Raising Venture Capital as a Woman Founder: Laura Cunningham on Building Ava

Laura Cunningham, founder of Ava, shares what it's really like to raise venture capital as a woman—from talking to 100+ investors in one month to navigating bias in pitch meetings.

What you'll learn:

• How to assess your personal runway before becoming a founder
• Why VCs ask women risk questions vs. opportunity questions for men
• The reality of giving up equity and managing cap table dilution
• Optimal vs. suboptimal fundraising seasons (hint: summer doesn't exist)
• How to turn risk questions into opportunity questions in pitch meetings
• Why you need conviction it's a billion-dollar idea before anyone else will believe it
• Managing the emotional roller coaster of fundraising while building product

About Laura Cunningham: Founder of Ava, an AI-powered parenting partner that acts as your household chief of staff. Previously led AI product strategy at Near Protocol. Raising $2M to bring Ava to market.

Keywords: venture capital, fundraising, woman founder, startup, VC funding, pre-seed, seed round, equity, cap table, AI startup, parenting tech, female entrepreneur, raising capital

Talk Rich to Me is a production of Huntress Wealth. On each episode, we explore the human side of finance. If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review - it helps more people like you find our podcast.

Huntress is your all-in-one financial planning app. Build your plan, get actionable steps and make your money move - all under 5 minutes a day. Sign up for the Huntress Wealth app at www.huntresswealth.com.

Curious to learn more? Drop us a note at hi@huntresswealth.com for questions.

Aimee Rickabus on Bootstrapping to $90M, AI, and Building Businesses You Can Pass Down

What does it take to build a $90 million business? In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Aimee Rickabus—serial entrepreneur, CEO of Mohawk and Tomahawk, and author of The Manager—to kick off our entrepreneurship series.

Aimee shares her journey from flipping 1920s properties in her early 20s to launching a prenatal protein powder while pregnant, and ultimately building two IT businesses with her husband by selling a BMW for $10,000 in startup capital.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Bootstrapping Mohawk IT with $10,000 and the three essentials for any startup: systems, capital, and people
• The 2008 recession pivot and becoming the "supply chain hero" during COVID
• Landing Pepsi while pulling her husband out of the hospital (and pregnant)
• Choosing succession with their sons instead of selling
• How AI is the "washing machine of our generation" for women
• Why rich means time and connection, not just money in the bank

Aimee's advice? Listen to your intuition. If something lights you up, follow it.

Keywords: entrepreneurship, women in business, bootstrapping, IT business, AI and women, business succession planning, small business growth

Talk Rich to Me is a production of Huntress Wealth. On each episode, we explore the human side of finance. If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review - it helps more people like you find our podcast.

Huntress is your all-in-one financial planning app. Build your plan, get actionable steps and make your money move - all under 5 minutes a day. Sign up for the Huntress Wealth app at www.huntresswealth.com.

Curious to learn more? Drop us a note at hi@huntresswealth.com for questions.

Dr. Brooke Weinstein on Mental Health, Financial Literacy, and Protecting Yourself

Why does someone else outside of your own brain get to decide what help looks like? In this episode, Ysenia sits down with Dr. Brooke Weinstein—occupational therapist, CEO, and mom—to discuss the critical intersection of mental health, financial literacy, and self-worth for women.

Dr. Brooke shares her journey from building a pediatric occupational therapy practice, preparing for a divorce, suddenly becoming a widow and learning financial independence the hard way.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why mental health is #1 and financial literacy is #2 for women
• How the people-pleasing trap affects women's relationship with money
• The nervous system's role in financial stress and decision-making
• Why women often feel stuck asking permission to invest in themselves
• How to start when you feel overwhelmed: "What do I not know? What do I want to know?"
• The connection between self-worth and financial agency
• Why financial knowledge helps you sleep better at night

Whether you're navigating financial independence, recovering from loss, or simply want to understand your own finances better, Dr. Brooke's advice is clear: protect yourself and have the knowledge. You never know what can happen.

Keywords: financial literacy for women, mental health and money, nervous system regulation, financial independence, Dr. Brooke Weinstein, women and money, financial control, self-worth and finances, widow finances, occupational therapy

Talk Rich to Me is a production of Huntress Wealth. On each episode, we explore the human side of finance. If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review - it helps more people like you find our podcast.

Huntress is your all-in-one financial planning app. Build your plan, get actionable steps and make your money move - all under 5 minutes a day. Sign up for the Huntress Wealth app at www.huntresswealth.com.

Curious to learn more? Drop us a note at hi@huntresswealth.com for questions.