You can be amazing.
You are a pretty cool person. Talk about what you are doing in your job so other women and people can learn about it. Lots of people out there don’t know that certain types of jobs exist and they don’t know what you really do. Some women and girls are scared of the word “tech” because they might not be “techy”. We need to start talking about all kinds of jobs that women can have in startups and in tech to guide more women who might not be “techy” to research jobs and learn about jobs they could do in tech even if they aren’t a developer or blogger. 🙂 There are lots of amazing women working in tech and startups and we need to start spotlighting more of them so everyone can learn about the types of jobs that women can have in startups and in tech. You are amazing so make it known, talk about what you do.
Say what you want to say.
Don’t worry about saying something that might be seen by someone as stupid, extreme, hurtful, awesome, etc. If you don’t speak up and you don’t speak your mind (YOUR MIND, YOUR OPINIONS) then you will never be heard. IF we don’t speak up as a women in tech and women in startups we will never be heard. If we continue to just spotlight the same women execs all the time then no one will ever learn about all the different types of things that people can do in tech and startups. Talk openly about what you are learning, start a blog, tweet your thoughts and let’s start to learn from each other. Don’t worry about what someone will think or else you will fear what your words could mean to this person or that person. Be controversial and be innovative. Use your own mind and your own brain to expose new things to the world. People want to hear what you have to say. You are amazing.
I want to see you be brave.
The only way to get the words out there around what it is really like to work in startups and work as women in tech then you need to be brave. You need to use your voice and start talking about what you are learning, what you are doing. This will get other girls and women to be brave too. If women and girls can see that working in tech and working for startups means that you can be brave and you can be yourself then more women will want to work in tech and startups. Be brave for yourself and show other women that being brave and having opinions is cool and is a good thing.
Let the words fall out.
Once again speak your mind. Do not worry what people will think or you will never do it. If I spent hours thinking about what one of my posts or thoughts might do to impact someone else I might never write. That would be horrible because just like you, I think I have a lot to say. I am learning new things everyday as a woman working in tech and I want others to learn from what I am learning. Imagine if every woman working in tech and startups was telling their stories. We would all be learning a lot more and our community of #womenintech would be stronger.
I just want to see you.
We have no clue who you are! The media and bloggers spotlight and talk about the same women all the time. Talk about the everyday girls, women and ladies who are doing things in tech everyday. We need to spotlight all kinds of jobs not just execs because how do you think those execs got there? They worked their way up, across, and finally got there. If we start talking about all the different jobs women can have in tech then it will help expose more of you.
Say what you want to say.
Have your own voice. Don’t say the same thing that everyone else is saying. Make statements and stand by them. Be your own woman and person.
A history of silence won’t do you any good.
If we stay unspoken and we stay silent then we won’t help get more women in tech. Tech companies everyday are talking about how they want more women in tech well then write about it. Write about the women that you have in your companies and what they are doing. Then we will all be heard and that will mean more women and girls will learn about the types of jobs people can have in tech. That will likely lead to more women getting into tech as they learn about some of the jobs you can have.