Join us at 11 a.m. Thursday, July 23rd for our next edition of "Female Founders Stories: to Live and Work in L.A." We'll talk with Tea Drops co-founder and CEO Sashee Chandran along with Skylar CEO Cat Chen.
Join dot.LA chief cost and correspondent Kelly O'Grady as we talk with women leaders and entrepreneurs here in the L.A. startup community. We will be exploring how they got started, triumphed over challenges, as well as their favorite success stories and what they love most about living and working in L.A.
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<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Female Founders Stories with Tea Drops & Skylar</small>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6718Sr1B5A" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a>
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Sashee Chandran, Founder & CEO at Tea Drops
Sashee Chandran, Founder & CEO of Tea Drops
<p>Sashee is founder and CEO of Tea Drops, which creates bagless loose leaf teas — shedding about 20% less waste than traditional tea bag packaging. Tea Drops has become a favorite among new and experienced tea drinkers alike, launching innovative tea experiences that merge flavorful blends, food art and edgy design. Tea Drops are now available in close to 1,500 retailers — and are loved by Oprah Magazine, Chrissy Teigen, and former first lady Michelle Obama. Sashee is a 1st Place $20K WFN Fast pitch winner, 1st Place $100K Tory Burch Fellow Grant winner, and the 1st place $50K PepsiCo WomanMade Challenge winner. She has also raised over $2.5M in VC funding for Tea Drops. </p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://dot.la/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQ4MTQ1Ny9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNjQxODYwMn0.8EbWsLb9HwDLDNIrZHAPm69NkQIs9ao67JqYTJ4JKlo/image.jpg?width=980" id="41903" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c0bf79bc567e24284e2c10eb7c623cdd" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Cat Chen, Founder & CEO of Skylar
Cat Chen, Founder & CEO of Skylar
<p>Founded in April 2017, Skylar is affecting change in the dirty and unregulated $46 billion fragrance industry by creating a whole new world of better-for-you fragrances and body care products. Skylar products are clean, hypoallergenic, and cruelty-free. Our products are inspired by women and a portion of our proceeds go toward Step Up, a non-profit organization benefiting women. In addition to creating innovative products, we're also creating a more convenient and personal way to shop, content that helps women lead a clean lifestyle, and a supportive and engaged community.<br></p><p>Skylar is backed by Upfront Ventures, FirstMark Capital, Amplify LA, and Gingerbread Capital. Other notable investors include Brian Lee (The Honest Company Founder), Karen Katz (former Neiman Marcus CEO), Jake Kassan (Mvmt Watches Founder & CEO), and Jeff Kearl (Stance Socks Founder & CEO).</p><p>Cat started her career in management consulting at Bain & Company and continued honing her skills at Apple and Activision Blizzard. She earned a BS in Management Science from MIT and an MBA in Marketing and Operations from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://dot.la/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQ4MTQ1My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxOTUwMzQ0NX0.zZnld8YtL0YBGocED2Yhc1xus5pAIAK8l7BngQKmvQ4/image.jpg?width=980" id="f1d03" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="68e8f64a7f15694db5dae22bd31b9ff2" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Kelly O'Grady, Chief Host and Correspondent
Kelly O'Grady, Chief Host and Correspondent at dot.LA
<p>Kelly O'Grady is dot.LA's chief host & correspondent. Kelly serves as dot.LA's on-air talent, and is responsible for designing and executing all video efforts. A former management consultant for McKinsey, and TV reporter for NESN, she also served on Disney's Corporate Strategy team, focusing on M&A and the company's direct-to-consumer streaming efforts. Kelly holds a bachelor's degree from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. A Boston native, Kelly spent a year as Miss Massachusetts USA, and can be found supporting her beloved Patriots every Sunday come football season.</p>From Your Site Articles
- Los Angeles' Startup Scene is Still a Male-Dominated Game - dot.LA ›
- 'Female Founders Stories' Event: WeeCare and DropLabs - dot.LA ›
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Ten companies. Three months. One Demo Day. But what makes the Techstars L.A. experience so transformative? And how will that translate to the current remote world? In this installment of dot.LA Dives In, we talk with Anna Barber, managing director of Techstars L.A., for a behind the scenes look at what the Class of 2020 can expect from the accelerator experience.
Meet the Techstars L.A. Class of 2020
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="cc070c5f773d48cb69efaccc58bc5a90"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NaOLE9iIWSI?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>"We have had a (Techstars) that is all virtual for a few years now, so we had some precedent. Essentially what we are trying to do is bring that community, that connection, and all the learning and the value of mentorship, but just do it in a virtual environment with the same level of effectiveness," says Barber</p><p>Since the inception of Techstars L.A., Barber has been cultivating supportive environments for startups to grow. </p>
<p>Some of her favorite stories are the "before and after" transformations where, by the end of its journey, the company is almost unrecognizable. Many of the accelerator participants go on to raise seed rounds after an intense three months of iteration.</p><p>"The reason people are successful fundraising coming out of the program is because they do the work of understanding the drivers of their business and moving them so that investors can see they are building on a strong foundation, and therefore their business becomes investable," says Barber. "It's not because they build a fancy powerpoint or rehearse their pitch a lot. It's because they did the work."<br/></p><p><span></span>Barber <a href="https://dot.la/heres-the-one-thing-techstars-anna-barber-looks-for-in-founders-2646414750/particle-2" target="_blank">looks for a certain type of founder</a> that can undergo such a transformation. Each member of the Techstars L.A. 2020 class is there because Barber could envision herself working for their company. But what is it specifically that makes her say yes to a founder? Passion and an open mind.<br/></p><p>"I'm looking for that founder who literally can't be doing anything else because they can't rest until this thing that they've envisioned exists in the world," says Barber. "Then you couple that determination with a really open-minded viewpoint of how you get there. And a willingness to learn, and a willingness to be wrong."</p><p>In addition to her role at Techstars, Barber serves as a coach and strategic consultant to founders, as well as a partner at The Fund, an early stage venture capital fund made up of local founders and operators that <a href="https://dot.la/the-fund-los-angles-venture-capital-2645878184.html" target="_blank">expanded to L.A. this year</a>. With so much engagement in the local tech and startup community, it is no surprise that Barber has a specific vision for L.A. tech's future. Five to ten years down the line, she hopes for a Los Angeles that is contributing to the sustainability of our planet and for a community where diversity, equity and inclusion have become core components - and she plans to help make that vision a reality.</p><p>"I think, 'what is the change I want to see in the world and have L.A. be a leader?' I would love to see advances in sustainability, which I think is the pressing issue of our time," says Barber. "And I would love to see a Los Angeles where we have made meaningful progress on diversity, equity and inclusion — both on the funding side and the founding side."</p><p>Watch the full interview to learn more - in this conversation, we dive deep into how Techstars empowers startups to create impact, what it is about a founder that makes Barber say yes! and what she envisions for the future of L.A. tech. Get ready for an intriguing look at the L.A. startup scene from the woman uniquely positioned to help bring about that future.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
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<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Anna Barber: Techstars and the Future of L.A. Tech</small>
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<em>Kelly O'Grady runs video and serves as the chief host & correspondent for dot.LA. Find her on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kfogrady" target="_blank">@kfogrady</a> and email her at <a href="mailto:mailto:kelly@dot.LA">kelly@dot.LA</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
- Techstars' Advice to LA Entrepreneurs - dot.LA ›
- Meet the 10 Startups in This Year's Techstars LA Program - dot.LA ›
- What Techstars' Anna Barber Looks for in Founders - dot.LA ›
- Meet Techstars LA 2020 Class - dot.LA ›
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On Thursday, July 16, dot.LA kicked off the first in our series of "Female Founders Stories," with the aim of holding candid conversations with the minds behind some of the city's most innovative startups.
Chief host and correspondent Kelly O'Grady spoke with WeeCare Co-founder & CEO Jessica Chang as well as DropLabs Founder & CEO Susan Paley about their "aha" moments and experiences as women leading L.A. startups.
<p>Chang said the inspiration for WeeCare came from advice her friends gave her while she was still pregnant: sign up for childcare now.</p><p>It wasn't until she started touring daycare centers that Chang realized why they were so insistent. Most daycares came with a one to two year waiting list. And the cost? Sometimes up to $3,000 per month. Chang felt a looming sense that the lack of options would force her to choose between family and work. </p><p>That's why she started WeeCare, a startup to help teachers, new moms and caregivers to set up and manage home daycares. </p><p>Chang, whose background is in finance and private equity, became a preschool owner and operator during the first phase of her plan. "It took me running three preschools to really understand the inherent nature of what was happening in the world of childcare," she said. </p><p>The company began as a childcare marketplace, a sort of one-stop solution for families looking for and managing the daycare process. At the same time, WeeCare offers a "business in box" solution for providers.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
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<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Female Founder Stories: WeeCare and DropLabs</small>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf4iXbYpWfc&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a>
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</p><p>Susan Paley's experience was much different. As the first CEO for Beats by Dr. Dre, she already knew a good deal about the industry she was aiming to disrupt.<br/></p><p>Her company, <a href="https://droplabs.com/" target="_blank">DropLabs</a>, focuses on the "feeling" of sound by adding an immersive layer to media experiences, whether that's watching a movie, listening to music or playing video games. It also makes wired-up sneakers that she says allows 'your whole body to become a speaker cabinet'.</p><p>"It's getting people to feel, to connect," Paley said. "It could be that first concert, your first concert you loved so much, and playing that music to transport you to that." </p><p>"I'm hoping this becomes a ubiquitous way to experience digital content, which is not going away" Paley added. "Even when COVID goes away, we'll still be completely wired to get all of our consumption on screens. Most of what we're ingesting is two-dimensional and we're three-dimensional beings." </p><p><em>Watch the full conversation in the video above and sign up for our newsletter to get updated on our next event.</em></p><h2>About the Speakers<br/></h2>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://dot.la/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQ1NjY2MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNzI5MDQ3NH0.oDD-W1ccrvccJ0__wQwFoKT32vl7V94oSzz6euB6-pg/image.jpg?width=980" id="275a1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="06e09cf3d2b8f37fb6db1e44dce67b12" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="" />
Susan Paley is the founder & CEO of DropLabs
Susan Paley, Founder & CEO of DropLabs
<p>Susan Paley is the founder and CEO of DropLabs, a first-of-its-kind tech company on a mission to enable the world to feel sound from the ground up. With their first release, a sneaker called the EP 01, DropLabs integrates audio technology and footwear to deliver a truly immersive audio-sensory experience you can feel throughout your entire body. Over the course of her 20+ year career in consumer technology, Susan has been the driving force behind some of the most innovative consumer products. Most notably, Susan was the initial CEO of Beats By Dre, where she successfully guided all aspects of the company's unparalleled growth to make it the #1 headphone provider globally. </p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://dot.la/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQ1NjY3MC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MDE3NDg0OH0.WJFc6vQmLj1UJweTwFCuh4dIU7axNmDXcAHxiZY8OR8/image.jpg?width=980" id="d7c9d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="559552c58fd5c65aca096bbdb8508c95" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="" />
Jessica Chang is co-founder & CEO of WeeCare
Jessica Chang, Co-Founder & CEO of WeeCare
<p>WeeCare is the easiest way for teachers, new moms and caregivers to start and manage a successful home daycare. We're addressing the $28B home childcare market, offering startup services to navigate the daycare licensing process and providing a business-in-a-box toolset to simplify operations, generate additional revenue and delight parents. Founded by a team of moms, preschool owners and successful technology founders, WeeCare is creating affordable, quality daycares accessible to all families.<br><br>Before WeeCare's founding, Jessica worked in finance and operations and gathered experience in early education through owning Los Angeles preschools. </p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzM5ODQ3NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzOTEwNjg1Mn0.2MR_BSYjQVwRm-PZoYoas9vA2RmLpFaX3PdnypnuwIg/img.jpg?width=980" id="78991" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="261a35de1b8932c0328d037730d40917" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Kelly O'Grady, Chief Host and Correspondent
<p>Kelly O'Grady is dot.LA's chief host & correspondent. Kelly serves as dot.LA's on-air talent, and is responsible for designing and executing all video efforts. A former management consultant for McKinsey, and TV reporter for NESN, she also served on Disney's Corporate Strategy team, focusing on M&A and the company's direct-to-consumer streaming efforts. Kelly holds a bachelor's degree from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. A Boston native, Kelly spent a year as Miss Massachusetts USA, and can be found supporting her beloved Patriots every Sunday come football season.</p>From Your Site Articles
- Join Us for Our First 'Female Founders Stories' Event: WeeCare and ... ›
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