Lessons From The Trenches

The Fight to Start Your Own Company

Presentation for SEED September 26, 2012

@kimmahan

The Resume Started First Web Business in 1996

BS, Behavioral Science; MS, Information Systems, Black Belt, CISSP

15 Years Enterprise Technology: GE.com, Operations, Emerging Tech

Richmond Community Activist for Women/Girls in Tech

Recent Winner ‘40 Over 40’ Women To Watch

Left Corporate Comfort Zone in 2011Age: 40

The Real Deal Born and raised in Oxon Hill, MD, working class

family, labeled ‘gifted’, troubled youth

Father died at 18, first child 10 months later

Near-deadly car accident at 19, permanent injuries

2 more children, and 2 more failed relationships by 25

Formal education predominantly online , self-taught web design in 1995, GE career began at age 27

Values: Integrity, Respect, Diversity, Education, Perseverance

Most Valuable Asset: Life ExperiencesMost Valuable Skill: Learning From

Mistakes

My Entrepreneurial Journey(so far!)

What You Care About

Makers of:

2011/2012

2013

2013 cont . . .

Lessons Learned

3 Key Questions To Ask Yourself

Am I an Entrepreneur or a Wantrepreneur?

(P.S. Ideas are flippin EASY)

Am I Working on the Most Important

Thing?

(Hint: Until you have customers, there are no other important things)

Am I Pitching or Catching?

(You need to do both!)

Last but not least…

Play to your strengths

Fix things that truly get in the way

Surround yourself with the rest

Do You.

And pssst . . . Have fun!!

Any Questions??