Sarah Chen-Spellings on Women, Wealth and Innovation: ‘Not a Moment- a Movement.’
Sarah Chen-Spellings. Picture credits: SCS team
Before she was co-founding a billion-dollar movement or hosting conversations with the minds behind unicorns and multi-billion-dollar funds, Sarah-Chen Spellings was a driven, curiousstudent walking the halls of King’s College London.
Her journey has inspired many- but to us at the King’s Business Review, it felt personal. As one of the founding members of King’s Business Club (KBC), Sarah’s story is woven into the fabric of our student community. It’s only fitting that our Leaders @ King’s series includes the woman who helped spark it all.
The Beginning
“How do we do things differently?”
That was the question Sarah Chen asked herself in her first year of law school at King’s College London- not just to break from convention, but to build something that hadn’t existed before.
Her drive didn’t come from a need to stand out, but from the values deeply rooted in her upbringing. Raised in a traditional yet forward-thinking Malaysian family, Sarah credits her parents for standing firmly beside her — even when the world didn’t. In a culture where sons were often prioritized, they championed her ambition. And that belief became the foundation for everything she would go on to build.
“Girls were not seen to be leaders; we were meant to fit into a mould.”
More particularly, she remembered a moment at age nine that shaped her forever. After spotting a casting call for a TV host, Sarah initially dismissed it as unrealistic. But one mention of it to her father, had him turning the car around, rather dramatically, to the audition.
“Sarah, you have to just try.”
If she hadn’t tried and taken that chance that day, Sarah would have never become a TV host from the young age of nine, discovering her love of storytelling, communication, and public impact ultimately inspiring her to study Law at one of the top institutions of the World.
“As a young Malaysian girl, I was told to be a certain way, when I got to King’s I realised the world is truly my oyster.”
Starting of KBC
While Sarah appreciated her legal education, she always felt the need for something more, something that challenged her and tested her creatively. That desire drew her to the business world and to a group of “rebels” that had the same vision for a society in King’s.
“We were eager students with big dreams.”
Sarah was on the founding committee of the King’s Business Club alongside Zain Jaffer and Michael Tyrimos. They didn’t want to create just another student society—they structured KBC like a company from day one. Every member was a volunteer, balancing part-time jobs and coursework while contributing to a mission they believed in. Sarah led with the mindset of service.
“I was serving them.”
Keeping members motivated was key to this success. That mindset helped KBC grow from an initial thought in a room on campus, to the largest business society in the UK with over 140 active members and a legacy that has won awards and attracted corporate sponsors from all over the world, still today.
Getting into the Corporate World
Just days after completing her final law exams, Sarah received news that would alter the course of her life: her father had been diagnosed with cancer. In the wake of his illness and eventual passing, Sarah returned to Malaysia to support her family’s business.
It was a time marked by personal loss and the sobering fragility of life. But in hindsight, she now recognizes it as a defining turning point—the moment that began to shape the path she walks today.
She vividly recalls the words her late father—her mentor and anchor—shared with her in one of their final conversations:
“Honey, remember this — you can always come back to the business. But perhaps it’s time to ‘eat more salt’?”
A metaphor in the Hakka dialect urging one to go out, seek experience, and gain wisdom through living. That advice led Sarah to join a multibillion-dollar Asian conglomerate, where she eventually dove headfirst into corporate venture capital, cutting her teeth on investing, strategy, cross-border deals, and high-stakes negotiations.
Sarah Chen-Spellings at the Ritz, Paris mobilizing the French venture ecosystem in support of exceptional female founders with Dell Technologies. Photo Credits: SCS team
The Future of Business
It was this formative chapter that catalysed Sarah’s transformation into what she calls an “accidental, activated feminist.” What began as personal experience quickly evolved into purpose, inspiring her to co-found initiatives focused on elevating women in leadership—starting with Lean In Malaysia, and later, Beyond The Billion, after moving to the United States.
From early on, Sarah was acutely aware of the glaring gender gap in leadership and investment. She couldn’t ignore the disparity—and refused to accept it as status quo.
“This is a conversation we must have. How can we exclude 50% of the population—and the innovation, insight, and impact they bring?”
This calling led to the launch of Beyond The Billion, now the world’s first and largest global consortium of venture funds actively deploying over $1 billion into women-founded companies. From early investments by pledged funds in unicorns like Canva and Airwallex, to funding underrepresented founders around the globe, the initiative has shifted not just capital—but culture.
Sarah’s work is a bold reminder that backing women isn’t charity—it’s smart business. Her efforts continue to reshape the narrative around venture funding, proving that inclusion drives performance, and equity builds empires.
“I am looking for the hidden gems.”
Now having spent years on the business forefront, Sarah happily answered our questions regarding the upcoming trends to focus on.
“It’s 2025, there is no conversation without AI.”
She underscored the transformative impact of AI across industries, highlighting its immense potential—particularly for women, who currently make up just 30% of the field. While artificial intelligence has been in development for decades, it was the recent rise of tools like ChatGPT that catalysed widespread traction. This moment marks a critical inflection point: as AI becomes increasingly embedded in our daily lives, the application layer—where real-world use cases are built and scaled—is proving to be the most exciting frontier for innovation.
Building on the conversation around an increasingly tech-savvy, AI-driven world, Sarah Chen emphasized a powerful counterpoint: the enduring importance of community.
“Even in a virtual world, it’s real relationships that move us forward”
A Podcast Born in the Pandemic
During the pandemic, a time when isolation was widespread and in-person connection and relationships felt impossible, Sarah launched the Billion Dollar Moves podcast. The goal- to spotlight the real stories behind the world’s most successful founders and funders—not the highlight reels, but the grit underneath
From YouTube co-founder Steve Chen to ICONIQ Capital—the wealth manager to Mark Zuckerberg and Silicon Valley’s elite—Sarah has sat down with the minds behind some of the world’s most influential companies and capital.
But one of the earliest—and most unforgettable—episodes featured Jack Smith, another one of the founding team members at King’s Business Club. Alongside Zain Jaffer, Jack launched a startup from a dingy makeshift office in Elephant & Castle and together, their unlikely venture would go on to sell for millions.
The episode offers a raw, unfiltered glimpse into the entrepreneurial journey—the highs that never make headlines, and the lows no one warns you about.
“This was one of our earliest episodes filmed from the corner of my apartment during the pandemic,” Sarah laughs.
“So, give me a little grace on the quality there—but the story? It's gold.”
Since then, Billion Dollar Moves has grown into a global platform, spotlighting billion-dollar founders and funders—and redefining what it truly takes to build something that lasts.
Because success isn't always shiny. But it's always earned.
Representation of Women
When asked if she thought the business world was good and fair to women today, she offered a measured response:
“We’re moving forward- but not fast and far enough.”
She pointed to the longstanding design defaults that continue to overlook women—across technology, healthcare, and finance. From seatbelt testing built around male bodies to drug trials that excluded female data for decades, the gaps are systemic.
And yet, she remains hopeful. With a projected $30 trillion generational wealth transfer underway—and women expected to control over 50% of that wealth in the U.S. alone—she sees an inflection point ahead.
“We’re at a critical moment—one that could redefine how we build, invest, and innovate for the world we actually live in.”
Sarah Chen-Spellings speaking at the United Nations in New York, advocating for venture capital as a tool for advancing women. Photo credits: SCS team.
The Importance of Self
One of the most powerful themes Sarah addressed in our conversation on entrepreneurship and women’s empowerment was the deeply familiar, yet rarely admitted, feeling of imposter syndrome.
“That pit in your stomach when you arrive at the room you worked so hard to get into—only to question if you truly belong.”
It’s a quiet self-doubt that many, especially women, carry. But Sarah is adamant: we must confront and dismantle it.
“Just because we didn’t look like the previous pattern of success,” she said, “doesn’t mean that should be held against us.”
Her belief is clear: if you’ve put in the hours, delivered results, and shown up fully—then you’ve earned your place. Whether you’re the CEO or just getting started as an analyst, your title doesn’tdefine your value—your work does.
She also offered a bold take on a popular saying often heard in entrepreneurial circles.
“I don’t subscribe to ‘fake it till you make it,’” she said.
“If you know yourself, and you’ve done the work—you’re not faking anything.”
It’s a reminder that true leadership doesn’t come from pretending. It comes from showing up with integrity, preparation, and the quiet confidence of someone who’s done the hard work behind the scenes.
That self-awareness, she says, is essential. In a world obsessed with metrics and momentum, staying grounded is not optional—it’s survival.
“I spend time looking inward for answers. They’re not always out there.”
“Don’t let anyone tell you who you can or cannot be —you need to have a lens for yourself.”
It’s this mindset—of self-inquiry, resilience, and relentless pursuit of excellence—that sets apart the entrepreneurs who endure from those who burn out.
Final Advice
When asked to distil her advice into a single sentence, Sarah paused for a moment before offering a line that encapsulates her journey and philosophy:
“Don’t be afraid of hard work—do the work, keep your eyes open, your feet grounded, and always bring good people along with you.”
But she was quick to add- that’s just the beginning. Success doesn’t follow a singular formula. Some arrive through legacy. Others discover it by showing up to a campus club meeting on a random Tuesday and realizing they want to build something bigger.
What matters is this:
“Own your worth.”
“Define success on your terms.”
“And never forget—you belong in the room.”
