Episode 72: Empowering Female Founders With Women 2.0 CEO Kate Brodock

Much has been researched and written about the lack of women in the tech sector, whether it’s representation at major tech companies, as start-up founders, or as investors. What can be done to make the tech world a more inclusive space for women?

In this episode, we feature Kate Brodock, CEO at Women 2.0 and Founding Partner of W Fund. Kate has played an active leadership role in the women in tech ecosystem for over a decade. She led a global organization focused on women in technology and entrepreneurship as its President for several years. She is passionate about applying her experience to advising and mentoring startups whether as an EIR at LaunchNY, or a mentor for Techstars.

As CEO of Women 2.0, Kate is focused on bringing diversity and inclusion in the tech and startup spaces. 

Women 2.0 provides resources for founders and professionals to grow their companies and careers, as well as provide products for workplaces and the startup ecosystem to create inclusive environments that support the advancement of women and other underrepresented groups. And now with the launch of the W Fund, Kate is on a mission to fuel the startup ecosystem and deploy funds to women and diverse-led tech startups.

Kate highlights some of the challenges women face, the perceptions that need to be changed and the work that’s being done to help to promote women in tech. Kate shares her perspective on the gender gap and how to build a more diverse, equitable and inclusive world.

Highlights:

[02:50] Kate’s journey

[07:58] Kate’s vision for Women 2.0

[11:52] Challenges that women face in the workplace

[13:11] Why is mobilization important for women

[15:18] The importance of the W Fund

[18:29] Facing your fears and overcoming limiting beliefs

[25:15] Nurturing and building your community

[33:48] The fundraising process

[42:46] Kate’s success habit

Quotes:

“Mobilization is important because it is the difference between going so low against all of these hurdles and actually having a peer network.” – Kate Brodock

“List out your negative thoughts about yourself and then talk yourself out of each one of them.” – Kate Brodock

“Think of asking for advice and help as a learning opportunity and a growth opportunity.” – Kate Brodock

“Before asking for help, frame the specific problem or question and then identify those whose support you need.” – Kate Brodock

“Put structures in place to fight the apply, apply, apply instinct. The best results will come when strategic planning happens first.”- Kate Brodock

About Kate Brodock

Kate is CEO of Women 2.0 and Founding Partner of W Fund . She’s lived in the tech startup world for over 15 years, and has played an active leadership role in the women in tech ecosystem for over a decade, having led a global organization focused on women in technology and entrepreneurship as its President for several years.

She’s also an EIR at LaunchNY , and a long-time mentor for Techstars. She enjoys putting her 15-year experience in the tech industry to work advising and mentoring startups.

She was recently CMO of untapt , an AI-driven tech talent marketplace based in NYC and has held the role of Adjunct Professor in PR and Marketing at Syracuse University.

Kate has spoken at and been featured in numerous places, including SXSWi, Collision Conference, Fast Company’s Innovation Uncensored, IBT, MSNBC, TechCrunch and Al Jazeera America and writes for Forbes.

She has a BA from the University of Rochester, an MBA from Goizueta Business School at Emory University and an MA in International Relations from the Fletcher School at Tufts University.

When she’s not doing all *that*, she’s a very non-professional (but adventurous!) athlete, an equally as non-professional musician, can be found outdoors in any weather — skiing, biking, hiking, sailing — loves a good meal with bubbly, craft beer and good friends, hilariousness and life. She tries hard to read when she can, non-fiction only. Her husband is a startup-web-developer-turned-beer-guy and they now live on a hops farm in Upstate, NY. She can be found on Twitter at @ just_kate.

Links:

Website: http://women2.com

W2.0 Team: https://women2.com/team

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/katebrodock

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Just_Kate