An Open Letter to the Sisterhood of the Startup Arena

"We can all agree I think, that making the most of women…half the population! is vital to securing our future."

— Nicky Morgan: Education Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities, United Kingdom

"To be truly transformative, the post-2015 development agenda must prioritize gender equality and women’s empowerment. The world will never realize 100 per cent of its goals if 50 per cent of its people cannot realize their full potential. "

— UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Dear Sisterhood of the Startup Arena,

Today is March 8, 2015, AKA International Women’s Day. At this time last year, Maven House Press published my book on female entrepreneurship, The NICE Reboot. At this time in 1965, Selma became more than just a woman’s name, or the name of a city in the United States. At this time in 1917, women in Russia watched their families lose all manners of freedom as the revolution swept the land, leaving communism in its wake.

It has taken the world centuries, to understand that gender equality isn’t just about women; something the intelligent and talented Emma Watson is trying to hit home with her much needed #HeforShe Campaign.

It has taken the world decades, to celebrate all kinds of women, embrace diversity, and acknowledge women leadership as a force to be reckoned with outside education. It’s something many in Silicon Valley apparently don’t want to hear, and seem to be vilifying entrepreneurial educator and advocate Vivek Wadhwa (whom I met personally when I was a panelist with him at the Hack for Big Choices November 2013 Event in Palo Alto, CA) for taking a stand on.

The real tragedy? It is taking even longer for people in the startup arena to understand that sponsorship, not mentorship, is what is truly needed to create a healthy, collaborative, and self-sustaining ecosystem where leadership (and its disrupting) and innovation can flourish. So that entrepreneurship can actually promote global change.

For the past 4 years I have traveled North America as an educator, entrepreneur, iPad Evangelist, “techie”, speaker, student, and observer of human nature. I have given seminars to increasingly busy, accomplished, talented, and multi-tasking women who sheepishly tell me that they are still struggling to “have it all” and find better work/life balance. I meet thoughtful, caring men who come up to me to discuss economic and ed-tech trends, and what life will be like for their own daughters when they grow up. Men who think like Adam Grant, author of the excellent Give and Take, and who are concerned about opportunity and equality, and what it means to contribute to society.

But for every enlightened person I’ve met, I’ve met others who sadly just don’t get it. People who myopically view today’s workplace, especially the startup arena, with a Hunger Games mindset; an outdated attitude of Me, instead of We.

People who don’t understand that it takes respect for the pursuit of diversified experiences, to create diversified services/products; the driving force behind today’s disruptive innovation—especially in the startup arena.

It's time to rethink the Big Picture; about the future of work, and what collaboration is all about.

YouTube has a new campaign, #DearMe, where women can record time capsule style messages for their younger self. It’s a terrific way to provide thought leadership and virtual mentorship to generations of girls and women out there.

What has shaped my Story? What have I learned through my diversified experiences, my travels, my introspection, and my unique interactions with people from all backgrounds, geographical locations, and walks of life?

What messages can I share with today’s women entrepreneurs?

1. Culture needs to be imbued with one’s mission, and MUST be value based.

Culture, especially one’s company culture, is not “set in stone”. It is a fluid process involving thought and deed. Accepting “it’s always been done this way” is dangerous; personally and professionally. Work to effect meaningful, long term, and global change. Think of transparency and “open source” as part of your entrepreneurial strategy as a whole, not just your social media marketing strategy re: your service/product. Go beyond the occasional mentoring and networking. Find concrete ways to sponsor other women led or women driven startups, to add value to the human experience, not detract from it.

2. Girls compete with each other. Women empower one another.

I know I'll get much flak for this, but it needs to be said. Simple words often forgotten, especially since the glass ceiling is all too real, and women founders feel the pressure to prove themselves in a male dominated arena. On my own entrepreneurial journey, I have met many wonderful women and many who unfortunately shortsightedly sabotage the Sisterhood; intentionally or unintentionally. Here’s another expression to ponder and get riled over (seen on bumper stickers and Pinterest) "Welcome to the Karma Cafe; there are no menus… you’ll get served what you deserve!”

3. Stop waiting for “the right time” to accomplish things in your personal and professional life.

Because of biological and cultural factors, women are more sensitive to the rhythms of time than men. But we can cognitively harness time and make it work for us! Adopt more proactive strategies about time management instead of reacting to it from a crisis intervention paradigm. Dial down the fear of risk. It affects one’s resiliency, creativity, optimism, and resistance to failure, which is part and parcel of this messy journey called life, especially when it comes to startup life. Taking time to make mistakes is as important if not more, than taking time to learn or accomplish something.

We live in increasingly complex times when it’s all too easy to mistake busyness for actual productivity. We live in an age of increasing distractions which fiercely compete for us; mind, body, and soul….eroding our own inner voice, and eroding our passion to make a difference.

Let’s work together to navigate the slipstream of time, where our memories and current best practices converge to transform what could be, into what is and will be.

International Women’s Day was started in 1911 and we’ve come a long way since then; as professional women and as human beings. But action trumps awareness, every time.

I still believe women can help each other help change the world.

Do you?

Best,

Penina

Penina Rybak is the founder/CEO of Socially Speaking LLC, and the creator of the Socially Speaking™ iPad App. Penina is a national speaker on the topics of social communication development and strategies, iPad App integration into professional workflows and educational curricula, personal digital branding and social media, and practical and psychological aspects to female entrepreneurship. She is the author of The NICE Reboot-A Guide to Becoming a Better Female Entrepreneur: How to Balance Your Cravings for Humanity & Technology in Today's Startup Culture. Her book, Autism Intervention in the iEra will be published soon. To learn more, visit her websites: www.niceinitiative.com and/or sociallyspeakingLLC.com, and follow her on Twitter: @PopGoesPenina.