International Women’s Day: Accelerating Investment in Women-Owned Businesses

By Brian Burnsed, EO Global Senior Writer 

From the pursuit for gender parity to the systemic barriers and biases still facing women today, the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day, celebrated on 8 March, challenges us to “Accelerate Action for women everywhere.” This is the first piece in a series this week exploring how women entrepreneurs in EO and beyond are teaming up to accelerate growth, exercise leadership, and broaden their connections through the power of community.   

“I want to encourage women that we have to own this problem...We’re smart. We’re agile. We can make this work and we’re here together, so just keep going.”  

Robbie Hardy is a pioneering entrepreneur, angel investor, and champion for women in business and finance. She founded xElle Ventures, an all-women angel network, and is the author of Upsetting the Table and Fed Up to Start Up. Her career spans corporate leadership, startups, and early-stage investing, and she has devoted herself to helping women investors and female founders flourish in a disproportionately male industry. Her next book, The Mentor Capitalist, is due out in spring 2026.  

In a virtual event held by EO Women and EO DealExchange (DX) communities last week, Hardie spoke with Corey Kupfer, DX community lead and EO Los Angeles member, about her journey. This is an edited and condensed version of their conversation:  

Kupfer: As someone who has long confronted issues faced by women entrepreneurs, what is your view of what progress have we made—and what we haven’t?   

Hardie: In some ways we have made progress. The good news is we are talking about it: In my day, we were not discussing it. You were not reading anything about the plight of women in business the same way we are now. At least, today, we have the awareness. There are a lot of people like myself—and groups like EO—who are trying to help give women the tools they need to take their place, whether it climbing the corporate ladder or to leaving to start something on their own. It is about giving them the connections. At the end of the day, your experience and expertise matter, but your connections are extraordinarily valuable.  

I am curious what the evolution has been in terms of women mentoring women and supporting women, whether it’s in corporate entrepreneurship, raising capital or becoming an investor.  

Back in my day there was a “good ol’ boys club.” Women were never part of that. It is getting better, but it is definitely still there. Right now, unfortunately, we are seeing a little bit of a setback in that regard. We just have to work harder and women have to stand by each other. When I was leaving the corporate world, I had been the only woman in the room for a gazillion years, and there were only three other women executives on my team. We did not support each other. There was a sense that there is only one seat at the table and it is mine. That has changed. So, women learning to support each other has been a big factor.  

What differences have you seen between female-led and male-led companies in terms of how they run their companies or raise capital?  

Women fight so hard to get that seat at the table. I have mentored and coached thousands of companies led by women, and they have worked hard to get there. When they have investments they do see it as other people’s money. It is not their money—it is the company’s money. “How do I use it well?” In my experience, women tend to be able to juggle different things more effectively. They understand the need for communication. Those things make a big difference. It is not that men do not run great companies—they do. When you talk to investors, though, they tell you women run more effective companies. A lot of investors agree that women can give a better return.  

For women who you work with and invest in, I am curious about the journey. Obviously, there are external challenges, but there is also an internal journey that we all go through. Could you address both? 

Because I am an entrepreneur, I am willing to jump in when I don’t know what I’m doing. Women, in general, are not like that. There is not anything wrong with them, but they are often not like men who, if their buddies are doing it then he will do it, too, even if he does not know what he is doing. He will follow along until he figures it out. Women tend to want to understand what they are getting into. They want to understand the financial implications. I spend a lot of time educating women and helping them understand that every industry has jargon. Investing—private investing, angel investing, venture investing—has a lot of it. That is a continuing issue and part of my mission: To get as many women investors as possible. Once they dip their toes in the water, they are sponges.  

For those who are interested in raising capital or investing, what next steps or mindset shifts should they understand if they want to start this journey?  

You do not have to go it alone. If you join an angel fund, then you have people around you. The group makes the decision. The other thing: Some women do not think they are enough. Overcoming that hurdle is part of how you can learn. The good news is that women are willing to admit they do not know something and are looking for help—as long as it is in a safe space. You have to be willing to say, “I have no idea. I don’t understand it at all. What is this valuation stuff?” You can find the answers. If you are really serious, go to your friends and colleagues and say, “We need to do something here, and nobody is going to do it if we don’t, so let’s figure it out.”   

EO members, Accelerators, and spouses and life partners can watch the full, one-hour conversation with Robbie by logging into the EO Learning Platform here.