On Episode 6 of Startup Talk I talk to Vicki Saunders founder of SheEO, about her journey and what led her to SheEO. I also sit down with Chris Janssen founder of Textbooks for Change. These guests are truly changing the world.
Episode 6 Show Notes.
Vicki Saunders Founder of SHeEO
Getting capital in to hand of innovative women entrepreneurs with global potential using radical generosity crowdsourcing of the funds.
They are changing the current statistic that only 4% of venture capital goes to women-run business with a strong program they are taking globally and lighting the fire of opportunity widely.
Up to 1,000 women in each region contribute $1,100 which creates a one million dollar fund. The money is then loaned out to up to 10 women-led ventures at 0% interest, paid back over 5 years and reinvested perpetually.
10 companies are chosen to receive interest-free the loans. They also get the benefit of the vast networks & buying power of the group.
SHeEo piloted last year in Canada.
Their goal is have 1 million women doing this by 2020.
After watching the changes from the falling of the Berlin wall, she saw a people so incredibly inspired by their new-found freedom that Vicki was inspired to was to start a company amid all that optimism.
That was just the beginning of growing 6 companies herself and has mentored over a 1000 people in her mission to inspire change.
She wrote a great book of advice she found herself with so many people she was connecting, she consolidated so much advice and added important resources to link to. Find “Think like a SheEO”. https://www.amazon.ca/Think-Like-SheEO-Succeeding-entrepreneurs/dp/0993765645
Find out more about being an contributing activator or to learn about the loan program and the events. http://www.sheeo.world/
If you want to connect to Vicki, find her on LinkedIn. She encourages people to reach out to her with a bold ask, write clear brief details , two paragraphs. She asks you be super direct with what you need and she’ll do what she can to help.
Her advice: Now jump in. Try Stuff. Don’t make it perfect. Get out there. Get a customer. See what happens.
Chris Janssen founder of Textbooks for Change, a B Corporation social venture.
Chris was at Western in the Ivy School of Business and was craving a way to really have an impact using his education and ideas and life.
Find out how a trip to rural village in Honduras and how studying how to solve a different problem struck him with the idea possibility of how business can impact communities for social good.
It changed his life and travelled next to Rwanda where despite the many challenges, Chris could see immense opportunity of potential and eagerness to learn and improve.
Out of money after his trip so he had to figure out how he was going to finance the runway for the first 8 months to launch Textbooks For Change. You’ll hear what it takes hustling to get the money together to start something from scratch.
He talks about how every aspiring entrepreneur has to get in front of his customer to find out what they need and why it’s important that they are a certified B-Corp and the governance that’s followed
“To solve a problem, you have to live in that problem”
Learn also how they are expanding in the US thanks to investment they are raising and how they look at the big picture of their ground game and track metrics measuring impact.
They are looking to hire talent so reach out to Chris & they targeting sending 1million textbooks by 2020 so find out more about their dropbox to contribute your books and their program at https://textbooksforchange.com
Special thanks to:
- The Startup Coach – Book A Session with The Startup Coach today
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- comms.bar – affordable, transparent, measurable PR
for sponsoring this weeks episode of Startup Talk
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