06/26/2017

Why You Shouldn’t be Afraid to Ask When It Comes to Networking

A lack of mentors continues to pose a threat in industries dominated by "good old boy networks"

Jennifer Fonstad, cofounder of Aspect Ventures and a seasoned venture capitalist, admits she’s more of an introvert than an extrovert. But when it comes to networking with Silicon Valley insiders, she’s a pro. Her advice: Don’t be afraid to ask.

Fonstad offered her advice at the Catalyst Conference in San Francisco this week in a fireside chat with Christina Passariello of The Wall Street Journal. The event was staged by Girls in Tech, a nonprofit group supporting women in tech, which has more than 60,000 members across 60 chapters.

Silicon Valley still has a problem with women. About 26 percent of professional computing positions in the U.S. workforce were held by women in 2016. About 5 percent of tech startups are owned by women, and 17 percent have a female founder. A survey found that 48 percent of women say that a lack of mentors is a barrier for them in the tech industry.

Please click here to read the complete article on Venture Beat.