WEST CHESTER, Pa., Aug. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Keiretsu Forum Mid-Atlantic and The Cottrell Entrepreneurship Center at West Chester University are pleased to announce a special screening of the acclaimed documentary "Show Her The Money." This event will take place on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, from 4:00 PM to 7:30 PM at Sykes Theater on the West Chester University campus.
"Show Her The Money" sheds light on the significant challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in securing venture capital. Directed by Ky Dickens and produced by Catherine Gray, the film features compelling stories from women who have successfully navigated the financial landscape, including Emmy Award-winning actress Sharon Gless, who lends her star power as an executive producer and featured subject. “Show Her The Money,“ currently on a 100-city screening event tour sponsored by Wells Fargo, highlights the critical need for financial equity and showcases inspiring success stories of women breaking barriers in various industries.
FACTS:
- According to the Global Impact Investing Network (2023):
- In 2018, female-founded startups in the US accounted for only 2% (USD 1.9 billion) of the overall USD 85 billion raised from venture capital funding, even though women own 38% of businesses. In contrast, 79% of that funding went to all-male teams.
- Women of Color or of Diverse Backgrounds: In the United States, women of color fair considerably worse than other women, with only 0.2% of venture capital flowing to their companies despite comprising the fastest growing segment of female business owners.
- According to research conducted in 2023 by Boston Consulting Group, despite the funding disadvantage, women-owned businesses generated higher revenues than their male counterparts, and the average return on investment for women-owned companies was double that of men-owned businesses.
- According to the World Bank, women-owned firms in the US are growing at more than double the rate of all other firms and contributing almost $3 trillion to the economy.
Following the screening, a panel discussion will delve deeper into the themes of the documentary. This discussion aims to spark meaningful conversations about the current state of venture capital for women and explore actionable strategies for improvement.
Our panel will kick off with insights from Show Her The Money cast member, Jasmine Jones, Founder and CEO of Myya. She will be joined by panelists including John Majeski, CEO at Portola Valley Partners and an Associate Producer of the film, Tracey Welson Rossman, CMO at Chariot Solutions, Founder of GirlzTech and Journal My Health, and Yasmine Mustafa, CEO and Co-Founder of ROAR for Good. The discussion will be moderated by Dr Louise Yochee Klein, PsyD, Co-founder of Courage Growth Partners (see abbreviated biographies for each panelist below).
Attendees will also have the opportunity to network with like-minded individuals and local business influencers during a session with light refreshments. This is an excellent chance for women business owners, elected officials, and business leaders to connect, share insights, and collaborate on initiatives to support women entrepreneurs.
Event Details:
| Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2024 | |
| Run of Show: 4:00 PM - 7:30 PM EDT | |
| 4:00 Arrival | |
| 4:15 Greeting from Co-Hosts Keiretsu Forum and Cottrell Center | |
| 4:30 – 6:00 Screening of the documentary | |
| 6:00 – 6:40 Panel Discussion and Q&A with audience | |
| 6:45 – 7:30 Networking and Refreshments | |
| Location: Sykes Theater, Sykes Recreation Center, 275 N. Campus Drive, West Chester University, Chester County, PA | |
Pocket Sun, founder of SOGAL Ventures and featured in the film, said, "Crazy is the courage and ability to redefine yourself and challenge the status quo." This quote urges us to question the mere 2% of capital investment allocated to women, despite research proving that women-led startups deliver double the value per dollar.
This event is a unique opportunity to elevate awareness, support women entrepreneurs, and contribute to creating change in the venture capital landscape. Together, we can foster a more inclusive and equitable environment for all entrepreneurs.
Seats are limited. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased by clicking this link.
For more information, please contact Cindi Sutera at CindiS@AMScommunications.net, call or text 610-613-2773 or visit https://bit.ly/Show_Her_Screening to preview the trailer!
About Keiretsu Forum:
Keiretsu Forum is the world’s largest private equity angel investment network with 2000+ accredited investors in 34 North American and 23 International chapters, who have invested more than $1B in early-stage companies in the last 23 years.
The Keiretsu Forum portfolio features Entrepreneurs and Companies from Technology-(Internet, Software, Cyber Security, SaaS, Mobile Systems, IoT, etc.), Life Sciences-(Pharma, Medical Devices, Health IT, etc.), FinServ/FinTech, Consumer Products, Clean-Green Energy, Consumer Products, & more!
About The Cottrell Entrepreneurship Center:
The Cottrell Entrepreneurship Center fosters entrepreneurship across West Chester University and throughout Chester County by preparing students to contribute to the entrepreneurship ecosystem, providing access to a rich network of entrepreneurship resources and enhancing the startup and growth of new ventures to develop a strong WCU entrepreneurship culture and a vibrant Chester County entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Bios:
Moderator: Dr.LOUISE YOCHEE KLEIN PsyD
Louise Yochee Klein is a psychologist who heads Courage International's innovation leadership coaching practice. She has equipped hundreds of thought-leaders in technical, engineering, and scientific roles to step up, speak up, and reach out with courage -- as CEOs, Directors, General Managers, and Advisors. She has partnered with dozens of Chief Learning Officers across the globe to use action learning to lift courage and accelerate career growth -- and has equipped hundreds of entrepreneurial CEOs to wow and woo investors and partners.
JASMINE JONES, MYYA, Co-Founder and CEO of Myya
Jasmine Jones is the co-founder and CEO of Myya, the only online direct-to-consumer, insurance-billable, post-mastectomy intimates brand.
Inspired by her grandmother’s battle with breast cancer, Ms. Jones created Myya to address the challenge of finding well-fitting post-mastectomy bras that provide support when you need it most.
Incubated at Cherry Blossom Intimates, the brand’s retail space, Myya is the next step in the company’s evolution, connecting women across the country with certified mastectomy fitters. Myya offers breast cancer survivors a completely customizable virtual post-mastectomy bra fitting, ensuring that all women get the perfect fit. Myya is the only online boutique that can bill insurance directly for its customers, making the shopping process seamless for them.
In October 2020, Cherry Blossom Intimates, the Techstars-backed company, closed its $1.25 million seed round, making her one of the few Black women in the world to close over $1 million in venture funding. A former Miss District of Columbia USA, Jasmine was named a Forbes Under 30 Listmaker in the Retail and E-Commerce category, as well as a Fashion Institute of Technology award-winning lingerie designer, and a Tory Burch fellow.
JOHN MAJESKI, CEO at Portola Valley Partners
John Majeski serves Chief Executive Officer & Board Member at Portola Valley Partners. He has experience with startups, turnarounds, and large IT companies. He was a founder/partner in 3 startups - successful exits. At Hewlett Packard he led the integration of a company and served as a CTO. At Dell, as VP/GM, he integrated a $1B acquisition and grew revenue from $400M to $2.3B in 3 years. At Lenovo, he was the Founder & Managing Director of a global business focused on acquiring technology to help Lenovo pivot from pure hardware to software and solutions. He has led in Product, Engineering, Sales, and M&A areas.
TRACEY WELSON-ROSSMAN is one of the founding members and CMO of Chariot Solutions, a premier software development consulting firm in Philadelphia. Her position at this company resulted in her founding TechGirlz.org, a non-profit inspiring middle school girls to embrace tech for their future careers. She is also a mentor and an advocate for women in tech and tech startups.
YASMINE MUSTAFA
Yasmine Mustafa believes ROAR found her, not the other way around. A former refugee and undocumented immigrant, she draws upon her unique life experiences to lead ROAR in its mission to empower and protect workers across all industries. Her journey is a testament to resilience and unwavering commitment. With over 15 years of leadership in the tech industry, including the successful sale of her first company, 123LinkIt, to a firm in Silicon Valley in 2009, Yasmine is a driving force for positive change, balancing profits with purpose. Yasmine’s workplace safety advocacy and leadership have earned recognition from the BBC, CNBC’s Upstart 100 and the City of Philadelphia. Yasmine is a highly sought-after conference speaker. A two-time TEDx speaker, Yasmine has also presented at the prestigious SXSW and CES conferences, sharing her deep passion for harnessing technology for positive change. Beyond her professional life, Yasmine enjoys time spent with friends and family, exploring the outdoors, biking, and hiking. She also dedicates her time to the boards of Coded by Kids, Leadership Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies.
Media Contact:
Cindi Sutera
CindiS@AMScommunications.net
610-613-2773
