Carrie Colbert of Curate Capital Found Her True Passion by Empowering Women

Carrie Colbert spent nearly 20 years in the oil and gas industry before discovering her true passion for empowering women, which quickly led her into the world of venture capital. Recognizing that women were receiving less than 2% of VC funding despite consistently overdelivering, Carrie became determined to invest in female-founded companies. 

In 2021, she founded Curate Capital and successfully closed their first fund at $15 million—50% above the target—with nearly 80% of the investors being women, including leading influencers with a following of over 10 million. Carrie is committed to creating a more inclusive and equitable landscape for women in business, with a focus on investing in extraordinary women building the products, services, and technology the consumer wants for herself, her family, her home, and her life.”

Takeaways:

• The Power of Female-Led Businesses: Women are not only outperforming their male counterparts in business, but they also hold the power to shape industries, especially in sectors like health, wellness, and sustainable consumer goods. Curate Capital is at the forefront of empowering female entrepreneurs in these spaces.
• Trust Your Instincts and Vision: Carrie emphasizes the importance of trusting your intuition and staying true to your passions. Whether it’s investing or starting a business, following what excites you will lead to meaningful success.
• Building a Supportive Network: Surrounding yourself with like-minded, supportive people is key. Carrie’s commitment to curating a network of female investors shows how powerful a community can be for growth, empowerment, and innovation.

Carrie Colbert of Curate Capital

“I remind myself that every small win is worth celebrating. Sharing stories—whether they highlight successes, setbacks, or everything in between—is a powerful way to reflect on the progress and lessons learned along the way.” – Carrie Colbert

Can you start by introducing yourself and telling us your inspiring story?

Hailing from a small Texas town, I was the first in my family to earn a college degree, graduating at the top of my class in the College of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin with a degree in petroleum engineering. Working in the oil and gas industry for almost 20 years, I gained a lot of entrepreneurial experience at Hilcorp Energy Company, and this set the stage for my transition into the next chapter of my professional career. 

After stepping away from the oil and gas industry, I began to embark on a new journey that closely aligned with my personal interests and true passions — female empowerment. I began exploring my digital creative side by launching a popular blog and building a social media following of over 80K. It was through my social media that I had the opportunity to connect with female founders and provided my support by investing my own personal dollars into their business. After doing some research, I was shocked to find out that women were receiving less than 2% of VC dollars, yet they are over-delivering. Combining my true passion for empowering women and supporting female founders, I saw this untapped market as a great opportunity to invest in these brands. 

With much time and research, I learned so much about the venture capital industry and dove headfirst into this space. In 2021, I founded Curate Capital to amplify female-founded brands on a larger scale, continuing to support their growth through strategic investments. Our unique approach to accelerating these businesses is what truly sets us apart from other VC firms.

If you had one piece of advice for someone just starting out, what would it be?

Remember, you might not always start out in the career you’re truly passionate about right away. In my case, my real passion came later in life—and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that! If you are just starting out, here are a few things to keep in mind that I’ve learned over the years: 

1. Finding your niche: When I started my journey toward building wealth, I wasn’t entirely sure where to focus. I had to figure out what truly lit me up—and that’s how I found my passion for empowering others through financial literacy and investments. The same goes for you. Don’t be afraid to explore different options until you find your sweet spot. For me, it was combining my love for creativity with my firm’s focus on women-owned CPG brands. Once I figured that out, everything started to click, and it made all the difference. So, trust your instincts and find what excites you!

2. Start Small, Dream Big:  Starting my investing journey wasn’t an overnight success. I started with small angel investments, a lot of learning, and plenty of setbacks along the way. But those small steps—showing up each day, putting in the work—have compounded over time, and now I’m proud to say that Curate Capital is helping women take charge of their financial futures as well. When you start small, you give yourself the space to grow and learn. Big dreams are built from the smallest, most intentional steps. 

3. Educate Yourself: I can’t stress this enough: when I started out, I had to learn SO much. There were moments when I felt totally out of my depth, but each new thing I learned helped me build the foundation for what would become my firm. I took classes, read books, and sought out mentors who could guide me. Education is a lifelong journey, and the more you learn, the more confidence you’ll gain to make big decisions. And trust me, that confidence is key when it comes to investing and building wealth.

4. Create a Legacy Plan: From the very beginning, I’ve been thinking about how my work could impact others beyond just my immediate circle. Building generational wealth has always been at the heart of what I do—both for my own family and for the female founders I work with through my firm. As you start on your wealth-building journey, think about the legacy you want to leave. It’s not just about the money, but about passing down knowledge, opportunities, and values that can change lives for generations to come. That’s the real power of wealth.

Every entrepreneur has a goal and a problem they’re trying to solve. What was the inspiration that started your journey?

I was inspired to start Curate Capital after realizing the staggering disparity in venture capital funding between women and men, despite the fact that women were outperforming their male counterparts. Women control 85% of consumer spending, yet we were seeing a significant lack of investment in female founders. 

At Curate Capital, we’re committed to tapping into this tremendous opportunity by investing in innovative female entrepreneurs who are building exceptional consumer products. In fact, 82% of U.S. consumers consider wellness a top priority in their daily lives, especially Gen Z and millennial consumers, who are spending more on wellness products and services than older generations. This shift is driving significant dollars into areas like health, sleep, nutrition, fitness, appearance, and mindfulness—creating a clear gap between current incumbents and the customers they aim to serve. At Curate Capital, we believe that supporting female-led companies is not only key to filling this gap but also offers strong financial returns and meaningful social impact.

What challenges have you faced in the workplace, especially your experience in male-dominated environments?

As I began the venture capital fundraising process, I was initially discouraged by the number of “no’s” I received, particularly from male colleagues I had known for years. It was hard to comprehend why they didn’t see the immense value in investing in women-led businesses. However, I was pleased to find that many women stepped in and said “yes,” offering support and a shared belief in the vision.

This journey has been deeply rewarding, but it hasn’t been without its obstacles. Systemic biases still permeate the venture capital industry, and some days, the challenges seem daunting. In those moments, I remind myself that every small win is worth celebrating. Sharing stories—whether they highlight successes, setbacks, or everything in between—is a powerful way to reflect on the progress and lessons learned along the way.

What initiatives or actions do you believe are crucial for fostering a more supportive and inclusive business environment for women?

I believe it’s important to engage with your community aside from your work ventures. Beyond profit, my purpose is to create an ecosystem where women can thrive. That’s why I’m deeply involved in mentoring and initiatives that support women in business. Whether it’s through workshops, my social media platform, or events, I encourage women through these outlets to embrace their potential. 

How do you set your business apart from others in your industry?

At Curate Capital, we are pioneering a new wave of investment through our proprietary concept of Influential Investing—a groundbreaking approach that combines traditional capital investment with the power of influencer marketing. We’re the first of our kind to leverage this unique model, and it allows us to connect cash investment directly with the influence of social media influencers.

What truly sets us apart, however, is the community we’ve built. We are deeply committed to curating a network of female investors, and an incredible 80% of our investors are women, including some of the most influential voices in the social media space. With investors who have over 10 million followers, we’re able to amplify the reach and success of the companies we back in ways traditional venture capital simply can’t match.

Our model allows us to empower female-led brands and highly invested influencers in a way that benefits everyone. The synergy between investment and amplification creates a unique win-win-win dynamic: the businesses grow and gain visibility, the investors build value, and we’re able to bring more diverse and powerful voices into the entrepreneurial ecosystem. 

What social media platform is the best for business growth and why?

Instagram has been a huge factor in my business growth. I began sharing my life through this platform, and doing so in color! I’ve always believed in the power of color, and when I started my blog years ago, I wanted to create content that captured the fun side of luxury while empowering women to live, think, and dress with more color. That vision grew alongside my Instagram, where I began sharing my life and experiences through vibrant hues, and it’s been amazing to connect with so many female entrepreneurs through this platform.  

It was through my personal profile that I had the opportunity to connect with women-owned businesses and build a community of women supporting women. After launching Curate Capital in 2021, sharing this launch with the community of women entrepreneurs I had built on Instagram was beneficial to growing my business. This platform has allowed me to continue my community growth with women entrepreneurs, aside from attending in-person networking events.

Do you have a favorite quote or motto that inspires you?

“Be kind, for everyone you know is fighting a hard battle.” 

I certainly try to live with that quote in mind. We may think we know what others are going through based on social media or other social interactions. But in reality, we know only a small fraction of what others are dealing with. Leading with kindness is so important.

Lastly, what message would you give to the next generation of female investors and entrepreneurs who are looking to make their mark in business?

“My message to the next generation of female investors and entrepreneurs would be this: Trust in your vision and don’t be afraid to take bold steps. The world needs more diverse voices in business, and you have something unique to offer. Be relentless in your pursuit, keep learning, and surround yourself with people who believe in you. Don’t let anyone tell you that your ideas aren’t big enough or your voice isn’t strong enough. 

If you want to learn more about Curate Capital, feel free to visit us at curate.capital.”

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