Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are changing the world. Our leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, and are all doing their part to have an impact in their communities and at their workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their background and path to success.
What is your name and title?
Claudia Reuter. I am the General Manager of Americas East at Techstars, an author, podcaster and board director.
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
I’m currently a General Manager for Techstars Accelerators on the East Coast. I also recently had my first book published which is called, Yes, You Can Do This! How Women Start up, Scale Up and Build the Life They Want (Wiley 2020). I also serve on the Board of Directors for Lessonly, and as a member of the Editorial Advisory Board for Innovation Leader. I launched my podcast, The43Percent, in 2019.
How long have you been in your current position?
I joined Techstars just over 2 years ago as a Managing Director, making investments in startups. I was recently asked to take on the GM role at the end of 2019. I have been on the Board of Directors at Lessonly for over 2 years as well. Prior to Techstars, I was SVP of Digital Services & Labs for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and co-founder of CEO of SchoolChapters. I’ve been working on the book for quite a while and finished the manuscript ahead of publication in late 2019.
What’s the best decision you’ve ever made?
I learned a long time ago that careers are often not linear and the best thing you can do is maintain a growth mindset, keep learning and keep moving forward. That perspective has helped me go from stay-at-home, to start-up CEO, to senior executive and board director, to podcaster, and now, to published author.
What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?
With women comprising less than 10% of Fortune 500 CEO roles and taking in only ~3%of VC funding, the stats can be daunting for all of us.
However, I think we are in a unique moment in history to make significant progress in the world of work and I’m excited to be a part of that evolution.
Do have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?
Throughout my career, I’ve had countless mentors. To me a mentor is someone who has walked the path I’m trying to navigate and can share some of the secrets they’ve unlocked along the way.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Careers are not necessarily linear. Value each opportunity that you have and trust that it will lead to something even better if you put forth your best effort.
What woman inspires you the most? Why?
I am inspired by people who are willing to take a step into the unknown and try new things. There are so many women I am inspired by, including many of my colleagues here at Techstars. I’ve been very inspired by Melinda Gates’ work to elevate women around the world.
Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!
I just read Melinda Gates’ The Moment of Lift and loved it.
What’s something coming up that excites you?
My book, Yes, You Can Do This! How Women Start up, Scale up, and Build the Life They Want (Wiley 2020) just came out, so I hope people will enjoy it!
Originally posted: March 3, 2020
