Scaling your business past six figures and into that glorious seven-figure territory takes more than grit, hustle, and midnight AI searches. It takes capital. Real money.It’s not just the small monthly savings you set aside—everything else seems to take priority. (How could your 5 year old have grown out of three pairs of shoes in 6 months?) And yet, for many mompreneurs, the funding conversation feels intimidating, confusing, or downright out of reach.
But here’s the truth: women-owned businesses—especially those run by moms—are some of the most resourceful, efficient, and scalable ventures out there. So why shouldn’t we have access to the same financial firepower as our male counterparts in golf shirts and Patagonia vests?
Let’s rewrite the narrative. Here’s your roadmap to funding your business like the CEO you are, so you can scale with clarity, control, and confidence.
1. Know What Kind of Capital You Actually Need
Before you start pitching to investors or maxing out a credit card, get crystal clear on what your business needs right now to grow.
Ask yourself:
- With a small injection of capital, can I shorten my time to profit significantly?
- Do I need a short-term cash boost to get a product out the door?
- Do I have a path to increasing revenue and profits in the near term by hiring for scale (operations, marketing, tech)?
Not all capital is created equal. Knowing whether you need working capital or growth will determine the best strategy and structure for you.
Hard truth: What slice of your business are you actually willing to trade to scale to seven figures in the next year? Don’t just shout “zero.” Get brutally clear first.
2. Bootstrap, But Don’t Bleed
Bootstrapping can be a badge of honor, but let’s not confuse martyrdom with smart business. There’s a fine line between being lean and being undercapitalized.
Yes, keep your overhead low. Yes, prove your model before splurging on custom websites or expensive consultants. But no, you do not need to go into mom-mode martyrdom and starve your business of the resources it needs to grow. If you try and play every role in your startup, your business isn’t likely to be any more than a startup for years.
Give yourself permission to invest where it counts—especially in people and systems that directly impact your top (and bottom) lines.
3. Tap the Friends & Family Round (With a Grown-Up Agreement)
You may already have informal investors in your life: in Beth’s case, a dad and brother who were willing to take a chance that she would make a good founder. They forced her to treat it like a real deal: no money transferred until the paperwork was signed. And that lesson stuck.Her learning? Be clear about the terms: is it a loan? Equity? Convertible note? When does it need to be paid back? Don’t skip the paperwork just because it’s your best friend from college.
Stressful but necessary thought: You aren’t “asking for a favor”. You’re offering an opportunity. Beth’s family made a 35% annual return off this loan. And she couldn’t have been happier.
4. Explore Non-Dilutive Funding
Not all money has to come with strings (or stock). Grants, competitions, crowdfunding, and corporate pitch programs are all ways to raise capital without giving up equity.
A few funding strategy options to explore:
- Federal/State and Local Grants like SBIR/STTR for women led tech and research startups or California Women’s Business Center Network
- Pitch contests like Black Ambition Prize or Hello Alice
- Private and Corporate Grants like Amber Grant Foundation, Cartier and Tory Burch Foundations
- And don’t forget about the SBA loans – Despite the chaos in Washington, this powerhouse still loaned $56 billion last year to women entrepreneurs just like you.
These are especially powerful if you’re in the idea-validation or MVP stage and don’t want to give up a chunk of your company just yet.
5. When It’s Time to Go Bigger: Angel Investors & VCs
Venture capital isn’t for every business—and that’s okay. But if your business is built to scale rapidly, has a strong market opportunity, and clear differentiation, institutional capital might be your next best step.
Here’s what those funders want to see:
- A validated product with customer traction (even early-stage)
- A clear path to revenue and profitability
- An addressable market large enough to return a 10X investment
Don’t count yourself out just because you’re juggling school pickup and pitch decks. Best to bring an advisor with you for the pitches to make sure its clear that you’re solving a real problem, owning your numbers, and building a business that can scale.
Hard truth: As a woman founder without a familiar playbook, the deck is stacked. Ninety-eight percent of venture funding still flows to men. But that doesn’t mean you don’t play to win.
6. Practice Pitching, Even If You’re Not Fundraising Yet
Think of pitching like a muscle. The more you do it, the stronger you get. Even if you’re not actively raising, get in the habit of talking about your business with clarity and confidence.
Can you articulate:
- Your customer’s pain point?
- Your unique value proposition?
- Your business model and margin?
- Your traction to date?
- Your vision for scale?
Practice with peers, mentors, or a friendly firing squad. The goal is deliver the right message with conviction and confidence.
7. Mind the Emotional Budget
Most funding blogs focus on the math. But raising capital? It’s also emotional. As women and moms, we’ve been taught to stay small, minimize risk, and prioritize stability. Time to rewrite that script.
But playing small won’t get you to scale. And without scale, financial freedom stays out of reach. So check in with your mindset as much as your balance sheet. Ask yourself:
- Is my business model bulletproof?
- Is my market growing and compelling?
- Why not me?
- Scaling with confidence starts in your head, not your Excel spreadsheet.
Final Word: You Deserve to Play Big
Funding your business isn’t about chasing flashy rounds or becoming viral on IG you’re your amazing successes. It’s about building something that serves your customers, supports your family, and sustains you. And yes, that sometimes means writing the check—or cashing the one someone else writes for you.
You’re not just building a business. You’re building a life—and you deserve the financial runway to do it right.
So fund like a founder. Scale like a CEO. And remind yourself daily: you’ve already done hard things. This is just your next power move.
