Check out our most-read articles and favorite posts of last year.
By Betsy Mikel and Jessica Schimm (Women 2.0 editorial staff)
Wait, what it’s already the new year? We’re not ready yet! Our resolution lists are only half-written… and we haven’t even started a fraction of the stuff we planned to accomplish in 2014.
Well, whether we like it or not, 2015 is here to stay. But that doesn’t mean we have to accept it — yet.
So before we start that juice cleanse and make a bunch of unattainable life-changing resolutions, we’re taking a moment to revel in the not-so-distant past. In case you missed them, here are our most popular posts of the past year. They’re all worth a read!
1. “Just” Say No
By Ellen Leanse (Tech Veteran, Investor & Entrepreneur)
This piece hit home for a lot of us. Ellen shared with us why we should stop using the word “just” in emails, to be eons more impactful. Just try it.
2. My Startup Failed. This is What it Feels Like.
By Nikki Durkin (Founder & CEO, 99dresses)
“Over 90 percent of tech startups fail,” starts Nikki,” But I never thought my baby, 99dresses, would be one of them.” In her raw and in-depth personal essay, this founder shares what it was really like to launch her dream — and ultimately shut it down.
3. The Quitter’s Dilemma: Why Quitting is Just as Important as Persevering
By Bo Ren (Product Manager, Facebook)
It’s all about sticking with it until the end, right? Not always, says one Facebook PM. Quitting is different than giving up. Persisting is useless if you’re on the wrong path.
4. An Entrepreneur’s Playlist; 19 Tracks for the Baddest Founders in Town
By Jessica Schimm (Digital Audience Engagement, Women 2.0)
What tunes do you crank up just before you head into that I-need-to-land-this-funding pitch? Or… while procrastinating and trying to pump yourself up to write that pitch deck in the first place? Our community shared with us their top picks.
5. Paid Maternity Leave Across the World: The U.S. Is Doing it Wrong
By Ivonne Karamoy (Illustrator & Graphic Designer)
This infographic from Women && Tech was a wake-up call as to how poorly U.S. employers support working moms, especially when you compare the United States to other countries.
6. Show Me The Money: A Woman’s Guide to Securing VC Backing
By Carol Realini (Serial Entrepreneur & World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer)
A woman who’s raised $200 million in VC money offers tough talk — and solid advice — to female founders who are fundraising.
7. 9 Must-Watch Women of Color Who are Rocking the Tech Startup Scene
By Vanessa Mason (Contributing Writer, Women 2.0)
Check out these early-stage tech startups founded by women of color who are disrupting everything from education to cancer treatment and care.
8. How to Build Your Professional Network from Scratch
By Danielle Herzberg (HubSpot, Senior Sales Manager)
It’s one thing to set out by yourself, but you need a network to thrive, both professionally and personally. One author shares how she made connections and built her network from scratch.
9. CTO to Women in IT: You Are Not Weird
By Rebecca Parsons (CTO, ThoughtWorks)
“Women who want to work in this field still feel that it’s weird or that men may not accept them. This needs to change,” writes ThoughtWorks’ CTO.
10. Resources for Women Who Want to Break Into Tech
By Jennifer Dopazo (Graphic Designer, Candelita Lab)
Want to get “into” tech? Check out these extraordinary organizations, created and led by women, that are helping other women succeed and are changing the face of the new tech world.
11. 7 Signs Of Nice Girl Syndrome… And How to Get Over It
By Raluca Popescu (Founder & Writer, beingraluca.com)
Are you a nice girl? Well, stop it. It’s not doing anyone any good… least of all you. Do you recognize these traits of the Nice Girl in yourself?
12. This Is What Launching Our iOS App Was Really Like
By Michele Spiezia (Founder & CEO, Bespoke Atelier)
One founder shares a behind-the-scenes look of her team’s iOS app launch. Hint: Nothing ever goes according to plan.
13. How You Can Do More to End Gender Inequality
By Ellen Leanse (Tech Veteran, Investor & Entrepreneur)
Gender inequality in board rooms, engineering teams and tech startups doesn’t happen overnight. In fact, we’ve been working toward this unfortunate status quo our whole lives. Read this to learn the little things we can do and say on a daily basis to reverse the trend.
14. Approaching Life Intuitively, Creatively and From a Place of Love: Honoring Priya Haji
By Shaherose Charania (Founder & CEO, Women 2.0)
We suddenly lost a dear friend this year. Our founder and CEO celebrates what Priya Haji meant both to her personally and to the Women 2.0 community.
