Archive for the ‘ My Experience ’ Category

Modesty in the Midst of Materialism

A couple days ago I had a pretty good conversation with another female founder who like me has been through a startup acquisition, to her credit a couple.  We gabbed about ways to market products better, tracking analytics, you know the usual Silicon Valley startup stuff…  Then the conversation turned a different direction.  We started [ READ MORE ]

Celebrating Five Years of Femgineer.com

Its been five years since I started Femgineer.com. I can vividly remember the process I went through when I was deciding on a name for the blog, I wanted something that would capture being feminine and an engineer, because my mission was to show women and girls that they could be an engineer and [ READ MORE ]

A Slow and Steady Approach to Startup Building

…in Silicon Valley?  Bah hum bug!  We have to go fast!  We need to raise capital, build product, acquire thousands of users daily, analyze metrics, recruit… go go go!  What if we paused, just for a second, to take a breathe.  Would our startup still be around? I know what you’re thinking, “Come on Poornima cut [ READ MORE ]

Trauma Doesn’t Need to Lead to Drama

I got hit by a van. It happened two days ago as I was walking across a very short crosswalk on Kingsway road in London moments after I left a cafe after having bought a cup of tea. I actually didn’t even realize what had happened to me until I had been knocked [ READ MORE ]

If you want a free lunch, make it yourself!

In second grade I used to eat with all my friends.  We had a ritual of showing off what we had and trading items.  All through elementary school I thought my dad was the smartest guy in the world, and just knew anything and everything.  My mom was the one who usually packed my lunch, [ READ MORE ]

Productivity == Happiness … for me

In kindergarten I was the kid that got sent home because I couldn’t take naps.  Growing up I’d always be doing something: reading, writing short stories, riding my bike, or coming up with clever  ways to shirk doing Kumon math…  I was the only child for 6 years and had immigrant parents who worked a [ READ MORE ]

A Founder’s Life

On the first day of second grade, I woke up, packed my lunch, got on my bike, and went to school.  I started this trend in second grade, and I’m still doing it.  To this day, how I grew up is a mystery for my dad, and at dinner parties he’ll mention that since the [ READ MORE ]

Another Year Older & Still Pushing Tin

I turned 28 on September 3rd this year.  To treat myself I went to Paris alone.  Yes I asked friends and family if they were interested in coming, but after a while rejection gets tiresome and its easier to plan for one.  Most people including Parisians thought it was strange that I would spend my [ READ MORE ]

Why aren’t there more tech women?

I usually don’t like to debate issues of gender or race, but the with the tech community buzzing about the dearth of women entrepreneurs and women in tech I decided it was time to throw in my two cents, after all I am a femgineer.  I think the community overall is conflating two issues into one: [ READ MORE ]

Fundraising and Feedback

Dave McClure’s recent post on investing before product/market fit inspired me to address a few observations I’ve made as an entrepreneur when pitching to investors (angels and VCs), crafting my product proposal, and explaining the vision of my current startup. Risk and Rejection As a first time entrepreneur I understand that I’m seen as a huge risk, [ READ MORE ]