Betsy Fore, Velveteen Ventures: From $50K Grant to Raising Millions and Becoming a Bestselling Author

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 access to Office Hours with top founders who have been on our show! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! Curious about joining the Entreprenista League? ⁠Sign up ⁠here⁠⁠ for a free info session. Resources mentioned: Framer Willow Granola Joy "The most important relationship you'll ever have is with yourself. More than your investors, your partners, even your co-founders — it starts there." In this episode, Betsy Fore shares her remarkable journey from first-generation college graduate and toy inventor to serial founder, venture capitalist, and nonprofit leader — all driven by an unwavering belief in the power of "why not me?" As the founder of Tiny Organics, which generated over $13 million in revenue in its first 24 months, and now managing partner of Velveteen Ventures, Betsy has built, scaled, and fundraised across multiple industries while breaking barriers as the first Native American woman to raise a Series A round. But her story doesn't stop there. Betsy opens up about the burnout that forced her to do the inner work, the mindset practices that rewired how she leads, and the Indigenous values of reciprocity and humility that have quietly shaped every business decision she's ever made. From pitching in front of the co-founder of Square to launching a nonprofit community for Native technologists and founders, she reveals what it really takes to stay in the ring — and why the founder who succeeds is often the one who simply refused to quit. What We Talked About: Tiny Organics: $13M in 24 months 5:52 Angel vs. venture capital funding 21:25 How to pitch your three whys 31:24 Burning out and bouncing back 35:57 Natives Rising and Velveteen Ventures 31:24 Connect with Betsy:@betsyfore on Instagram Betsy Fore on LinkedIn Buy Built on Purpose Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for women founders and leaders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠TuneIn⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠iHeart Radio⁠⁠ Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.