I am originally from Northern CA — Humboldt County actually (so true NorCal!). Given that I have spent my entire career in tech start-ups, I am frequently asked why I don’t move back to SF given that the “tech scene is so much better”. To those people, I typically have a very unfiltered response — apparently my Boston is showing.
The stories coming out now from Silicon Valley are not shocking. Disgusting, disturbing, angering — yes — but not shocking. I have spent years of my life fundraising for my various start-ups. I have done time on Sand Hill Road — and yes, it felt hard time. My story is no different from others and now it almost feels cliche.
It starts the moment you walk into the cloned offices where the miles of cubes are filled with young and attractive female assistants while the offices are reserved for the clean cut white guys. As a female COO/CFO — I am almost always the only woman in the room (once coffee and water have been served). There are the pitch dinners where the partners bring an assistant (always a woman) to “keep me company” and to “make me feel more comfortable”. There was the partner who tried to impress me with his understanding of “women’s issues” by telling me that I had saddlebags. There was the partner who, after I discussed my background highlighting that I’d raised over $150m at the time and taken two companies through exits, asked me if my prior work experience was in high school. This isn’t even the misogyny at its worst.
I’ve been asked if “I’ve always dated women” after a casual dinner discussion about our families led to the discovery that I’m married to a woman. I’ve received the disgusting texts trying to get me to come to a hotel room. I’ve had job references predicated on a trip to a strip club or at least “dinner in a low cut shirt”.
I’m a pretty outspoken woman, but have been cautioned 1000 times over to smile it off and make a joke out of this repulsive behavior or I’d be black listed in an industry and world where I have spent my entire career.
It isn’t just the west coast VCs either. Those same VC jerks that are losing their jobs right now — do you think they invested in a bunch of nice guys? Of course not — they invested in guys just like themselves. Silicon Valley has created an entire ecosystem of hostility.
One of the reasons I have continued in tech and stayed in Boston is that things work differently here.
I know that with my experience and background that I can call on nearly any VC in Boston and have a meeting within a week. Where I may be ignored or discounted on the west coast, I know that my track record and not my gender is the determining factor on the East Coast.
I have watched as firm after firm in Boston has made a concerted effort to bring in female or POC as partners, EIRs, and founders as they know that the status quo has got to change.
I have seen the rise of firms that are founded by women and POC (eg: @NextviewVentures, @Converge, @.406Ventures, @GlasswingVentures) and other firms that are starting funds and running events specifically focused women (e.g. @XFactorVentures, @AccompliceVC).
Boston just gets it in a way the west coast doesn’t. We’re more direct and have a much lower tolerance for bullshit. The best businesses, founders and investors should rise to the top regardless of gender or ethnicity. So if you’re tired of being ignored, harassed, discounted and marginalized — check out Boston. In our community, what matters most is that you’re smart and you get shit done!