Thursday, April 18 | 10am to 11am PT | Free Virtual WeCafé
Do you feel like you’re not connecting when you speak with investors? In your mind, you’ve delivered a strong pitch, you’ve answered all their questions, and yet the conversation doesn’t go anywhere.
If you feel this way, you’re not alone. Research shows that investors ask women different questions than men, and those questions don’t lead to investment. As a result, women get less than 2% of VC funding.
WeBC is working to help more women overcome this barrier to equity financing, through our Investor Speak™ program, which teaches women how to lead the conversation. Participants practice on their own time for 15 minutes a day, then join weekly meetups with the group to receive group support on their venture capital journey.
On April 18, join us for a free info session to hear about the Investor Speak™ Program and learn:
- Why it’s important to get more women into the equity financing world
- What kinds of businesses are investable
- What a strong value proposition looks like
- And more!
Join us for this free session to learn more about the world of equity financing, determine if the Investor Speak™ program is right for you, and ask your questions!
Facilitators:
- Melanie Rupp, Senior Director, Loans & Advisory Services, WeBC
- Erin Alexander, Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Certified Investor Q&A© Trainer
Storyteller: TBC
Thanks to funding from the Government of Canada’s Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, full grants are available to cover the $2,900 Investor Speak™ program cost.
Meet the Facilitator
Melanie Rupp, WeBC Senior Director, Loans & Advisory Services
Melanie Rupp has worked exclusively with women entrepreneurs as a Business Advisor for over 15 years. Melanie supports women entrepreneurs to build successful companies utilizing her years of banking experience in senior management roles in the areas of Commercial Banking, Risk Management, Operations, Marketing and Human Resources.
Melanie leads a team of knowledgeable business advisors and loan administration staff, oversees the loan portfolio and cultivates strong relationships with our lending partners. Her team supports women entrepreneurs in BC with business loans and advisory services, and responds to thousands of requests for information every year.
Melanie has an Executive MBA degree from Simon Fraser University, and has completed formal post-secondary education in sales and marketing management, and information technology.
In the community, Melanie is an active volunteer who has contributed her talents to many organizations including The Forum, Startup Canada, YWCA Metro Vancouver, the Minerva Foundation for BC Women, Vancouver Writers Festival and Canadian Pony Club.
Erin Alexander, Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Certified Investor Q&A™ Trainer
Erin is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Certified Investor Q&A™ Trainer and Advisor based out of Vancouver. Her commitment at WeBC is to help women raise more in investment by mastering Q&A conversations with investors.
After graduating from the University of Victoria with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Finance, she relocated to the UK and gained valuable experience in the Institutional Equity Division at Morgan Stanley. During her time on the Venture Capital team at ? What If! Innovation her passion to work with start-ups was ignited, and has been her focus over the last 12 years.
Since returning to Canada, she has been involved with successful women-driven start-ups and continued her education by completing the Accounting for Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses course at Capilano University. She is also an active member of the Women’s Equity Lab Vancouver—a collaborative group of diverse women investors.
As part of the WeBC team, Erin plans to provide continued support to women entrepreneurs with their equity funding puzzle and promote equal representation in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.