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On Sunday, when Patricia Arquette called for wage equality for women while accepting the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, I’m sure that “YES!” was uttered in many living rooms across America. The massive Oscar stage—some 34.6 million people tuned in for the show—was a popular forum this year for social advocacy, especially for women. But now that the dresses are being cleaned, the lights are dimmed, and the hoopla is over, what happens?
That’s where Denver-based podcast Women Who Startup comes in. The channel, which is part of a larger brand focused on creating community for female entrepreneurs, launched last month with two lively hosts, Lizelle van Vuuren and G. Krista Morgan. Both have resume cred. Both have started successful businesses. And both understand the importance of having a community. As Van Vuuren said in the first episode, “Being an entrepreneur is a lonely business.”
When I caught up with the duo earlier this month, the two had a lot to say about being women business leaders. So much so that they sometimes finished each other sentences, tumbling from theme to theme. First, they were discussing venture capital fundraising, then whether breakfast meetings are a good idea, and finally the importance of mentors.
(Read about a Colorado startup accelerator focused on women-led businesses here.)
That energy flows into their podcast (listen to the first episode). While the show’s structure will evolve, the pair starts out talking about current events or headlines on topics ranging from asking for raises to whether the word “bitch” can be empowering. They also interview special guests, like Kahwa Douoguih, the COO and cofounder of access.mobile, a company headquartered in Uganda that works to pair technology with business and social needs.
The second show has been taped and will be up soon (subscribe to the podcast here), meaning that Van Vuuren and Morgan are just getting started. And while neither Arquette’s speech or this podcast may immediately change the wage gap, both will have an impact. Tune in to join in the conversation.
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