In this episode, Lauren and Stef sit down with Ellen Wilcox, Head of Listening at Listen Ventures, Alex Fine, co-founder and CEO of Dame, and Kate Miller, co-founder and CEO of Miss Grass. What do all of these fabulous women have in common?

Dame is a brand dedicated to empowering women's sexual pleasure, while Miss Grass addresses the gap in the cannabis industry specifically for women. Both are female-founded consumer brands backed by Listen Ventures, an early-stage consumer-only VC firm that backs brands and consumer-obsessed entrepreneurs!

They discuss:

• The founding stories of both brands and the challenges of raising capital in taboo industries as well as the insights from Listen Ventures' report on middle-aged women's preferences in the consumer market.
• The challenges faced by female founders in raising capital and building successful consumer brands.
• The taboo surrounding women's health and wellness is discussed, as well as the gender imbalance in the investor community.
• The importance of understanding and catering to the needs of the target consumer is highlighted, along with the power of building a strong brand and community.
• The role of venture capital in supporting founders in hiring and building a strong team is also touched upon.

The List:

• Dame, Recs: Com, Arc, Aer
• Miss Grass, Recs: Fast Times
• Listen Ventures, Must Read: Mindset's from the Middle