Learn how to conduct customer interviews, validate assumptions, and identify your first customers using a proven customer discovery process.

Every business begins with a problem that keeps showing up, one you start to notice more and more until you begin to think, “there has to be a better way to solve this.” That moment matters. It is where curiosity turns into possibility. It is where lived experience, observation, and creativity begin to form something that could become a company. There is nothing wrong with starting there. Every founder does. But companies are not sustained by just an idea. They are sustained

A practical guide for founders and first-time investors explaining how startup investments work, from funding rounds and valuations to legal documents, closing the investment, and building strong investor relationships.

How to Raise Money for Your Startup: Angels, Venture Capital, SBIR/STTR, and 25 Grants for Women Entrepreneurs - Learn how to raise money for your startup. This guide explains angel investment, venture capital, SBIR/STTR funding, debt financing, and 25 non-dilutive grants for women entrepreneurs.

Learning how to manage up successfully will make your work life more effective and enjoyable.

This article is written for founders, executives, investors, and operators who feel the widening gap between what is happening in the world and what is expected of them at work. It is for people who recognize that something fundamental is shifting but have not yet been given a clear way to understand it or respond. Its purpose is threefold. First, to name what many people are experiencing but rarely say out loud. We are living through daily political, economic, and social u

Welcome founders, investors, and executives! Julie Warnecke, Founder & CEO, Found Search Marketing It was an absolute thrill to open The Startup Ladies’ fourth annual Invest In Women Founders Summit  at the Skyline Club in Indianapolis. Today, I’m excited to introduce you to the people at the heart of it all, our 2025 Top 9  women founders and the smart, talented, generous, and deeply connected interviewers who had the privilege of reviewing them. For nearly a decade, I’ve pr

Traditional pitch competitions rarely translate into actual funding for women founders. In 2024, of the $209 billion invested in U.S. startups, women founders received just 2%  of that total. To counter this persistent gender disparity, The Startup Ladies  take a radically different approach. Instead of a high-pressure pitch stage, each of the Top 9 founders  is paired with an exited founder  or seasoned executive  for an Oprah-style interview  that brings their story, strate

Why Investor-Ready Documents Matter for Startup Fundraising When you’re raising startup funding, being prepared isn’t optional -- it’s everything. Investors want to see that you understand your market, have a clear path to growth, and can execute your business plan. Whether you’re raising your first pre-seed round  or preparing for Series A , having complete, investor-ready documents builds trust, demonstrates professionalism, and accelerates the fundraising process. This gui

When you’re raising money for the very first time, often from family, friends, or acquaintances who believe in you, you’ll need to decide how  to accept that investment. Two common tools early-stage founders use are called a SAFE  and a Convertible Note . If you’re a first-time founder or investor, these terms can sound intimidating. Don’t worry, by the end of this article, you’ll understand exactly what each means, when to use them, and how to choose the one that best fits y

Let’s be real: most people don’t love going to networking events. If you're an entrepreneur running on fumes, an investor with an...

Advisory boards are living organisms—dynamic, evolving, and essential to a startup’s success. Like any living system, they need to be...

Most first-time founders have never seen a Profit and Loss statement until they sign up for QuickBooks. And that's OK. You don’t need to...

Strong ideas need smart execution. And smart execution, in the startup world, means knowing your numbers. Startup founders often operate...

Advisory board meetings are at the core of a strong advisory relationship and can be the driving force behind a startup’s growth and...

How a Simple Document Builds Trust, Protects Startups, and Strengthens Partnerships When building a startup advisory board or engaging...

Whether you're a founder building your advisory board or an executive being asked to join one, the onboarding process sets the tone for...

Learn how to build a high impact advisory board that accelerates growth.

Watch Kristen Cooper's speech from International Women's Day Rally on March 8, 2025 at the Indiana Statehouse (with transcript)!

In today’s political climate, there is a growing divide between those who are shielded from the consequences of societal shifts and those...

When it comes to securing funding for your startup, preparation is key. Investors want to see that you have a solid plan, a scalable...

In an ever-evolving world, kindness is more than a soft-spoken virtue—it’s a transformative force that can shape how we lead, work, and...

The beginning of a new year is a perfect time to create a clear, inspiring, and actionable roadmap for your business. This exercise is...

On December 5, 2024, The Startup Ladies hosted the 3rd Annual #InvestInWomenFounders Summit at the stunning headquarters of Delta...