3 weeks ago, I didn’t know what Startup Weekend was. 1 week ago, I had never been. Today, a couple days after my first one, I’ve been spit back out the other side. Here’s what I am right now, in the aftermath:
Tired – That was a long and intense weekend. No worries from me – that’s what I expected and that’s what I wanted -a chance to engage myself in a project and in an environment… not only for the time working, but for the time eating, sleeping, and the time lying in bed not sleeping. I got what I wanted.
Inspired – The fatigue from Startup Weekend will wear off in another couple days, but the inspiration will last awhile. I’ve come back to my ‘real job’ (which looks very similar, just with less people and better hours), and came back with a sense of excitement and purpose… with a new energy and new ideas.
Smarter – As much as Startup Weekend is about doing (instead of talking about doing), it is (perhaps as a result) a great learning experience. I got a lot better at what I do from doing it non-stop for a whole weekend, and doing side-by-side with a whole bunch of good people.
More Connected – Startup Weekend isn’t a networking event – people who use it just for that are easily exposed (and mostly ignored) by the people there to work. However, between the workers, some real connections start to form, and real networking starts to occur (you know, the kind where you actually call the person who gave you the card). I came out of the weekend with some new friends, and friends I’d like to work with again sometime soon.
Appreciative – Andrew talks a lot about building a Startup Weekend community, and admittedly, that can get lost in the bustle of activity. But when all was said and done, the community is what stuck with me. I felt, and still feel a tangible sense of appreciation… appreciation that there are a ton of other talented people doing the things I do, and appreciation that they shared in doing it for a couple great days. Entrepreneurship can be lonely… Startup Weekend makes it a group activity. And really, that’s pretty cool.
Now I can’t wait until the next one!
Brian Burns is an entrepreneur and freelance copy-writer loving the life in Boulder, CO. You can see him in action at his blog, StartupWriting.com.
One of the great things I love about living in Boulder is the amount of humble talent that is around town. I ran into Ginnie Meyers of BizChicks at a party last week and we started talking about our current businesses and state of entrepreneurship and startups (both loves of ours). I asked her if she could help answer some questions. Hope you enjoy Ginnie’s thoughtful answers.
I have written about the accessibility of entrepreneurship and lack of women in technology being a problem, what has been your experience?
I do not consider myself a tech-savvy person. That being said, I have come to the conclusion that a lack of a presence of women in the tech sector is a result of the socialization of young women away from technology. We (women) are told that we can be good artists, writers, caregivers and elementary school teachers, but society makes us less inclined to take on the role of a programmer, scientist or tech entrepreneur.
You worked with the Techstars program last year, what did you learn? Being the only girl in the program, did you have any negative experiences?
Coming in to Techstars, I had very little exposure to the opportunities of the tech industry. I come from a business background, so most of what I learned pertained to technology.
While working for Techstars this summer, I was treated with the utmost respect. Being the only woman had no impact on the way that I was treated by the Techstars founders and investors.
Would you recommend the startup world to other females? What is the biggest drawback?
The start-up world is not for everyone. It requires an adventurous personality. However, for those women who might be entrepreneurialy-inclined, the tech sector has some of the biggest potential pecuniary rewards.
What is the biggest positive?
For me: freedom.
What are you currently working on to boost female participation in tech?
My focus is not on boosting female participation in technology, per se. I look to encourage female participation in business, through BizChicks™. However, we have had a trend of tech entrepreneurs coming to speak to the BizChicks™ recently, including Terry Gold, the President of Gold Systems and Lucy Sanders, the founder of the National Center for Women Information Technology (NCWIT).
What needs to happen for more females to get involved? What is your theory on why the percentages are so low?
There needs to be a societal shift away from conventional gender roles. At a very young age, women need to be encouraged to take advanced math and computer science courses and to not shy away from the more male-dominated classrooms. The biggest shift needs to be in parents’ and teachers’ thought toward women in technology (and the sciences).
Does being a female in tech open doors or close them?
I think it opens them. More and more, we are becoming a society controlled by our technology. We are at the point that no one can avoid technology, from cell phones to laptops, every industry has become a tech industry. Even if a woman is not a programmer or a techie, having an understanding of the fundamentals of tech are essential to success in any field.
As for being a female in the tech sector, I think more and more companies are looking for women to create an androgynous perspective of their products. It is a very good time for women to pursue tech.
What are your plans post college?
Since I graduated in May, I have been working with the BizChicks™, trying to franchise the organization to schools beyond CU- Boulder. I have also been working for Search to Phone™, Inc., working on miscellaneous finance, marketing and biz dev projects. I will be moving to London in the coming weeks to pursue investment banking.
Thanks again Ginnie! I hope to do this more on different topics.
