'You know who you are': CEO recalls the moment a sleazy male investor propositioned her over a 'business lunch' - before asking if he could 'capture' her at his photography studio
- Charlie Thompson created Aussie clean beauty company The Clean Collective
- She was invited to an investment event in Silicon Valley and met an investor
- He asked her to lunch to talk more about how they could work together
- But instead of relaying business he made some predatory comments
Charlie Thompson is the CEO of The Clean Collective
The female co-founder of an Australian beauty company has shared her own Silicon Valley 'casting couch' experience after an investor propositioned her over a 'business lunch'.
Charlie Thompson, who is the CEO of The Clean Collective, has exposed the manipulation and 'gaslighting' that comes with being a female entrepreneur trying to raise capital in a 'male-dominated world'.
When she was starting out the Sydney-based woman was invited to an investment event in Silicon Valley dedicated to social impact start-ups and was surprised to meet a 'serious contact' who was interested in investing.
'I heard from him a few hours later. Lunch was locked and loaded for the next day,' she said.
Charlie said the meal started 'pleasantly enough' with Phil* but what she didn't find out until later was that his apartment and 'photography studio' were conveniently located within walking distance of the restaurant.
'During lunch he confessed he'd wanted to "capture" me at his studio as soon as he met me at the investment conference, despite the level of business discussion he'd engaged me in at the time,' she said.
Charlie (left) said the meal started 'pleasantly enough' with Phil* but what she didn't find out until later was that his apartment was conveniently located within walking distance of the restaurant (pictured with her business partner)
'But he said that if I went to his studio "he couldn't be sure what would happen" and that my dismissive reaction was unusual, as most women become CEOs "because they want fame".'
She was floored by the 'well-rehearsed act' Phil presented and said this just showed her all that is wrong with the system of capital funding.
'I've done coffee, lunch, dinner and wine with investors in rain and shine - even on crutches straight from a doctor's surgery - to raise the funds I've needed to fuel my business. I felt prepared,' she said.
Charlie (left) was flawed by the 'well-rehearsed act' Phil presented and said this just showed her all that is wrong with the system of capital funding
But nothing could prepare her for the feeling of being an object that could be 'bought', so she decided to write an open letter.
She explained how his predatory behaviour only spurred her to be more dedicated and find other ways to make her company a success story.
The Clean Collective is now equity crowd source funding with Equitise to raise funds to fuel its mission, asking 12,500 people to invest just $120 in the future of human and planetary health.
They are hoping to raise as much as $1.5million in the coming months.
* Name has been changed
Charlie Thompson's open letter:
Charlie Thompson
Dear Phil,
You know who you are.
You stunned me into a state of gibberish that I'll thank you for: Sometimes your brain needs to be faced with an alien situation before it finds its script.
Here's mine: You've got the wrong definition of 'human capital'. Women cannot be bought.
Women are capable leaders that become CEOs for many reasons.
Women founders do not deserve to be subjected to your well-rehearsed show.
And in case you’re wondering, the world's still dying, and the Climate Change Clock's still ticking.
Thank you for filling some of my precious time in the 134-month window of opportunity that we have to save the planet from a climate catastrophe with your ridiculous proposition because, you know what?
No one grows in their comfort zone and you've just added some serious fuel to my fire.
My mission is so much bigger than your cheque book.
You sent me back home to Australia with next-level amounts of clarity, grit and determination to find investors that respect people, respect the planet, and understand that investing in our future is not only money and energy incredibly well spent, but an absolute necessity for civilisation.
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