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Reflections on Being a Female Founder

tracy.posthaven.com

11–20 of 311 posts

Re: Reflections on Being a Female Founder

#11
Tracy, I haven't participated in HN for about two years. This article hit me so hard I had to log in to say thank you and express my sincere appreciation.

I remember seeing an interview with you when you first started PlanGrid and it was clear you were going places. Telling this part of the story is deeply important and takes incredible courage.

Re: Reflections on Being a Female Founder

#12

I think if I were female, I'd be a more successful founder. As a white male, I found that no investors were even willing to talk to me in spite of being an early employee at some great startups including Airbnb. I applied (and interviewed) at YC multiple times and was rejected for mostly BS reasons, which I think were just a cover for "we don't like you". I get it, I'm not a likable person, it's something I have to l…

> There's a significant number of VCs and funds which only invest in female founders, which is a huge advantage.

I understand your reasoning in saying this, but please try to understand that being taken seriously as a female founder is much more difficult being taken seriously as a male.

These VCs exist to combat this preexisting inequality.

Re: Reflections on Being a Female Founder

#13

I think if I were female, I'd be a more successful founder. As a white male, I found that no investors were even willing to talk to me in spite of being an early employee at some great startups including Airbnb. I applied (and interviewed) at YC multiple times and was rejected for mostly BS reasons, which I think were just a cover for "we don't like you". I get it, I'm not a likable person, it's something I have to l…

> There's a significant number of VCs and funds which only invest in female founders, which is a huge advantage. I understand your reasoning in saying this, but please try to understand that being taken seriously as a female founder is much more difficult being taken seriously as a male. These VCs exist to combat this preexisting inequality.

Is the inequality between men and women, or between people on the inside who incidentally are mostly men, and people on the outside who are also mostly men but include a relatively higher fraction of women?

Re: Reflections on Being a Female Founder

#14

I think if I were female, I'd be a more successful founder. As a white male, I found that no investors were even willing to talk to me in spite of being an early employee at some great startups including Airbnb. I applied (and interviewed) at YC multiple times and was rejected for mostly BS reasons, which I think were just a cover for "we don't like you". I get it, I'm not a likable person, it's something I have to l…

Do you have any data at all to show that the bar is much lower? Can you please provide it.

Re: Reflections on Being a Female Founder

#15

I think if I were female, I'd be a more successful founder. As a white male, I found that no investors were even willing to talk to me in spite of being an early employee at some great startups including Airbnb. I applied (and interviewed) at YC multiple times and was rejected for mostly BS reasons, which I think were just a cover for "we don't like you". I get it, I'm not a likable person, it's something I have to l…

It may be that this path is not for you so you've probably done the right thing. The market isn't fair and it's up to you to exploit your advantages (unfair or fair) and overcome your disadvantages (unfair or fair). If you find that infeasible, you can't play the game.

But of course if a female CEO works the system and exploits it the way men does she is highlighted online for lacking morals and ethics even though plenty of men run businesses the same way all the time and are either not even noticed for doing it or otherwise glorified.

Re: Reflections on Being a Female Founder

#16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well this is straight poison. This attitude is exactly why we are missing out on so much potential engineering talent... You came so close to being self-aware enough to know that the problem is your own, but you couldn't resist putting the blame elsewhere.

Both can be true at the same time. OP being not as good as others and the industry being gender-biased.

If the industry was gender-biased, then that would mean you would see more female founders, not less.

Between this and the issues black CEOs face [1] the industry isn't biased in favor of minorities. As an aside, when we see articles like these and people jumping in to say 'if I were a woman, things would be easier' the implicit argument at play here is that she didn't get to where she's at because of her own ability, she got to there because she's a woman.

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23540162

Re: Reflections on Being a Female Founder

#17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> There's a significant number of VCs and funds which only invest in female founders, which is a huge advantage. I understand your reasoning in saying this, but please try to understand that being taken seriously as a female founder is much more difficult being taken seriously as a male. These VCs exist to combat this preexisting inequality.

Is the inequality between men and women, or between people on the inside who incidentally are mostly men, and people on the outside who are also mostly men but include a relatively higher fraction of women?

Are you aware of how many idiots have millions in funding for a dating app a chat app a blockchain or ai company that is just a knockoff of others with no working MVP and now many of those young male founders have thrown expensive parties rented expensive cars then bankrupted the company and chalked it up to a "downturn in the economy"? If a woman did this, she would be nailed to the cross in silicon valley for being irresponsible with money and never get funding again.

If you believe just because noone gave you funding that there are not a ton of young males being thrown money in VC with low quality knockoff products you are wrong. Your views on this are incredibly anecdotal with broad claims about both make and female founders and provide no data and seem to just support you wanting to lick your wounds, which is exactly what selfish makes do, take a valid woman's platform (this article) and somehow turn it into a pity party about themselves and use that to claim all women have it easier.

Re: Reflections on Being a Female Founder

#18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It may be that this path is not for you so you've probably done the right thing. The market isn't fair and it's up to you to exploit your advantages (unfair or fair) and overcome your disadvantages (unfair or fair). If you find that infeasible, you can't play the game.

Indeed, so I guess I'll get a job or maybe just suicide because what's the point. I don't really feel like working hard so someone else can get rich off my labour anymore.

You sound clinically depressed. I don't think being a man is why you failed. There is nothing wrong with working a job and slowly building wealth, especially someone who is supposedly a highly skilled software engineer - you can make retirement money in not-so-many years if you live frugally and save wisely. I seriously think you need some professional counseling.

Re: Reflections on Being a Female Founder

#19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It may be that this path is not for you so you've probably done the right thing. The market isn't fair and it's up to you to exploit your advantages (unfair or fair) and overcome your disadvantages (unfair or fair). If you find that infeasible, you can't play the game.

Indeed, so I guess I'll get a job or maybe just suicide because what's the point. I don't really feel like working hard so someone else can get rich off my labour anymore.

You're extremely selfish. I met the woman who wrote this article and was on a panel with her once five years ago and she was incredible and positive and never talked about her gender once.

She actually made a super valuable company sold it and gave birth to a child during all of this and you are on here talking about how sad your life is because you acknowledge you're unwilling to have a cofounder because you're so unlikeable and because of that saying all women have it easier.

Your are toxic. If you want to go cry about how no VCs like you then make your own post but this article is not the place for you.

Re: Reflections on Being a Female Founder

#20
Tracy was the best CEO I ever worked for. Hands down.

She listened to everyone and made PlanGrid a place where everyone was empowered to make change. Her passion to solve problems was obvious and raw. She attracted people who were similarly passionate.

I knew she had it harder than others when I saw one of our own VC's caller her a "little girl" while doing a fireside chat with her at PlanGrid. In spite of it all she built a truly amazing company and culture.

If you are reading this thanks Tracy.

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