6 Ways Founder Karen Rios Says Confidence Is A ‘Lifesaver’

Karen Rios spent years banking like a badass. But her extensive experience couldn’t sway a biased system. The Lifesaver founder started her company in a landscape that expects Black and Latinx women to be thrice as good as white men across industries. Rios joined Jasmine Edwards, who offered her inspiration on her journey, for #undividedATTENTION. “One of the moments I realized how badass I was, was when I heard you during a Confident Founders session. I saw a lot of myself in you,” she told Edwards. Together revealed every method she used to stand out and scale up on IG Live.

Find out how Rios used confidence to storm the walls of tech andreimagine financial access for everyone below.

She Embraced Her Story

“A lot of us in this space, we’re the firsts,” said Edwards. Rios shared that she was reluctant to use that to her advantage but advice from her mentor made her reconsider. “When I started it, I was coming off a bunch of rejections. I am Latina, and at first, I was resistant to “play the card.” My mentor told me, ‘Everybody plays cards, they’re just different cards’,” she said.

“One of the biggest issues women face — women have to move through spaces very differently than men,” she continued. While men are often willing to use every tool in their kit, women sometimes feel restricted by how their choices appear to others.

In the end “making that mental jump,” strengthened her brand by making it more authentic.

She Prepared For The Worst

Rios’ model? “Be a cockroach, survive at all cost.” As a financial expert she practiced fiscal responsibility and didn’t move into an office space until after winning tech stars. Knowing she wasn’t over leveraged allowed her to be confident in her ability to take risks.

She Accepted The Facts & Memorized Them Too

“People look at me and say ‘you’re fundable,’ but then they don’t cut me a check,” she said. No matter how detailed her plan or energetic her pitch the answer was almost always the same.

Rios staved off imposter syndrome by remembering that the struggles she was facing in “male-dominated industries” were a result of “everyday misogyny,” and not any personal shortcomings.

Knowing the facts regarding what female founders face allowed her to keep what she was experiencing in context. “Digital Undivided and Project Diane has done a great job breaking down the problem,” she said.

“Women-led companies make more money. Period. Full stop,” she added.

Rios also prepared herself with every fact about her firm when she was seeking funding. It was necessary as start-ups led by women are subject to intense scrutiny. “That’s the reality for a lot of women founders — we get drilled with questions that men just don’t,” she said. But according to Rios, being forced to be better benefits their businesses.

“I am a full believer that Black and Latinx women build better products,” she said.

She Was Willing To Walk Away (And Take Her Value With Her)

Rios never walked into a room she wasn’t willing to walk out of and she would advise any other founders to do the same. “If you feel like you’re not being respected, walk out of that room. You don’t need that check,” she said.

Her attitude towards naysayers was, “I don’t care what you think, I am the expert. If you don’t get it, I’m going to move on — you’re not going to affect my confidence.”

“I’m here because I earned my way here,” she said. “I am a full believer that Black and Latinx women build better products.”

When potential funders can’t see the vision she suggests taking the same buzz that got you into a room with them and investing them in your company’s future.

“Wherever you’re getting that momentum, those roars, dig your heels in and leverage it,” she said. “If you’re thinking about something, do it!”

She Focused On Culture Inside And Outside Of The Boardroom

Thanks to networking Rios worked her way to success beside, “An insane community of women who I never would have found.”

“We still communicate and support each other,” she said. “I view myself as this group of women — wherever I go in my life, I will take them with me.”

“A network is fundamentally important. Especially if you’re a founder, especially if you’re a woman, especially if you’re a minority,” she continued. She noted how many minority women don’t fit the hoodie clad prototype of the tech bros venture capitalists lust over.

“Typically, we don’t ‘pass the smell test’ because we aren’t a white man who dropped out of Stanford,” she said.

Rios is meticulous about building a supportive culture within her organization. “I’m so intentional in who I hire. But finding that talent can be hard,” she said. “I got lucky with my team — because of digitalundivided, I got scouted into TechStars and some great talent truthfully, came to us.”

Part of the reason she was not willing to partner with those who were demeaning is her desiree to build a strong culture.

“The moment your confidence is shaken, the confidence of your team will be shaken as well.

She Rested, Like A Boss

Rios does not subscribe to the superwoman complex. “My phone turns into a brick after 9pm,” she said.

“Founders don’t sleep well at night, we have a lot of worries, so I try to ask for that space.”

In addition to scheduling nightly digital detoxes she grants herself one day a week where she gets to be work-free. “One day a week where I don’t do anything — watching Netflix, doing some gardening, hanging with family,” she said.

She extends that same courtesy to her team, and recommends that other founders do the same.

“See your team as regular people who have real lives outside of work.”