Maya Shaposhnik Cadena

My advice to female entrepreneurs is to trust your instincts and never underestimate your resilience. Entrepreneurship is full of pivots and challenges, but those moments reveal your true potential. Surround yourself with people who believe in you, but also believe in yourself even before validation comes. Don’t be afraid to take risks or own your voice - your perspective is essential. Stay committed to your mission, as that clarity will carry you through tough times.

Today, our biggest challenge is fundraising as a seed-plus company post-pivot, while proving traction in our new model. But I see this as a real opportunity. We’ve already raised $500K of our $2M round in just weeks, and we’re building recurring revenue through B2B partnerships and subscriptions. My current goal is clear: to scale Vetted from 100K to 1M users and make us the most trusted pet care partner in every pet parent’s pocket.