The Future Built by Women

10The GAPS: Data, Care, and Funding

There were five exabytes of information created between the dawn of civilization through 2003, but that much information is now created every two days.

—Eric Schmidt, executive chairman at Google

I want every woman to unashamedly set out to make an absolute goddamn f*cking sh*t-ton of money. Because when we make an absolute goddamn f*cking sh*t-ton of money, we can use that money to fund other women. Help other women. Support other women. Donate to other women. We need to build our own financial and business ecosystem because the white male one isn't working for us. That's why I tell women, “Start your own industry.”

—Cindy Gallop, equal rights activist and founder of MakeLoveNotPorn

THERE ARE TIMES when your code is not complete when writing a program. There might be gaps or missing symbols or parts of the language when coding that keep it from compiling correctly. Just as with coding in the real world, there are gaps that affect the building and success of start-ups. That is what we will dive into in this chapter. When I embarked on my journey as a founder, I had the potent combination of naivety and optimism on my side. Back then, my limited knowledge of the intricacies of entrepreneurship was a blessing. It enabled me to operate with unwavering passion and enthusiasm, unburdened by the vast complexities that lay ahead. Sure, I knew it wouldn't be easy; I'd heard the statistics that most start-ups fail. However, the real challenges ...