For #InternationalWomensDay, we asked our founder @jowaddington for her top 3 pieces of advice for #femalefounders working in tech.

This year’s @internationalwomensday_global day theme is: Innovation and technology for gender equality.

Women’s underrepresentation in STEM careers is a major barrier to their participation in tech design and governance – women make up only 22% of artificial intelligence workers globally. At the same time, digital technology is opening new doors for women, girls and marginalised groups 💪🏽

Read Jo’s 3 pieces of advice below:

• Hustle, Hustle, Hustle. Never underestimate the power of collaboration. Create a broad network. It does not matter what event or situation you are in, always be ready to make new friends and connections. These are contacts who can introduce you to potential investors, mentors, partners and fellow founders.
• Values. Running your own business is brilliant if you find a way of staying true to your values. There weren’t that many businesses that I thought really represented my vision of fashion innovation, circularity and community so I founded StyleSwap.
• Funding. Amongst the many moments of exhilaration, funding is like dating. Securing early-stage investment for startups can require a lot of resilience. Never be afraid to be confident in your business and put yourself forward in a male dominated industry. Never stop learning, and find the people that are going to support you on your journey.