Closing The Funding Gap For Women Entrepreneurs

The Playbook With David Meltzer

David Meltzer, Entrepreneur.com

Entrepreneurship, Business, Careers

4.6 • 1.9K Ratings

🗓️ 28 June 2025

⏱️ 16 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In today’s episode, I sit down with Evelyn Y. K. Lee, founder of Vine Ventures, international investor, mentor, and private equity expert. Evelyn shares why she backs entrepreneurs who demonstrate consistency, integrity, and a deep commitment to their mission. We discuss the persistent funding gap facing women, especially women of color, and why investing in these founders often leads to stronger long-term outcomes. Evelyn also shares why companies like Rocket Plan, which simplify outdated industries with scalable solutions, stand out in a crowded market. Legacy, impact, and execution remain at the center of her approach as she empowers founders building businesses that create real change.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Entrepreneurs the Playbook. I'm David Meltzer here at Web Summit in Vancouver.
0:05.4	I can't remember how long I've been at Web Summit, rise, collision, whatever they want to call it.
0:10.2	It's a great community of entrepreneurs, people who want to buy from each other and sell for each other for life.
0:16.2	But it takes investors to do that. It takes people to capitalize business. And one of my missions,
0:22.2	I have a company called Meltzer funding specifically to fund bridge capital to women and women
0:28.1	of color, the most underrepresented and most qualified people to invest in. And I have someone
0:34.7	who's leading the way and investing into companies and co-investing into companies
0:39.1	with me, Evanlyn Lee.
0:41.7	She's the founder of Vine Ventures Corporation, formerly the Vine Group, an incredible international
0:48.2	entrepreneur, an investor, mentor, teacher, financier of private equity and business development. Welcome to the playbook.
0:56.9	Thank you so much, David. It's so kind of you. It's such a...
1:01.4	It's an honor to have you. I honestly, you're a trailblazer when it comes to investment.
1:08.2	And I'd like to start off by seeing what you look for when you're investing in a company.
1:14.7	What are one of the two things, one or two things that you look for when you invest in a company?
1:20.3	Always people.
1:22.1	The entrepreneur itself.
1:23.6	And what characteristics are you looking for when you find an entrepreneur you want to invest in?
1:29.0	I think solid.
1:31.2	Yeah.
1:32.1	Yeah.
1:33.1	Consistent.
1:34.1	Yeah.
	...

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