Women are rising to the top of the startup scene...

                                                                                                  

                                                                                                        (photo credit: EYIF.wordpress.com)

I begin each morning with a cup of coffee and an insatiable appetite for reading.  That is the time of morning that my mind is most clear and I soak up as much as I can.  I attempt to read before bed but I open a book, a magazine or an article and it has the same effect on me as does the humming of a fan or a couple of glasses of wine…it knocks me out.  So, morning is my time to read. 

Friday morning I was reading through some Inc. magazine articles (my favorite publication for entrepreneurship) and came across their 6 Essential Resources for Women Entrepreneurs.  I thought the resources they provided were essential and in the event you missed their article, I wanted to publish the resources they highlighted on my blog.  I encourage you to share these resources with all the women entrepreneurs you know.  Enjoy!

1. Women Who Startup

There’s strength in numbers, and Denver-based Women Who Startup aims to bring women coders, founders, and entrepreneurs together through networking events and summits. Also, their Women Who Startup podcast lets entrepreneurs around the world participate in the conversation.

2. The Women’s Venture Fund

The Women’s Venture Fund is a New York and New Jersey-based organization that offers training programs, one-on-one advisory services, and business loans to women entrepreneurs. Their goal is to make information and resources available so that their clients’ businesses can succeed.

3. Women’s Tech Radio

A podcast produced by Jupiter Broadcasting, Women’s Tech Radio hosts conversations between women who work in all areas of the tech world–from coders, developers, and engineers to founders and entrepreneurs. If you’re looking for community and role models, this is a great place to turn.

4. In Good Company

In Good Company is a New York-based co-working space that also offers much, much more: networking sessions, group "get S$% done" sessions, classes, and peer mentorship opportunities for women entrepreneurs. Beyond simply providing resources for women, In Good Company aims to help women empower themselves to succeed in business. Their blog offers refreshing advice on topics from dealing with sexism to figuring out how to take maternity leave as an entrepreneur.

5. 37 Angels

37 Angels addresses the untapped potential that women can bring to investing, with the goal of achieving gender equality in angel investing. The vast majority of investors are men, and 37Angels thinks that including more women in the process can result in greater innovation. Their mentorship network works with women who want to become investors, and their investor training boot camp empowers women investors with knowledge and resources.

6. Astia

San Francisco-based Astia identifies and promotes high-potential women-run ventures, providing networking opportunities, mentorship, and, crucially, access to investors and capital. By involving entrepreneurs, advisors, and investors, they’re working to change the startup ecosystem.

While the startup world can still be a challenging place for women, there’s no reason that it needs to stay that way, and these groups are changing it for women at all levels of entrepreneurship.

I encourage you to subscribe to Inc. magazine if you have not already.  It has been one of the largest sources of inspiration for me during my entrepreneurial journey.