A Few (Not) Parting Words

My first month as a full-time founder, I was told I sounded too confident.?

In month two, after showing a pitch deck slide featuring non-white faces, I was told that speaking to a few “friends” did not count as market research — the interviewees were a mix of professional connections and random respondents on Twitter.

In month three, I was promised access to an angel network if I hit two specific goals. I hit them both and got ghosted.

This pattern continued for a year, during which I went from three months on a futon to three months of couch surfing. It wasn’t easy to find an apartment with no income to show. Meanwhile, every VC conversation was a stark reminder that women, especially of color, have to hustle harder and defend their work at every corner.

And it wasn’t just me. Graduating MIT Sloan alongside a strong cohort of intelligent and determined founders, I watched how all the male founders graduated to $1-2M Seed Rounds while all the female founders continued pinching pennies and facing opposition.?

One friend was told her voice was not authoritative enough. Another was told she needed to show more traction (she had a working product, users, and LOIs from every major tech company). And my favorites, a few women I know in the feminine products space being mansplained over what women actually need.

But none of us quit. Over three years later, some have been acquired. Some have successfully raised. I raised some, too, from amazing early supporters. It seems most women like me are constantly raising to keep cash from running out, finding ourselves forever strung along by VCs who claim they put "team first" but then just go with their buddy’s recommendation. I still remember winning over every female partner we spoke to at a "female-focused fund," only to learn the one male partner there gets to make the final funding decisions. ?

We knew it was time to take the reins ourselves, especially after realizing most major companies we knew grew from their own (or family) wealth to get anywhere meaningful.??

At this point, my business, Below the Fold (formerly acciyo), naturally evolved to a state where it can be a successful and meaningful side hustle. I’m so unbelievably proud of what we provide for the world. It’s been a difficult but amazing journey, learning more about myself than I could have ever imagined.

And we’re nowhere close to giving up. Our readers are a constant reminder of how vital our mission is: Digging up and simplifying news lost in the trenches of the internet while algorithms optimize for a repeating stream of negativity. Below the Fold is a unique and needed news experience helping you stay informed on the news that actually impacts you and gives you a way to take action on it, all while keeping your wellness in mind. For more on Below the Fold, head here.

Now, our team is stoked to be investing in ourselves for a change. We’ve sacrificed salaries, holidays, and vacations for over three years. We know that this is not sustainable. By pursuing meaningful careers outside of being founders, we’re granting ourselves the financial and mental freedom to serve our business, our readers, our investors, and ourselves better. We’re amped up for all that’s ahead. You should subscribe and stay amped with us.

Ultimately, there is no one path to being a founder. And this happens to be mine. That’s been a difficult conclusion for me to get to, but one I’m finally proud to say out loud.?

As for what’s coming next for me… I am truly blessed to have joined the leadership team at Reforge, the world's leading career development platform for top-tier tech talent, as Head of Content Marketing. Not only do I get to work with some of my favorite former HubSpot colleagues, but I get to stretch myself into new challenges within a field I am damn good at.?

Thank you to everyone who has supported my full-time founder journey these past years. My friends who housed me and invested in me. My parents for relentlessly encouraging me, my siblings for never discouraging me. And of course, my husband, who somehow fell in love with an income-less, debt-ridden, apartment-less dreamer and pushed me to never quit no matter how difficult the burden became for us both. I love you all.

Onwards and upwards ?

P.S. If you’re in content and looking for a new gig in 2022, we're hiring!