Julie Castro Abrams has always been passionate about elevating women in leadership and creating pathways for success. As the founder and Managing Partner of How Women Invest, an early-stage venture firm focused on women-founded, tech-enabled startups, Julie is a force in the venture capital world. Her journey began 25 years ago, when as CEO of Women’s Initiative for Self Employment, she helped launch over 6,000 women-owned businesses. But her influence doesn’t stop there. Julie also founded How Women Lead, a network of 25,000 top women executives who successfully championed California’s groundbreaking board diversity legislation and have helped thousands of women get onto corporate boards. Through her work, Julie continues to open doors for women in leadership and on corporate boards, shaping a more inclusive future for all.
“Fostering a more supportive and inclusive business environment for women starts with a genuine commitment to the belief that diversity in investment strategy and decision-making enhances returns.” — Julie Castro Abrams
Takeaway:
Get 10 women to be your personal board of advisors and another 10 to help you with your business. Make their responsibilities clear. Ask for their help and give them credit.
We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today. Can you tell us a little about your story?
When I was growing up, Roe was passed and a whole host of other gender equity progress was happening. As a female athlete, I benefited from Title IX and that emboldened me with the belief that anything is possible. As part of a generation of women entering the workforce, breaking ceilings and driving for equity, I have been part of huge change and also the breathtaking backsliding.
My journey into leadership and investing has been shaped by a deep commitment to justice, equality, and economic independence for women. Growing up in a middle-class household in Iowa, I witnessed firsthand how women were often sidelined in financial matters, including my own mother, who needed my father’s signature to access her inheritance. That experience sparked a lifelong mission in me to ensure that no woman is ever left vulnerable or powerless because of her gender, and it set me on a path of fighting for women’s financial independence and leadership.
Over the past two decades, I’ve had the privilege of supporting thousands of women entrepreneurs and leaders. As the former CEO of Women’s Initiative for Self Employment, I helped launch more than 6,000 successful women-owned businesses. Through How Women Lead, I’ve worked to increase women’s representation on corporate boards, successfully advocating for California’s groundbreaking board diversity legislation. My passion for creating pathways to power for women has also extended into venture capital, where through How Women Invest, we focus on directing capital to female founders and building a new generation of women investors. Helping women take their place at the table—whether in business, boardrooms or as investors—continues to drive my work every day.
What are the three most important habits to be a successful entrepreneur?
Grit – working hard even when the going is tough and willing to go the extra mile. Effective networking.
I am deeply committed to helping the community. We have reached a pinnacle of women’s education, operating experience, power, influence, and wealth and it is a massive opportunity to leverage gender equality. At How Women Lead and How Women Invest, our focus goes beyond just serving women in leadership and entrepreneurship—we are actively working to drive structural change that benefits everyone. We have an interconnected network of 25,000 senior executive women. We center women of color and everything we do is influenced by the How Women Lead credo:
Be fierce advocates for each other
Say Yes to helping one another
Reinforce her voice
Be unabashedly visible
Through this counter-cultural credo, we are impacting the lives of every woman leader we touch and it has a ripple effect in their networks. Additionally, nearly 2,000 women have become venture investors through our initiatives, collectively channeling hundreds of millions into women-led ventures, which strengthens the local and broader economy.
I helped over 6,000 low-income women start and fund their companies through a training program and a CDFI lending program.
Beyond entrepreneurship, I’ve personally worked on a variety of community-centered projects, including building a home for teen mothers and creating a bakery that provided job skills to low-income youth. I’ve also raised $30M to create a music conservatory for low-income kids, ensuring they have access to the resources and spaces they need to thrive. Through all these efforts, I remain committed to leveraging women’s leadership to create a more equitable and just society, supporting those who are often overlooked, and driving long-term impact.
Every entrepreneur has a goal and problem they’re trying to solve. What was the inspiration that started your journey?
I wanted to change gender inequity by leveraging this generation of womens power, wealth and influence.
What would you consider your biggest accomplishment and why?
Women who I helped start their business are still open 25 years later. Their businesses were successful and helped sustain their families but they also helped bring vibrancy and economic opportunity to their communities. Women founders are socially responsible and positive impact climate.
What challenges have you faced in the workplace, especially your experience in male-dominated environments?
I have been a CEO of women-focused organizations since I was 32, so I never built the muscle to work inside structures built by men. This has given me insight into how women often alter their behavior around men, even in high-level settings. I work with some of the world’s most influential women—board directors of public companies—and I’ve observed how their demeanor shifts when men enter the room, even if those men are junior. When I’ve pointed this out, there’s often denial, with claims like, “I work with hundreds of men on the trading floor.” But I see it clearly.
I went on a board with the Chair of Ford Motor Company and I asked a financial statement question. He was so aggressive, diminishing and outsized in his response that I realized the kind of frequent mansplaining and diminishment women face every day. It took my breath away at that time. Of course new to a board I wasn’t going to challenge him but over time I made sure to get my voice heard. It underscored the critical need for women to be present in decision-making rooms to challenge groupthink and deference to power. I realize how lucky I am to have had this unique life experience.
Can you share some of the most important lessons you’ve learned from your successes and failures in business?
Believe in yourself.
Get out of your comfort zone.
Ask for help.
Engage people in the vision.
What initiatives or actions do you believe are crucial for fostering a more supportive and inclusive business environment for women?
Fostering a more supportive and inclusive business environment for women starts with a genuine commitment to the belief that diversity in investment strategy and decision-making enhances returns. Research shows that gender-diverse teams deliver better outcomes—women-led ventures, for example, produce 35% higher returns for investors, yet only 2% of venture funding goes to women founders. To change this, senior leadership must make a permanent commitment to reducing bias and creating cultures of belonging and inclusion. This may require embracing discomfort and slowing decision-making to ensure diverse perspectives are heard and valued, but it leads to better long-term outcomes. We must also demand institutional investors allocate capital to diverse, women-led funds, which have consistently proven their ability to outperform.
Beyond capital, the culture within business environments, particularly venture capital, needs a significant overhaul. Simply allowing women and people of color into these spaces is not enough—leaders must be willing to learn from diverse voices and integrate them into decision-making processes. It’s essential to root out groupthink and bias and ensure that women are genuinely included in leadership roles, not just symbolically, but with real influence. Organizations should monitor diversity in hiring and promotions, ensuring that women have equitable opportunities to advance and succeed.
What social media platform is the best for business growth and why?
LinkedIn is the best social media platform for business growth, especially for women, because it provides a space to share expertise, build personal brands, and foster professional connections. At How Women Lead, we emphasize the importance of visibility—women need to actively share their wins and amplify the successes of others. LinkedIn is where our network spends significant time, making it a powerful tool for business leaders to not only grow their careers but also support the rise of other women. Consistently posting and engaging on LinkedIn helps women overcome societal conditioning that encourages them to stay quiet, allowing their voices to be heard and creating more opportunities for influence and impact in business.
Which female leader do you admire, and why?
Melinda Gates, MacKenzie Scott, Serena Williams who have been disruptive in their leadership and investing. Their influence and values are aligned with my vision and they can make a great impact.
Do you have a favorite quote or motto that inspires you?
“When you let your light shine, you give others permission to do the same.”
That’s part of a longer poem, but it’s this sense of, if you’re not doing it for you, do it for the other people around you. For many of us, the culture has always told us to shrink, to not take up space, to not speak up. So I just want to say to women, step into your power! Let it shine because people are watching you and you’re impacting everyone around you with your actions, so let it shine… and step into power.
Wrap-up/Conclusion:
Breaking ceilings, doing things that have never been done is exhilarating, and can be very hard to sustain, so you need a coalition of people by your side. Build your networks early and try not to burn bridges so that those people become your champions.
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All of these and more are part of our interview series spotlighting successful women in business.
Melissa Stewart is the founder of SheOwnsIt.com. She is a Purveyor of Possibility, Entrepreneur Advocate and Coffee Addict. She believes that behind every successful woman is her story. What’s your story?
