How To Raise Capital When ALL The Odds Are Against You – With Tech Startup CEO Lindsay Padilla

Got a business idea, but don’t know how to raise the funds? Listen up.

🔥 Join our next Money Making challenge: https://makemoneymoves.co/

Only 3% of venture capital goes to women—Lindsay Padilla got funded anyway.

In this episode, Rachel Rodgers sits down with Lindsay Padilla, CEO of Hello Audio, to break down how she built a tech startup from scratch and raised capital in an industry that rarely bets on women – let alone women of colour.

Lindsay shares the unfiltered truth about navigating the tech world as a first-time founder, and pushing forward when everything seems stacked against you. This is an inspiring, no-BS guide to building the business you believe in even when no one expects you to win.

If you're dreaming big and ready to defy the odds, this one’s for you.

📚Order Rachel’s new book Future Millionaire: https://helloseven.co/ytfmb165

Follow Lindsay!
Lindsay’s Instagram: @drlindsaypadilla
Lindsay’s TikTok: @drlindsaypadilla
Check out Hello Audio: https://helloaudio.fm/

Follow Rachel!
Rachel’s Instagram: @rachrodgersesq  
Rachel’s Threads: @rachrodgersesq
Hello Seven's TikTok: @hellosevenco

00:00 – Asking for money as a woman entrepreneur
 01:02 – The shocking stats on women getting funded
 01:26 – How Hello Audio got its first $100K
 02:34 – From prototype to first subscribers
 03:15 – Deciding whether to raise capital or bootstrap
 04:00 – Mentorship from tech founders on raising
 05:16 – Getting the first check: why it matters
 06:12 – Raising capital vs. selling to customers
 07:01 – Building an inclusive cap table
 07:26 – Prepping for investor conversations without a pitch deck
 07:52 – Growing up with financial instability
 08:53 – Overcoming money trauma and shame
 09:13 – The reframe: raising money as a gift
 10:16 – Why investors want to be part of your vision
 11:05 – Rachel’s first startup investment experience
 11:51 – What makes a great investor–CEO relationship
 12:28 – Why founder diversity is critical to innovation
 13:03 – The risk of building tech without representation
 13:50 – How Lindsay landed her first check with courage
 14:38 – The power of community-funded startups
 15:30 – Crafting your fundraising narrative
 16:45 – Talking to your audience before building your product
 17:52 – Building a business that doesn’t burn you out
 18:57 – Moving from course creator to tech CEO
 20:18 – What investors really want to hear
 21:01 – Pitching with vision instead of pressure
 21:52 – How to use your network to raise capital
 22:57 – Making space for women in tech leadership
 23:46 – Managing fear around other people’s money
 24:48 – Getting comfortable with scaling and systems
 25:41 – Investing in companies that reflect your values
 26:28 – Breaking into tech without Silicon Valley connections
 27:38 – Raising capital without selling your soul
 28:31 – Final thoughts: more women need to raise capital

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