Female Founders Conference 2014
Y Combinator holds its first ever Female Founders Conference at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California. In her opening remarks, Livingston says that the sold-out gathering is “the most over-subscribed event” in their history.
I wouldn’t be surprised if in five years, we feel like 2014 was the tipping point for female founders.
She shares some basic advice that she likes to share with all start-up founders: the importance of having determination, empathy, living frugally at the start, and focus. She then goes on to spell out some key pieces of advice for female founders in particular: Having children and starting a business is hard — but possible; It’s OK to be the ‘quiet cofounder’; Learn how to code — and don’t be afraid to start up with a spouse or personal partner.
Don’t feel like there’s anything weird about starting a startup with your significant other. We have significant evidence it works.
Startup School 2012
Livingston talks about co-founders leaving and other issues that can de-rail a startup:
It’s a red flag when you find yourself wondering if you can trust your co-founder
Investors tend to have a herd mentality, which she says is a Catch-22 situation, but once it is overcome it can work in the company’s favor:
If they like you, others like you. If noone likes you until others do, what happens when you talk to the first one? Noone likes you. You’re really starting off in a hole and you have to work your way out of it.
