Episode 43

full
Published on:

8th Jul 2025

From Engineer to Venture Capitalist: Empowering Women Through Strategic Investment – with Carrie Colbert

Dive into a powerful conversation with Carrie Colbert, Founding General Partner of Curate Capital, a trailblazing VC firm investing in women-led, women-serving companies. With almost two decades in the oil and gas sector and retiring at age 38, Carrie transitioned into an accidental—and now passionate—venture capitalist. She went from angel investor to launching Curate’s debut fund in 2021, oversubscribed by 50%, and filled with mostly women investors.

In this episode, Carrie and I peel back the layers on:

  • Her journey from petroleum engineering to purposeful investing in female founders
  • The moment she realized her greatest impact would be through capital + advocacy
  • What Curate Capital seeks in potential investments—and why authentic resonance matters
  • How “by women, for women” capital is reshaping consumer markets
  • What she learned from her first major exit in CPG and how it shapes her mentorship

This is more than strategy—it’s an invitation for female founders to see funding as a partnership rooted in shared vision, values, and voice.

If you’re building, scaling, or considering capital—this one’s for you.

Remember, stay confident, stay focused, and keep wearing those pants with pride.

Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe!


Grab Ashley’s free 5 Day Podcast Series, “The Unstoppable CEO Mindset”, https://ashleydeland.com/unstoppable-ceo-mindset 

Follow Ashley on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ashleydeland/ 

Schedule a Consultation: https://ashleydeland.com/inquire 





Mentioned in this episode:

If you’re scaling something real—something legacy-level—you don’t need another coach. You need a partner. Someone who can step inside your business, see the full picture, and help you move faster, cleaner, smarter. My private 1:1 advisory containers are available in 3, 6, or 9-month commitments. You bring the vision. I bring the strategy, structure, and support to help you lead it all. https://ashleydeland.com/advisory

Show artwork for She Wears the Pants

About the Podcast

She Wears the Pants
A podcast for the modern female founder looking to pull up a seat into conversations surrounding powerful marketing strategies, creating meaningful brands, actionable business advice, and the real stories behind being a woman in business.

About your host

Profile picture for Ashley Deland

Ashley Deland