Fuck data — it has nothing to do with being a man or a woman
Data* says there are not many women in leadership, in boards and in tech today. I say: fuck the data.
Sitting in your living room as you watch Netflix, and tweeting ‘where are the women in the audience or on stage’ to Stockholm’s tech meetups or/and trashing about great initiatives because you were not part of them, will not bring change to the leadership nor boards nor in tech. What will make a difference is showing support to people who are doing something to drive change. With the SUP46 FemTech event series I, as a moderator, together with Tatjana Choudhary, we aim to show how great and fun it is to be a woman in tech and always aim to highlight the positive aspects of how
the tech branch offers endless opportunities for anybody who is hungry enough to create and take them.
Since last September 2015, we had guests who were founders, investors or techies, and in their stories we heard how beautiful the journey has been regardless of which track they ended up choosing. Of course there are challenges, like any other industry, and when I ask the panel for a final word, the advice is always about, ‘do what you love’, ‘work hard’, ‘follow your heart’, ‘surround yourself with the right team’, ‘ take the seat at the table’, etc. I don’t see any women-only related advice and that’s something not mentioned in the so-called data. Our little forum of SUP46 Femtech is growing and at the end of each event, there is something happening, like somebody getting a job, or applying for a program, and all this means that great happy feelings are not only simply there, but also lead to getting things done. I don’t see any data covering this side of the stories either.
First, I want to say that I don’t hate men. Why I say this, because this is what we sound like almost anytime this topic is up. It sounds like men are assholes and are the reasons we are suppressed and they deprive us from our rights.
That is misleading. I am supported by both great men and women at my work, in the community, in the digital world and of course in my private life.
Some probably will be pissed off at me when I say:
‘The problem is the mindset’
that we, women, have. The problem is us, and our ways of thinking. We do not have a ‘boys club’. The last 3 women guests I hosted at StartupGrind Stockholm, all said that the worst critics always came from women. Women judging women, not men judging women. While in life a lot of people will try to put you down and by people I mean both men and women, you just have to learn to ignore them. Ignore the negativity. Ignore the data that says women cannot be great leaders because they are emotional, this is pure stupidity. What you want to do is to stop these thoughts. It’s simple, look at the big picture and ask yourself: What do I want? And how much do I really want it?
Ok I know, we cannot have it all, all the time, we will fail many times. God knows how much I have failed, I call them experiences… It happens. But it did not happen because I was a woman, it happened because of my decisions. The only person I hold responsible is myself. But I learn, I let go and I move on. Start from scratch.
And once you have a clear mindset and determination, nothing can stop you.
No data can ever measure your willingness to go all in to get what you want and do what you want.
But you need to have the hunger, you need to work hard to get there and you need to surround yourself with people who will drive you forward. Nobody will stop you or give you a chance unless you give it all. And this, this has nothing to do with being a man or a woman.
You are not the data, you are your choices and decisions. Don’t let the data define you. You are strong and you have the capacity to take on anything life throws at you, always remember that.
We start again with Sup46 Femtech in 2017. Stay tuned.
For more pictures from the events, click here
NOTE: I edited this article many times to make sure the message is positive and encouraging, often when we are passionate about something and write about it, it may come out negatively. Therefore, since this is a sensitive topic, I asked dear ones for a second, third, fourth opinion and I want to thank them: Raman Ramalingam, Elin Hammarberg, Tatjana Choudhary, Rabih Kanaan, Neil Murray, Linda Hjorth and Talar Kalajian.
*The source: Google and you will find out. This is not a scientific article, it’s a piece of personal expression and opinion.
