Today on Take the Stage, and our special series Ladies Who Rock, we shine the spotlight on Noramay Cadena, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Supply Change Capital, gets candid about her journey from the San Fernando Valley to MIT, from Boeing to building a venture fund—without the traditional playbook. Her story is one of grit, reinvention, and creating access for others.

Episode Highlights:

[02:00] That Tap-on-the-Shoulder Moment Noramay reflects on a high school guest speaker whose story helped her finally see what was possible for her—and why representation is still her guiding light today.

[06:25] Rejecting the Life She Knew Raised by working-class parents and a teen mom herself, Noramay shares what fueled her drive: not knowing what she wanted, but knowing exactly what she didn’t.

[08:40] The Leap to MIT—with a Baby in Tow She opens up about the leap of faith it took to leave California for Massachusetts, with no real roadmap—just a deep fear of staying the same.

[11:08] Muscle Memory for Hard Things From working campus jobs to support her family to interning abroad, Noramay recounts how she powered through undergrad by staying hyper-focused on the present moment.

[16:50] From Boeing to Bold Moves After a successful 12-year career in aerospace, she realized she had been following her mentor’s path—and it was time to carve her own.

[22:55] Breaking into VC Cold No VC background, no network—just conviction. Noramay talks about launching her first venture firm the hard way and everything she learned from that process.

[30:05] Why She Said Yes to the Risky Path She breaks down why she initially chose to co-found a firm instead of joining an established one—and how that shaped her approach to venture capital.

[31:55] The Birth of Supply Change Capital Noramay and her partner came together over shared values to launch a firm focused on food, culture, and climate—and why they’re building infrastructure no one sees but everyone needs.

[34:55] What Fuels Her Focus Her mom’s voice. The reality of food insecurity. And a desire to solve urgent, human-centered problems. These are the voices that drive Noramay’s investment lens.

[37:10] What Kinds of Startups They're Backing She breaks down the difference between “wedge in food” and “first in food” companies—and explains why this $10T market is ripe for innovation.

[41:55] Why Engineers Are Moving into Food From aerospace to agriculture, Noramay explains why STEM-trained professionals are finding new purpose in food systems and agtech.

[48:35] Rethinking “Nontraditional” Noramay shares why skillset and mindset matter more than pedigree—and the very real (and perceived) risks firms take when they overlook that.

[53:45] What Her 16-Year-Old Self Would Say Now If she could see her now? "F yeah." A goosebump moment about betting on yourself—even when no one else does.

Connect with Noramay on LinkedIn

Supply Change Capital on LinkedIn | Website

Connect with Alexis on Linkedin | Website

alexis@career-rockstars.com

Today on Take the Stage, and our special series Ladies Who Rock, we shine the spotlight on Samara Mejia Hernandez, Founding Partner at Chingona Ventures, a Chicago-based, early-stage venture capital fund.

Samara shares how she broke into venture capital, built a bold brand with Chingona Ventures, and redefined success on her own terms. From raising capital while pregnant to flipping the script on pattern recognition in VC, Samara brings the kind of truth, grit, and clarity every founder and investor needs to hear.

Episode Highlights:

[02:02] Samara explains how the name Chingona Ventures came to be, why it resonates, and how it helps the firm stand out with a brand that bites.

[06:43] She reflects on not knowing if there was space for her in VC—and how she followed her interests, took risks, and leaned on mentors instead of waiting for permission.

[09:05] Samara shares how she discovered early-stage investing during business school.

[11:28] She opens up about giving herself a six-month timeline post-MBA to break into VC, taking on projects, and how she reframed risk to stay focused on her goal.

[16:11] She walks through the final interview moment that led to her first VC job—and how she boldly made the case for herself by focusing on her sales experience.

[18:32] Samara reflects on applying for jobs where she didn’t check every box, pushing past imposter feelings, and showing up with what she could bring to the table.

[20:56] She talks about negotiating a “non-negotiable” job offer, how it almost backfired, and why that one move cemented her place on the team.

[27:46] Samara opens up about fundraising while pregnant, how she decided to stop hiding it, and what she learned about partnership and presence through that experience.

[30:11] She shares how she leaned on a community of mom investors, learned to delegate, and built boundaries that made her sharper at both work and parenting.

[32:35] Samara credits her parents, husband, and flexible team setup for helping her raise kids and raise capital—making it work through collaboration and clarity.

[34:54] She debunks the myth of “having it all” and shares the honest reality of being amazing at work some weeks—and at home during others—and why that balance is enough.

[41:43] Samara unpacks power dynamics in investor meetings and why mutual respect, not hierarchy, leads to better long-term partnerships.

[44:07] She breaks down why chasing pattern recognition in VC leads to sameness—and how Chingona Ventures wins by backing founders others overlook.

[48:33] Samara reflects on the pace of change in the industry, why it takes time to shift the system, and how every win builds a foundation for what’s next.

[53:13] Her advice to future founders and investors? Just do it. Don’t wait for the perfect moment—start small, celebrate failure, and keep going.

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Connect with Samara on ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠

📍 Chingona Ventures: ⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠

📩 Connect with Alexis Alvarez on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠

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