A shared episode from HerCsuite Radio host Natalie Benamou. Stephanie gives advice and strategies on moving from 'shiny object syndrome' to prioritizing your growth strategies and leveraging your value.

A shared episode by Matt Wolach. They kick off agreeing that raising capital is truly all about sales. People looking for funding need to look at what is right in front of them - creating something of value.

Andrea begins the episode introducing Stephanie, asking what drove her into owning her own business and what drove her to Finance-Ability. Stephanie shares how she helps businesses plan exit strategies.

Robbie asks Stephanie about her leadership journey. To Stephanie, being a leader is equal parts inspiration and risk/action taking. One must have a bold vision and be willing to roll up their sleeves.

Stephanie shares that her parents owned a business, and when it came time to sell and retire, they struggled. She realized the business was sellable, but they didn't know how to talk about it as an investment.

Natalie Benamou, Founder & CEO of HerPower2 Lead, shares how the scariest ask has been when asking for herself. She leads with empathy and discusses failures, fear of rejection, and resilience.

Tara Spalding, Managing Director of BoomStartup Accelerator, discusses building trust and credibility with investors over time. When you find the right investor fit, there is no better relationship.

Ari Palmer Salafia, Co-Founder & CEO of TaxTaker, shares her biggest ask when she began to raise capital. She discusses Imposter Syndrome, the power of storytelling, and keeping messaging consistent.

Zachary Eikenberry, CoFounder and CEO of Hook Security, discusses authenticity with investors, why perfection is suspicious, and why investors need entrepreneurs as much as entrepreneurs need investors.

Amy & Adam Fazackerley, Co-Founders of Lay-n-Go, discuss what it's like to work with your spouse day in, day out. They share about communication, trust, strengths, and giving each other slack.

Jamie Easton, founder of The Uptick, shares her scariest ask — demanding fair compensation after bringing in a top account. She proves that if you don't ask for what you're worth, it won't change.

Amy Fazackerley shares how stepping on loose Legos drove her to create Lay-n-Go. Her advice: know your pain point and solve it, don't get stuck in perfectionism, and always ask for feedback.

Spencer Montgomery, Founder of Uinta Crypto Consulting, shares how he turned $13k into over $1.2M in 18 months. He discusses risk profiles, common myths, and the future of crypto currency.

Adam Fazackerley, COO and Co-Founder of Lay-n-Go, shares how their decision-making process started with family and evolved. Situational awareness is crucial — know your audience and your investors.

George Grombacher, Founder of Money Alignment Academy, helps people understand their three most valuable resources: time, attention, and money. These need to be aligned with the best version of yourself.

Sean O'Brien, Co-Founder of Overline, discusses how authenticity beats 'fake it till you make it.' He values hearing 'I don't know' over a polished performance. Pattern recognition and research are key.

Robert White, Speaker, Author, and Executive Coach, talks about finding purpose during need, facing unknown situations, and how passion and commitment are the best characteristics for entrepreneurship.

Kim Raath, co-founder and CEO of Topl, discusses how customers care about global impact, how VC changed during the pandemic, and the importance of case studies when meeting potential investors.

Katy Campbell of Porsche Digital discusses how her naive approach to asking for investment was actually easier. Being bold, humble, and connecting on a human level attracts willing investors.

Greg Head, CEO of Scaling Point and founder of Gregslist, explains how to stand out in a noisy startup environment by being a specialist. Buyers want to know you are the best at your specialty.

Matt Wolach explains how your initial investment comes from your sales. By positioning yourself as an investor in your own business, you create the space for scaling. Know your numbers and metrics.

Stephanie tackles the question 'How do I talk about my exit strategy with investors?' Get clear on what kind of business you want before you start trying to grow.

Tiffany Bisconer, CPA with over 20 years of experience, explains how the toughest questions are the ones you ask yourself. Give yourself space to check in and stay aligned with your goals.

Final part of the four-part series covering your financial forecast/projection/model: what it is, how it helps you run your business, how to build one, and biggest pitfalls to avoid.

Part 3 of the four-part series covering KPIs — the short term measures of specific actions that move your business forward and help you quickly assess whether you're on target.

Part 2 of the four-part series: why you need to review past numbers, where you obtain your financial history and which numbers matter, and how past numbers help you make better decisions.

Part 1 of the four-part series: biggest reasons entrepreneurs are afraid of their numbers, how past/present/future work together, and two frameworks for thinking about your numbers.

A Thanksgiving episode reflecting on gratitude and announcing exciting changes for the show to serve more entrepreneurs who want to grow their businesses and hear 'yes' more often.

Ryan Tansom, co-founder of Arkona, discusses how the end result of value creation is the investment opportunity. By reverse-engineering your vision, you can facilitate both financial and personal growth.

Melissa Lamson and Kimberly Mylls of RecreateNow.org discuss how the anticipation of the answer makes you more nervous than the ask itself, and how one ask can have a compounding effect.

Andrea Heuston, founder and CEO of Artitudes Design, shares how the first step in getting started is mindset — know you belong at the table. You provide value that high-powered executives need.

Emeline Kuhner-Stout and Caitlyn Wooldridge, co-founders of Elastique, discuss how having supporters before you're even ready for the ask makes getting started easier.

Stephanie breaks down how founders make a huge mistake when they don't know their numbers. Which numbers are critical and how can you get it right before Demo Day?

Sonny Patel, Founder and CEO of Insurmi, shares his experience raising a million dollars in seed funding by approaching fundraising as a sales process.

Keith Ippel of Spring discusses how treating investors like a bank account creates an unbalanced power dynamic. The relationship between entrepreneur and investor being equal is a choice from day one.

Leslie Goldman, General Partner of The Artemis Fund, explains how you need to get as comfortable with your financials as your CFO. Know where the exit or potential exit is located.

Eric Smith, Executive Director of the UA Center for Innovation, discusses how first-time founders often fail to carry out useful customer discovery, leading to asks that don't inspire confidence.

Jackie Roberts, Executive Director of SparkLabs Frontier-ASU, discusses having an effective plan that makes the outcome of going to investors predictable.

Leart Zogjani of Symbolt.io explains how to find a fit before making an ask by empathizing with the person, understanding their value, and framing your offer as mutual benefit.

Geralyn Breig, Founder and CEO of AnytownUSA.com, shares insight on what you can expect when raising seed funding from family, friends, and institutions.

Mark Moeremans of the Arizona Commerce Authority discusses mastering the art of asking people for coffee and structuring your ask to find significant opportunities.

Andrea Guthrie, co-founder of Gyde & Seek, knew she couldn't let fear cripple her desire to raise capital. Doing the groundwork to feel confident about a viable and scalable business was key.

Cameron Herold, the CEO Whisperer, says go after the hard money first and make sure you don't take the wrong kind of money. Use the threat of reference check technique.

Gloria Chou, US Diplomat turned PR guru, explains how earned media puts you online for decades. Give yourself permission to offer your product to the media and show how you're contributing to the world.

Ben Chiarelli of Cellibre had to raise capital for a federally challenging business. He got 384 NOs before finally raising the money he needed. Persistence and adaptability were key.

Kimmy Paluch of Beta Boom explains how presenting an investment opportunity rather than a pitch makes you more confident and increases investor interest. Mindset determines outcome.

Eric Miller of PADT Inc. explains how the asking part isn't just about one pitch — it's about the relationship you build with a potential investor. Leverage the value you can add.

Kate Beardsley of Upslope Ventures discusses building genuine relationships post-ask and using references to filter advice. Don't let a 'no' end the relationship.

Sammy Abdullah of Blossom Street Ventures discusses common mistakes like overconfidence and high valuations. A fair deal in a crisp, straightforward tone will grab an investor's attention.

Stephanie shares insights on what most successful asks have in common: figuring out where and how you can add value to make your ask a partnership rather than a favor.

Jeff Erickson, Director of Business Development at Carta, discusses building mutually beneficial relationships that last, even during challenging times with technology.

Courtney Williams, Co-Founder and CEO of Emagine Solutions Technology, discusses using metrics and milestones to strengthen your pitch and business decisions.

Chris Ronzio, Founder and CEO of Trainual, talks about flipping the script by creating something people want to buy so they are asking you for it, plus creating exclusivity to attract more asks.

Geri Stengel, President of Ventureneer, shares how she was denied her request for higher pay in a shocking way. That learning experience molded her to become the successful woman she is today.

Ethan Austin, two-time founder and Angel Investor, explains how to stand a chance with investors choosing less than 3% of pitches. You need a blend of the right idea and the perfect team.

Ji Mi Choi, Associate Vice President of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at ASU, discusses turning your ask into an offer of help or added value for the other person.

Leib Bolel, President and CEO of the Arizona Israel Technology Alliance and Venture Partner at Grayhawk Capital, discusses overcoming the guilt associated with making asks for business growth.

Kristin Slice, Senior Program Manager of Peoria Forward, discusses the value of research, shared community knowledge, and surrounding yourself with the right people and information.

Scott Sorochak, CEO of SparkLabs Foundry, discusses doing your homework before approaching someone for an investment, building authentic connections, and what he looks for in a pitch.

Dre Thompson, EVP at Startup Tucson, discusses having a checklist when preparing your pitch and why reigning in your emotions and re-evaluating your strengths helps your ask.

Edward Cruz, founder of Go For Vertical, discusses the importance of planning and mapping out your goals and why questions are vital to getting your point across.

Loretta McCarthy, Managing Partner at Golden Seeds LLC, discusses asking compelling questions, presenting your pitch to the right people, and making effective follow-ups.

Stephanie Sims shares her story as a second-generation business owner and how she helped her parents understand and communicate the value of their business.