My sister sent me this article today after I brought up the difficulty I’ve had in raising money.
It begins like this:
“Women have it tough. Business propositions — whether presented in a boardroom, coffee shop or pitch contest — are discounted as soon as women open their mouths.
We’re not just saying that. There’s proof: Gender has a more significant impact on decision-makers than the presenter’s experience or the topic she’s discussing, according to a new study conducted by professors from Harvard, MIT and Wharton.
Researchers have uncovered “a profound and persistent preference for entrepreneurial ventures pitched by men.”
I’ve been meeting with potential investors for about a year now on and off. And while I rarely encountered sexism in my corporate career, lately I’ve been wondering how different things would be if I were a guy. (I almost called this post: “If I had a penis.”) There’s no question that tech is male dominated. Although the same can be said for the hospitality, entertainment, media and beer industries but in those cases I was brought in to strategize and execute. To make shit happen. Quite often, to turn things around.
This is a different ballgame. I’m asking investors to trust me with their money and make it grow. Exponentially. Just like the men they meet with. And the problem according to the research:
“The reason is simple: People connect with others like them and suffer from a self-selection bias. With so few women in tech, a woman standing before a group of men pitching her idea is about as foreign as they come.”
Will this deter me from my goal? Absolutely not. I believe that there are investors (of both genders) who will get the idea, the opportunity and see my passion and want to get behind it. I’m ready for “yes.”
Hi there. 🙂
I like the alternative title, by the way. So I like the way you think, and I have been thinking about the whole 10:1 male to female in tech ratio. (Totally made it up.) It seems to me that a lot of people are talking about it, but it’s just one of those things that will always happen. I went to University, graduated in Psychology, in a class of 80% female students. We didn’t think the guys were weird. 😀
I think you’re right, the value is in the idea, not necessarily the gender of the presenter. I think soon people will realize what I’ve concluded for myself: we all have equal rights now, finally, so let’s stop talking about it and start doing epic shit. 🙂
Thanks for the read. Your site looks great!