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 to talk about how the two of us have decided to live a modest lifestyle despite having some financial success.  For the longest time I thought I was the only one who lived in a shack by choice,  ok its not really a shack but I’m sure my parents would call it that

Yesterday I looked over 3 tax returns: 2009, 2010, and 2011.  While I haven’t had a real salary since 2009, and have been living off of my savings since, I’ve actually been really happy, probably the happiest that I’ve been in years.  I haven’t afforded myself luxuries that most people would if they had made bank, instead I chose to bootstrap my business along with some outside funding, cook my own meals, fly to Paris but stay with friends or in AirBnB apartments, and drive my 7 year old fully paid off Honda Civic.  So why have I chosen to live this modest lifestyle?

Well a lot of it has to do with my upbringing.  See my  parents were actually really poor when we came to the US.  I was 2 years old.  I literally went to engineering school when I was 4, my dad would sit me in the classroom as he was taking classes at San Jose State for his masters.  I’d wake up at 5am with my mom to ride the bus and watch her clean houses to support us.  Experiencing all of that at a young age leaves a lasting impression on you.  Fast forward 15 years later, and my parents had a LOT of money.  Not the kind of money that sends your kids to boarding school or buys villas in Europe, but the kind that gives you the freedom to buy Lexuses, go to the mall, and maybe send your kids to an Ivy League school.  But they still weren’t happy.   At one point they got into some pretty bad debt, went through a few job losses, which finally resulted in my brother and I paying for our college educations.

I actually had arguments with my parents regarding marriage, buying a house, and going to business school.  The first two seemed like things to do when I felt more financially stable and independent, the later I decided against because I didn’t want to pay 6 figures for another degree.

Yes its tough have to say no to yourself, and its even tougher to say no to loved ones.  But going through all of that before  you turn 30 makes you realize what does really matter.  To me that’s family, friendship, and pursuing a career that’s motivated by passion.  My desire to get to profitability and build a BIG business is only driven my a desire to have greater freedom.  Not the freedom to buy things, but the freedom to experience cultures, create value, and help others pursue purpose based on passion.

I know its a little uncharacteristic for a femgineer post, but I wanted to shed some light into misconceptions that people may have about success and motivation.  Too many talk about the successes they’ve had in life but fail to share the BIG bumps they experienced.  Its also not meant to be a rags to riches story by any means, because it isn’t.  I always had food in my belly and clothes on my back.  Instead its mean to illuminate the need for not taking anything for granted.

Unlike my parents generation, which wanted to live the American Dream, my goals are to live a modest debt-free life where I can instead focus on accomplishments: learning to speak foreign languages, travel around the world, create products that help improve the lives of others, and hopefully teach my own children the value of earning a dollar.

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 still have feminine qualities.  They didn’t need to change who they were because the field of engineering was male dominated. After a few funny back and forth name ideas between Jason Putorti, Dave McClure, and myself while we were building Mint.com, Femgineer.com was born!

On this five year anniversary I’d like to share what I’ve experienced, and how I see the femgineer  and tech community evolving.

Evolution of Femgineers

When I first moved out to Silicon Valley almost 8 years ago there was a different ambiance. There was less infrastructure and encouragement for femgineers in high tech. Sure there were femgineers working at startups and large tech companies, but at the time most people just complained and very little was being done. In fact I saw most women leaving engineering altogether to become product managers, sales people, or pursue motherhood full time. This was a little disheartening as a young and impressionable femgineer. Nevertheless, I kept searching.

Then another dynamic began to emerge about two years ago. One that was focused on complaints about organizational structures, fostered by panels like “what its like to be a girl coder and how much it sucks”. There were in fact a number of articles published and some pretty bad talks (here’s looking at you TechCrunch). In the midst of the negativity emerged a third movement, one that was focused on nurturing women. A few organizations that led the way were Women 2.0, some communities like DevChix and Women Who Code, social enterprises like Invent Your Future, and programs to empower and educate young girls like Iridescent Learning. These organizations have been supported by large tech companies, women, and a lot of men!

This is when things got really interesting… Because instead of sitting around and complaining there were bright women who were just femgineering. They were starting companies, building products, hosting workshops on how to code, and creating organizations that were pushing for the cause of having more women in engineering. They were leading by example, which is what any good role model does!

Change Isn’t As Easy As Hiring More Women

However, there are still some fundamental ideas that need to change. There are still too many leaders of startups and tech companies who want there to be more women but don’t know how to bring them in. The problem isn’t one of searching for women, it comes down to the type of environment that is present in these organizations. Here are the top three reasons most women don’t join teams.

• Teams dominated by one sex I know there are more than a handful of women out there who don’t mind working on a team of all men, but it can be lonesome. The reason its lonesome is because of the difference in communication style and goals between the sexes. After awhile you either have to give in, or leave if people can’t empathize with your perspective.
• Rigid culture Most women and I’m not speaking for our entire species here, are more into working for a collaborative and cooperative culture, but if the primary sentiment of the team is being results oriented it can be off putting for many women.
• Inflexible work environment Women play many roles during the course of their lives, and one of the roles outside of working is being a mother. Unfortunately, too many organizations don’t understand how mentally and physically taxing this role can be. Long hours, tough deadlines, and less than understanding bosses make it hard on the role of a nurturer. While women are willing to make due with hiring nannies or sending their kids to daycare, it still doesn’t really capture what they need most, time, to spend with their family and loved ones. Even for young women without families they need time to create a support structure for themselves, and yes time to date. I know the choice to pursue a competitive career does require trade-offs, but it shouldn’t mean having to fundamentally give up on other life goals indefinitely.

What’s in store for the next 5 years

I don’t doubt the tech community will continue to pave the way in being progressive and encouraging women to pursue careers in engineering. But I am worried about the additional burden it will place on women’s roles. Encouraging young girls to pursue engineering is great, but they will still need to have environments where they are free to be themselves and pursue other life goals.

Balance is something that both sexes actually need to achieve. But balance doesn’t mean just taking time off. It means encouragement, and being mindful in how teams communicate and the way organizations structure and achieve their goals. The tech community is very competitive, and while competition can build great products and companies, it can also make it hard to attract talented individuals.

I haven’t yet figure out how to breed a healthy culture that is competitive, but I’m searching and experimenting with my own startup. I’m also encouraging younger girls by continuing to share my experiences through speaking engagements.

I look forward to continue being a femgineer and I want to thank a few who have actively supported femgineer.com over the years: Aaron Patzer, Angie Chang, Dave McClure, Jason Putorti, Liz Wiltsie, Lyndi Thompson, Noah Kagan, Shaherose Charania, and especially my dad who strongly encouraged me to take my first computer science class in college.

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 over, the tea went flying out of my hand, I landed on the ground, and the left front tire of the van was on my left leg. That’s a lot of lefts for someone who should have been looking over her right shoulder.

The tire was on top of my left leg for what felt like two minutes. During that time I kept repeating: “Please, please, get off my leg, please.” Around me a crowd had formed. The driver was in shock, and someone had rushed over to instruct him on what to do. A lady was by my side. As the van moved back someone slowly dragged my body to the curb. Once the tire was off my leg, I had the thought, “Is this really happening to me?”

I didn’t cry, I didn’t say anything, I just sat there rubbed my leg and breathed. Then the questioning began.

“Are you alright?” “Who are you?” “Is there someone we can call?”

I just kept breathing and responded, “I’m visiting. My friend Sophie works in the building nearby.” I pulled out my cell phone and handed someone her phone number.

I could hear a man behind me start to yell at the van’s driver. “Why didn’t you watch where you’re going!”

The driver was completely freaked out. “I didn’t see her.” He had the right of way, I had crossed when I shouldn’t have. I felt terrible for him. I said, “Its not his fault.”

The lady who had been by my side remarked, “You’re awfully calm, I’d be hysterical.” Yes I was calm, but I didn’t see any reason to get upset, mostly because I felt stupid for crossing when I shouldn’t have, for causing all this commotion, and for freaking everyone out around me and interrupting their otherwise ordinary day.

Within a couple minutes the ambulance came by followed by the police. The paramedics asked if I wanted gas or any pain killers, I said no. My leg was throbbing but it wasn’t unbearable, and I was just breathing, calmly.

Someone said something that made me laugh, which turned the worried look on Sophie’s face into a smile as she came to my rescue.

The paramedics took me into the ambulance and checked my leg out. It looked pretty beat up, but no blood, not even a scratch. I had been very lucky. They proceeded to take Sophie and me to the hospital. On the way I had Sophie email my team, and the people I was supposed to meet with that afternoon to let them know I wouldn’t be able to meet with them.

Once we got to the hospital the long wait began. I wanted more ice for my leg, but apparently the ice machine was broken… Ok no use in getting upset I thought, I was just happy to be alive. I was so thrilled that I was the only one smiling and laughing in the emergency room. Sophie told me to stop or they would never take a look at me. I tried my best to look upset and angry, but I wasn’t. I wasn’t even in pain. I was just thankful. Thankful that complete strangers had come to my rescue, that I could wiggle my toes, and that I was alive and smiling.

Sophie bought me a small bar of this amazing chili chocolate to cheer me up. That pretty much got me through the 4 hour long wait in the emergency room, after which they x-rayed my leg. The prognosis was good. I just had soft tissue damage, lots of bruising, but nothing was broken. I could leave. While I couldn’t walk without crutches that evening, the pain had died down.

When I got home my closest friends and family had learned about what had happened to me. They were all extremely worried, and I spent the evening reassuring everyone that I was OK.

The next day I was up, and today while I have a bit of a limp I’m walking, apparently a little too fast, because Sophie advised that I slow down as we were walking to lunch

There are a few things I’ve learned from this experience that I wanted to share. The first is that I’m happy that despite a temporary moment of stupidity I still have the ability to walk. The second is that I’m very grateful for those who were at my side, and for all those who loved and showed concern for my well-being, my close friends, family, and employees. The third is that despite a traumatic incident I’m glad I was able to stay calm and return to my normal life. I actually wonder if my calmness is what made the whole incident less tragic, although most of my friends seem to think that all the yoga I do has just made my leg super strong

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, but there was one day my dad packed it, so I didn’t think anything of it because I figured he knew what he was doing…  Well on that fateful day I opened it up to discover that he had packed me garlic bread, and that was pretty much it… I was mortified!  I quickly became the laughing stock of the second grade, which by the way isn’t hard to become and fortunately kids forget what happens in second grade by the next week.  So I wasn’t particularly upset with my dad.  I knew it was because he was in a rush, and my brother had just been born.  There wasn’t much time to put thought into packing me sandwich or something that would give me a little more cred at recess.  Being the independent-minded 7 year old, I took matters into my own hands.

I got more organized.  I would plan my outfits for the day ahead of time, wake up early, pack my own lunch, hop on my bike, and go to school.   On the weekends I started going shopping with my mom, and to up my cred I talked her into buying me lunchables.  I explained to her that we could just buy 4-5 packs a week, and a 6-pack of Hi-C, nothing else!  The kids all thought my parents were the coolest because they let me eat lunchables, and my parents thought I was being so independent and resourceful.  All I wanted was to take the focus off of my lunch at the table, gain some independence from my parents, and eat food that tasted good!

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 lot so I learned to entertain myself.  I find joy in having multiple projects going on at once: my startup, bikram yoga, training for a half marathon, speaking engagements, blogging, cooking, reading, traveling and spending time with my friends.  A lot of people have asked me how I juggle it all so I figured I share some tips.  But before you go and try to replicate this model a few caveats:

1. I’m not trying to “keep busy” I genuinely like doing a lot of things.  Some would call me a workaholic, which is a fine with me, but I chose the projects I want to work on.  I also recruit others to participate in my projects if I think its something they would enjoy taking part in or if I think the project is going to be too much for me to handle e.g. SXSW panel, cooking for 10+ people, running a company

2. I’m single this is not meant to be a proclamation or an advertisement…  It just means that I have a LOT of freedom and can do what I without feeling guilty about it.

3. I’m a planner I know there are a lot of people who procrastinate, that doesn’t work for me, and actually causes me to have high anxiety.  I’m a girl scout; I like to be prepared, I’ll anticipate issues coming up and try to think ahead of time how to handle them.

4. I have the memory of an elephant I’ve been blessed with a good memory for events, dates,and data.  For things I know I’ll forget I use a calendar or a long todo list.

5. I’m not a social butterfly contrary to popular belief I am not one who spends a lot of time socializing in the purest sense, i.e. I don’t go to a lot of parties.  Yes I have a LOT of friends but that’s mostly the result of building relationships over the years.  I actually prefer being by myself most of the time even though I’m classified as an ENTJ.  I do enjoy Sunday dinners and meeting up with people 1-1.

Ok so now onto the  ”secrets” behind my machine like ways:

1. Detachment I used to take things to heart when I was younger and it would fester, then I learned to shirk off the little things like my neighbor bitching me out, or someone cutting me off in traffic.  This helps me keep my cool and even keel state.  I also avoid drama or alleviate if at all possible, which I know seems unemotional, but if you’ve met me you know I can be quite emotional in a good way

2. Priorities Just because I have a lot of projects doesn’t mean I give them all equal weight.  My top priority these days is my startup and my team.  Everything and everyone comes after that.  This makes decision-making easy because before I chose to take on a project or task I’ll weigh it against my list of priorities.  And if I don’t have time for it then I just don’t have time.  I don’t like to overcommit myself because then I’m not doing anything particularly well, which by the way is key;  I focus on the quality of my projects and work rather than the quantity.

3. Commitments Once I’ve committed to a project then I’m going to see it through.  That includes meetings, although there are times when I just don’t have time to meet with people.  I feel bad about it and I’ll try to circle back with them if there is too much going on.

3. Diet/Exercise/Sleep These should probably be before detachment.  I try to work out at least 2 times a week but aim for 4-5.  Exercise keeps me happy and its a great outlet for stress.  Sleep keeps me sharp, I am for 6-8 hours.  I have a really hard time sleeping in, even on the weekends.  As far as diet goes I don’t eat crap (hardly any processed foods) and I eat a LOT of fruits, veggies, and lean meats this keeps my blood sugar even throughout the day.  I love dark chocolate, wine, and cocktails but I keep it to a minimum.

4. Focus I can’t multitask.  It may seem like I do, but I’m actually parallelizing and context switching.  I like to do one thing get it done and then move onto to the next.  If this means I don’t accomplish everything on my todo list then so be it.  Tomorrow is another day!

5. Time Sinks I’m hyper aware of how much time it takes to do tasks.  I’m not really a facebook junkie, and will limit my twitter and email times.  I also alway factor in transit time and use it to accomplish things like working on the train, taking phone calls (with my headset) on long drives, or reading when I’m waiting for something or someone.

6. Relaxation?!? Some people like to come home and take a load off.  I prefer relaxing throughout the day, I’ve got a 5 minute yoga routine in the morning, I’ll take a couple 15-20 minute walks throughout the day, and I’ll listen to music in the car or if I’m doing a mundane task it keeps me going.  Exercise is also my form of relaxation, I’ve never really been a couch potato, and sometimes I wish I was.

7. Limits I think its important to know your limits.  Like I said I don’t like to get mad, yell, or obsess.  If I find myself burning out then I will plan a vacation or take a day off.  Keep in mind that these are time that I spend solely by myself!

These are my tips, they may or may not work for you, I certainly don’t advocate anyone copying them exactly, who wants a bunch of Poornima’s running around… and do realize that I’m optimizing for a happy and fulfilling 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 age of 6 I really haven’t changed.  Once I got to middle school and high school both my parents got extremely busy working and commuting.  So there wasn’t really a lot parenting going on, but despite the lack of “adult supervision” I turned out OK.  My parents of course felt bad that they had missed out and took a much more active role in my younger brother’s adolescence than they had with me.

Its been 10 months since I started BizeeBee.  As a founder I’m faced with the same level of independence that I had growing up.  I have “no boss”, I set my own schedule and goals.  Being a founder of a startup is not a cushy job.  Here are some of the challenges that I did not anticipate experiencing and how I’ve dealt with them:

Resolving human conflict is the hardest challenge

Many people think that building a product, distributing it, and raising money are the toughest problems they will face.  None of those are not the hardest problems or even remotely close.  The hardest problem is putting a team together and motivating them to help you find solutions to these problems.  And above all else that is the job of the founder.

Sure you can outsource away your coding, have a PR agency run your marketing campaign, and hire a college student to manage your social media.  But at the end of the day who are the people that you are going to talk to about building a company or bounce ideas off of when it comes to anticipating customer needs?  Or help you put together a kick ass demo and deck to wow investors?  Its your founding team.  These are the people that will stick with you and want to work with you to build something great.  But in order to accomplish things you have to be willing to work with them and for them!

When month 7 rolled along I noticed people were getting stressed out and taking it out on one another.  There was just too much to accomplish and everyone including me was maxing out on throughput.  But it was my job as the founder to keep the team happy.  So I tried a couple things.  First, I setup weekly 1-1s with everyone.  No matter what was going on it was time that each person had to voice their concerns and talk to me.  Second, I checked in with everyone everyday, not to micromanage, but to see how they were doing emotionally.  Third, I planned time for us to spend outside of the office.  Fourth, I started spending time and money on technology that would make people’s lives better: laptops, monitors, and software.  Fifth, no more Saturdays unless there was an immediate deadline.  Sixth, I gave them more time to learn rather than constantly having to produce.  Seventh, I gave us all time to improve our development process and let the team have the freedom to suggest improvements.  Finally, I started delegating and letting people have freedom to own their area: engineering, product, design, and marketing.  I stopped being a control freak perfectionist, and let others have a real voice and the ability to chart the company and product’s course, and above all else create a culture where its OK to make mistakes.

Don’t do it if you just don’t want a boss

A lot of people tease me and ask if I started my startup because I wanted to be my own boss.  Yes that was one of the motivations, but in all honesty, its no what gets me to jump out of bed.  As a founder, your boss is your team, your investors, and your customers.  I realized that early on, and then my primary motivation became the freedom to build: a team, a company, and a product.

Understand your company culture and where it comes from

When you’re last startup is successful you start to think that that is the way to conduct business.  Wrong.  You’re dealing with a new market, working with a different set of people, and your role is also completely different.  I made the mistake of using my past startup as a model, and it certainly backfired on me (see point 1).  What I realized is that the group of people I attracted and hired to work for BizeeBee were completely different from my previous startup.  Yes this is a group of highly motivated people capable of accomplishing great things similar to the last startup.  But fundamentally this group is actually a reflection of who I am, not of my previous boss.  As such they want to be treated the same way I do and have a similar persona.

You must set a clear and consistent vision

You are the only one in the company that can deal with ambiguity, no one else can and should.  You have to set a clear vision of where you’re headed now, tomorrow, 3 months from now, and next year.  People want to know what your goals are for them, for the product, and for the company.  If you don’t tell them they feel like cogs.    Yes the vision may change and when it does, its up to you to let the others know.  But above all else, you have to be consistent in setting that vision and working towards it.  People are working long hours and producing results, the last thing they want is to satisfy someone’s every whim.  They want to know that you have goals that you’ve set and are working towards accomplishing them everyday.

Slow, steady, and smile!

Before I left my last startup I spent 2 months reading about everything: new technology, management and leadership, customer development, and the list goes on.  I learned a lot, but it prepared me for some challenges but I’m still learning.  Everyday there is a new challenge that requires me to rally.  Somedays the challenges are simple, and somedays they’re extremely gut wrenching.  I fight, hustle, and above all else smile!  Because this is supposed to hard but fun

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 birthday alone, but I never had a lonely moment in Paris.  I also went alone because most of my days are filled with interacting with people.  I wanted a week of time alone to introspect, enjoy solitude in the City of Lights, eat delicious food, read books,  roam the streets filled with people I didn’t know, and walk through museums and be  inspired everyday by artists and influencers who were generations ahead of me.

As a woman turning getting older and 28 is supposed to be some big deal.  To me the big deal was being able to nap under the Eiffel Tower, eat a giant steak for lunch, chocolate cake for dessert, and not have anyone to answer to for that day.

The night of my birthday I decided to walk through the bar in Marais where I was staying.  Not knowing much French I ventured into an Australian bar thinking that at the very least I could strike up a conversation with the bartender.  I ended up making friends with a femgineer in the bar, and she invited me out the next night with a group of her friends.  We had a fabulous evening of dancing on a boat until 5am under the Eiffel Tower!

I’m telling this story not because I’m some big party gal, which I’m not.  But because I think too many people out there are afraid to take chances, meet new people, and experience what is out there… alone.  Its easy to say: “Oh I don’t speak the language”, “I’m waiting to go with someone”, “Oh I heard the people in X city are rude”, “Traveling alone as a single woman is dangerous!”  The list is filled with endless excuses.  I’m a first believer in pushing your own personal boundaries both professionally but also personally.  I’m also an optimist and try to envision the best outcome in any given situation and then try to make that happen.

When I came home a few of my close friends planned a surprise birthday dinner for me.  My little brother told the following story as a nice tribute to how my personality has remained untarnished after 20 years:

“The summer Poornima was 8, our tv broke, and unfortunately it was the same summer our dad lost his job.  Knowing that he wouldn’t fix it she went to the public library and started reading book after book.  By the end of the summer she had won every reading award!  When life gives her lemons, she definitely makes lemonade.”

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: the lack of a group does not automatically fault the presence or abundance of another.  I also think people in general complain too much instead of taking action and fixate on negatives instead of finding paths to success.  IMHO I think it boils down to awareness, motivation, and priorities.  I’ll save the claims of meritocracy for a later post.

Awareness

My younger brother and I talk a lot about how we were raised from a very young age to think like engineers.  Our entire family is composed of engineers aside from my mom who is an accountant.  And even though I thought I was going to be a lawyer I somehow managed to come back to my roots.  No one pressured me into being an engineer, my dad did gently nudge me towards taking a computer science class, and even after I dropped out of my freshman year programming class my dad didn’t revisit the topic.  It was I, who out of a sense of failure decided to return and prove to myself that I could hack it (pun intended).

The reason I chose a path of technologist is because I believe it improves human life.  Since the industrial revolution people have been benefiting from technological advances and living happier and longer lives that don’t require back breaking labor.  Hence, my choice to pursue an engineering degree was based on upbringing, a curiosity to discover the space, and a desire to improve human life including my own.

I also had clear models growing up, which I don’t think a lot of kids have.  I knew what a fab looked like by the time I was 10, and my family’s dinnertime conversation revolved around a fascination with Wall Street and high tech.

Priorities

While most girls grow up playing with Barbies and dreaming about their wedding day, my dad banned Barbies, and I fixated on my career goals of being a lawyer, writer, and professor.  To this day I’ve thought about having a family, but it directly conflicts with the vision I have for my life for the next 5-10 years, which is one of freedom, freedom to pursue my own interests whether that’s a career, travel, or even hobbies.  To most people, men or women working at a startup is a huge time commitment.  It takes away time spent with their loved ones.  And for women who want to have a family they see their 20s as a time to find a partner and settle down, not to be working 40+ hours a week, which is the Valley norm whether you’re at a tech company or a startup.  There just aren’t many 9-5 gigs for talented engineers, but realize the compensation is commensurate.  You can’t deny mother nature and the fact that women have a shorter runway than men.  So if children and family are a priority then everything else including being an engineer must take a backseat to that dream.

Motivation

What motivates me is having a purpose and building something of value, which is why I’m in the startup scene.  I initially began as a startup engineer because I wanted to become a better engineer and I also wanted to learn how companies were created.  Next, as a startup founder, I want to learn what it takes to build a business.  Truth be told, the only thing I obsess about aside from my startup is food and staying healthy.  Everything else this year has taken a backseat to my business including dating, friends, and family.  But I knew that going in and I’m capable of staying focused for the long run, because I’m motivated to succeed.  So when people ask why there aren’t more women tech entrepreneurs they need to first ask the question, what does it take to be an tech entrepreneur?  And who is it right for?

Honestly, I wouldn’t have been capable of starting a business when I was 22.  It took me time to build up the courage, confidence, and competence.  And I’m one who enjoys being in uncomfortable situations (working at a startup, opposing arranged marriage, Bikram yoga, the list goes on…), I’m a bit of a masochist.  But that’s not true of all people men and women alike, which is why a large number of people drop out of things whether is engineering or med school and pursue easier paths in life.  It’s also the reason people give into social pressure or settle for things in life instead of trying to push the edge.

At the end of the day people can complain all they want about there not being enough support, funding, resources or peers in any community or scene.  Its up to you to create a vision for your future and amass the resources to reach that vision and it requires giving up some comforts to achieve it.  If there’s one thing that I learned from engineering school its about learning to make trade-offs!

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, even though I was on the founding team of a startup that successfully exited recently.  I’ve pitched at several events and met with angels and VCs.  I don’t know if a lot of other entrepreneurs feel this way, but from what I’ve observed and read I’ve developed some empathy.  I understand that all investors are just as concerned about their portfolio companies, and delivering value to their shareholders as I as an entrepreneur am to my employees and customers.  Investors have have to raise funds, and maintain a certain return/revenue stream to stay in business.  Given the current market conditions, their past experiences, and the overly zealous and optimistic nature of entrepreneurs investors have to be cautious.

I’m a big girl, I can take rejection, and I welcome it as a challenge to the way I think and present my product.  If I wanted someone to tell me I’m awesome I would just call my mom up everyday…

Following up with Feedback

I’ve found it immensely valuable to hear from an investor right on the spot: “I understand the first part of your pitch when you explained how you were trying to solve problem A.  But I don’t understand how problem B fits into it.  Perhaps you should focus on A first.  Or make it clearer to me.”  Or the investor who tells me on the first meeting that they wanted to meet with me, but are averse to space that I’m in, or just don’t feel like they know enough to add value.  Being clear and forthright makes the process not only easier for me, but then I start to learn and understand how investors think and what they are looking for.  I also have other founder friends who are fundraising and farther along that I am that I can then refer the investor to.

Followup calls and emails are really helpful too.  I’ve received a few of these where the investor will tell me that they aren’t sure about my distribution model, think that there maybe a conflict with one of their existing portfolio companies, or want to see how customers will react to make sure that I’m solving the right problem.
I’m not saying its mandatory to give feedback.  Its just useful, and I’m the type of person who wants someone to lay it on thick.  How else am I going to improve as an entrepreneur, and build a product and company if I don’t get beat up once in a while?  I think its important for investors to do this to test the strength of entrepreneurs.
What I’ve found hard to dissect is vague feedback.  The investors who take a meeting with me and state they are early stage, but early stage doesn’t include before Product/Market fit.  Or are very excited and like the concept of my product, but want to wait and see traction.  Whats hard to pin down is their criteria of traction.  And maybe that’s just an exercise for me as an entrepreneur to discover.

Before Product/Market Fit Push Back

I’ve been bootstrapping my startup and have taken in a small amount of angel investment.  For the last 7 months I’ve devoted myself to my startup: building the product, the team, acquiring customers, fundraising, and creating a vision.  As an entrepreneur I think its important to show a vested interest and belief in your own product, vision, and risk taking abilities.  And while these are all positives I know they aren’t enough to compel investors to invest.  When faced with push back the onus of proof is still on the entrepreneur to prove they are worthy of a large round.  Go home, get more customers, refine the problem, product and pitch.  Competition and market conditions will always be against you, but those are natural forces that you have to work against, its just part of the fun of fundraising.