The Challenges Female Founders Still Face
A list of disappointing things founders who happen to be women experience…
These are real stories, experienced by myself or other founders I know.
In honor of International Women’s month, I hope we do better...
- Losing an investment because the investor wanted a date instead
- Advised to temper your expectations for your own business because you're a mother
- Being told to lower your voice so people take you more seriously
- Being advised to add male colleagues to your pitch deck for "credibility"
- Getting introduced as "a female founder" instead of just... a founder
- After multiple meetings with you, the CEO, being asked: "So who's the CEO? It's [male colleague], right?"
- Being called by a male name on email (I'm Mika not Mike!!!)
- Assumed to be non-technical despite being the one who built the product
- Mistaken for the EA or notetaker at your own company demo
- Watching every technical question get directed to your male teammate
- Getting mansplained by a VC about the industry you're building in (one they've never actually worked in)
- Getting mansplained by a VC about how acquisitions work (after you've already sold a company)
- Told by an investor: "I never invest in a pregnant woman."
- Watching investors turn to your male co-founder the moment the conversation shifts to financials
- Attending a founder event as the only woman in a room of 30+ men
And yes, unfortunately this list grew since the last time I posted it.