The Upshot

At the 2022 Badass Women Entrepreneurs event, Tanya and other startup founders discussed how to get funding for your startup.

Startup Funding the Focus of Annual Event

Each year, VertueLab and Women In Science PDX co-host the Badass Women Entrepreneurs event. According to VertueLab, the event was established to "celebrate rockstar women who have launched science-based businesses, challenged adversity, and are continuing to navigate the pathways to growing their startup in a variety of ways." The event features a panel of women who come together to talk about their experiences in startups. Specifically, they discuss how they got the idea for their company, the early steps of forming and funding their companies, and navigating different resources and systems along the way. In addition, they talk about the challenges they have overcome.

In 2022, the hosts invited CEL's CEO Tanya Barham as well as the founders of Bodify and Hexas Biomass. The conversation focused heavily on startup funding and how to get your name out there as an entrepreneur. Tanya talked about her upbringing, her history in the industry, her edge when she founded CEL, and how she approached finding funding. As usual, she had lots of wise advice for fellow up-and-coming entrepreneurs.

On playing the long game:

You're going to sound like an idiot, people are going to dismiss you. Two years later those same people are going to be begging to invest in your company.

On being bold:

I am not scared of selling. Pick up the phone, call your advisors, get them on the website. The minute you think you might know who a customer might be, start talking to people immediately.

On supporting others:

There is bias in the system. I'm going to work to change it. I'm going to try to lift as I rise. Do that. Even before you start a company, help other people out when you can.

On authenticity and personal branding:

Build your personal brand. Establish trust. Do things for other people when you can. Don't say you're going to do something when you can't; be accountable to your word. That kind of brand credibility is your leger.