What lessons did you learn during your childhood that you’ve carried into your career?

Long ago, I decided to shrug off how I was “supposed” to behave. For me, this meant not listening to advice about how I was to ignore what might be considered stereotypical female behaviors. It is more important to me to be genuine and cultivate a leadership style that plays to my strengths and fits the organization and people I lead. Being flexible and unconstrained empowers you to take risks. Nearly everyone told me that starting a company to empower text donations through mobile phones would never work. They were wrong and today mobile fundraising is making a difference in the world- one text at a time.

What did you study and how has that influenced your career?

I had a hard time choosing just one major in college but ended up with a degree in English. I decided to go to law school as it just sounded like an intriguing experience. Initially I hated always being on the spot in class but after time I learned I loved thinking on my feet- a skill that has been very beneficial over the years. After completing law school I did a little work on various litigation teams and realized I was a transactional law kind of person.

What’s the greatest opportunity you’ve had so far that acted as a stepping-stone to “cross the river”?

I feel so lucky with respect to my career. Early on, I got to sample the world of litigation. Discovering that I was a transactional kind of girl- I had an amazing opportunity to become a music, licensing and media attorney for 9 Squared, which was interesting, exciting and fun. But those experiences didn’t satisfy the soul. mGive is really the perfect opportunity because you get to just about everything. Working to create mGive was really my “cross the river” moment. Being a part of something that is so powerful and can impact people in your own backyard as well as across the ocean is awesome.

What is your favorite mobile app?

Starbucks. It is the most functional, user friendly and transformative app out there.

What led you to develop mGive?

I was a founder and general counsel for 9 Squared, Inc. a mobile content and services company that was acquired by Zed, Inc. I left in 2007 to begin building the mobile channel with my brother James Eberhard. He had seen text donations in Europe and we knew that we needed to bring this channel to the States. I knew we had come across a game changer; something that would allow anyone to become an everyday philanthropist and help change the world, just with four simple clicks on a cell phone. It was never a question of “should we do this?” But, I wanted to ensure that we could create a channel that would remain transparent and protect charitable giving through the mobile channel. I later formed the The mGive Foundation to guard that channel and ensure that it remained transparent and safe for the nonprofits, carriers and the donors.

What’s next for your company?

We are constantly working on innovative new products to make sure that our nonprofit partners remain ahead of their donors. Technology changes so rapidly and we work hard to make sure that our nonprofits partners are ahead of those changes.

When’s the right time to seek funding?

Other people’s money is expensive. Unless you are at a point where lack of resources will seriously impede growth- I would rather go into cash preservation mode and avoid fundraising. I love looking for amazing angel investors that can help fund and grow the business. Connectors that are interested in advancing social good are amazing folks to get to know.

How did you finance your business when it was at the early stage? (Self-funded, crowd-funded, Angel Investor, VC) And how did mGive maintain funding during 2008, just a year after its launch?

Self-funded and angel investors. Sacrifice, sacrifice and hope.

How has the release of smart phones, such as the iPhone impacted mGive’s growth and the clients mGive works with? What differences have you seen pre and post 2007?

Smart phones have taken the mobile channel to a whole new level. People rely on their phones more today than they ever have before. The release of the smart phone made cell phones a person’s hub for daily activity. They are with a person 20 hours out of the day, and rarely out of arms reach! Pre- 2007 people used cell phones to make phone calls on the road and send a few text messages. Today, phone calls aren’t even the primary anymore, since you can access your emails, social media, websites, etc. all from anywhere. mGive has continued to tap into this hub and create new products that engage donors in a variety of different ways. You can share your donation with friends via social media, make larger donations with mobile credit card apps, or participate in an organizations live poll at an event; and it’s all initiated from a text message. Nonprofits are starting to see the power of having mobile as part of the integrated engagement and fundraising strategy.

In addition to increasing funds for nonprofits through mobile technology, does mGive also provide mobile phones to individuals/women globally to help them gain access to more resources to empower themselves?

mGive only works within the U.S. We work with nonprofits on fundraising, as well as engagement so they can cultivate stronger relationships with their donors and supporters. We have several nonprofit partners that are committed helping individuals and women globally access resources to empower themselves. Although we don’t work with individuals globally, mobile empowers women here to take action and use their cell phones to give women across the globe access to resources to empower themselves.

As a founder, what do you wish you had known about launching a company and what are some more resources you wish you had had access to?

Corporate formalities matter. Crossing all of the t’s and dotting all of the I’s from the get-go will make life so much easier down the road. Having access to good tax, legal and accounting advisors is critical.

What do you do to help focus?

Lists and giant post-it notes detailing the end game and overall goals. It’s too easy to get lost in the forest of issues, ideas, clients and sidebars. If you always look at the end game goals, it makes decision making along the way much easier.

What is your guilty pleasure?

Chocolate! I always keep some stashed in my office. It’s a great way to start a meeting, or as little treats throughout the day. And Arrested Development- sometimes, I just need to escape the chaos and remember- I could be a Bluth.

Best thing about being a woman in tech?

Empowerment. Everyone knows that women and men think differently, and the tech industry is pre-dominantly male. As a woman in tech, you can affect change and make things happen. It’s like when Ford Motor Company brought in women engineers and they revolutionized electric windows. It wasn’t a matter of “who thinks better”, but a matter of bringing a new perspective. Being a woman in tech, you have access, tools and information available to you that allows for innovative global development.

About Jenifer:

As Executive Director of The mGive Foundation, Jenifer is dedicated to expanding the scope and reach of the mobile channel for social good. She brings years of leadership experience in the mobile industry to the position. Previously, Jenifer was a founder and General Counsel for 9 Squared, Inc., a mobile content and services company subsequently acquired by the Zed Group. She left Zed in 2007 and started building the mobile channel for social and charitable effort, later forming The mGive Foundation.

This post was created by Raine Dalton, WIM’s editorial and community innovation intern. Raine is passionate about finding creative ways to empower women globally through tech. In addition to WIM, Raine has written, tweeted, and posted for the Global Banking Alliance for Women, WITNESS, and 90.7 WFUV News. You can find her work at www.rainedalton.com or get in touch with her through Twitter @rainedalton, or by emailing raine@wim.co.