Megan, 33, bartending a hotel bar in Austin, had no intention of becoming a partial owner of a hot sauce company when she clocked in on a Tuesday. But a guy named Hector sat down, ordered four rounds of tequila, and spent the better part of an hour pitching her on his startup. She asked two questions — out of politeness, she'll tell you — and Hector decided she was his most sophisticated investor to date. (Her exact words were "does the heat build or hit upfront?" That's it. That's the question.) He gave her a one-percent stake on a cocktail napkin and followed up with an actual contract the next week. The company sold to a grocery chain in 2025. Megan's check cleared before Christmas.