Today on the Invest In Her Podcast, host Catherine Gray talks with Sarah Lerner-Mantel, Managing Partner at Roll Tack Ventures, a Midwest-based venture capital firm investing in Series A and B B2B technology companies that drive growth, improve efficiency, and reduce risk. Before launching Roll Tack Ventures, Sarah helped scale Wayfair's 33-million-SKU marketplace and co-founded a med-tech company that developed an innovative ventilator during COVID-19, leading the company through acquisition. Her mission is to help exceptional founders grow industry-defining companies by providing not only capital, but meaningful strategic support and connections. In this episode, Catherine and Sarah explore what it really takes for startups to raise venture capital, the difference between Series A and Series B funding, and why the Midwest is an untapped opportunity for innovation despite generating a quarter of U.S. GDP. Sarah shares how Roll Tack Ventures partners with founders by opening doors to customers—not just writing checks—and discusses her own entrepreneurial journey from startup founder to venture capitalist. They also discuss the importance of increasing women's representation in venture capital, how investors evaluate companies, why founders should better understand the venture funding process, and how education can encourage more women to become both founders and investors. Whether you're building a company, considering venture investing, or simply curious about how innovation gets funded, this conversation offers valuable insights from both sides of the investment table. Websites Mentioned Roll Tack Ventures – https://rolltackventures.com Show Her The Money – https://showherthemoneymovie.com She Angel Investors – https://www.sheangelinvestors.com Follow Us On Social Facebook @sheangelinvestors Twitter (X) @sheangelsinvest Instagram @sheangelinvestors & @catherinegray_investinher LinkedIn @catherinelgray & @sheangels #InvestInHer #WomenInBusiness #WomenFounders #WomenEntrepreneurs #VentureCapital #VC #StartupFunding #SeriesA #SeriesB #FounderJourney #B2BTech #TechStartups #Innovation #FemaleInvestors #WomenInVC #AngelInvesting #WomenWhoInvest #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #ScalingStartups #MidwestStartups #FounderLife #StartupSuccess #CatherineGray
