Disengaging, Lina Khan, Nigerian female founders, Eva Longoria
I'm Calling Bullsh*t!, Women in Tech, A Hyping Hand + Unplug from Tech
🔥Enough to be Dangerous
Talk tech, don’t code it, so you can talk about all kinds of other stuff.
Stay Savvy
Curated links and commentary at the intersection of tech, business, and culture.
I’m Calling Bullsh*t!
Things that make me roll my eyes and/or be annoyed at tech
I realized I took the bait from the New York Times and was feeding right into internet outrage culture. So I’ve removed the link this week and will instead use this as a PSA to stop and reflect on anything you read online that inspires a heavy-handed emotion and ask yourself “Do I need to feel this way, or can I click out and not engage?” Retweeting or resharing just extends the reach.
Women in Tech
Noteworthy things from those with uteri
Amazon’s Antitrust Paradox by Lina Khan
My notes on this paper are available here.
Lina Khan is the youngest-ever chairperson of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) who is making headlines for taking on Big Tech and redefining monopoly for the digital twenty-first century. In the discourse surrounding Khan you’ll find many references to her landmark legal paper, Amazon’s Antitrust Paradox in the Yale Law Journal. Give it a gander! You’ll walk away better able formulate your opinions about anti-competition, the downsides of Get-Big-Fast, and the power of platform markets. Or perhaps with a new take on the defense of your recently renewed Prime subscription (whine I may, but I’m not above it all.)
Fun fact: I went to the same high school as Lina Khan! I’m miffed that the Wikipedia page for Mamaroneck High School doesn’t list her under Notable Alumni, but at least Kevin and Matt Dillon are covered!
A Hyping Hand
Things or people in tech that deserve a hyping hand
Women in boots: Nigeria female founders share their bootstrapping experience from TechCabal
As a woman bootstrapping my own business, I love this round up of Nigerian startup founders who did the same. Each one of them eventually did raise money, but with strategy and intentionality when the time came - they’re all building software or tech-powered companies from payments to transport that ultimately need an outside injection of capital. While not everyone has the luxury of being able to bootstrap or bootstrap not by choice but because they’re shut out of VC funding* … if you can and it works for your business, it’s a great way to maintain control over your business, your direction, and move slowly and not break (as) many things.
*The funding for female and non-white founders in the US hovered somewhere around 1.9% each in 2022. Like, what? Read the full numbers on Sifted.
Unplug from tech
Not tech-related, but fodder for more stimulating small talk or captivating an audience.
Aging with Isabel Allende on Connections with Eva Longoria
Eva Longoria was always my favorite Housewife, so I was thrilled to discover outside TV she’s thoughtful and curious and loves talking about culture, feminism, and technology. I also love her genuine spunk and raucous laugh.
This episode features Isabel Allende, a Chilean author who has written 27 books since the age of 40. Now 80, she’s got a number of insightful things to say about the aging process that can provide perspective at any age. Many of Allende’s books take place in California or are tinged with magical realism, and if you happen to be looking for a female-led ride through Gold Rush era San Francisco, I loved Daughter of Fortune.
In Case You Missed It
Last week’s Technical Underbelly: Data Centers
That’s all for now. Thanks for reading!
Up next week, it’s Stay Savvy - curated links and commentary at the intersection of tech, business, and culture.
Alice Egan, Founder & Educator, SaaS Savvy.
I teach B2B SaaS salespeople the technical SaaS + cloud concepts they need to sell SaaS smarter + talk tech with confidence. Learn about my online course.