We recently interviewed the Gotham Gal - yes that's right Joanne Wilson - one of New Yorks most active Angel Investors.
Joanne has over 130 investments and about 75% are women founders.
Wilson began her career at Macy’s, working there for 4 years in retail apparel department.[4] Her first job at Macy’s was overseeing a cosmetics department. After Macy’s she oversaw a company in the garment center, then worked at sales for the startup magazine and events company called Silicon Alley Reporter. She also chaired the nonprofit MOUSE (Making Opportunities in Upgrading Schools in Education), the organization focused on technology in inner-city schools.
Wilson has been blogging since 1994 under the name Gotham Gal.
Later, she named her investment fund Gotham Gal Ventures.
Joanne believes necessity is the mother of invention.. and reinvention might be her middle name.
Her career path was not straight, but winding. She got my start in retail and wholesale. During the 1990s’ dot-com boom, she worked on the media side of the technology industry. Joanne chaired a few nonprofits and sat on numerous boards in a variety of fields.
In 2007 she made her first angel investment. Since then, her portfolio has grown to include more than 130 companies. She has focused her thesis on female entrepreneurs — a decision that is more practical than philanthropic. Joanne believes women founders tend to be tenacious and thorough. They ask questions and listen. They are great leaders.
Joanne is also married to Fred Wilson the Co-Founder at Union Square Ventures
Listen to our ParlayMe Power Players Podcast with Joanne Wilson here: