What Stops Female Founders? • Hacker News Board

Re: What Stops Female Founders?

#11

Post by jacquesm » Wed, Jan 26, 2011, 9:17 PM UTC

tjic wrote: post #5

The vast majority of people are not founders. So, instead of asking "what stops 99.99% of women from founding [ ... and 99.98% of men ]", I think it might be more productive to ask "what causes 0.015 of people to become founders".

Curiosity, a lack of knowing the risks and a drive to know what's inside the box and how to make a better box, a road to a different kind of life, for themselves and/or those around them.

Those seem to be the common factors between all entrepreneurs that I know, no doubt there are others.

Re: What Stops Female Founders?

#12

Post by loganfrederick » Wed, Jan 26, 2011, 9:17 PM UTC

tjic wrote: post #5

The vast majority of people are not founders. So, instead of asking "what stops 99.99% of women from founding [ ... and 99.98% of men ]", I think it might be more productive to ask "what causes 0.015 of people to become founders".

Answering your question seemed to be a big reason for writing Founders at Work to begin with. I agree with your point, but the parent article seems to be expanding into this case, rather than changing direction.

Re: What Stops Female Founders?

#13

Post by Linda_Lacelove » Wed, Jan 26, 2011, 9:22 PM UTC

Ability

Re: What Stops Female Founders?

#14

Post by Joakal » Wed, Jan 26, 2011, 9:33 PM UTC

jacquesm wrote: post #10

Joakal wrote: post #3

It's pretty much the lack of technical ambition (programmers, engineers, etc). I reckon 1% of technical people will attempt to try starting something. This is an issue in gender-dominated industries. I bet there's a similar article for child care: "What Stops Male Founders?"

Ambition is not the whole story. Women that do have ambition (technical or not) are dissuaded by a whole series of subtle and not so subtle social cues that that is not their place to be. Even when they're just as good as everybody else.

There's a lot of such clues for men too but for me at least, I'm ignoring it because I believe in what I do.

Are you making it out to be a great conspiracy against women?

Re: What Stops Female Founders?

#15

Post by jacquesm » Wed, Jan 26, 2011, 9:35 PM UTC

Joakal wrote: post #14

jacquesm wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ambition is not the whole story. Women that do have ambition (technical or not) are dissuaded by a whole series of subtle and not so subtle social cues that that is not their place to be. Even when they're just as good as everybody else.

There's a lot of such clues for men too but for me at least, I'm ignoring it because I believe in what I do. Are you making it out to be a great conspiracy against women?

No, no conspiracy, just conventions that we would probably do better without but which are deeply ingrained in society.

So deep that we're no longer even aware of them.

Re: What Stops Female Founders?

#16

Post by pamelafox » Wed, Jan 26, 2011, 9:36 PM UTC

[I'm a female]

I'm currently at a point where I feel like I've saved a fair amount of money and could support myself for a while without a steady source of income (with a a relatively inexpensive lifestyle- no car, no house, no family), but I do sometimes worry that I will accidentally get pregnant (shit happens) and what appeared like a substantial amount of savings for one person won't be enough for two.

Anyway, so there's that. But I think I'll swallow that particular paranoia and go for it someday soon anyway. :)

Re: What Stops Female Founders?

#17

Post by johnrob » Wed, Jan 26, 2011, 9:39 PM UTC

bokonist wrote: post #7

When the author writes out all the sacrifices needed, it makes it look incredibly hard. And, in fact, starting a startup is in general a very long slog. What makes it worth while is the prospect of asymmetric returns (either in money or in future freedom). If you had asked my mom at age 30 (before she had me), "What would you do if you had enough money that you didn't have to work?". She would have probably said some…

Excellent point. I'm surprised that I've never heard this rational before. Compared to the other theories, this is definitely the Occam's Razor version. For many women there is a good chance that their future husband will be the "breadwinner"... What's the point of compressing 40 years of work into 4, if you aren't planning on working 40 to begin with?

Re: What Stops Female Founders?

#18

Post by Joakal » Wed, Jan 26, 2011, 9:41 PM UTC

bokonist wrote: post #7

When the author writes out all the sacrifices needed, it makes it look incredibly hard. And, in fact, starting a startup is in general a very long slog. What makes it worth while is the prospect of asymmetric returns (either in money or in future freedom). If you had asked my mom at age 30 (before she had me), "What would you do if you had enough money that you didn't have to work?". She would have probably said some…

Are you sure it's still far more socially normal for the guys than girls?

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/05/22/lw.manimony/in...

Re: What Stops Female Founders?

#19

Post by Joakal » Wed, Jan 26, 2011, 9:44 PM UTC

jacquesm wrote: post #15

Joakal wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a lot of such clues for men too but for me at least, I'm ignoring it because I believe in what I do. Are you making it out to be a great conspiracy against women?

No, no conspiracy, just conventions that we would probably do better without but which are deeply ingrained in society. So deep that we're no longer even aware of them.

"No, no conspiracy, just conventions that we would probably do better without but which are deeply ingrained in society. .. So deep that we're no longer even aware of them."

This is so silly. If that was true, gays would be executed/exiled, interracial marriages remain banned, slaves would continue to serve the masters, etc.

Re: What Stops Female Founders?

#20

Post by jacquesm » Wed, Jan 26, 2011, 9:46 PM UTC

Joakal wrote: post #19

jacquesm wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, no conspiracy, just conventions that we would probably do better without but which are deeply ingrained in society. So deep that we're no longer even aware of them.

"No, no conspiracy, just conventions that we would probably do better without but which are deeply ingrained in society. .. So deep that we're no longer even aware of them." This is so silly. If that was true, gays would be executed/exiled, interracial marriages remain banned, slaves would continue to serve the masters, etc.

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not but on the off chance that you are not that describes the situation in fairly large chunks of the world.