Reshma Saujani

Yeah. Yeah. And, you know, those coding jobs, they paid a lot, like $120,000 a year. And when I saw that girls and girls of color, poor girls, were not going into these fields, in my mind, like they weren't going into the fields that would help them like march up into the middle class and change their entire trajectory for them and their families. And that's what like drove me crazy.

Yeah. Yeah. And, you know, those coding jobs, they paid a lot, like $120,000 a year. And when I saw that girls and girls of color, poor girls, were not going into these fields, in my mind, like they weren't going into the fields that would help them like march up into the middle class and change their entire trajectory for them and their families. And that's what like drove me crazy.

to coding and technology.

to coding and technology.

Yeah, and you're working on this now. Also, like the things that they're going to create, like bullying, right? Like what are they doing on these problems that they experience, right? Whether it's bullying, whether it's health, whether it's sexual harassment, right? Like if they know how to code, they can build tools that are going to help solve problems that are faced by women and girls.

Yeah, and you're working on this now. Also, like the things that they're going to create, like bullying, right? Like what are they doing on these problems that they experience, right? Whether it's bullying, whether it's health, whether it's sexual harassment, right? Like if they know how to code, they can build tools that are going to help solve problems that are faced by women and girls.

So, okay. I thought nonprofits are slow. They don't get anything done. Like nothing happens. Like it's just, it's not for me. Right. Like I want to be where the action is. I want to be where the real change is. So I ran Girls Who Code and now Moms First like a tech company. Oh, interesting.

So, okay. I thought nonprofits are slow. They don't get anything done. Like nothing happens. Like it's just, it's not for me. Right. Like I want to be where the action is. I want to be where the real change is. So I ran Girls Who Code and now Moms First like a tech company. Oh, interesting.

Big scale, big numbers, hard driving, big change, KPIs, destination where we want to go with like essentially like a nonprofit lens. So it was always kind of like unicorns and rainbows. I'll be honest. Right. Like sometimes you have an idea and the world just changes. collides to make that happen. And so Girls Who Code was a little like that, right?

Big scale, big numbers, hard driving, big change, KPIs, destination where we want to go with like essentially like a nonprofit lens. So it was always kind of like unicorns and rainbows. I'll be honest. Right. Like sometimes you have an idea and the world just changes. collides to make that happen. And so Girls Who Code was a little like that, right?

From the beginning, people like, oh, yeah, this needs to exist.

From the beginning, people like, oh, yeah, this needs to exist.

How do you get funders? So here's the thing. I very early on at Girls Who Code got Jack Dorsey to support it. And back then, everybody was like, oh, Jack's doing it? Great. And I'll say with Moms First, it was you. Like very early on, you were like, oh, paid leave? This movement? Moms? Yes. And I think the thing is for people and entrepreneurs, it does help to get an early adopter. Hmm.

How do you get funders? So here's the thing. I very early on at Girls Who Code got Jack Dorsey to support it. And back then, everybody was like, oh, Jack's doing it? Great. And I'll say with Moms First, it was you. Like very early on, you were like, oh, paid leave? This movement? Moms? Yes. And I think the thing is for people and entrepreneurs, it does help to get an early adopter. Hmm.

especially one that people admire and that people want to follow and see as a guidepost. And so, yeah, for Girls Who Code, it was really Jack. And for Moms First, it was you and Melinda.

especially one that people admire and that people want to follow and see as a guidepost. And so, yeah, for Girls Who Code, it was really Jack. And for Moms First, it was you and Melinda.

That's a good tip. All right. I'm taking that one to the bank.

That's a good tip. All right. I'm taking that one to the bank.

So, you know, I... knew it was time to step away from Girls Who Code. One, because I actually don't think anyone should run anything for more than eight years. And then two, this energy I was feeling around motherhood and Moms First and this need to fight for childcare and paid leave, like there was something I knew that I wanted to do.

So, you know, I... knew it was time to step away from Girls Who Code. One, because I actually don't think anyone should run anything for more than eight years. And then two, this energy I was feeling around motherhood and Moms First and this need to fight for childcare and paid leave, like there was something I knew that I wanted to do.