Women's Entrepreneurship - An Interview With Dana Guthrie, Managing Partner at Gateway Capital

The trajectory of our startup will be shaped by the partnership with the different VC investors that participated in the Series Seed 2 round that was announced a few months ago.

Aware of the importance that each one of them will play as we grow, we would like to launch a series of interviews with the protagonist of the round of investment. And we will do that with a particular angle.

After the appointment of our new CEO, Lindsay Jones, we feel increasingly involved in the conversation about more diverse entrepreneurship. That’s why we will start by profiling female founders and champion success stories.

Our first interview is with Dana Guthrie, Managing Partner at Gateway Capital: a businesswoman with clear ideas, vision and incredible energy. 

Background

Can you tell us about your background: what led you to venture capital?

I’ve had a non-traditional path into VC. My background is in engineering, software development, and product commercialization. I began by providing freelance technical support for startups. That led to me starting my own angel investment network, called Alchemy Angel Investors, which was the precursor to Gateway Capital.

Can you tell us about any key moments that made you the professional you are today?

I’m not sure that I can name any single moment. However, I’ve been fortunate enough to come across mentors and sponsors, both in my engineering career and as a venture capitalist, that have supported me along the way and significantly impacted my professional career.

Women's Entrepreneurship

To start with, we would like to pick your brain on your views on gender equality, especially as a woman in VC.

Have you found it particularly difficult to succeed in this sector as a woman? What has been the biggest challenge?

Women are certainly underrepresented in the venture capital industry. I’d say the biggest challenge for myself, and likely most women and people of color, is the lack of network. Raising capital for a venture fund or any endeavor for that matter is difficult. But it’s even more challenging when you’re not already networked in and do not have the relationships, trust, and credibility required for potential investors to feel comfortable enough to invest. With that being said, I do believe that my differentiation as a black woman brings a different perspective and different experiences that provide me with the ability to look at opportunities differently and ultimately that’s to my advantage.

Would you say that there are advantages for companies that have women on the board or in their senior staff, in terms of funding or anything else?

Yes, there’s tons of data that supports the fact that diverse teams tend to outperform more monolithic ones. I think the different viewpoints and perspectives allow for better ideas to surface to the top.

DropCap Marketplace

What drove your interest towards a company like DropCap Marketplace?

DropCap was initially interesting to me, because it was clear they were solving a very clear problem for a large and growing number of individuals. Modern technology has contributed to a growing number of self-publishers and the numbers continue to increase. However, the deciding factor that drove the investment decision was Lindsay (Jones, the CEO of the company), her leadership presence, and her background and expertise in the industry.

What factors most affect your decision-making process?

At the earliest stage, it’s often largely based on belief in the leadership team amongst other things such as ability to achieve venture scale.

The Future

How do you envision the future of your shared path with DropCap Marketplace?

We look forward to continuing to partner, advise, and add value to DropCap in any way that helps the company continue to grow and achieve its goals.

What is next for Gateway Capital? Any new portfolio companies that you are excited about?

All of ‘em.