Beards and Startups: a woman’s perspective
I have recently noticed a strong correlation between men growing beards and men working in startups. I cannot think of a single startup where no bearded person is working. And it makes me wonder: how come? Why would someone who works in a startup grow a beard?
Therefore I investigated. Is there any correlation (proven or imaginary) between beards and success? After all, it makes sense. What is the goal of a startup employee? Why would someone take on a risky venture, with a lower salary than in a big corporation, in exchange for a super-power title (CxO or VP of something) and a stack of stock options that might (or might not) be worth something one day?
One possible reason might be ‘because they reach out to be successful.’ I mean, not successful as in ‘If you perform, you will regularly get promoted.’ Successful as in ‘Wow, we are a handful, and we managed to make a product which sells so well that we can hardly follow up.’ Successful like your world is spinning out of control.
Could it be the hunt for success which drives startup workers to grow beards? Hummmm… .let’s see. If we take one step back and look at the history lessons we attended throughout our education. Does history teach us that bearded men are successful? Maybe so. Zeus, the father of gods in ancient Greece, was the super-mighty. He was quite successful. Lincoln was a courageous US president, and he was very successful too, until he was shot to death. Not an excellent way to finish one’s life, though.
What about more recent role models? Bill Gates is not bearded. But Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniack both were. That’s it! Eureka! That’s why people who work in a startup grow a beard. Because one of the first super successful startups, born and raised in the heart of Silicon Valley, was founded by two bearded entrepreneurs. Apple is a role model company for many of us in the startup world. So no wonder that its founders also act as role models for us. Apple was the first company ever to ‘share’ stocks with all its employees before going public, an idea from Steve Wozniack. A while back, I had the opportunity to chat with an assistant manager who had worked there in the company’s early stages. She recalled that it was usual to cross the big bosses walking shoeless in the corridors while discussing together.
So, as a female worker in a startup, how do I feel about the bearded men? I think I don’t know their motivations. And I think it does not matter so much. Contributing to the adventure of a startup is not about making a lot of money quickly. It is not about becoming famous. It is about pursuing a dream and reaching out to become part of a myth. The kind of adventure that makes you feel good about yourself when you look back at your life. It is about having an impact, making a difference. I am confident that my male colleagues, the bearded ones and the others altogether, want to be part of a story bigger than themselves, just as I do. And if growing a beard makes them feel like they are a little closer to being part of the myth, a little closer to the Steves from Apple, I respect that.
So, how are we doing at MyDataModels? We count 12 people out of 30 who wear a beard. Denis, Marcello, Raymond, Martin, Carlo, Claude, Vincent, David, Alexandre, Jonathan, Mikhail, and Alexis, we welcome your beards, dreams, and energy.
