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In this episode of The Exit: Ingrid Vanderveldt, founder and CEO of EBW Worldwide, shares her journey from early inspiration watching Michael Dell build a company from his car, to launching and exiting multiple ventures, and ultimately creating EBW to empower one billion women through access to capital, contracts, and community. She opens up about mentorship, building companies during the dotcom boom, lessons from multiple exits, and her mission to close the gender gap in entrepreneurship.
Key Takeaways:
Mentorship is Everything
Ingrid credits her success to mentors like Dr. George Kozmetsky and Red McCombs, who believed in her potential and taught her how to think big, build infrastructure, and negotiate at the highest levels.
Multiple Ventures & Exits
From building one of the first personalization algorithms for the web to hosting CNBC’s first primetime business series, launching green tech ventures, and becoming Dell’s first Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Ingrid has scaled and sold businesses across industries — including a COVID-era supply chain company that became the 28th fastest-growing company in America.
Closing the Confidence Gap
Ingrid highlights that the biggest barrier to women accessing capital isn’t performance — women statistically outperform men — but confidence and showing up. She launched a $100M fund for women and saw almost no applicants, sparking her mission to solve systemic barriers.
Exit Readiness
She stresses three essentials for a smooth exit:
- Be crystal clear on your ideal outcome and timeline.
- Surround yourself with the right team — lawyers, accountants, mentors.
- Keep your paperwork tight to avoid costly negotiations later.
Negotiation & Valuation Lessons
Having the right “Sotheby’s-style” representative can dramatically increase perceived value. Preparation, mentorship, and clear agreements make or break deal outcomes.
EBW-1: Billion-Dollar Mentorship for All
Her latest project, EBW-1, is a tech platform using data and AI to personalize entrepreneurial education and access to capital — helping founders of all levels scale and exit.
Final Advice:
Think big, get the right mentors, and be relentless in preparing your business — clarity, team, and tight structure create the conditions for a successful and lucrative exit.
Personal &/or Company Bio:
Ingrid Vanderveldt is a self-made tech entrepreneur, investor, and media personality who serves as Founder and CEO of Vanderveldt Global Investments, EBW (Empowering a Billion Women), EBW Cares Distributors, and Ingrid Vanderveldt LLC. A former Dell Entrepreneur-in-Residence who built a $250M business segment and launched the Dell Innovators Credit Fund, she now focuses on advancing women globally through access to mobile tools, mentoring, and capital. Recognized as Fast Company’s #1 “Superconnector” and honored with the Forbes & Northwestern Mutual Entrepreneur in Excellence Award, Ingrid is a sought-after speaker and strategist for startups and global brands, bridging corporations, women, and entrepreneurs to drive ROI and impact. She has hosted CNBC’s American Made, been featured in top media outlets worldwide, and holds a Master’s in Architecture from SCAD and an MBA in Entrepreneurship from UT Austin.
Websites:
https://ingridvanderveldt.com/
