Beyond the Money: Chenelle Tanglao on Finding Investors Who Share Your Vision

In this week’s episode of our new mini-series Yeah, But How?, we're delighted to welcome the incredible Chenelle Tanglao to High Agency Women.

Chenelle Tanglao started her career in data analytics, before clocking the unique energy and dynamism of the Australian startup ecosystem in 2018. She felt the vibe, and wanted to spread her career wings in the tech sector. Becoming an investor wasn’t initially on her career bingo card, but after immersing herself in Startmate’s investor programs, and working with and shadowing the founders Rachael Neumann and Kylie Frazer at Flying Fox Ventures – she found herself in her current role: Investment Director for Female-Led Ventures at Trawalla Group. Trawalla is the Schwartz Family Office. 

Yes, Trawalla is commercially minded, but thanks to Carol Schwartz AO’s deep and enduring commitment to gender equity, the firm holds another key aim in mind: this question of how best to set up female investors, fund managers, founders, and business teams for ultimate success.In today's episode, Chenelle breaks down some of the key considerations for founders when taking on investment – from understanding the varying expectations and timelines of venture capitalists to family offices – to thinking of investors as not merely a source of money but as a valuable “resource” to tap into along your business journey. 

Chenelle says to think carefully about who the right investors are for you and what they bring to the table from both an expectations on return and values perspective, as (please indulge the incoming poetry) deep alignment is the fertile soil from which the best investor-founder relationships are sprung.

Sponsored by Blackbird.