Bootstrapping Through $3 in the Bank

When 19-year-old Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen walked into a bank hoping to secure a loan to buy a property, she was denied on the spot. That “no” pushed her into investing and ultimately led her to co-found Female Invest, a global platform empowering women to take control of their financial futures. In this episode, Anna joins Ilana for a raw, honest conversation about the reality of fundraising as a female founder, from enduring 107 rejections to breaking global crowdfunding records and facing the backlash that followed. She shares what it truly takes to scale a mission-driven company, rise above bias, and empower women financially on a global scale.

Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen is an entrepreneur, investor, and co-founder of Female Invest, a financial education platform that has empowered women across more than 100 countries. She’s a leading voice in closing the financial gender gap through education, representation, and access.

In this episode, Ilana and Anna will discuss:

(00:00) Introduction 

(02:51) Her Early Interest in Finance and Investing

(05:15) Turning Down McKinsey to Build Female Invest

(09:10) Challenges and Misconceptions in Entrepreneurship

(11:07) Launching a Facebook Group That Grew Like Wildfire

(13:35) Why Money for Women Is Deeply Political

(15:29) Bootstrapping to Success After Near Bankruptcy

(22:14) Anna’s Y Combinator Experience

(25:02) The Reality of Fundraising as a Female Founder

(30:35) Raising $24M After 107 Rejections

(34:01) Facing Backlash, Anxiety, and Hate

(38:08) The Biggest Financial Mistakes Women Make

(44:12) Lessons and Advice for Founders

Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen is a Danish entrepreneur, investor, and co-founder of Female Invest, a financial education platform that has empowered women across more than 100 countries. A Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient, she helped bootstrap Female Invest from a small Facebook group into one of the most engaged financial communities in the world. Anna is also the bestselling author of Girls Just Wanna Have Funds and a leading voice in closing the financial gender gap through education, representation, and access.

Connect with Anna:

Anna’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/anna-hartvigsen-46352611a 

Anna’s Instagram: instagram.com/anna.hartvigsen 

Resources Mentioned:

Female Invest: https://www.femaleinvest.com 

Anna’s Book, Girls Just Wanna Have Funds: A Feminist's Guide to Investing: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0744077303 

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