LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs have historically struggled to obtain access to key resources that they need to advance their businesses. In 2009, nonprofit StartOut was launched to promote LGBTQ equality and fight discrimination in the business world. In this video, Nicole Walters, founder and CEO of Inherit Learning Company and star of USA Network’s She’s The Boss, spoke with StartOut executive director Andres Wydler about overcoming fundraising challenges, particularly during Covid.

“We’ve seen investors go in two different directions during Covid,” Wydler says. “The first was a flight to safety.” Venture capitalists, he explains, turned to companies and entrepreneurs that they already knew, which was not great for underserved communities or newcomers. “But the second direction is a much more positive one,” Wydler says. “Because every introduction meeting is just a Zoom call away, LGBTQ founders — and all founders — are getting a lot more attention. In a way, the pandemic opened up doors to resources that entrepreneurs need to be successful.”