This organization sounds great! Women entrepreneurs need just as much help as anyone else doing this, and it's good to see an organization taking their dreams seriously.

I'm an ambassador for Microsoft and right now we're trying to reach out and connect with influential bloggers, like you, and try and offer some help to those women trying to get their business started! I'd love to share some information with you on how we can do that!

We just wrapped up a women's entrepreneurial tour across the US called "Vision To Venture"; the response and turn-out was great!

Thank you so much. Get back to me if I've caught your interest-- I'd love to share more info with you.
http://smallbusiness.officelive.com/resourcecenter/women
http://smallbusiness.officelive.com/seminars/winningherway

Best,
Bianca Russo
Official Microsoft Ambassador
bianca.russo@live.com

Just listened to your series on investing women lead start ups. Would love the links to post to my Facebook and Linked in.

Love the show!

I am a fan of the podcast and just listened to your interview with Stephanie Hanbury-Brown of Golden Seeds. The purpose of this email to comment on your business rationale for recruiting women to Tech Coast Angels.

Women make up 49% of the age 18-24 population but 57% of enrollees in college, compared to 43% for men. This 14 point gap in higher education will translate into a 14 point gap in business employment and business leadership in the years to come. As America transitions from a manufacturing economy to a service economy, male domination in the workplace will decline and continue to decline. Traits like strength will matter less; in greatest demand will be the ability to solve problems. On this front, men and women are equally equipped (Stephanie, I know what you are thinking, Shame on You).

A reversal in the workforce population, however, will occur when business women marry and have children. Today corporate women are effectively mommy-tracked once they leave corporate America. When they are ready to return, the job prospects aren't as attractive, leading many women to look to non-profit, small business ownership or contract work to re-enter the workforce. But as women achieve roles of greater responsibility and corporate leadership before they have children, when they choose to return to the workforce, they will want to continue in a role of equal or greater responsibility. If corporate America doesn't re-absorb them, entrepreneurship will be the only viable career choice. And they will have the experience, contacts and risk tolerance to do very well in this arena (generally speaking).

The reason Tech Coast Angels should want to attract more women investors is because THERE ARE GOING TO BE MORE women entrepreneurs. Concurrently, as a result of lower mortality rates and divorce, women will control a increasing amount of wealth in this country. Those with an appetite for risk will opt to form their own investment groups to fund the growing number of women entrepreneurs. For TCA to remain viable, they will need to attract women investors so as to not get shut out of lucrative deals. Of course, I am speaking in generational terms but the trend is already underway.

With Obama-mania in the air, white men are running around with a "Fear of a Black Planet" when they should really have a "Fear of a Lipstick Jungle". America is moving towards gender neutrality and institutions that don't heed the call will risk being shut out.

Love the podcast. Keep it coming.