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.

Follow Take the Stage for more episodes!

Connect with Samara on ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠

📍 Chingona Ventures: ⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠

📩 Connect with Alexis Alvarez on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠

🌐⁠⁠⁠ career-rockstars.com⁠⁠