Fran Hauser

Francesca Hauser is a startup investor and advisor, funding and advising consumer-focused companies such as HelloGiggles, Levo, Mogul, The Wing, and Gem&Bolt. Formerly President, Digital for Time Inc.'s Style and Entertainment Group, she is a philanthropist and advocates for women in business. Hauser was born in Reggio Calabria, Italy, the eldest daughter of Carmela and Antonio Cambareri. In 1970, Hauser's parents moved the family from Italy to Mount Kisco, NY, where Antonio Cambareri continued in the stone masonry trade and Carmela continued her work as a tailor.

Hauser graduated from John F. Kennedy Catholic High School in Somers, NY as salutatorian in 1986. Hauser attended Pace University in Pleasantville and White Plains, NY, where she graduated in 1990 summa cum laude with a BBA and MBA in Business Administration. Hauser was the first person in her family to graduate from college.

Hauser began her career in finance, holding positions at Price Waterhouse, Ernst and Young, and Coca-Cola Enterprises until joining Moviefone in 1998. She played an integral role in the $400 million sale of Moviefone to AOL and was later promoted to vice president and general manager of Moviefone and AOL Movies in 2001.

In 2002 she was promoted to Vice President of AOL’s Programming Group, where she managed the AOL Teens channel and became one of the liaisons between AOL and Time Inc. The position led to a full-time move to Time Inc., where Hauser was named Executive Producer of Time Inc. Interactive and was later promoted to General Manager.

In 2006, Hauser was named General Manager of PEOPLE Digital and then, in 2007, was promoted to President of PEOPLE Digital. In 2008, she expanded her responsibilities and was promoted to President, Digital for Time Inc.’s Style and Entertainment Group.

As President of Digital for Time Inc.’s Style and Entertainment Group, Hauser oversaw large-scale distribution partnerships, product development, and acquisitions and was responsible for desktop, mobile, and tablet strategy. During Hauser’s tenure, People.com went from 3 million monthly unique visitors to 30 million monthly unique visitors.

In 2010, Hauser led the acquisition and integration of StyleFeeder, Time Inc.’s first major e-commerce investment. In 2012, Hauser was appointed to lead Time Inc.’s Innovation Lab, an incubator where employees present ideas and can work in cross-functional, global teams. In February 2014, Hauser stepped down from her post at Time Inc.

In May 2014, Hauser became a venture partner at Rothenberg Ventures, a venture capital firm. At Rothenberg, Hauser primarily invested in women-led digital media and e-commerce startups. Hauser left Rothenberg Ventures in July 2016. Hauser is also an active angel investor in technology startups, including ReturnPath, Levo League, Hullabalu, Zady, and HelloGiggles.

Hauser serves as a public speaker on topics such as mentorship, entrepreneurship, digital media, and women in business. Her recent speaking engagements include SheSummit, International Women's Day at the Rye Art Center, the 2016 Pipeline Fellowship Conference, and TechWeek NY.

Hauser makes regular appearances on CNBC's PowerPitch and has written on entrepreneurship, leadership, and investing for publications including Forbes and Inc. Her book, The Myth of the Nice Girl: Achieving a Career You Love Without Becoming a Person You Hate, was released in April 2018 and has been featured in People Magazine, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Time, and other publications. Amazon has named it the best business and investing book.