Startup Chick

ALL Talk.

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:16:54 -0400

“Can women have it all?” —- “Women CAN have it all!” —- “Women CANNOT have it all!”

What the hell is all? Did someone forget to put this list of all in my kindergarten cubby? Did I miss the Sunday School session where the teacher lectured about all? Because I sure as hell didn’t get it attached to my diploma! Is there a guide for this shit? I don’t see a “Having it all for Dummies,” anywhere.

Oh wait, because there isn’t one. There’s no list.

If you follow me on Twitter, you probably saw my tweets from last night (if not, see below). Those were a result of something I saw in the “Discover” section of my Twitter app. Yet again, another article about someone famous saying something about ‘having it all.’ My tweets are pretty self-explanatory and sum up my opinions.

Here’s what I’ll say, now.

The world is full of expectations. Expectations are everywhere. Some people will do everything in their power to fulfill these expectations. Others will take a “I don’t give a fuck” approach and say shit like “expectations are stupid” or “never expect anything because you’ll always be disappointed.” I personally fall into the second category. Certainly, there are situations where I truly am very indifferent and don’t expect anything. I have been at the other end; where I have fought to meet certain expectations. I’ve also failed to others’ expectations. And that is life.

But the second someone even alludes to telling me about what to expect, want, and need in life…I have a problem. And so should you! I don’t care if we have the same career trajectory or similar life stories or the same family…my life is different. What I experience is different. What and how I learn is different. How I think is different. There is no one size fits all solution or list. I’m not saying that these advocates, feminists, or writers are saying that there is. It’s just so important to note that everything is relative. All of this stuff we’re hearing and going to hear is only going to get more and more repetitive. Essentially, it’s just going to piss us off.

I grew up with expectations (both negative and positive) from my family, my friends, my mentors, my colleagues, and even strangers. And of course I met them all, particularly the negative ones. But something also clicked for me at a very young age (here we go…) —- when it comes to having it ‘all,’ expectations, and standards, I have to set them for myself first. They may change overtime or they might not. But knowing myself and how I define success will shape everything else that follows. It will shape the relationships I choose to build; the people whom I choose to work with and for; the way I look at life as a whole; what becomes a priority; and how I handle all the naysayers. Be selfish. It’s okay.

No one seems to be talking about this logical approach to handling all of the messages behind the Feminist Movement 2.0. Cut the crap with this whole “having it all” bullshit. Not every woman is going to be successful even by her own definition.

If everyone just thought about themselves for a hot second…maybe a little longer we might not have such a huge gap.

While I have your attention, I’ll bullet a few other things that really piss me off as a self-proclaimed feminist:

Women who blame men for the sake of placing blame

Women who don’t appreciate the awesome men that have graced their life

Women who blame other women; take personal responsibility first
Women who don’t listen to each other, especially when it matters
Women who criticize other women for being successful because it doesn’t match their definition of success

I am simply not amused.

So lean in, stand up, take a walk, run a lap … do whatever you got to do to figure out what all is for you, why and how you’re going to attain it. Because you should know your all better than anyone else.

Weekly Roundup

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 20:02:47 -0400

I never liked Google Reader anyways

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:35:20 -0400

Everything from my Facebook to my Path erupted the day ~~the~~ ~~world ended~~, Google announced the execution of Reader. I do love certain Google products like Search, Gmail, & Chrome but beyond that…meh. I’ve said shit like “how cool would it be if MacBook Air ran on Chrome?” because it would be awesome.

It’s no secret that I compartmentalize. I like things organized. Everything from my closet to my inbox has a system. I also read a lot. I like blogs and feeds. But after Twitter, I never saw the need for an RSS organizer. And frankly before Twitter, I was dedicated to a select few sources & didn’t feel like I was ODing on information to need such a product. I used Reader a few different times. The first time I used it as a way to gather content from established folks in the startup world. The second time around, I got rid of all of those blogs and used it as an organizer for my Hamburger and Menswear blogs. During that phase I went back and added all the startup blogs again. The third time, I got frustrated and stopped checking it; came back a few weeks later and deleted everything. My current state of affairs: I consolidated and deleted unnecessary subscriptions but still don’t use Reader. I switched over to Feedly a few weeks ago and don’t hate it.

I so badly wanted to like Reader and wanted it to be a part of my life. But I had to let it go. It didn’t work. Content accumulated too quickly for me to keep up and a lot of the times I realized that it was the same stuff I saw on my Twitter. If I wasn’t following the blog, someone else was RTing it. Redundancy. I also realized that I used Reader as a way to generate content to pass along to others, aka share (mostly on Pinterest) — and Reader didn’t always make it easy to do that. What about Read Later? I can’t spend hours sifting through and reading content. Sometimes skimming long and thoughtfully written articles, isn’t enough.

Google Reader seems to have lots of dedicated users. Some people rely on it, hell one my favorite blogs runs on it. It’s always an unfortunate situation when we lose our favorite products. But know that there are various alternatives.

On to new beginnings!

Weekly Roundup

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 20:01:13 -0500

You can keep up daily via What I’m Reading, thanks to Kippt!

Cheers!

What Side are YOU on?

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 16:46:40 -0500

It doesn’t take a genius to realize that The West Wing is one of the best televisions shows to grace the small screen, ever. Throughout the course of 8 seasons, viewers learned a lot. I know I certainly have. I’ve written about women in the workforce before and am head over heals for Sheryl Sandberg’s stance on all things women. There are a few episodes that have hit home and this clip is one that has stuck with me for a good while.

The Gender Gap is hot and people are talking about it. That’s good. It’s always interesting to hear the various sides from both women and men. Though, men should feel free to speak up more often. I want you to watch this clip in its entirety. For your reference, here’s the Equal Rights Amendment and here’s the Fourteen Amendment.

What side are you on? Does Ainsley make a valid point (particularly at the end)? As a woman, aren’t you just humiliated at this point?

Weekly Roundup

Sat, 23 Feb 2013 20:49:00 -0500

I come across a lot of interesting stuff. I’ll pick a few of the most fascinating pieces and post a list weekly. Week #1 is below:

You can keep up daily via What I’m Reading, thanks to Kippt!

Cheers!

The Obvious Secret to Networking

Sun, 27 Jan 2013 23:13:48 -0500

Networking. Networking. Networking. It seems to be one of the most important tools to achieve success (as defined by them).

Yet again, I am reminded of the power and significance of networking. I have heard, read, and seen countless people share experiences and anecdotes of how networking has brought them to their present situations. I don’t doubt it. I’ve had several such experiences too.

However, what’s often times missing from these presentations is the simple and obvious fact that people overlook their already existing networks—-family & best friends. I was talking to my friend about my frustrations amidst a search to find a developer when she mentioned an aunt who will hopefully be a huge help! Why the hell did I not think to ask her before? DUH.

Talk to your friends and family. Tell em what’s up. Facebook updates and Tweets can get lost (but most likely ignored).

There’s no reason why your parents, parents’ friends, distant cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, or best friends’ relatives shouldn’t be in your network. There’s no shame. The people around you can sometimes be of the greatest help. If you’re being hounded by someone like me, don’t hesitate to connect someone.

And when someone does help you, PLEASE thank them.

2012: Reflections

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 23:45:40 -0500

As the year comes to an end, like most people, I too have a few words. I’ve had the opportunity to connect with, meet, and learn from some incredible people in 2012. While I haven’t built relationships with each and everyone I’ve crossed paths with this year, I don’t regret any encounters. Not all interactions were positive but nevertheless I still learned something. Social networks like Twitter have played an immense role in helping form introductions. Don’t underestimate the power of a cold-tweet!

I am thankful for and blessed to have such amazing folks always ready to support me in every endeavor. THANK YOU!

There are a few people that have made this year truly special for me and I hope that as you skim this list, you’ll begin to form one for yourself…

My Father
Edward Hurley-Wales
Leslie Zaikis & the entire Levo Team
Hilary Cook & Marti Beller
Leah Busque
Thomas Scott
Hartej Singh

I am anxious yet thrilled for all those I’ll interact with in 2013!

Happy New Year!

In Pursuit of Successful Leadership

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 23:25:00 -0400

Recently, I had the opportunity to hear a female executive speak very informally about her experiences in the world of Non-Profit Development. The topic, very fitting, was leadership.

My personal philosophy on others’ philosophies, romantic talk, advice, cliche statements about life, liberty and the pursuit of professional success is very straight forward—-I buy everything (usually in bulk), then live or at least try it and discard whatever doesn’t work for me. I know for a fact that strong-willed and passionate people don’t enjoy being told what to do. So why would you let someone tell you how to lead? Leadership is personal before it becomes professional.

Statements that struck me:

Live your leadership.
Leadership is not only concerned with getting ahead yourself; it’s about all those who you’ve pushed forward
As a leader, don’t ask anyone to do something you wouldn’t do yourself.
Don’t try to be like someone, be your authentic self.
Take risks; you can always recover from mistakes.

Define your leadership and then own it.

Ladies, Stop Asking for Permission

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 10:11:58 -0400

If women are ever to achieve real equality as leaders, then we have to stop accepting male behavior and male choices as the default and the ideal. We must insist on changing social policies and bending career tracks to accommodate our choices, too. We have the power to do it if we decide to, and we have many men standing beside us.

I refuse to play the blame game. Men & women are both responsible for shaping the world we live in today. Yes, men have always been dominant when it comes to shaping the professional world (it’s documented history, don’t you dare deny it) but that doesn’t mean it has to continue this way. But don’t be hard-asses. In the words of Lisa Jackson, “to be a strong woman, you don’t have to give up on the things that define you as a woman.” Wear your bright colored pencil skirts to work, ask for time off to plan your wedding, question the policies that don’t align with a quality standard, and most importantly, if you see something, say something.

Stop asking for permission, stop looking for validation, and just go do it, damn it!

"What if instead of adding new features, a company concentrated on making the service or product much..."

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 10:31:52 -0400

“What if instead of adding new features, a company concentrated on making the service or product much easier to use? Or making it much easier to access the advanced features it already has, but that few can master? Maybe what they lose in market share in one area will be more than compensated for in another area. In a lot of markets, it’s gotten so bad out there that simply being usable is enough to make a product truly remarkable.”

- Kathy Sierra

From the Valley to the Mountains

Wed, 23 May 2012 14:24:02 -0400

Part of StartupChick’s Beyond the Valley series.

When one thinks startups, we think Silicon Valley, New York City, Boston….not Arkansas. I was somewhat surprised to learn that Trivi.al originates from Fayetteville, AR.

Formerly known as the “Land of Opportunity,” Arkansas is home to pioneers like Sam Walton, Don Tyson, William Dillar, and JB Hunt. So, it’s safe to say that curating opportunities for starting up is deeply rooted in the state’s history. And it only makes sense that AR is an up and coming tech startup hub with the support of these Fortune 500 companies. These big names draw in a lot of talent, including a community of developers. Grass-root efforts by passionate entrepreneurs is stimulating a need to bring together coders, hackers, and engineers in the NWA area by means of social media.

Let’s get acquainted with the Arkansas’s Startup Scene!

Trivi.al is not the first taste of entrepreneurship for founders Joey Nelson (Launched TidyTweet and Couponfactory) and Matt Hudson (Founder of Lynergy, Inc a Microsoft BizSpark startup). While the area is big in Retail, Logistics, and Food Processing there seems to be an increase in the development of e-commerce and mobile ventures. NWA has already set up its first accelerator program, The ARK, boasting 8 investors with a vast array of experiences and resources. What’s even more impressive is the fact that the area has a new co-working facility called The Iceberg which hosts creativity named meet-ups, TechDrinks and Fireside Chats.

It’s very exciting to see tech efforts taking shape beyond NYC and Silicon Valley. And this particular effort has been growing for over five years now. Both Hudson and Nelson feel that NWA “could definitely use the outsiders influence of scalability and resources but all that is [also] growing very organically.”

So, should Arkansas be the next big startup scene? Nelson and Hudson think so—-“this is a by product of the folks here. They are creative, passionate, artistic and will over come any obstacle. We definitely work to put NWA on the map and at the same time embrace the culture on the fact that our ideas and products are made here and can shape the world we live in.”

There’s no doubt in my mind that Arkansas’s startup community is creating an environment that will foster a modern work culture of lots of hustle, success, and beer, of course!

On a personal note—-we all know that the face of a startup is its founder; before we see the actual product, we see, hear, and read from the parent. Some startups have ugly faces, others have mean ones while some have friendly ones. Trivi.al has a gem! My one Tweet about Trivi.al lead to various conversations and I’m so thrilled to have had the chance to get to know Arkansas’s startup scene through my correspondences with Matt. I have not only sensed a dedicated passion for his product and the NWA startup community but also a genuine appreciation of feedback, collaboration, and the people he connects with.

I look forward to challenging y’all on Trivi.al in the upcoming weeks!

"Hey, I just met you & this is crazy, but here’s my handle, tweet me maybe?"

Wed, 09 May 2012 13:50:33 -0400

“Hey, I just met you & this is crazy, but here’s my handle, tweet me maybe?”

Let's End Networking?! NOT SO FAST!

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 19:36:26 -0400

Just today, I read a post on TNW titled Let’s End Networking, Please. The headline certainly caught my attention as I assumed it would be a well-written rant about the pitfalls of today’s networking phenomenon—-Gannett in his own words, did touch upon the fact that the world needs to focus on adding value to their networks by fostering relationships rather than just adding mere names with fancy job titles.

My thoughts:

AG: Stating your desire to network with someone is a bald assertion that you seek a transactional relationship. You want to leverage their business and personal contacts to your advantage. It’s explicitly manipulative. Since when is that such a bad thing? When one has reached a certain level of prominence in his/her trade he/she generally recognizes that fact that people need him/her for connections not for friendship. Just a couple of weeks ago I met Patrick Morin and during an intense conversation about LinkedIn connections he looks at Marti Beller (a post about her is in the works) and says “you accept people because YOU need the connections, people come to me because THEY need the connection.” I soon realized how right he was. Once you’ve reached Patrick Morin status you are absolutely aware of the value/power of your network and you are prepared to handle networking situations. You are not looking for friends or pals, you’re looking for someone that can add value to your already established group of friends. When you’re a 20 year old novice in the industry you are not in it to make friends. You’re in it to seek advise, guidance and venture money. If friendships are established, then that’s great, if not, it’s okay! We should not be setting up this idea that friending > networking in the professional industry.
AG: The people you meet through work are perhaps your best pool of potential friends. You have a shared interest with them, spending a substantial part of your day working on similar problems. Placing them off limits as friends because they are work contacts is a false and unnecessary restriction. While I’ll admit I share a similar belief, it definitely has its pitfalls. I have been known to compartmentalize my work and personal life, with good reason. I have come across various situations and have been witness to instances where there is absolutely no separation of a professional and personal setting. Regardless of your ability to maintain professionalism, when your friend bluntly criticizes and dismisses an idea during a meeting, you feel personally attacked. It happens. I have no problems with individuals that are able to connect outside of work and grab beers together, kudos to y’all! We live in a moment of time when corporate culture is an important factor in an employees decision to accept a job offer. Which means that by default I already know that the environment I am going to work in will be one that encourages collaboration, civility and disperse the aura of a happy-to-go-lucky sense of life. So I don’t go to work with the goal to make friends, I go to work to channel my passion and inspiration to produce results. Though I may enjoy working with you every second of every day, I don’t necessarily need or have to be your friend. We can be ‘friendly’ without having to be friends. I think it’s important to note and differentiate the ability to be friendly at work and inviting that person to your birthday party. Personally, I like to diversify my pool of friends. Though some of my closest friends are just as startup crazy as I am, most of my friends are not. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. Having people around you that stimulate your inspiration and passion because they bring perspectives from other aspects of the world is one of the greatest assets you have as an entrepreneur.
AG: The utilitarian would ask, “What’s wrong with doing business or networking where there is a mutual benefit?” However, business deals done with bad people never end well. If someone is not good enough to be friends with, then why do business with them? Yes, I wanted to ask that question in my first bullet point but I didn’t so I’ll address it here. I have a hard time blaming bad business on the lack of friendship between the mutual parties. In fact I think it’s the complete opposite. I would not do business with most of my friends, so does that mean that I should go find new friends? Don’t they say that opposites attract, anyways? Never say never! Business deals done with good people don’t always end well either! It’s very easy to just say “good” or “bad” but it’s very difficult to actually define those terms. Context is key. Steve Jobs wasn’t perceived or believed to be a good man or even friend material, but that did not stop him from doing “good business.”

I don’t think the practice of networking should be abolished. Those who understand the art of networking and are able to curate a pool of individuals that add meaning to their lives will certainly reap the benefits. And those that don’t and can’t, simply will not. I was and still am a strong advocate for networking events but only if and when they serve a significant purpose. In the boondocks of Lynchburg, VA we need meetups and networking events. In the world of NGOs & non-profits, setting up networking opportunities allows for potential collaborations (which essentially could solve a lot of problems!). In NYC where most folks are tech-savvy, have 17 different social networking profiles, and can easily access some pretty dope resources the question of networking shifts. It becomes a question of surviving in an environment where everyone seems to be doing the same exact thing based on the same exact philosophy. So the ideal “networking” world, in my opinion, would be “a world where people try to form relationships with you, not just because you can help them find a rockstar CTO but because they want to share, build and collaborate on ideas so they don’t epically fail.”

A virtual hug to Allen for sparking my interest & starting this dialogue!

Buzz away.

All of my Non-Startup Finds & Interests

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:32:00 -0400

All of my Non-Startup Finds & Interests

An (Half) Office Hour with Fran Hauser

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 18:58:59 -0400

Today’s Levo League Office Hour guest was Fran Hauser. Ms Hauser is the President of Digital for Time Inc.’s Style & Entertainment and Lifestyle groups. During the conversation she spoke about her career progression and then proceeded to take questions. And of course, I asked a question!

Question: What is the most important quality that you have that has contributed to your success?

(you can watch her response in the video above)

Ms Hauser attributes her success to “relational intelligence.” Commenting on the fact that she has the ability to build and nurture professional relationships. She goes on to say that she understands the importance of recognizing what motivates and stimulates team members. This isn’t the first time I have heard of someone stressing the importance of fostering relationships beyond just a virtual network. In reference to Linked In connections, it’s important to find the people who will add value to your career and moral progression and then build upon those connections. What I found really interesting was the fact that she made it a point to state that any evaluations and 360s she’s received have specifically recognized her relational intelligence. So, Ms Hauser has taken it upon herself to develop her strength and then use it to help her advance her career—-empowering!

If you want in on these wonderful chats, you should probably sign up!

Let's talk Levo!

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 11:42:27 -0400

With all this buzz about finally breaking the glass ceiling, furthering the progression of women in the professional world and initiating women in the tech world it was only a matter of time before I gave you my two cents.

I have never seen myself as a feminist, mainly because of the way feminism has been portrayed. RAW! RAW! WOMEN! Growing up, I never saw feminism in a positive or an encouraging light. It was this negative, over-zealous, complaint campaign; angry faces spitting out angry words and somehow conveying a notion of Anti-Man. And let’s be honest…me and Anti-Man? Yeah, Okay. ;)

This post is not about me but rather a couple of very intelligent, gorgeous, and passionate chicks who took it upon themselves to change the way the #womenhelpingwomen campaign is seen. It’s not an aggressively whiny campaign to fight for the rights of women in Corporate America but rather a very fresh, modern and unique forum that enables women to find their dream job. The ‘dream job’ part, I’ll admit sounded a little corny and romantic to me…but let’s face it, men have dream jobs and ambition to pursue them so why the hell can’t women? At least we’re honest and candid about it!

Amanda Puchout & Caroline Ghosn have created the Levo League and I am in love! It’s not just another social network; it’s an experience! One that has a very modern, chic and sexy vibe. I am very impressed with the design, UI and layout of the site. I think it’ll do wonders when it comes to keeping the users focused and retaining them for the long-run. The site provides users with the ability to build a professional profile, ample resources (everything from articles, to videos, to live web chats, to resume hosting, to networking and beyond), advise on every aspect of a woman’s life, but most importantly a launch-pad for Gen Y women.

One of the things I value most about this initiative is the fact that it helps women define themselves not by their gender but their skills & abilities. It’s a movement that emphasizes the importance of building yourself up as competent do-er. I’m hoping this will stir up a lot of conversation around the fact that women don’t always support other women (a lot of times, for absolutely ridiculous reasons) and the fact that women are afraid of successful women. But at the same time I hope this allows for the recognition of men that have helped the progression of women in their industries; not out of pity but because they have been able to understand their talents, strengths & skill sets.

I clearly have big dreams for LL and its community. I am certain that it will do big things and I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of it!

Recruiters, take advantage of the Levo platform and sign your company up. It’s a great portal that gives you a pool of exceptional women that are involved in industries across the globe.

Please show the ladies some #levolove. Sign up is open to all!

"Don’t try to be cool, try to be successful."

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 21:14:24 -0400

“Don’t try to be cool, try to be successful.”

- We all need to be reminded of the basics. Thanks Lindsay Green!

Zuldi's Seeking Developers!

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 19:45:28 -0500

Zuldi's Seeking Developers! :

Zuldi is developing a platform that aims to mobilize the ordering and payment processes at restaurants and nightclubs. The team is seeking a Lead Developer. The team is very much interested in bringing women on board.

Apply Away!

What these five women make clear is that anyone can be an...

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:06:34 -0500

What these five women make clear is that anyone can be an entrepreneur and that women are natural makers and innovators. —- Fred Wilson