J aclyn Johnson is a powerhouse entrepreneur, investor, and advocate for women in business. By 35, she had already launched and sold two multimillion-dollar companies, including Create & Cultivate, a first-of-its-kind platform for female entrepreneurs that scaled to eight-figure revenue and partnered with Fortune 500 brands like Amazon, Mastercard, and Microsoft. Now, she’s back with Cherub , a double-sided marketplace designed to bridge the gap between underrepresented founders and democratizing access to category-defining companies. As both an angel investor and advisor, Jaclyn has backed businesses like Away, Live Tinted, and Chillhouse, bringing hard-won experience from her own journey into the founder–funding relationship. Subscribe now In this conversation, we break down: Jaclyn’s origin story: why she built Cherub How she approaches angel investing and the lessons she’s learned What makes a great angel pitch (and what doesn’t) The realities of being an accredited investor Why representation in funding isn’t just moral, it’s market-changing Chapters 00:00 The Importance of Angel Investments 02:49 Jaclyn’s Journey as a Founder and Investor 05:41 Understanding Angel Investors vs. Venture Capitalists 08:28 The Role of Angel Advisors 11:23 Building Relationships with Angels 14:15 The Power of Brand Fame 17:25 Cherub’s Mission and Deal Flow 20:07 Educating Angels and Standardizing Investments 23:13 Creating Effective Fundraising Pages 26:12 The Role of Analytics in Fundraising 29:04 Onboarding Founders to Cherub 32:01 Connecting with Angels: Best Practices 35:03 Diversifying the Investment Landscape 37:58 The Future of Angel Investing 40:35 Special Offers for Founders on Cherub Guest Bio Jaclyn Johnson is the founder of Cherub and creator of Create & Cultivate, which she scaled to an eight-figure exit while reshaping how brands and communities support female entrepreneurs. Named a Forbes 30 Under 30 and an Adweek Disruptor, Jaclyn is an angel investor and advisor to companies including Away, Live Tinted, and Chillhouse. She’s dedicated to making capital and community more accessible for underrepresented founders while equipping the next generation of women entrepreneurs to scale. Who Should Listen Founders raising their first angel round Entrepreneurs seeking representation and resources People curious about Angel Investing and how to get started Operators looking to understand the angel landscape Music Credit “Neptuno” – Phondupe (Album: Onykia ) Access All Areas. Listen: Apple || Spotify || YouTube Subscribe: Substack Community & Events: Founders Circle Connect: LinkedIn Socials: TikTok || Instagram || X Web: startupsdecoded.com
