Meet Miss Larroudé, Anu Duggal

Anu Duggal is the founding partner of the Female Founders Fund, an inspiring firm that champions her own personal belief: women will build the companies of tomorrow. We ourselves believe in the power of successful women and caught up with Anu to hear more about her journey and what she loves most about NYC.

IG Handle: @anuduggal

Where are you based? 

NYC & Water Mill, Long Island.

What do you do?

Venture Capital.

Favorite Larroudé shoe for Fall?

The Kate Boot in Stamped Leather.

What excites you about Fall?

The first week back in September, the city is at its best. Between the US Open and Fashion Week, there is a buzz in the air and it is the best place to be in the Fall. After the Summer, I’m personally always excited to check out the new restaurant openings.

Favorite restaurant/dish in the city you live in?

Currently the tortellini pomodoro at Torrisi.

IG Account you follow for Inspo:

So many! @gracefuller & @houseandgardenuk for gardening, @rupikaur for her poetry, @food52 & @nytfood for food to name a few.

What inspires you?

Nothing inspires me more than seeing a woman succeed by overcoming the odds. Most recently that was Coco Gauff at the US Open.

How did you get your start?

I started my career in the food world—working at a Tabla an Indian restaurant in NYC, going to cooking school, then working at Zagat and opening a wine bar. After business school, I co-founded an e-commerce company which eventually brought me into the world of venture capital.

Piece of advice for your younger self / One thing you wish you knew when you were first starting out?

Not to stress about your first job. Chances are your career will take many twists and turns so your first job is def not going to define your career.

What does a typical day at work look like? 

We have a hybrid work model so on the days I am in the office, I typically start off with a workout and then am in the office by 9:30/10. We do a quick team check in and then it’s a mix of checking in with our portfolio founders, talking to potential investors and meeting new founders. In the Fall there is usually a mix of industry events or catching up with friends.

What are some of the biggest challenges that you face in your line of work? How do you navigate them?

Our biggest challenge has always been fundraising. Raising our first fund required over 700+ meetings to raise $5.85M. This is still our biggest challenge and requires a lot of resilience particularly when the macro environment is more challenged.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Next year will be ten years since starting Female Founders Fund and I feel incredibly grateful to have found work that continues to inspire me and motivate me everyday even through the most difficult periods. I see myself continuing to build FFF with our incredible team and having an impact on the venture capital landscape by backing more successful founders that are creating new and diverse role models of success.