I talked about bras with 7th graders and this is what happened
I’m the founder of Bra Theory, an empathetic and mathematical approach to building the better bra.
We do a lot of nifty things with mathematics and computer algorithms, so on July 26, 2018, I was invited to be a speaker for the Bridge to Enter Advanced Mathematics (BEAM), a program to help under-served students enter advanced study in mathematics.
The event was intended for rising 7th graders — boys AND girls — and to be quite honest, the prospect of speaking to 12 year-old boys terrified me just as much now as it did when I was a pre-teen. Another part of me was excited that I could practice pitching to a target that had no interaction with the product and absolutely no filter. If I could get boys and girls engaged in Bra Theory…
The format was this: a 1–2 intro to myself and Bra Theory, and then open myself up to any and all questions.
Here are the highlights.
…the prospect of speaking to 12 year-old boys terrified me just as much now as it did when I was a pre-teen…
The children were very direct, and I was very direct in return.
“What’s your formula?”
It’s Intellectual Property!
(The girl who asked this question replied, “Aww, come on, we won’t tell!”)
“How long do you think you’ll take until success?”
Hmm, it’s been about two years… maybe 10 years?
(The boy who asked the question widened his eyes, exclaimed, “10 YEARS?”, tried to count it on his fingers, gave up, and put his face into his desk).
“What did you want to be, growing up?”
I wanted to be a maid. My mom was embarrassed for me. I think it was because I wanted to be like Belle in Beauty and the Beast, and associated my career path with an apron.
“Did you know this would be your dream job?”
Nope. I was an English major, software engineer, and now I’m making bras. I didn’t know if this would be my dream job when I first started, but it sure is, now.
Recap: I’ve been in the position of feeling anxious about “not having an Ambitious Dream Job Plan” as a 7th grader. Now, in retrospect, dreams start as seeds, grow into crazy looking plants, and it’s hard to guess where you’re going to end up!
We riffed and raffed on mathematics.
“How does the math work?”
This is what the math looks like for getting you a bra that fits.
f(A, B) → :)
Unfortunately, it looks like this right now!
f(A, B) → :(
We think the strategy is:
f(A, B, C, D, …, ?) → :)
“Did you go back to school to major in mathematics before starting Bra Theory?”
Nope! One, I have an amazing team. Two, anyone can learn math, and you can learn while applying them wherever you happen to be. You don’t need a degree to do the things you love!
Recap: We also talked about geometry nets, parachutes, and ellipses. The kids were sharp.
I sensed, immediately, that Bras are already a sensitive subject.
“Have you ever been judged, when you’re trying to shop for bras? Like they tell you you’re this size but you know you’re not?”
Yes. (I conveyed this with, I hope, understanding, and a little heart-break.)
What do the men on your team feel about Bra Theory?
Our software engineer, Brian, read about our mission and the first thing he did was to run over to his roommate’s room to try on a bra.
Then, he reached out to say that he wanted to help with a serious problem that affects ~50% of the population, that doesn’t get enough attention from the other half.
And he wants to change that.
Recap: Girls were already internalizing their measurements and their size as part of their identity. It starts early. The boys were wonderful. Of course they snickered and giggled, but when we got down to the problem-solving and mathematical aspects of Bra Theory, brows started furrowing.
Overall: what an incredible experience. I have two main takeaways.
First, I’m glad I slowed down from my “startup hustle” to show up for the kids.
Honestly, I see myself in all of them — the fear of judgment, the giggles when it comes to something unknown, the impatience in how long it might take for you to reach “success”, the uncertainty of what a “dream job” is, the excitement about geometry nets…
The experience gave hope and the ability to feel self-compassion. If I could encourage their aspirations in math and science, I could encourage my own.
Second, I’ve realized that if someone looks disengaged or starts laughing at your idea because it’s about B-R-A-S, it means I’ve found someone to educate.
If someone says, “Um, are bras really a problem?” with a dismissive tone?
They’re in for a really fun time.
The fact of the matter is that it doesn’t matter if the person sitting across from you is a 12 year-old boy or a 40 year-old investor.
Women’s underwear is simply an uncomfortable subject and we’ve never been taught how to talk about it.
So all in all… it’s time to take over the lingerie world :)
