))
Angel Investing, Equity Strategy, and Empowering Women Founders - with Lucy Chow | The Perfect Pitch Podcast Ep12
Manage episode 482960534 series 3572975
In this episode of the Lucidity Insights podcast: The Perfect Pitch, we sit down with angel investor and ecosystem builder Lucy Chow, who shares hard-won truths about startup fundraising.
From explaining why founders should “fire their angel” if the fit is wrong, to stressing the danger of giving away too much equity early on — Lucy doesn't hold back. She unpacks the biggest funding red flags, the different stages of capital (friends & family, angels, VCs), and how early investors often bring more value through mentorship and network than money itself.
Lucy also dives into why she invests in female founders, how gender diversity correlates with higher returns, and the rising role of C-suite executives as angel investors. Whether you're a founder navigating your first raise, a woman looking to become an angel, or just curious about how funding really works in the Middle East and beyond — this conversation is full of insight, honesty, and action-ready advice.
"The Perfect Pitch," is a newly launched Podcast Show by Lucidity Insights. Join LucidityInsights.com for an exclusive masterclass series featuring top Venture Capitalists in the Middle East & Africa region. Get all the essential insights to kickstart your fundraising journey. 🚀
[ Watch this episode on video ]
Follow our Socials: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | Twitter (X)
Chapters
1. Intro & Teaser (00:00:00)
2. How Lucy became an Angel Investor (00:02:26)
3. Stages of Startup Funding & Role of Angels (00:08:48)
4. Finding and approaching Angel Investors (00:11:43)
5. Why Angels offer more than just capital (00:12:57)
6. How the wrong Investor can harm your business (00:14:59)
7. Don't give too much too soon (00:18:16)
8. The healthy equity range for Angels (00:20:10)
9. Backgrounds of Angel Investors (00:22:42)
10. Why C-suite execs make great Angels (00:24:17)
11. The rise of fractional executives in Startups (00:25:40)
12. How much money do you need to be an Angel? (00:28:35)
13. Female-Led Startups’ Impact to the rise of Female Investors (00:30:31)
14. Why we need more women in Investing (00:32:53)
15. Women-led companies make more economic returns (00:34:29)
16. Are women opting out of funding? (00:36:33)
17. Should women angels prioritize women founders? (00:39:11)
18. Percentage of female founders in Lucy’s portfolio (00:40:43)
19. Social impact and financial returns aren’t mutually exclusive (00:41:49)
20. What if you’re told you’re not investable (00:44:02)
21. Do angels look for 100x returns? (00:46:33)
22. What makes a Perfect Pitch? (00:48:20)
23. What magic does Lucy look for in founders (00:51:03)
24. When co-founders don’t work out (00:52:45)
25. Biggest pet peeve when asked for funding (00:54:26)
26. Warm intros matter (00:55:53)
27. Why Lucy is excited about young Entrepreneurs in MENA (01:00:54)
28. Why we need mentors who’ve failed (01:03:43)
29. Lucy’s favorite sectors to invest in (01:04:30)
13 episodes
Share
