Jesse Draper
Jesse Draper
creator & host of The Valley Girl Show
Q&A
Who was your role model
growing up?
My role models were my mom, my Dad and my aunt Polly who was an actress. Her passion for entertainment and my Dad's passion for technology gave me the two sides of the Valley Girl Show.
Who/What inspired you to create
the Valley Girl Show?
I grew up in Silicon Valley and I always thought the innovators and entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley were the people we should be celebrating and the ones who had the most interesting stories. At the time, there were no technology talk shows. I would say all of the incredible entrepreneurs out there inspired me, that and
my love for technology and innovation which I got
from my Dad.
Who have you interviewed that left a lasting impression on you. Why?
I always say I am grateful for the women of fashion tech. Alexis Maybank, Jenn Hyman from Rent the Runway
and Rebecca Minkoff were a few people that really took me to the next level. Jessica Alba and Sheryl
interviews changed my life, though, with the visibility they gave me. Marc Cuban was
a lot of fun too!
What has been your greatest reward?
"My greatest reward has probably been seeing incredibly diverse teams succeed within the Halogen Portfolio (the company I run to invest in women trying to start businesses) and being
nominated for an Emmy!"
more about me
my advice for the girls of the future is...
Be confident and speak up! Don't only let men lead the meetings in the boardroom.
my definition of success is...
Remaining happy and passionate about what I am doing.
i founded Halogen Ventures because...
I wanted to create the next wave of female billionaires by investing in their companies and helping them create the next billion dollar ideas.
Jesse has been featured in... The Wall Street Journal / Forbes / Good Morning America / USA Today