Who inspires you?
My mother, and my tribes of #awesomewomen.
What lessons did you learn during your childhood that you’ve carried into your career?
Fortunes change; character doesn’t.
What led you to become interested in tech? Was there a certain opportunity/event/instance that convinced you, “I want to do this?”
I have a short attention span, a low tolerance for inefficiencies and a compulsion to always be learning. Couple that with a privileged upbringing on a tiny island that exposed me to computers and online social networks at a very early age.
Do you think you’ve had more opportunities by working as a writer AND as a technologist?
I believe the two are highly complementary. At the heart of technology is communication. I often say I enjoy intersections - media and finance, finance and technology. Words unite these worlds for me.
What led you to develop FT Tilt, Galavant Media, and #AwesomeWomen?
That short attention span + low tolerance for inefficiencies combination. FT Tilt was an attempt to demonstrate two things. First, that you could build a global newsroom and a high-performing, distributed team of reporters without spending millions of dollars. And second, that you could cover emerging markets without resorting to patronising cliches. I refer to Galavant Media as the home of my side projects; it’s a place for me to collect my writing and consulting, and it’s an avenue for me to keep learning and developing my skills. #awesomewomen reflects my committment to connecting, supporting, mentoring, and promoting women around the world.
What projects are you focusing on right now?
My full-time job is as the product manager at a fast-growing technology company in New York. The developers and designers I work with challenge me every day to be better - which is both exciting and all-consuming. Beyond my relationships with friends and family, any time I have outside of that is devoted to writing, to #awesomewomen and to practicing yoga as often I can!
What’s the worst mistake a founder can make?
Hiring is difficult - more art than science. But even more difficult than hiring the right people is realizing when you’ve hired the wrong ones - and then moving quickly but respectfully to fire them. The right team is transformational. The wrong person can kill your company.
When’s the right time to seek funding?
When you’ve exhausted all other options to accomplish what you need to - and lack of $ is the only thing standing in your way.
Thoughts on crowd-funding?
I have a few. Primarily that it’s important to distinguish between platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo and newer platforms that are allowing you to take what is effectively an equity stake in a company. It’s the difference between buying an iPhone and buying a share of Apple - except with crowdfunding you’re not guaranteed either the iPhone or a seat at the shareholder meeting.
What should startups be focusing on in 2013?
Mobile, and mobile beyond smartphones.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Binge-watching highly-rated television shows years after they’ve gone off the air.
Describe a time you failed. What did you learn from that experience?
Tilt ultimately failed. I learnt a tremendous amount from that experience, and the extraordinary people I worked with on that project. I wrote about that here - http://blog.vibesitup.org/blog/riptilt
What is your favorite mobile app?
Drafts, by Agile Tortoise. It is a brilliant piece of GTD software disguised as a simple note-taking app.
What do you do to help focus?
Yoga and meditation help here; when I need to get into the zone quickly I fire up Songza’s “Saving the World from Evil” station. I use the Pomodoro technique for short, sustained bursts of productivity. It’s like high-intensity interval training for your brain.
Any words of advice for entrepreneurs who are trying to get their ventures launched?
Write down what you need to do. Then write down what’s stopping you from getting that done. That shift in perspective can help you identify opportunities and obstacles (and ways of capitalizing on those opportunities or removing those obstacles) you might not otherwise have considered.
Stacy-Marie Ishmael is a product manager at a #madeinNY SaaS technology company. She works with a team of developers and designers to build software for Fortune 500 companies. When she’s not organizing events for #awesomewomen, you can find her on Twitter @s_m_i.
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.