Jen Consalvo is the Cofounder and COO of TechCo Media, a content, news, and events organization focused on better connecting and educating entrepreneurs, and amplifying startup communities everywhere. Started as a grassroots event to connect local communities, Tech.Co now has millions of global readers, works with industry leading brands, and is the go-to place for tech startups and enthusiasts. She is also a startup investor and advisor, and a founding member of NextGen Angels.
Prior to Tech.Co, Consalvo led product development teams in a range of product areas such as digital imaging, community & social platforms and personalization. Much of her career was at AOL, planning and building products used by millions of people globally. Her deep network across the global technology community enabled her to introduce many entrepreneurs to AOL resulting in interesting new relationships and in some cases, multi-million dollar acquisitions. The most enjoyable part of her role was working together to find areas of potential partnership with these young companies.
Jen serves on the digital advisory board for The Nature Conservancy and for the Master of Arts in Media Entrepreneurship program at American University.
Jen was nominated by Nevada’s TBAN for 2014 Entrepreneur of the Year, listed by Business Insider in their 100 Most Influential Tech Women On Twitter, named a 2013 and 2011 Tech Titan by Washingtonian Magazine, was featured in DC Modern Luxury Magazine in “The Smart Set”, in the Washington Post cover story “Digital Nomads Choose Their Tribes” and also in the Huffington Post story “What is Work? Cutting Yourself Free With Heart“. Over the past few years, Jen’s products have been featured in such places as WashingtonPost, TechCrunch, CNET, Mashable and more.
To learn more about Jen’s experience and advice for women in teach, read the full interview below.
Q1: What inspired you to work in this industry?
I worked at AOL for about 13 years. When I first started there in 2006, it was already a pretty big place, but it still had many startup-like qualities to it, so I knew what it felt like to create new products and be at the forefront of an industry. During my last few years there, I was spending a lot of time in our Silicon Valley office evaluating startups and connecting with the startup and investor community. It really energized me and got me excited to figure out how I could take all of my years of experience building products and partnerships at AOL and apply it to the efforts Frank had started around his side project, Tech Cocktail (now TechCo Media), which had a mission to provide community, content, connections and resources to startups around the country. I loved working with the startup community. To me, there’s nothing more important than people taking their unique ideas and talents and bringing them to the world. More people need to be encouraged and supported in these endeavors, so that’s what we do.
Q2: What would you tell women who are looking to work in tech? Any advice on how they can build their career?
If you’re a computer engineer, start building your network and support community early. While everyone should have a support community, I think female engineers can especially benefit from building that professional network and sharing experiences. And if you don’t have a technical background but want to work in tech, don’t be intimidated by any aspect of the tech world. There is nothing you can’t pick up or learn by asking questions. I know so many men who have jumped into the tech world, and even founded companies, who had no technical background at all. So don’t ever feel limited by a lack of technical knowledge.
Sadly, when I first started coding, I was actually surprised that I was able to do it! Not that the work was always easy, but it was a huge realization for me that coding wasn’t as mysterious and scary as I had built up in my mind. I would also remind women that there are many different roles in the tech world that have nothing to do with coding. You can be a designer, project manager, product manager, marketing person, lawyer, etc within the tech space. Or a startup founder! At AOL, I quickly decided I didn’t want to focus my career around coding, and preferred product management, which opened up a whole new creative world for me, and led me into business, management, and leadership roles.
Q3: Is your company a Pledge 1% member or do you personally give back to your community? If so, how do you give and to what cause?
Yes, TechCo Media took the Pledge this year and we’re excited to create new ways to give back to our community. In the past we’ve hosted social events and festivals that incorporated various charities that focused on the digital divide or teaching entrepreneurship to kids.
Q4: Do you serve as a mentor? What does mentorship mean to you?
My mentorship has typically been informal, but over the years I’ve advised dozens of founders and women in tech. I’ve always been willing to sit down for coffee or jump on the phone to talk to people about their careers. I think it’s because I’ve been so fortunate to have had terrific mentors and advisors who have always made time for me.
Q5: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received to help you with your career?
Don’t let anyone disregard you. Stand up tall, speak with conviction and know that you have something valuable to offer. Learn as much as you can and make sure that at the same time you’re building your confidence. Don’t wait until you know it all to move to the next level – learn along the way and cultivate an attitude of career learning.
Q6: What’s the one piece of advice you would give to yourself 5 years ago?
Don’t be afraid to be disliked. At various times in my career, I’ve been told to smile more and be less direct. That was bad advice! As a leader and manager, it’s critical that you get very clear about your needs and communicate them. That doesn’t mean to be rude or insensitive. It just means that it’s important to make sure people understand what you need and know that you mean business.
