YOUTUBE She Started India’s First Wine Bar, Now She Manages $100 Million – Anu Duggal AdminAugust 7, 2025013 views When Anu Duggal started her first business—a wine bar in Bombay—she entered the hospitality world with zero experience but a bold vision. That same drive eventually led her to launch Female Founders Fund, the trailblazing venture capital firm that invests exclusively in women-led startups. In this episode, Anu joins host Nancy Twine to talk about her entrepreneurial beginnings, fundraising through rejection, and the long-game mindset needed to lead an industry shift. Anu Duggal is the Founding Partner of Female Founders Fund, a firm managing over $100M in assets and backing breakout companies like Maven Clinic, Rent the Runway, and Billi. As a solo GP, Anu has built one of the most influential portfolios in early-stage VC—advocating for equity in access, capital, and opportunity. Originally aired: 05/23/2024 Timestamps: [00:00] Introduction [01:43] How female-led startups struggle with funding [02:09] Why only 2% of venture capital goes to women [02:49] The inspiration behind Female Founders Fund [03:30] Transition from entrepreneur to investor [03:49] Launching India’s first wine bar [05:10] Entering the tech industry from hospitality [05:29] The importance of industry disruption [06:37] Why being new to an industry can be an advantage [07:02] Overcoming self-doubt as a founder [07:45] Building confidence despite rejection [08:44] Why sales skills are crucial in entrepreneurship [09:31] Balancing risk and investor returns [10:22] Investing in founders, not just businesses [11:06] The role of networking in success [12:04] How to build meaningful connections [12:58] Why helping others strengthens your network [13:16] The importance of prioritizing wellness [13:42] Daily habits that reduce stress [15:18] The future of gender diversity in venture capital [16:08] How institutional investors influence funding diversity [17:30] Advice for launching a venture fund [18:08] How to develop a strong investment portfolio [19:07] The mindset needed to overcome setbacks [19:28] Why resilience is key to long-term success [20:49] Handling rejection and criticism effectively [22:18] The role of manifestation in success [23:45] How vision and persistence shape success [25:28] How to leverage your network for future growth [27:06] Favorite success mantra Resources Mentioned: Female Founders Fund | https://femalefoundersfund.com/ The Two Percent Podcast | Spotify http://bit.ly/3GqFh6K The Two Percent Podcast | Apple http://bit.ly/4lycbRJ The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese | https://a.co/d/fD8TFAw More From Nancy: https://www.instagram.com/nancytwine/ Website | http://www.nancytwine.com/ More From Makers Mindset: https://www.instagram.com/makersmindsetspace/ @themakersmindset Website | https://makersmindset.com/ Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify | https://bit.ly/makersmindset source