The ongoing backlash against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the U.S. presents an unfortunate obstacle for many entrepreneurs, particularly female founders. The movement against DEI, framed as an effort to curb "radical" or "wasteful" policies, risks undermining the very opportunities that help diverse founders gain access to capital, mentorship, and business networks. Yet, at its core, entrepreneurship is about creating value—not about gender, race, or background.
What Does an X or Y Chromosome Have to Do with Creating Value?
The answer: nothing -- or potentially -- everything.
Take my mother as an example. She was not just any entrepreneur—she was a homebuilder in Richmond, Virginia, the first female-led Class A builder in Virginia—ever. This is late 20th century Richmond—a time and place not long ago giving prominence to the stultifying social sorting standard "my daddy knows your daddy." This was also a time and place where many figuratively - and some NOT so figuratively - were still fighting the Civil War. It was not that long ago, but at the time, her path was anything but easy. She did not succeed because of—or in spite of—her gender. She succeeded because she built homes with a deep understanding of how families actually use their space and structured her business to serve their needs better than anyone else.
This sign sits above the garage entrance door to our house today. It is my daily reminder of the power of entrepreneurship!
While my mother did not swing a hammer— she hired many men who did. Over the years she earned their respect and followership. Her role as a visionary, strategist, and leader made her business thrive. She was not trying to prove anything as a woman in a male-dominated industry; she was simply an entrepreneur building something that mattered.
This is what DEI, at its best, should be about: recognizing the value diverse perspectives bring to business. It is not about preferential treatment; it is about removing arbitrary barriers that have historically kept talented individuals out of opportunities benefiting society.
The Hidden Arbitrage of Female Founders
Grounded in my mom's entrepreneurial legacy, my firm invests and provides fractional CFO services to entrepreneurs. I have observed an interesting pattern: our company’s portfolio skews female—not because of an intentional bias, but because the market still undervalues female founders.
This is a prime example of tradeable blind spots in business culture. Many investors, banks, and funding institutions still hesitate when it comes to backing women-led businesses, despite research showing that female-led companies often outperform their male-led counterparts.
A Boston Consulting Group study found that, on average, female-founded startups generate more revenue per dollar invested than male-founded startups. Yet, women receive a fraction of venture capital funding. Why? Because outdated biases about risk, leadership, and industry norms persist. One of the most successful investors that ever lived is Warren Buffett. As Mr. Buffett said: 'Price is what you pay, value is what you keep.' PFR creates that "value to keep" by identifying and developing overlooked, diverse founders.
Diversity is essential for entrepreneurial success. Every founder feels tension when creating something new and high impact. That newness makes all founders diverse. They will feel the world resisting even when they know their new thing will help. They will feel underappreciated. They will feel people do not "get" them. That diversity and tension drive their motivation to fine-tune their product or service to find market success.
I look forward to the day when the glass ceiling is nothing more than a historical footnote. But until then, I will happily arbitrage the blind spot—backing high-potential female founders - or ANY founder - who are overlooked simply because of perceived risk and/or silly biases that are not supported by data.
PFR: Investing in Energy, Creativity, and Adaptability—Regardless of Gender
At Personal Finance Reimagined (PFR), we do not care about your chromosomes or your skin's melanin content—we care about your ability to build, scale, and create value. We seek out entrepreneurs who bring energy, creativity, and adaptability to the table. These are the real traits that determine success, not whether someone fits an outdated stereotype of what a CEO "should" look like.
Our philosophy is simple:
Diversity is a feature, not a bug, of successful entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurs identify what is missing in the world—what is missing for a group of people that would improve their lives if it were provided. This is the essence of diversity—different backgrounds, experiences, and cultures enabling diverse thinking to fill the gaps and improve people's lives. Businesses thrive when they bring different perspectives to the table. The best solutions often come from unexpected places, and innovation happens at the intersection of diverse ideas, experiences, and backgrounds.
At PFR, diversity is not a separate department trying to affect our core business, diversity is our business.
How PFR Supports Entrepreneurs—Especially Those Overlooked by Traditional Funding
Through our fractional CFO services, investment portfolio, and strategic partnerships, PFR helps entrepreneurs—particularly those facing unnecessary obstacles—navigate the complex world of growth, funding, and financial planning. Our work focuses on:
Strategic Financial Planning: Helping founders make data-driven decisions to scale effectively.
Access to Capital: Assisting entrepreneurs in securing funding through investors, grants, and alternative financing.
Business Structuring & Operations: Creating a foundation for long-term sustainability and expansion.
Advisory & Mentorship: Connecting entrepreneurs with experienced advisors who have walked the same path.
We are especially attuned to entrepreneurs who bring exceptional value but face unnecessary friction in accessing resources. Whether it is female founders, first-time business owners, or anyone who does not fit the "traditional mold," we recognize the opportunity where others see risk.
Why DEI in Entrepreneurship Matters Now More Than Ever
The backlash against DEI is unfortunate. While some argue that diversity efforts create unfair advantages, the reality is that they should level the playing field—not by lowering the bar, but by ensuring that talent, innovation, and value creation drive success, rather than outdated biases.
The pandemic and social movements like those following George Floyd’s murder reminded us that the playing field has never been level. Those with built-in advantages—whether from generational wealth, connections, or institutional support—already benefit from an unspoken form of privilege. DEI efforts work not to tip the scales unfairly, but to recognize and remove obstacles that prevent great entrepreneurs from thriving.
The Future: Talent Wins, Not Identity
At the end of the day, entrepreneurship is a meritocracy—if we allow it to be. Think of consumers as voters. If they like your product or service, they will vote with their pocketbook. As long as their money votes add up to more than your costs, you are likely to be successful. The market is dynamic, relentless, and brutally honest. While entrepreneurship is not for everyone, it can work for anyone. Talent, execution, and resilience should determine business success, not race, gender, or background.
PFR is committed to a future where every great idea receives a fair shot at success, and where diverse founders are not seen as risks, but as assets.
If you are an entrepreneur with the drive to build, scale, and innovate, PFR is here to help you navigate the complexities of finance, strategy, and capital. Let us make the glass ceiling a relic of the past—together.
Resources for the Curious
For further reading on DEI, entrepreneurship, and financial strategies, consider the following sources:
Boston Consulting Group. "Why Women-Owned Startups Are a Better Bet." BCG, 2018.
Thaler, Richard H., and Cass R. Sunstein. Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness. Penguin Books, 2009.
Kahneman, Daniel. Thinking, Fast and Slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011.
Roberts, Russ. How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life: An Unexpected Guide to Human Nature and Happiness. Portfolio, 2014.
Sapolsky, Robert. Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst. Penguin Press, 2017.
Current Events on DEI
"California brings new state reparations bills amid Trump onslaught on DEI: 'The fight for justice'." The Guardian, March 6, 2025.
"Trump's Employment Bias Fighter Has DEI in Her Crosshairs." The Wall Street Journal, March 5, 2025.
"Rice University renames DEI office as Trump administration threatens funding." Houston Chronicle, March 6, 2025.
"US retailers publicly scrap some 'DEI' initiatives while quietly supporting others." Reuters, March 6, 2025.
These resources provide insights into decision-making, behavioral economics, business strategy, and the evolving landscape of DEI initiatives—critical elements for entrepreneurs looking to scale successfully.
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