Straighten Your Crown

Second in our negotiation series is an in-depth interview with our very own host, Andrea Minkow!

Ever wish you could sit down with a seasoned, caring founder who’s dedicated her life to helping other founders? That’s what you get in this interview with Andrea: best-in-class coaching advice, from direct experience, for how founders can win in fundraising negotiations.

Andrea gives us the words, questions, and mindset to make killer deals. She shares with us the art form of negotiation, how to set expectations, and align interests. Most importantly, she gives us the magic for how to find ourselves in negotiations, how to care for fear, and how we can show up: “This version of you is going for the invention of new opportunities. She’s not bound by convention.” Goosebumps!!! Tune in now.

Andrea’s bio

Andrea is the secret weapon, cheerleader and advisor for second career female entrepreneurs and CEO’s.

As an entrepreneur herself she has lived through starting a company and raising 2 rounds of capital. With 15+ years of creating award winning, impactful work, Andrea is a business strategist with expertise in crafting value propositions, marketing, branding, visual design, technology strategy for companies like, SAP, Intel, Stanford University, Nike and the New York City Marathon.

Andrea helps second career female entrepreneurs because she knows both the pain points and expertise needed to start your own business. From the highest highs to the lowest lows, she has seen it all. And she has come out on top.

After working in politics for leaders such as Hillary Clinton and Harry Reid, Andrea moved into creating world-class experiences for companies like Unilever and Under Armor and eventually cofounding an event software management company. Whether it’s politics or business, brand impact or human connection, she understands what makes both businesses and people thrive.

She may be a nationally recognized speaker, writer and strategist on female entrepreneurship, technology, politics and business, but Andrea’s not all work. She also loves to play! From sailing to skiing, to hiking with her poodle, Reuben, Andrea loves to be outside and enjoy everything life has to offer.

https://andreaminkow.com/

The key to mastering negotiations is mastering difficult conversations.

Yet what makes difficult conversations difficult? How can you have them skillfully instead of avoiding them?

As a founder, the most challenging aspects of your job probably boil down to maneuvering difficult conversations, whether they’re in fundraising, with your co-founder, or in delivering or receiving feedback.

This interview with Amy gives you exactly the right tools and know-how to master any difficult conversation so that you can strengthen your relationships, and get what you want.

Amy’s bio:

Amy is a mindfulness-based leadership coach and speaker. Amy has coached mission-driven entrepreneurs backed by a16z, Female Founders Fund, First Round Capital, and executives at Google, Lyft, and Hinge. She utilizes the latest research in neuroscience and human behavior to empower her founders and has been trained by The Coaches Training Institute (CTI Co-Active). She is a pitching & public speaking expert and regularly speaks at tech & leadership conferences, accelerators, and universities. A negotiation nerd, she has been personally trained by Stuart Diamond, author of Getting More.

A former tech executive, Amy launched & scaled first-of-kind products across the US and Europe. At Google, she led business development, including the successful international launch of Google Pay across Europe. Prior to that, Amy was the youngest member of the OpenTable sales team, where she won every sales award and helped build the company's revenue towards its 2009 IPO. In 2010, Amy co-founded MEI New York, a fashion startup aimed at empowering women. Amy brings the lessons of burnout, of working at startups of all sizes, and as an operator and co-founder to her coaching practice.

Amy holds a B.A. in Psychology and Legal Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. She is a certified yoga teacher, a dedicated meditator, a tango and wine enthusiast, and has traveled to 46 countries. A passionate advocate for women, she is the co-host of Straighten Your Crown, a podcast for female founders. Her life's mission is to reduce human suffering, and her mantra is to lead with heart.

Have you wondered about how female energy plays a role in entrepreneurship and fundraising? Can your female prowess be an asset instead of a liability? Sexuality is never going away, so let’s navigate it and behave in a way that benefits us and our businesses. How can founders identify their prowess and wield it effectively? Get tips for how to amp up your situational awareness, set boundaries, make asks and more. And, we recommend obligations that investors can adopt today. Tips: https://bit.ly/2xn9MXh

Even though the lights are down on Broadway, the show must go on. Ordinary life as we knew it is over. We now live in a world where smiling with your eyes is a real thing (you called it, Tyra! SMIZING!), the words “Tiger King” actually make sense, anxiety, grief and loss are commonplace, virtual dating is the only way to meet a partner, WFH and homeschooling is the norm, telehealth and virtual collaboration companies are exploding, and baking has become the national pastime. What else is new? What will be born out of this period? What new habits, services, products, or expectations will we see? What cultural shifts will take place? When it comes to startup land, the new normal includes looking at ways people will be born, grow up, buy stuff, stay safe, get exercise, date, marry, pay taxes and die. Come hang out as Andrea and Amy reimagine the impact of COVID-19 on our ordinary, daily lives.