Women are half the population and own 40% of the country's businesses but only 3% of business investment goes to women. Learn more about investing in women-owned businesses from the expert! Silvia Mah's passion for empowering investment in women-owned businesses spans accelerators, incubators, a venture group, a podcast show called She Invests! and a new book entitled "Power of Purpose: Servant Leadership in the Startup World." She's on the new app Clubhouse which is invite-only right now.
Key Takeaways:
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- How to pivot and turn adversity into a viable business opportunity
- How to neutralize the bias in a room to articulate your product-market fit to get investors excited about you
- How to get the right support when looking for investors or resources as a woman founder
- The power in supporting and advocating for each other as women to move forward in business
- How to have an abundant mindset by exercising servant leadership and shouldering each other
- Think of the value you bring the customer instead of trying to figure things out during the pandemic
"We need to support each other. We are stronger together as women when we collaborate. We partner up together to make this world a better place." -Silvia Mah
In this episode you'll discover:
The Center for Peace and Commerce- helping students start and grow their businesses [2:14]
Supporting global university students' innovations through the GSIC competition [4:13]
How the GSIC competition successfully adapted virtually during the pandemic [6:13]
The programs they have at Ad Astra Ventures to support women get business funding [10:00]
Silvia's definition of incubators and accelerators in the investing world [12:50]
What it means to have a co-working space community [17:25]
How Silvia's experiences led her to support and advocate for women in business [18:03]
Silvia's 'She Invests' as a podcast and an educational platform for women entrepreneurs [23:21]
The importance of the diversification of the value you bring the customer [26:11]
How Silvia's experience as a working woman has impacted her [27:47]
The value of being driven by integrity, advocacy, and impact [31:00]
CAREER
Dr. Silvia Mah is a founding partner of Ad Astra Ventures, that aims to "get to even" for high achieving women. Focused on "Impact with Integrity", Silvia is the founder & Chairwoman of Stella Labs, an accelerator for women-owned businesses; founding member of Stella Angels, a female angel investment group; Investment Committee member of Next Wave Impact, a social impact venture fund; and an angel investor to over 40 startups who have diverse founders on the leadership team.
Dr. Mah's own success includes producing a globally-recognized podcast, She Invests!, highlighting the investment journeys of female angel investors and venture capitalists & the inaugural Fund Manager for the San Diego Angel Conference Fund I, an angel fund to activate regional capital from aspiring and existing angel investors.
Dr. Mah has recently served as the President & COO of Connect w/San Diego Venture Group and was engaged for 2 years as the Student Programs Diversity Director at the Office of Innovation and Commercialization's The Basement, a technology accelerator for undergraduate startups at UCSD.
Originally from Caracas, Venezuela, Dr. Mah believes in integrating family and work to create a lifestyle that serves both with a strong cup of integrity.
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Silvia is the Honduras Missions Trip Director for Grace Point Church. She served as a company coach for the 2018 ACA Innovation Showcase, a prestigious honor to advise startups on pitching their startups at the plenary session at the annual Angel Capital Association summit. She also is an Advisory Board Member of the California Institute for Innovation and Development at UCSD.
BOOK
As an active angel investor, entrepreneur, and ecosystem builder, Servant Leadership is alive and well in the startup world, but it is not talked about too much. She interviewed countless investors and entrepreneurs to compile data on the FRAMEWORK of Servant leadership and STEPS to become more of a servant leader in the startup world.
PODCAST
This is the show where she highlights the growing number of female angel investors, the real unicorns. Her mission is to equip female angel investors with more knowledge about how to invest, finding their tribe, and collaborating. From deal flow to exits, women have been gaining experience. Let's learn from each other. Women can only improve our representation around the venture table by truly sitting at it and having a voice.
* Season 1: Diverse Discussions on Trends, Initiatives, and Data (24 episodes)
* Season 2: Social Impact Investment landscape
AWARDS
In 2019, she was selected by the San Diego National Association of Women Business Owners for the Women's Advocate of the Year Award. Her other awards include these:
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- Citizen Diplomat of the Year - Ambassador Charles W. Hostler Award
- Women Who Mean Business Award Finalist (23rd annual)
- Athena Pinnacle Winner | Individual in Service
- Female Start-up Champion
- Woman of the Year award Nominee
- Pinnacle Award Nominee: Individual in Services
RESOURCES
Podcast She Invests!
USD Article
Forbes Article
Pipeline Angels
LinkedIn
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