318. How to Structure Your Business for Venture Capital Funding with Ms. Cat
The Game On Girlfriend Podcast
Release Date: 02/03/2026
The Game On Girlfriend Podcast
Roberta Ravella spent 25 years in mortgage origination. She was good at it. She was also, by her own account, a classic case of burnout. She tried coaching. She tried marketing. She even opened an AI business with a friend. Two months in, something in her said no, and she couldn't push past it the way she used to. So she stopped. Her mentor sent her on a six-week break with one rule: shut it all off. What Roberta found on the other side of that break is what she now calls The Joy Experiment. This conversation is about what it took to get there, and what her mornings look like now that she's...
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For years, Abi Horton believed real estate investing wasn't for her. Not enough money, not enough experience, not the right background. So she stayed on the sidelines and told herself it was something for later. Then things shifted, not through one big moment, but through a lot of small, unplanned ones. Voice acting taught her she was capable of running a business. That confidence opened a door she hadn't been looking for, and stepping through it eventually led to Aros, a real estate investment technology company built around mid-term rentals. Abi is candid about what that process actually...
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Some days you do everything right, and by 3 p.m. you're still completely wiped out. That's not burnout from working too hard. It's the specific exhaustion of doing tasks that were never yours to carry in the first place. In this solo episode, I walk through the exact questions I ask my own clients when they tell me they should be further along by now, or that something feels harder for them than it looks for everyone else online. Grab a journal, because I want you to actually answer these questions as you listen. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN The exact question to ask when a task drains you,...
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Most of us have been told, at some point or another, to just be happy. Just let it go. Just choose joy. And if you've tried that and found it completely unhelpful, you are in very good company. Dr. Peggy DeLong is back on the podcast for her third visit, and what she shares in this episode about how to increase your capacity for happiness is not what most people are teaching. It's not about ignoring what's hard. It's not about thinking positively until the feeling kicks in. And it has nothing to do with luck or your current circumstances. Peggy discovered the power of gratitude while sitting...
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Some women market without even trying, and their posts land, their emails get opened, their offers sell. Meanwhile, you're doing all the right things and still hearing crickets. The difference usually isn't talent. It's whether you've actually mapped your customer journey. In episode 336, I released a free lesson from my signature program, Effortless Sales, and the response was so strong that I wanted to share another one. This lesson is all about the customer journey, from the moment someone meets you to the moment they buy and beyond. Grab a journal for this one. It's short, but it's dense....
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Most of us grip tighter when life feels uncertain. We work harder, plan more, and try to control everything within reach. This week I'm joined by Bron Watson, a nurse, educator, and entrepreneur who built a thriving coaching business while a quiet voice kept telling her something wasn't right. She ignored it until a breast cancer diagnosis in 2017 changed everything. Five years later, a second diagnosis followed: an incurable blood cancer. In this conversation, Bron and I talk about what it costs to override your own intuition, and what it actually means to control the controllables when...
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You could find fifteen strategies in ten seconds. Ask ChatGPT, ask Claude; they'll hand you every tactic on the internet. Strategy was never the hard part. This week I'm pulling back the curtain on my Wealthy CEO Intensive, a three-day experience I just wrapped with a small group of women. I walk through what happened on each day and why so many smart, capable women hit a ceiling that strategy alone can't explain. This one's for the woman who's already done the work, already seen success, and still feels like the money slips through her hands faster than it should. Pop in those earphones....
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When you hear "limited-time offer" or "doors closing Friday," how do you feel? If you're like a lot of women entrepreneurs, one of two things happens. Either you avoid these tools entirely because they feel manipulative — or you use them while holding your breath, hoping you don't come across as pushy. Here's what I want you to know: it doesn't have to feel that way. This episode is actually lesson 10 from Effortless Sales, a 12-week course I used to offer that has since evolved into The Art of Receiving. I was going through the archives with my team, and it was so clear we had to publish...
info_outlineOnly 3% of venture capital funding goes to women-owned businesses. But here's the thing—it's not because your idea isn't good enough. It's because of foundational mistakes you're making before you even apply.
Business strategist Ms. Cat (Catherine Mitchell) joins Sarah to break down exactly what keeps women entrepreneurs from accessing the billions in funding that's actually available. From choosing the wrong business name to using your personal Gmail account, these structural errors are disqualifying you before funders even look at your pitch.
Ms. Cat walks through the NAICS code trap, why your LLC address matters more than you think, and the exact moment you should start looking for funding. Plus, she gets real about the burning desire you need to make the leap from side hustle to main hustle—and why entrepreneurship isn't for everyone. This conversation is part of Sarah's mission to put more money in the hands of more women.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
- The 5 foundational mistakes that disqualify businesses from funding—including why certain business names are considered "high risk" and how your NAICS code can knock you out of the game
- When to actually start looking for venture capital funding (and the capital gap test to know if you're ready)
- Why using your home address on your LLC is a red flag to investors—and what funders are really looking for when they Google your business
- The 3-4x rule for knowing when your side hustle is ready to become your main hustle
- Why funding challenges have nothing to do with your product or service—it's all about foundation and structure
- How women disqualify themselves before they even ask for funding (and how proper structure gives you the confidence to apply)
- The burning desire you need beyond just a good idea to survive entrepreneurship
READY TO BUILD A BUSINESS FOUNDATION THAT POSITIONS YOU FOR GROWTH?
Ready to build a business foundation that positions you for growth and funding? Book a free 15-minute chat with Sarah to discover how you can work together.
Book Your Free Call → https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=13047670&appointmentType=34706781
CONNECT WITH MS. CAT
- Podcast: Both Sides of the Check (available wherever you get your podcasts)
- Website: https://connectwithmiscat.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connectwithmscat/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/connectwithmscat
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@connectwithmscat
ABOUT MS. CAT (CATHERINE MITCHELL)
Ms. Cat is a business strategist, entrepreneur, and co-host of the rising podcast Both Sides of the Check. She is the founder of Concept2Company, a program designed to help entrepreneurs structure their businesses for funding, make their first $10K in 30 days, and land consistent clients without leaning on friends and family.
With years of experience guiding business owners through scaling, funding, and systems-building, Ms. Cat has built a reputation for simplifying complex strategies into step-by-step blueprints that actually get results. Her unique approach combines tough-love accountability with practical, actionable tools that help entrepreneurs go from idea to income.
In addition to consulting, Ms. Cat owns her own tax software company, equipping professionals with training and mentorship under her ERO Expansion Hub mentorship program.
ABOUT SARAH WALTON
Sarah Walton is a business coach, podcast host, and mentor who helps women entrepreneurs build businesses they love. She's the creator of the Abundance Academy, Effortless Sales, and the Game On Girlfriend® podcast. Sarah's mission is to put more money in the hands of more women while teaching authentic, heart-centered business strategies.
FREE GIFT FROM SARAH
Get Sarah's Freedom Calculator and discover how much your business needs to make so you can finally be free.
→ Download: https://sarahwalton.com/freedom
LEARN FROM SARAH
Explore Sarah's online courses and free resources to start building your business with confidence.
- Online Courses: sarahwalton.com/online-courses
- Free Resources: sarahwalton.com/free-resources
CONNECT WITH SARAH
- Website: https://sarahwalton.com/podcast
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSarahWalton
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/thesarahwalton
RELATED GAME ON GIRLFRIEND® EPISODES YOU'LL LOVE
- Episode 312: Awakening, Abundance & Ancient Wisdom — Rewriting Your Money Story with Halle Eavelyn - https://sarahwalton.com/women-money-mindset-halle-eavelyn/
- Episode 313: But What About the Money? Why Your Nervous System Determines Your Income - https://sarahwalton.com/money-mindset-nervous-system-income/
- Episode 310: How One Courageous Conversation Led to Impacting 11.6 Million Lives with Carrie Rich - https://sarahwalton.com/financial-planning-women-entrepreneurs-carrie-rich/
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