Dismissed in business conversations?

[ginny]

Mel,

Um... I am guessing you have spent some time in academia / post docs? I totally agree. That's why I opted for the MS the first time around.

Nope, what I am really hoping is that we get lots of SBIR and STTR money and maybe some private money and make a new and cool company doing what I love with people I really like. I am SO stoked about the prospect of being involved in starting this new company. I am ever so stoked to have a long-term job prospect that I am creating for myself in a relatively small town. I hope we are successful (my advisor has a track record of being successful), and I hope that when we eventaully sell, the big company that buys us leaves us here. I know this sounds like a pipe-dream, but he (my advisor) did it once, so let's hope it works a second time.

Yes, I like the idea of making money on the prospect, but I REALLY like the idea of creating a niche for myself outside of academia and outside of a government lab. Mel, add that to your list of places not to go - except the CDC, they are pretty good. In the mean time, I suppose I have to learn how to be a grown up at some point (have I mentioned I'm 35!!!????)

[tangentgirl]

Nope, what I am really hoping is that we get lots of SBIR and STTR money and maybe some private money and make a new and cool company doing what I love with people I really like. I am SO stoked about the prospect of being involved in starting this new company.

Look at this as practice. If you are eventually starting your own business and asking people for money, then knowing how to jump into these conversations and not be dismissed will be a useful tool for you. Polish it now (without getting pulled into the gossip), and it will be much easier later.

[tc1]

I used to dis all of this networking stuff, too. I work in a field that used to be all male, and is still mostly male. I finally figured out, that you have to talk to these guys. Stand next to them whenever they form their little groups, and ask questions. Eventually the hardest part will be getting them to shut up and let you talk.

I gotta tell ya, if you thought as I did, that working with more women would be easier, you are wrong. We have more women in our workgroup now, and they have created so much strife and discontent through drama, that I am completely disillusioned and depressed. The latest is one woman screamed swear words at one of the men, then she complained to HR and lied about it, and HR is completely taking her side. Give me the old boys any day, they at least have the grace to apologize when they say something really crass and stupid.

[Mr. Bloom]

I work in a field that used to be all male, and is still mostly male.

Me too! I THOUGHT! But this thread prompted me to take note of something I hadn't noticed in my own office building.

My building houses the revenue areas for my company. We have 22 employees in the building, 14 of them are professional staff and 8 are adminstrative. Of the professional staff, 10 are women and 4 are men!

In banking, my casual observation is that the professional staff is usually 50/50 femaie/male...but it shifted in my own office...and I didn't even notice...

No wonder I'm comfortable on TE!