Break Investing Barriers With Women-Led Groups

Jessica Farron, Short List Capital; Candace Nelson, Sprinkles

“Boy’s clubs” haven’t just been places for men to unwind. Whether it’s via professional organizations, alumni events or rounds of golf, men have historically used these spaces to launch and evaluate business deals.

“I think women are realizing that if we want more parity and power, we also need to organize ourselves and create places to connect, whether official or unofficial,” Candace Nelson said. “And the onus is on us because they're not being built for us.”

Women can launch investing collectives to network around investment opportunities. Jessica Farron explained how her collective of six women, each from unique backgrounds, come together to aggregate diligence and deal flow, as well as invest in new opportunities.

“We leverage each other’s expertise and networks to grow our contacts and knowledge base,” she said. “We invest individually, but we use each other as sounding boards, and are honest and direct about why something works or doesn’t.”

Women-centered spaces also offer an opportunity to break down barriers and create new norms for female investors.

“Women have been socially conditioned to not talk about money, but I think we need to push past that,” said Candace, who’s part of a female founders/funders group in Los Angeles. “When you enter a room, ask women what deals they're working on, how you can help and how you can amplify them.”

Read more insights from our In the Lead event.

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Break Investing Barriers With Women-Led Groups