Hi all

Another perspective on work choices is working in a small start-up. After I left Lucent I went to work as an officer in a high tech start-up in Texas. I was the only woman officer (out of 7 officers) and there were only ten women, including one secretary, in a 60 person business. I felt like I had gone back in time, twenty years.

Since I was very experienced and mature (that is, old) I was treated as one of the guys and respected as a leader in the business. But the atmosphere was much harder than in a big corporation. (Our CTO, a single guy, spent all his time at night at Hooters. It is fair to say I was not part of the out of the office socializing--I could have been, but life was too short to do that...)

I think this is why the studies say women are starting their own businesses and leave the corporate track. What do you all think? From many of the postings, everyone seems to agree how hard running your own business is-- is it better than the alternative?


Kathy (from ninewomen)