Any entrepreneur knows the fear and uncertainty that comes with starting your own business. Trying to get started can make you feel insecure and unsure of yourself and your abilities, regardless of what you’ve accomplished in the past and what you know you’re capable of.
Our guest today, Sara Adler, graduated with a degree in economics looking to pursue a career in investment banking. She soon realized, however, that it wasn’t the right path for her and so she started to pursue other options. Sara went on to work for Facebook, Dropbox, and Airbnb in mergers and acquisitions before finally deciding to start her own venture capital firm with a fellow colleague.
In this episode, Sara shares a bit about her career journey and what inspired her decisions along the way. She talks to us about her experience working for founder-led companies like Facebook and Airbnb and why she eventually chose to start her own firm over continuing in corporate life. Sara also walks us through her business thesis and portfolio and shares her take on the current market situation and what it means for entrepreneurs.
“I was clearly not someone who was willing to just coast and let things slide. I really wanted to keep learning.” - Sara Adler
If you’re looking to take your business to the next level, join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!
If you’re looking to take your business to the next level:
Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and MORE!
Whether you’re looking to scale your existing business and want to make the right connections, or you’re thinking about finally taking the leap to launch your business, we’re here to give you access to a community of women who will celebrate your every step, and with whom you can share the candid reality of building a business from scratch.
Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!
PNC Celebrates Women Business Leaders
Each year, PNC celebrates women business leaders by hosting Women in Business Week. As co-founders of SocialFly and Entreprenista, Courtney and I were invited to join the lineup of this year’s keynote speakers!
Join us on Thursday, May 12th at 1p.m. Eastern Time for our keynote event, but you won’t want to miss any of the webcasts. This year’s all-virtual line up is absolutely inspiring.
To register for PNC’s Women in Business Week webcast event, head over to PNC.com/businesswebcasts - we can’t wait to see you there!
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Hosts
Stephanie Cartin is a serial entrepreneur, investor, podcast host, community builder, and a champion for women founders. She created the Entreprenista League, a community for women founders, to provide resources and support necessary at all business stages. She’s also the Co-founder of Socialfly, one of the first social media marketing agencies, as well as Entreprenista Media and Pearl Influential Capital which was recently acquired by Cherub. Stephanie has shared her journey managing her health challenges with Multiple Sclerosis, Infertility, and a complicated pregnancy and is an advocate for women going through similar challenges. Her story and businesses have been featured on the Today Show, Bloomberg and Forbes. Consider Stephanie your biggest business cheerleader.
Courtney Spritzer is an accomplished entrepreneur, investor, podcast host, and advocate for women founders. As Co-Founder and CEO of Socialfly, a social-first digital agency launched in 2012 and acquired in 2024, she has helped shape the industry with innovative strategies. She co-founded the Entreprenista League, a community for women founders, offering essential resources and support for all stages of business growth. Courtney’s entrepreneurial journey and business insights have been highlighted in top publications like Entrepreneur.com, Bloomberg, and Forbes.
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Highlights
- Sara’s career path after graduating 4:49
- The reason Sara decided to start Wave Capital instead of continuing in corporate life 9:20
- How Sara knew her current business partner would be the right fit for her and their business 11:00
- What drew Sara to founder-led companies 13:07
- Sara’s take on founders trying to run a company and raise capital in the current market situation 21:20
- Wave Capital’s thesis 25:14
- Sara’s advice for entrepreneurs looking to reach out to VCs 30:04