On July 20, the historic Ambler Theater will host a screening of "Show Her the Money," a powerful documentary directed by Ky Dickens. This event promises to be inspiring for advocates of women entrepreneurs, featuring an exclusive Q&A session with the film's producer and local businesswomen following the screening.

"Show Her the Money" explores the troubling issue that women receive less than 2% of venture capital funding. The film demystifies venture capital and highlights influential female investors who fund diverse women entrepreneurs with groundbreaking innovations. The narrative follows four entrepreneurs as they navigate significant challenges to bring their ideas to life and three trailblazing women investors. The film features actress Sharon Gless, co-star of TV's "Cagney & Lacey," and actress Elizabeth Banks.

The entrepreneurs showcased include Vicky Pasche, founder of Dapper Boi, a gender-neutral, body-inclusive apparel line; Jasmine Jones, founder of Myya, who aims to make shopping for mastectomy bras empowering and sexy for breast cancer survivors; Diipa Büller-Khosla, founder of indē wild, a beauty product line influenced by Ayurveda to empower South Asian women; and Marian Leitner, founder of Archer Roose, which produces luxury wines in cans to reduce the carbon footprint of the wine industry.

When Meredith Patrick, founder and CEO of Vinsko Jacobs, first heard about "Show Her the Money," she was immediately intrigued. A friend who had attended a screening in Nashville raved about the film. As a project management consultant deeply invested in aiding women entrepreneurs, Patrick knew she had to see it.

"I started my business, Vinsko Jacobs, specifically to support female entrepreneurs, and I also volunteer with the Young Entrepreneurs Academy, so a film about investing in female entrepreneurs was a must-see!" she said.

However, there were no upcoming screenings in Philadelphia. Undeterred, Patrick contacted the production team and arranged to host a screening at the Ambler Theater. She has organized a Q&A panel following the screening, featuring women leaders from various local businesses.

Patrick believes the film is essential viewing for anyone interested in supporting women-owned businesses or learning about investing. "Financial contributions aren't limited to angel investors — with the advance of crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe, Kickstarter and Honeycomb, it's easier than ever to champion women-owned businesses in your community," she said.

Patrick will moderate the panel, which includes Marcia Dawood, one of the film's associate producers; Linda J. Hollenback, founder of Hollenback Consulting, which specializes in college and career coaching; Rachel Klein, chef and owner of Miss Rachel's Pantry, a vegan restaurant; and Meg Niman, a design consultant, strategist and founder of Niman Design.

"In choosing the panelists, I wanted the audience to hear from women in a variety of industries with a variety of backgrounds, just as the film highlights," Patrick explained.

She hopes the film will inspire viewers to support female entrepreneurs both as customers and investors. "Our neighborhoods thrive thanks to these women; the least we can do is uplift them. The film reminds us that money is power, so I also expect viewers will be motivated to contribute financially — as customers, investors or both," Patrick emphasized.

"Show Her the Money" serves as a powerful reminder of women's significant contributions throughout history, from inventing the electric dishwasher to central gas heating. It poses an inspiring question: Who knows how much our society and planet will benefit from future generations of women with game-changing creations and innovative ideas? The answer, as the film suggests, lies in empowering and funding these female visionaries.

"I hope people leave the theater feeling inspired by female entrepreneurs, on screen and off," Patrick said. "The only way we'll ever know the full potential of these women is if we show her the money."

The film screening starts at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, July 20, and the Q&A panel follows the documentary. The theater is located at 108 E. Butler Ave. in Ambler.