An Interview With Vanessa Ogle
Creating more accessible financing options — whether through equity or debt — is essential. The biased process that female founders face compared to their male counterparts is real. By opening up new avenues for accessing capital, we can level the playing field.
As a part of our series about “Why We Need More Women Founders”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Allison Robinson.
Allison Robinson is a start-up founder, advisor, and entrepreneur who founded The Mom Project, a digital talent marketplace that connects moms with companies that support both career and family. In her tenure as CEO and Chairwoman, Allison grew the company to serve more than 1.6 million moms and over 3,000 companies (SMBs to Fortune 100) and led The Mom Project to raise $160 million in funding to date, the largest global investment in female workforce development. She started her career at Procter & Gamble in the Pampers market strategy and planning where she saw firsthand how universally challenging it is for mothers to juggle the demands of motherhood with a full-time career.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?
As I reflect on my career — and my life — I recognize that my entrepreneurial spirit emerged early. At around 10 years old, I began working in my family’s real estate business. Cold calling was a significant part of the job, and it taught me invaluable lessons about perseverance and handling rejection. By 18, I had earned my real estate license, and cashing my first commission check gave me a deep sense of personal satisfaction in earning my own money. Between my work in real estate and as a restaurant hostess, these early jobs laid the groundwork for important skills — customer service, conflict resolution, hard work, and grit — all remain central to my journey as a founder and business leader.
After graduating from the University of Dayton (Go Flyers!), I launched my career in sales at Procter & Gamble. Over the course of five years, I held various roles before having the incredible opportunity to return to Cincinnati to work on the Pampers brand. I witnessed firsthand the strength, resilience, and determination of moms, who work tirelessly to create better futures for their families. These unsung heroes made a lasting impact on me.
While on maternity leave from Procter & Gamble after the birth of my first child, I came across a startling statistic: 43% of highly skilled women leave the workforce after becoming mothers. This statistic sparked a vision — a future where women wouldn’t have to choose between motherhood and their careers. I couldn’t stop thinking about how to make this a reality. Inspired by my own journey into motherhood and driven by a desire to support moms everywhere, I founded The Mom Project in 2016.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
As a founder, the journey is full of highs and lows. One day, everything feels amazing, and the next, it can seem like it’s all on the verge of unraveling. Learning to navigate these ebbs and flows taught me crucial lessons: stay true to your vision, hold onto your core values, and remember that failures often provide the greatest learning opportunities.
One memory that stands out was being invited to the Berkshire Hathaway shareholder meeting with our investor, Alexis Ohanian, and his Chief of Staff, Lissie Garvin. The invitation allowed me to attend a CEO lunch to meet potential customers. I never imagined I’d find myself in the same room as some of the world’s most impressive leaders and founders.
I’m incredibly grateful for opportunities like this, especially early on in my journey. Experiences like sitting just a few rows away from Bill Gates fueled my excitement and passion for what I was building. These are the trajectory-defining moments that I will always look back on with deep appreciation.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way — so many, in fact, that it’s hard to recall just one! At the time, I would be hard on myself, but it says something that I can’t even remember most of them now. What stands out is that I was always a quick learner. For me, that’s what truly matters: the lessons learned from each misstep.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
My dad is my ultimate hero. I lost him midway through building The Mom Project, but he remains my constant source of motivation and grit. From him, I learned invaluable lessons about both business and life — how closely they are intertwined, and how passion comes from building something you truly believe in. He taught me these lessons not only through his words but through his actions and the way he treated others.
Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
I read Conscious Leadership by John Mackey, the founder of Whole Foods, at a time when I was grappling with many of the themes he explores. It was a powerful read because he emphasized the importance of staying true to one’s values and maintaining an unwavering commitment to the mission. I have immense respect for the way he led Whole Foods, and I certainly consider him a role model.
Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life or your work?
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
As a CEO, there’s often an expectation to fit a certain mold. That approach never resonated with me, and I’m proud that throughout my career, I’ve stayed true to myself and my values. This mindset has guided me through challenges and kept me grounded as a leader, a mom, and a person.
How have you used your success to make the world a better place?
What started as an idea and a passion to help moms has grown into delivering real economic opportunity and financial impact to countless families — nearly $800 million! I’m immensely proud of the tangible difference we’ve made in the lives of so many women.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. According to this EY report, only about 20 percent of funded companies have women founders. This reflects great historical progress, but it also shows that more work still has to be done to empower women to create companies. In your opinion and experience what is currently holding back women from founding companies?
In my view, one of the biggest challenges holding women back is the disproportionately difficult process of securing funding and the heightened scrutiny women face when pitching their businesses. It was incredibly tough, and it took a long time before investors started taking us seriously.
Despite our strong metrics, many VCs questioned the potential size of our market — often with clear bias. I saw firsthand that women have to be much further along than men to get funded, and even then, the terms are often far less favorable.
Our seed round was particularly challenging, and I was rejected by at least 100 VCs. Reflecting on my journey — and knowing that this is a common experience for many female founders — it’s clear how much opportunity is lost. The bias women face often forces them to settle for less-than-ideal investors, which can have long-term consequences.
Can you share with our readers what you are doing to help empower women to become founders?
Since founding The Mom Project, I’ve been open about sharing my story and the journey that brought me to where I am today. I’ve been transparent about both the wins and the challenges, personally and professionally. Building a company is never a straight line — it demands a lot. There are good days and bad, breakthroughs and breakdowns. You experience setbacks, but the victories feel even sweeter. I’m committed to continuing to share my experiences in different ways, doing my part to help move female founders forward.
This might be intuitive to you but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should become founders?
Through my work with moms and hearing their stories, one thing is clear: moms are amazing! They build the table, bring extra chairs, and always push forward.
I’ve seen firsthand how women, especially moms, are relentless in getting things done — full stop. They don’t miss a beat when it comes to turning a problem into a solution. Look at the female founders who stepped up and said, “No, there’s a better way” — companies like Bumble, Spanx, Skims, and Hello Sunshine. They refused to take no for an answer and broke down barriers for the next generation of female founders. We need to keep that momentum going.
Can you please share 5 things that can be done or should be done to help empower more women to become founders?
- Creating more accessible financing options — whether through equity or debt — is essential. The biased process that female founders face compared to their male counterparts is real. By opening up new avenues for accessing capital, we can level the playing field.
- Expanding resources and support to build skills and business acumen is crucial. A good idea deserves a strong foundation, so developing resources that complement a founder’s skills and expertise is smart business. Many founders are building for the first time, and a lot of mistakes can be avoided. Whether it’s assistance with business plans, pitch decks, or financial models, providing access to resources or a supportive community can empower more women to pursue entrepreneurship.
- Building pathways for female founders to connect with subject matter experts and a reliable network of advisors is vital. I was fortunate to have a great support system as I built my business. Having a trusted space to ask questions and discuss challenges in confidence was invaluable throughout my journey.
- Ensuring continued local government support and funding for women-led businesses is essential. Small businesses are the heartbeat of the economy, and women are leading the charge in entrepreneurship. However, with ongoing challenges in securing funding, formal government programs could create many more opportunities for the next generation of female founders.
- Encouraging an open dialogue and expanding mental health resources for founders is critical. The stress, uncertainties, and emotional ups and downs can be overwhelming. It’s important to acknowledge that these pressures can impact founders differently, especially when carrying the weight of a business. This conversation needs to be at the forefront.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
I believe it’s crucial to continue championing awareness, support, and transparency around mental health and burnout, particularly for mothers. The recent Surgeon General’s op-ed on the health crisis for mothers is alarming and needs to remain at the forefront of societal discussions. The pressures and obstacles mothers face continue to grow, yet the support hasn’t kept pace. Whether it’s in areas like childcare, paid leave, flexible work, or mental health support, we must do more for moms and families.
We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.
I have so much respect for Angela Merkel. As Germany’s first female Chancellor, she broke down barriers on the world stage. In a male-dominated space, she stood out as a strong leader, using her own voice and style to make an impact.
Merkel navigated tough issues with resilience and empathy. She showed that you can be a powerful diplomat while staying true to your values. In a world where there are still so few women at the top, her legacy proves that women can lead with strength and make a real difference.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
You can find me on LinkedIn.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
About The Interviewer: Vanessa Ogle is a mom, entrepreneur, inventor, writer, and singer/songwriter. Vanessa’s talent in building world-class leadership teams focused on diversity, a culture of service, and innovation through inclusion allowed her to be one of the most acclaimed Latina CEO’s in the last 30 years. She collaborated with the world’s leading technology and content companies such as Netflix, Amazon, HBO, and Broadcom to bring innovative solutions to travelers and hotels around the world. Vanessa is the lead inventor on 120+ U.S. Patents. Accolades include: FAST 100, Entrepreneur 360 Best Companies, Inc. 500 and then another six times on the Inc. 5000. Vanessa was personally honored with Inc. 100 Female Founder’s Award, Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and Enterprising Women of the Year among others. Vanessa now spends her time sharing stories to inspire and give hope through articles, speaking engagements and music. In her spare time she writes and plays music in the Amazon best selling new band HigherHill, teaches surfing clinics, trains dogs, and cheers on her children.
Please connect with Vanessa here on linkedin and subscribe to her newsletter Unplugged as well as follow her on Substack, Instagram, Facebook, and X and of course on her website VanessaOgle.
Allison Robinson: Why We Need More Women Founders & Here Is What We Are Doing To Make That Happen was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.