Dear Mom, I’m a Techie

The Undefined Career Path of a Startup Girl

Dear Mom,

Just to clarify, I work for a startup. What is a startup? A startup is a small company that produces a product or service that aims to solve a problem by improving an existing solution, or making something entirely new. This is unlike the jobs, career paths or professions that fit into pretty boxes.

I know this is a difficult concept to grasp, because what I do does not fall under one title or profession. My job is more than a profession, it is my life. It is what I think about before I go to bed, waiting in line, eating at a restaurant or chatting with my girlfriends. It is a way of life.

The normal boundaries of work and personal life are gone. Who I am online is who I am in real life. The 10-hour workdays are standard, and there is no employee of the month.

“My son is an engineer, my other son is an investment banker and my daughter is pre-med,” you always say. “What does your other daughter do,” they ask. Without fail, you respond the same, “Well, I don’t really know, but she does a tech thing in San Francisco.”

So how do you describe what I do to your coworkers, friends and our family? Just tell them I am a techie, a startup girl, an innovator in the technology field. I wish I could have a defined title the way my siblings do.

I was so proud of you when you learned how to use your email and iPhone. I was a little anxious when you signed up for Facebook, but nonetheless excited that you were starting to use the products in my industry.

So, I will put it this way: everytime you click send on a message, get a special coupon in your email, download an app or share ridiculous photos of the puppies dressed up as Ohio State cheerleaders, know that there is a face and a name behind that technology.

There is a person who decides where the send button is on your email, uploads the cutesy articles you send me, engineers the apps on your phone and promotes the new stuff you find on the internet. It’s not a happy accident.

These people are a part of the technology revolution. These are the people that work long hours, come up with new ideas and ensure that everything on your phone, computer and iPad works. These are the people I work alongside of wherever I am in the world. This is my profession.

Most of the time, I get so wrapped up in work that I forget to give you the 411. So, here it is, in black and white, straight to your disorganized Gmail account. One of these days, I will eventually write you a guide to navigate this new tech world. In the meantime, keep chatting with me on iMessage, nagging me to change your email picture and tagging me on your sappy Facebook posts. It shows me you care.

Love,

@yourstartupgirl (this is clickable)