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Given the relatively low entry costs to create a technology company, what's stopping the talented women from starting their own companies and competing with a s
by tabeth 9y ago
Given the relatively low entry costs to create a technology company, what's stopping the talented women from starting their own companies and competing with a superior product or service? It's sad to say this, but at the end of the day, you comply or you compete [1]
[1] To be fair, women (and minorities for that matter) have tried and "the forces that be" sabotaged them. For example:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwood,_Tulsa https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwood,_Tulsa
- crazygringo 9y agoHave you not been reading the reports of "bro investors"? It could be, in part, the parallel of talented women getting tired of potential investors hitting on them and acting creepy.
- tabeth 9y agoI have read those reports, but you don't necessarily need investors to start a company.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- lukeschlather 9y agoThe article is about VC-backed companies. The "bro culture" is an outgrowth of Silicon Valley VC culture.
- Powerofmene 9y agoBut that is not the context of the article. Sure a man or a woman can start a company without investors but the companies that have been associated with having a "bro culture" were not bootstrapped. The number of women led startups is markedly lower than male led startups; same with those obtaining funding. Add age to the equation and the chances of having a shot at developing an idea/product and raising funding for a startup appears daunting. Older men appear to suffer almost the same fate. YC applications now ask for age. Is this in an effort to promote diversity or do you think there are other reasons? If it is to make sure that someone is able to legally enter into contracts they could simply ask if the founders are 18 years of age or over? Bottom line, testosterone may play a role in the bro culture but age plays a substantial role. It seems contrary to logic to assume that we expect people to behave as seasoned professionals when they are typically just out of college. Risk takers have a tendency to be driven by adrenaline and startups are definitely risky. I personally don't think you can put the bro culture (or boys/men behaving badly) only on testosterone and age without factoring in the personality traits associate with those who are drawn to huge risk. What about the behavior and culture of Wall Street?
- totalZero 9y agoNobody is accusing bro culture of literally firebombing women in the startup world.
- tabeth 9y agoI agree. The link I posted is an example of how sometimes there are other mitigating factors, not "bro culture" "literally firebombing women." The intent was to show how creating your own thing and competing wont necessarily solve the issue.
- notacoward 9y agoExactly. Saying that women should seek alternative routes to success is a lot like saying they should cross the street. It's not OK for one route to be cut off, or made even a hair more difficult, just because others also exist.
- Ralfp 9y agoLiterally firebombing means bombarding women in startup world with incendiary ordnance, be it be plane or artillery barrage, and to my best knowledge no such action took place.