27,774 She has all kinds of blogs and all kinds 1875 01:11:27,774 --> 01:11:30,446 of studies out there about how it can 1876 01:11:30,518 --> 01:11:33,218 help with neuropathy with oh children. 1877 01:11:33,220 --> 01:11:35,320 It helps them with their brain, 1878 01:11:35,320 --> 01:11:37,770 you know, signals and learning to walk. 1879 01:11:37,770 --> 01:11:39,520 It can help with therapy. 1880 01:11:39,520 --> 01:11:40,920 Recovering from an injury. 1881 01:11:40,920 --> 01:11:42,670 It can help with athletes. 1882 01:11:42,670 --> 01:11:44,992 There are all types of different 1883 01:11:44,992 --> 01:11:47,109 textures and things to try so. 1884 01:11:47,110 --> 01:11:49,679 Here we are a woman who's got 1885 01:11:49,679 --> 01:11:51,250 something that's registered with 1886 01:11:51,250 --> 01:11:53,235 your office that she's designed 1887 01:11:53,240 --> 01:11:53,978 The product. 1888 01:11:53,978 --> 01:11:56,192 She's launched it and just like 1889 01:11:56,192 --> 01:11:57,450 Elizabeth mentioned earlier, 1890 01:11:57,450 --> 01:11:59,772 typically the small business owners going 1891 01:11:59,772 --> 01:12:02,429 to cycle through many forms of capital. 1892 01:12:02,430 --> 01:12:04,644 That's exactly what Doctor Emily did 1893 01:12:04,644 --> 01:12:07,030 when she started out her business. 1894 01:12:07,030 --> 01:12:08,176 She bootstrapped it. 1895 01:12:08,176 --> 01:12:10,086 She got money from family. 1896 01:12:10,090 --> 01:12:12,178 She did everything that it took 1897 01:12:12,178 --> 01:12:14,689 to scrape money in borrowed money. 1898 01:12:14,690 --> 01:12:17,476 She got the idle loan from SBA. 1899 01:12:17,480 --> 01:12:18,680 Get the forgiveable loan. 1900 01:12:18,680 --> 01:12:20,480 And now she's in a live 1901 01:12:20,549 --> 01:12:21,899 crowdfunding campaign, 1902 01:12:21,900 --> 01:12:24,672 and so you can actually go to her website. 1903 01:12:24,680 --> 01:12:26,864 And if you just wanted to see what 1904 01:12:26,864 --> 01:12:29,185 one looks like and see some of the 1905 01:12:29,185 --> 01:12:31,450 things that have been referenced today, 1906 01:12:31,450 --> 01:12:32,142 like valuations, 1907 01:12:32,142 --> 01:12:32,488 etc, 1908 01:12:32,488 --> 01:12:34,910 can actually go through her website and 1909 01:12:34,972 --> 01:12:37,196 click at the very top banner where it 1910 01:12:37,196 --> 01:12:39,457 says invest it in the future of movement 1911 01:12:39,460 --> 01:12:40,995 And I'm not suggesting that 1912 01:12:40,995 --> 01:12:41,916 you necessarily invest, 1913 01:12:41,920 --> 01:12:43,873 but you just Scroll down and see 1914 01:12:43,873 --> 01:12:45,928 like how does she market herself? 1915 01:12:45,930 --> 01:12:47,778 How does she tell her story? 1916 01:12:47,780 --> 01:12:50,240 How does she talk about what 1917 01:12:50,240 --> 01:12:51,880 the investment perks are? 1918 01:12:51,880 --> 01:12:54,616 You know how many shares did she sell? 1919 01:12:54,620 --> 01:12:56,340 Then she weaves in Prot. 1920 01:12:56,340 --> 01:12:58,440 You know product messages and she 1921 01:12:58,440 --> 01:13:00,539 goes into the history and talks 1922 01:13:00,539 --> 01:13:02,447 about the successes and and how 1923 01:13:02,447 --> 01:13:04,228 much her company is grown. 1924 01:13:04,230 --> 01:13:06,975 She's up 68% growth in revenue and so I 1925 01:13:06,975 --> 01:13:09,715 just think she's got a really colorful, 1926 01:13:09,720 --> 01:13:11,430 appealing and a success story. 1927 01:13:11,430 --> 01:13:13,056 You can walk away with and 1928 01:13:13,056 --> 01:13:14,140 say that's what a 1929 01:13:14,203 --> 01:13:16,702 woman owned business who went to a 1930 01:13:16,702 --> 01:13:18,614 women's business center has walked 1931 01:13:18,614 --> 01:13:20,942 away with a really smart crowdfunding 1932 01:13:20,942 --> 01:13:22,749 campaign who's obviously super successful. 1933 01:13:24,790 --> 01:13:27,814 Thanks Corrine and my mom would be very 1934 01:13:27,814 --> 01:13:30,757 proud for me to be able to stand tall 1935 01:13:30,757 --> 01:13:33,374 when I wear those shoes that she's 1936 01:13:33,374 --> 01:13:36,198 always telling me to have good posture. 1937 01:13:36,198 --> 01:13:38,038 So over to you Ruth. 1938 01:13:38,040 --> 01:13:40,441 Do you have any success stories that 1939 01:13:40,441 --> 01:13:43,190 you can share with our audience today? 1940 01:13:43,190 --> 01:13:46,126 Yeah, so I have a really great one. 1941 01:13:46,130 --> 01:13:47,970 It's a Hispanic female founder. 1942 01:13:47,970 --> 01:13:49,810 Her name is Liz Vilardi. 1943 01:13:49,810 --> 01:13:51,590 She created a company called 1944 01:13:51,590 --> 01:13:54,207 Delete and they raised more than a 1945 01:13:54,207 --> 01:13:56,117 billion dollars using equity crowd. 1946 01:13:56,120 --> 01:13:57,776 Anything under regulation, 1947 01:13:57,776 --> 01:14:00,536 CF to improve cancer detection, 1948 01:14:00,540 --> 01:14:04,062 Delete developed a device called cyto 1949 01:14:04,062 --> 01:14:07,646 catch it enables doctors to monitor 1950 01:14:07,646 --> 01:14:10,486 cancer cells in their patients. 1951 01:14:10,490 --> 01:14:13,675 The device finds and displays tumor cells, 1952 01:14:13,680 --> 01:14:15,790 which gives oncologist a more 1953 01:14:15,790 --> 01:14:18,494 complete image of the tumor and 1954 01:14:18,494 --> 01:14:20,048 it's possible mutations. 1955 01:14:20,050 --> 01:14:22,198 This technology makes diagnosis 1956 01:14:22,198 --> 01:14:24,346 and personalized therapy possible 1957 01:14:24,346 --> 01:14:26,663 and assist with the effectiveness 1958 01:14:26,663 --> 01:14:28,997 of early treatment so you know 1959 01:14:28,997 --> 01:14:31,576 a lot of people's perception of 1960 01:14:31,576 --> 01:14:34,103 crowdfunding has come from the ether. 1961 01:14:34,103 --> 01:14:38,346 The gofund me world where a lot of people 1962 01:14:38,346 --> 01:14:41,958 use it for emergencies or crisis or 1963 01:14:41,960 --> 01:14:43,650 You know the Boston bombing? 1964 01:14:43,650 --> 01:14:44,658 I mean, Katrina, 1965 01:14:44,658 --> 01:14:45,666 you name it. 1966 01:14:45,670 --> 01:14:47,938 People go to gofund me and or they 1967 01:14:47,938 --> 01:14:50,332 are familiar with the reward base 1968 01:14:50,332 --> 01:14:52,402 which is Kickstarter and Indigogo. 1969 01:14:52,410 --> 01:14:55,532 But they don't realize that now with 1970 01:14:55,532 --> 01:14:57,939 equity crowdfunding as of last week. 1971 01:14:57,940 --> 01:15:01,812 Women and men can raise up to $5 1972 01:15:01,812 --> 01:15:05,671 million using Regulation CF and up to 1973 01:15:05,671 --> 01:15:09,951 $75 million using reggae plus so very 1974 01:15:09,951 --> 01:15:13,406 sophisticated companies with great IP, 1975 01:15:13,410 --> 01:15:14,450 for example, 1976 01:15:14,450 --> 01:15:17,570 can now go onto these platforms 1977 01:15:17,570 --> 01:15:21,219 and raise serious money to help 1978 01:15:21,219 --> 01:15:23,723 advance their medical devices, 1979 01:15:23,730 --> 01:15:26,020 Their technology, 1980 01:15:26,020 --> 01:15:27,547 A franchise larger, 1981 01:15:27,547 --> 01:15:30,092 more established operations that they 1982 01:15:30,092 --> 01:15:33,176 may have historically had to go to a 1983 01:15:33,176 --> 01:15:36,411 bank for a loan or lease, or an Angel. 1984 01:15:36,411 --> 01:15:38,673 So we're really excited about the 1985 01:15:38,673 --> 01:15:40,758 future of equity crowdfunding, 1986 01:15:40,760 --> 01:15:45,070 especially for women and minorities, because. 1987 01:15:45,070 --> 01:15:46,320 The world is their oyster. 1988 01:15:46,320 --> 01:15:48,070 I mean this. This is a process. 1989 01:15:48,070 --> 01:15:49,320 If you do the work, 1990 01:15:49,320 --> 01:15:50,820 you have a much greater chance 1991 01:15:50,820 --> 01:15:51,820 of raising the money. 1992 01:15:54,130 --> 01:15:55,640 Thank you Ruth And Elizabeth. 1993 01:15:55,640 --> 01:15:57,888 You get us get around us out as 1994 01:15:57,888 --> 01:16:00,446 we are at the end of our program, 1995 01:16:00,450 --> 01:16:02,604 so if you wouldn't mind sharing 1996 01:16:02,604 --> 01:16:05,248 the success story in any last words 1997 01:16:05,248 --> 01:16:07,143 that you might possibly have. 1998 01:16:07,150 --> 01:16:09,208 Amazing, I'd love to share success 1999 01:16:09,208 --> 01:16:12,164 story kind of building off of Ruth And 2000 01:16:12,164 --> 01:16:14,069 individuals serving the cancer community. 2001 01:16:14,070 --> 01:16:16,408 We have a company in our portfolio 2002 01:16:16,408 --> 01:16:18,070 called Cherry Blossom Intimates. 2003 01:16:18,070 --> 01:16:20,618 It was founded by two black women, 2004 01:16:20,620 --> 01:16:21,649 Doctor Regina Hampton, 2005 01:16:21,649 --> 01:16:24,884 who was one of the first black women to 2006 01:16:24,884 --> 01:16:27,170 actually have her own surgical center. 2007 01:16:27,170 --> 01:16:28,985 She's a breast cancer surgeon 2008 01:16:28,985 --> 01:16:30,074 and Jasmine Jones, 2009 01:16:30,080 --> 01:16:33,440 who she was actually Miss DC. 2010 01:16:33,440 --> 01:16:36,536 And the two of them have created this 2011 01:16:36,536 --> 01:16:38,322 incredibly innovative company that 2012 01:16:38,322 --> 01:16:40,667 serves women breast cancer survivors, 2013 01:16:40,670 --> 01:16:43,774 so they are able to create 3D printed 2014 01:16:43,774 --> 01:16:45,989 prosthetics for breast cancer survivors 2015 01:16:45,989 --> 01:16:49,167 in 36 different skin tones and colors. 2016 01:16:49,170 --> 01:16:50,436 Before you know, 2017 01:16:50,436 --> 01:16:52,546 traditionally prosthetics or only come 2018 01:16:52,546 --> 01:16:55,155 in two colors which obviously don't 2019 01:16:55,155 --> 01:16:57,687 fit the wide range of individuals 2020 01:16:57,764 --> 01:17:00,218 that are dealing with breast cancer, 2021 01:17:00,220 --> 01:17:03,196 and they are able to use 3D scanning 2022 01:17:03,196 --> 01:17:06,249 technology to actually scan and individuals. 2023 01:17:06,250 --> 01:17:08,518 Chest wall and create a prosthetic 2024 01:17:08,518 --> 01:17:11,158 that looks like you know your body, 2025 01:17:11,160 --> 01:17:12,294 your skin tone. 2026 01:17:12,294 --> 01:17:14,207 Even you know freckles, veins, 2027 01:17:14,207 --> 01:17:16,589 anything that makes you feel you 2028 01:17:16,589 --> 01:17:19,211 know you've lost a part of yourself 2029 01:17:19,211 --> 01:17:21,750 and this helps you feel whole again. 2030 01:17:21,750 --> 01:17:23,725 In these prosthetics are actually 2031 01:17:23,725 --> 01:17:26,492 covered by insurance and as a breast 2032 01:17:26,492 --> 01:17:28,302 cancer survivor you're also able 2033 01:17:28,302 --> 01:17:30,547 to get special bras that promote 2034 01:17:30,547 --> 01:17:33,081 healing and don't have you know things 2035 01:17:33,090 --> 01:17:35,382 like wires and whatnot that could 2036 01:17:35,382 --> 01:17:37,300 actually re exacerbate you know. 2037 01:17:37,300 --> 01:17:39,586 The cancer growth in your body, 2038 01:17:39,590 --> 01:17:42,264 so they are also able to provide, 2039 01:17:42,270 --> 01:17:43,000 you know, 2040 01:17:43,000 --> 01:17:45,190 specialized bras that fit all sizes 2041 01:17:45,190 --> 01:17:47,916 of women because also a lot of 2042 01:17:47,916 --> 01:17:49,841 traditional providers of these only 2043 01:17:49,915 --> 01:17:52,955 have a very specific size range that doesn't, 2044 01:17:52,960 --> 01:17:53,724 you know, 2045 01:17:53,724 --> 01:17:56,016 fit the entire range of women. 2046 01:17:56,020 --> 01:17:58,486 So they have built this incredibly 2047 01:17:58,486 --> 01:18:00,585 inclusive tech enabled company to 2048 01:18:00,585 --> 01:18:02,515 serve breast cancer survivors and 2049 01:18:02,515 --> 01:18:04,784 they actually started as a single 2050 01:18:04,784 --> 01:18:07,094 store in Maryland right outside of DC, 2051 01:18:07,100 --> 01:18:09,140 where there's the largest prevalence 2052 01:18:09,140 --> 01:18:10,364 of breast cancer. 2053 01:18:10,370 --> 01:18:12,452 In the country and they started 2054 01:18:12,452 --> 01:18:14,535 as this retail model and they 2055 01:18:14,535 --> 01:18:16,712 actually were able to get a bank, 2056 01:18:16,720 --> 01:18:18,886 small business bank loan to start 2057 01:18:18,886 --> 01:18:21,006 their company after they had been 2058 01:18:21,006 --> 01:18:22,836 bootstrapping it and when we met 2059 01:18:22,836 --> 01:18:25,067 the two founders we also we said, 2060 01:18:25,070 --> 01:18:27,394 you know this is bigger than just, 2061 01:18:27,400 --> 01:18:28,024 you know, 2062 01:18:28,024 --> 01:18:29,896 the city in Maryland and Community 2063 01:18:29,896 --> 01:18:31,805 or serving women all over the 2064 01:18:31,805 --> 01:18:33,641 country and perhaps the world could 2065 01:18:33,705 --> 01:18:35,750 really benefit from this technology. 2066 01:18:35,750 --> 01:18:37,694 How can we use technology to 2067 01:18:37,694 --> 01:18:39,795 actually scale this into right a 2068 01:18:39,795 --> 01:18:41,630 billion dollar business where women 2069 01:18:41,630 --> 01:18:43,718 from the comfort of their homes? 2070 01:18:43,720 --> 01:18:46,618 You know can get these prosthetics in 2071 01:18:46,618 --> 01:18:49,477 bras and services they need as part 2072 01:18:49,477 --> 01:18:52,246 of their health care services and so 2073 01:18:52,246 --> 01:18:54,948 we invested as a venture capital firm. 2074 01:18:54,950 --> 01:18:57,320 We also utilized our Angel investing 2075 01:18:57,320 --> 01:18:59,380 community fempire to get many 2076 01:18:59,380 --> 01:19:01,036 aligned women Angel investors 2077 01:19:01,036 --> 01:19:03,106 as investors into the company 2078 01:19:03,176 --> 01:19:05,175 as, well, we help facilitate an 2079 01:19:05,175 --> 01:19:07,505 introduction to one of the top 2080 01:19:07,505 --> 01:19:09,790 business accelerators in the country. 2081 01:19:09,790 --> 01:19:11,750 Techstars for the company Cherry 2082 01:19:11,750 --> 01:19:14,216 Blossom Intimates to go through the 2083 01:19:14,216 --> 01:19:15,956 Techstars Accelerator program and 2084 01:19:15,956 --> 01:19:18,131 also receive an investment there. 2085 01:19:18,140 --> 01:19:20,276 And after that they actually raised 2086 01:19:20,276 --> 01:19:22,629 a $1.2 million venture capital round, 2087 01:19:22,630 --> 01:19:24,968 which you know that are have not 2088 01:19:24,968 --> 01:19:27,640 even been 100 black women in the US 2089 01:19:27,640 --> 01:19:30,289 in all of history that have raised 2090 01:19:30,289 --> 01:19:32,724 over $1,000,000 of venture capital. 2091 01:19:32,730 --> 01:19:34,600 And that's just you know, 2092 01:19:34,600 --> 01:19:36,470 a terrible statistic that I'm 2093 01:19:36,470 --> 01:19:38,340 working on changing every day. 2094 01:19:38,340 --> 01:19:40,512 But we're really proud of this 2095 01:19:40,512 --> 01:19:42,450 company being able to close. 2096 01:19:42,450 --> 01:19:43,178 You know, 2097 01:19:43,178 --> 01:19:45,362 the $1.2 million venture funding round 2098 01:19:45,362 --> 01:19:48,135 and I'm sure in their future they 2099 01:19:48,135 --> 01:19:50,115 may do something like crowdfunding. 2100 01:19:50,120 --> 01:19:51,089 Purchase order funding. 2101 01:19:51,089 --> 01:19:53,027 We actually help them make a 2102 01:19:53,027 --> 01:19:54,782 connection to Macy's and their 2103 01:19:54,782 --> 01:19:55,814 supplier diversity program, 2104 01:19:55,820 --> 01:19:57,932 which is really awesome that they 2105 01:19:57,932 --> 01:20:00,609 do as a retailer to get new brand. 2106 01:20:00,610 --> 01:20:02,992 Ends into their stores built by 2107 01:20:02,992 --> 01:20:05,818 women and minorities who may not be 2108 01:20:05,818 --> 01:20:07,763 suppliers into big retail before, 2109 01:20:07,770 --> 01:20:09,760 so they're launching also their 2110 01:20:09,760 --> 01:20:11,750 first retail line in Macy's, 2111 01:20:11,750 --> 01:20:13,374 which is really exciting, 2112 01:20:13,374 --> 01:20:16,253 and I think that's just such a 2113 01:20:16,253 --> 01:20:18,419 great story of how by building 2114 01:20:18,419 --> 01:20:20,110 a business that serves, 2115 01:20:20,110 --> 01:20:20,890 you know, 2116 01:20:20,890 --> 01:20:23,230 a really huge need that wasn't 2117 01:20:23,230 --> 01:20:25,172 being served before and doing 2118 01:20:25,172 --> 01:20:27,699 it in a way that actually serves 2119 01:20:27,773 --> 01:20:30,377 all women can be both powerful 2120 01:20:30,377 --> 01:20:32,113 from a business perspective 2121 01:20:32,120 --> 01:20:35,950 But also an impact perspective. 2122 01:20:35,950 --> 01:20:38,239 Well thank you Elizabeth and thank you 2123 01:20:38,239 --> 01:20:40,827 so much to Ruth as well as Corrine. 2124 01:20:40,830 --> 01:20:43,286 It has been wonderful to serve at the 2125 01:20:43,286 --> 01:20:45,559 moderate are for this program and to 2126 01:20:45,559 --> 01:20:47,650 hear your wonderful words of wisdom. 2127 01:20:47,650 --> 01:20:52,520 Sean, I'm going to turn it back over to you. 2128 01:20:52,520 --> 01:20:54,536 Thank you Hope for meeting today's 2129 01:20:54,536 --> 01:20:55,880 discussion and our panelists. 2130 01:20:55,880 --> 01:20:57,806 Ruth Corrine Natalie and Elizabeth thank 2131 01:20:57,806 --> 01:21:00,248 you for providing us with your experience. 2132 01:21:00,250 --> 01:21:02,290 The insight you have and all 2133 01:21:02,290 --> 01:21:04,280 of the resources you gave us. 2134 01:21:04,280 --> 01:21:06,968 We have so much to work with now. 2135 01:21:06,970 --> 01:21:09,554 I'd also like to thank all of our 2136 01:21:09,554 --> 01:21:10,957 virtual attendees were spending 2137 01:21:10,957 --> 01:21:12,677 your time with us today. 2138 01:21:12,680 --> 01:21:14,836 I hope you'll be joining us for 2139 01:21:14,836 --> 01:21:16,380 our final Wes program. 2140 01:21:16,380 --> 01:21:16,809 Wednesday, 2141 01:21:16,809 --> 01:21:17,667 March 31st. 2142 01:21:17,667 --> 01:21:19,383 Lessons from successful women 2143 01:21:19,383 --> 01:21:21,460 entrepreneurs who will be sharing 2144 01:21:21,460 --> 01:21:23,290 their insights and best practices 2145 01:21:23,290 --> 01:21:25,190 for business during this climate. 2146 01:21:25,190 --> 01:21:27,125 For links are more information 2147 01:21:27,125 --> 01:21:29,829 about how to register for a program, 2148 01:21:29,830 --> 01:21:32,218 you can register at our website 2149 01:21:32,218 --> 01:21:33,412 uspto.gov/events while you're 2150 01:21:33,412 --> 01:21:34,870 on our events page, 2151 01:21:34,870 --> 01:21:37,438 I encourage you to check out many other 2152 01:21:37,438 --> 01:21:39,509 free virtual intellectual property, 2153 01:21:39,510 --> 01:21:41,054 education and awareness programs 2154 01:21:41,054 --> 01:21:42,984 that are available to you. 2155 01:21:42,990 --> 01:21:45,414 Two of those programs coming up 2156 01:21:45,414 --> 01:21:48,019 one today at 5:00 to 6:00 PM, 2157 01:21:48,020 --> 01:21:50,792 is our wine and IP women's history 2158 01:21:50,792 --> 01:21:53,619 in the wine industry and on April 2159 01:21:53,619 --> 01:21:55,941 1st at noon to 1:00 PM. 2160 01:21:55,950 --> 01:21:59,750 The NCEAI innovation chat 2161 01:21:59,750 --> 01:22:01,270 creating innovators. 2162 01:22:01,270 --> 01:22:02,845 You'll be receiving a short 2163 01:22:02,845 --> 01:22:04,105 survey for today's program, 2164 01:22:04,110 --> 01:22:06,329 so we hope that you complete it. 2165 01:22:06,330 --> 01:22:07,910 We do value your feedback. 2166 01:22:07,910 --> 01:22:10,082 Your input is important in creating 2167 01:22:10,082 --> 01:22:11,932 future programs to meet the 2168 01:22:11,932 --> 01:22:13,260 needs of our customers. 2169 01:22:13,260 --> 01:22:14,874 So we look forward to hearing 2170 01:22:14,874 --> 01:22:15,950 from you and getting 2171 01:22:16,010 --> 01:22:17,882 a response to those surveys with 2172 01:22:17,882 --> 01:22:19,418 your information and what you'd 2173 01:22:19,418 --> 01:22:21,234 like to see us do in the future. 2174 01:22:21,240 --> 01:22:22,884 Thank you again for attending today's 2175 01:22:22,884 --> 01:22:24,400 program. We look forward to seeing 2176 01:22:24,400 --> 01:22:26,459 you next week at our final program. 2177 01:22:26,460 --> 01:22:27,560 Have a great day.