Episode 29. How To Found A Startup With A Non-Tech Background

"When I was doing my MBA at Chicago Booth, I actually remember I wrote in my application essay that my plan was to come up with an idea for a business, get a team and raise some money during my MBA and then leave business school for this company. I mean I didn't actually expect it to happen, I thought it would be nice if it happened, I didn't expect it to happen but you know what it did happen! I tested the idea, I had to do a lot of ego busting work to raise money but somehow I did it and essentially the team and I, we came up with an idea for a fashion tech company." Sophia Matveeva shared with me on Episode 29 of the Reframe & Reset Your Career podcast.

Sophia is the founder of Tech For Non-Techies, an education company and consultancy. Sophia has contributed to the Financial Times, The Guardian and Forbes on entrepreneurship and technology, and hosts the top rated Tech for Non-Techies podcast. 
 
She has also guest lectured at the University of Chicago, London Business School, and Oxford University, and led the Blackstone x Techstars accelerator at the University of Texas at El Paso.
 
As a non-technical founder, she has co-created apps and algorithms that have been used by thousands, won App of the Day by Mashable, and were featured by Inc, the BBC and more. 
 
Sophia loves helping entrepreneurs and has advised Chicago Booth’s New Venture Challenge and Microsoft x London College of Fashion incubator. 
 
She holds an MBA from Chicago Booth, and a BSc (Hons) in Politics from Bristol. She speaks English, Russian and French. Sophia also sits on the Board of University of Chicago’s Alumni in the UK.

I met Sophia on one of her courses just prior to the first lockdown in the UK as I am trying to design a personal development App. It was great to catch up with her again and we talked about the following:

Our shared interest in classical literature;

Studying politics at Bristol University and where this interest came from,

Her passion for communication which helped her find a job in PR at Finsbury Glover Herring,

Why marketing and selling skills are vital for a CEO and founder of a business,

Creating Enty, a fashion tech startup, despite not having a tech background,

Learning the tech skills and knowledge to help her lead a tech business,

Pivoting and moving her focus to her Tech For Non-Techies business once the pandemic hit,

The importance of creativity in tech companies,

Navigating the relationship between a Founder and the Chief Technology Officer, and

Cutting through “bro culture” and tech jargon to run a tech business.

Resources & People mentioned

The Odyssey

The Iliad

Dorie Clark

Rachel Rodgers

Contact Sophia

Website: https://www.techfornontechies.co/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tech-for-non-techies

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/techfornontechies/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TechForNonTechiesCommunity

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SophiaMatveeva

Reframe & Reset Your Career Resources & Contact Info

YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHASU4QApsJ3RsOFo1zTnhQ

LinkedIn Page - https://www.linkedin.com/company/reframe-reset-your-career/?viewAsMember=true

E-mail - [email protected]

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*Reframe & Reset Your Career, including any comments made by the host and guests, is for informational purposes only and does not constitute advice of any description, including but not restricted to financial, legal, investing or medical advice.*