775 Coco Brown: Board Women

Why Peer-to-Peer Coaching and Networking is the Key to Women’s Success

What would the world look like if more women invested in each other’s businesses, sat on more F1000 boards of directors, and made more of the investment decisions at top tier venture capital and private equity firms?

We all know the numbers: Only 2% of the venture capital money goes to women founders, a number that’s barely moved in 2 decades – and women are still woefully underrepresented in the C-suite and on company boards. Meanwhile women with wealth have been slow to invest in women-led startups.

This, despite the research that bears out consistently that women are a great investment: The value of exits by female founders has skyrocketed to $59 billion, more than 40 points higher than the overall market. Meantime women-led startups yield twice as much as the invested dollar: Companies with female leadership have a higher return on equity by nearly 3%, and Fortune 1000 companies with female CEOs saw returns that were 226% higher.

So, what is the disconnect?

Coco Brown is on a mission to help women take their rightful place – as investors, board members, C-suite executives and get fair access to investment capital.

Coco Brown is the CEO and founder of Athena Alliance, the first Executive-Education-As-A-Service platform. Athena offers live and on-demand learning, networking, coaching, and access to career opportunities to women leaders all over the world. Whether preparing for a board seat or a career transition to scaling a company, growing a team, or raising capital, Athena members are one-degree separated from the most pressing business insights, connections to other leaders, and access to career-transforming opportunities.

More about Coco Brown at www.athenaalliance.com

Be sure to join the conversation with Coco and me over on the interactive podcast app Podopolo, where you can share your perspectives and she’ll take your questions. Download Podopolo, follow Wings of Inspired Business, and invite your friends.

More about Coco at Athena Alliance

Coco Brown is the Founder and CEO of Athena Alliance. Athena has helped thousands of leaders grow and advance in their executive careers, and has brought over 400 women to corporate boards from growth stage private companies to name brand public companies. Coco has personally worked with hundreds of top leaders, CEOs and boards to evolve modern leadership. She’s served on ten commercial and non-profit boards and advisory boards, and has led two notable companies (Taos, acquired by IBM, and now Athena). She is part of Nasdaq’s Governance Insights Council, and is often called on to share guidance to the evolving focus and breadth of responsibility within the Modern Boardroom.

Listen to Athena Radio

Get the Transcript HERE