Breaking Barriers: Irene Tsang on funding female founders with LiftWomen

In this episode of Flying Solo, we dive into the inspiring journey of Irene Tsang, a trailblazer for female entrepreneurship in Australia. After a successful corporate career in Asia, Irene made a bold leap to establish LiftWomen, Australia's pioneering platform dedicated to empowering and funding female entrepreneurs. Motivated by her own experiences of gender bias in the corporate sector, she is now at the forefront of closing the gender funding gap, providing women with access to the capital, mentorship, and community support needed to transform their ideas into thriving businesses. Join us as she shares how her personal experiences and challenges inspired her to uplift women entrepreneurs through her innovative platform.

Key topics

Irene Tsang's background and motivation

• Transitioned from a successful corporate career in Asia to entrepreneurship in Australia.
• Moved to Australia for better opportunities for her children following personal challenges.
• Inspired by experiences of gender bias and challenges faced by female entrepreneurs.

Creation and Vision for LiftWomen

• Established Australia's first platform dedicated to funding women entrepreneurs.
• Aims to close the gender funding gap by providing capital, mentorship, and community support.
• Committed to creating a space where women's ventures are valued and supported.

Challenges and strategies in building LiftWomen

• Faced hurdles in educating the market about crowdfunding in Australia and Asia.
• Utilized marketing incentives such as grants and partnerships to build initial traction.
• Leveraged community support and role models to empower and connect women entrepreneurs.

Funding and Entrepreneurship for Women

• Addresses barriers such as traditional biases and lack of confidence among female founders.
• Advocates for diverse funding pathways, emphasizing non-traditional methods like crowdfunding.
• Supports business literacy and scalable business models for sustainable growth.

Future Goals and Global Expansion

• Plans to expand support and community building to Asia and beyond.
• Focus on creating international connections and mentorship for women entrepreneurs.
• Aspires to empower women globally to pursue impactful ventures and build sustainable businesses.

Timestamped overview

00:00 Empowering Female Entrepreneurs in Business

06:04 Empowering Women through Fintech

09:44 Gratitude and Giving Back

13:02 Gender Biases in Global Entrepreneurship

17:01 Crowdfunding Platform for Women Entrepreneurs

19:06 Crowdfunding Education Challenges

21:59 Corporate Experience Fuels Entrepreneurial Success

26:42 Empowering Women Through Mentorship

28:03 Empowering Women Entrepreneurs Globally

33:57 "Validate Through Community Engagement"

37:44 Empowering Women Entrepreneurs Globally

39:57 "Leave a Podcast Review"

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