Orlando Tech Community’s Post

📢 VOTING CLOSES TOMORROW so don’t delay! Vote for Flip the Focus to appear at SXSW Sydney this year. ⏰ It takes less than 1 minute - just register on the link below then search for ‘Flip the Focus’ in the Search bar 🔍 or Tech stream, and vote for Flip the Focus. 🗣️ it’s your chance to help bring our amazing panellists, Clare Nash, Head of Marketing APAC at Snapchat; Noga Edelstein, Venture Partner at Black Nova VC; Steven Miller, COO, Microsoft Asia; & Host, me, on stage to: ✅ Understand lived experiences in Australian tech; ✅ Discover the funding conundrum and how to flip it; ✅ Learn what we need to change – and what to accept won’t change, yet; & ✅ Get tools to help flip the focus; All through the lens of amplifying women's voices.  REGISTER and VOTE TODAY to help us Flip the Focus: https://lnkd.in/gV9fUfp4 Gif by Liz Harry

Contemplating on details because I know I’m building something bigger than me. And I deeply care about my customers I want to make sure this first iteration brings them value on minute 1. Female tech founders (who are new to my page), are you open to connecting? I want to learn from you! Doesn’t matter if you’re at the idea stage or growing past $1M or even $10M in revenue. Hit me up! —- I’m Nomiki, founder of PDS Lab (and a new one to be announced), with a mission to change the system for women building tech and bring them access to what they need to survive and thrive. Follow me on my journey as I disrupt the ecosystem and shift the narrative for women tech founders.

Empowering other women to succeed is the key to breaking barriers in leadership. Such an inspiring event hosted by Microsoft and Better Together, focusing on starting discussions around how women can support each other in their leadership journeys and build a path to success! ⭐

It’s painful to read these women’s stories and the statistics that show how much work is still needed to achieve gender equity in tech. These stats in particular are sobering: ▪️In 2024, startups with at least one female founder have raised just 18.6% of U.S. venture investment. ▪️Women in C-Suite roles in the S&P Global Total Market Index declined in 2023 for the first time since S&P began tracking the data. ▪️Tech layoffs in 2022 and 2023 disproportionately impacted women. We cannot move backward. That much I’m sure of. Amid all the setbacks, here’s what I’m choosing to focus on instead: ▪️The things I can control, like how I show up as a leader and the work I can do to create opportunities for women and other underrepresented groups on my teams. ▪️The countless brilliant, talented women I have the privilege to work with every day. It’s a tough environment right now, and I’m continuously inspired by how the women in my orbit make an impact every single day. At first, I was dismayed reading this article. But thinking about these two things has left me feeling energized and determined. Let’s all keep moving, keep pushing boundaries, and - most importantly - keep talking about this. You can read the article here: https://bit.ly/3A320CC

✨ Welcome to RUMA Collective! ✨ Hello LinkedIn! We are thrilled to officially introduce RUMA Collective, a Black Feminist Creative Services Agency committed to empowering Black and Brown creatives through coaching, healthcare navigation, operational support, and financial literacy programs. We're about to hit 1 years old, welcome to our journey! At RUMA, we believe that art is more than just creation—it’s a catalyst for social change, economic empowerment, and collective healing. Yet, we know that creatives from marginalized communities often face systemic barriers to success, including limited access to resources, healthcare, and operational support. We’re here to change that. 🎯 Our Mission We are dedicated to uplifting the economic futures of Black and Brown artists by providing them with the tools, resources, and knowledge they need to build sustainable businesses and thrive holistically. Our programs support creatives across multiple intersections, including those who are queer, trans, femme, mothers, immigrants, neurodivergent, or disabled. 💼 What We Offer Operational Support & Capacity Building: Providing hands on project management, contract negotiation, and leadership development for unique projects. Financial Coaching & Business Support: Helping artists gain financial literacy and grow sustainable creative enterprises. Healthcare Access & Navigation: Guiding members through healthcare systems to ensure their well-being. Health Equity Approach: A holistic approach for our community to thrive. 💬 Join Us on this Journey! If you believe in the power of art, equity, and community care, follow us to stay updated on our programs, success stories, and opportunities for collaboration. Let’s build an inclusive creative economy where Black and Brown creatives can thrive unapologetically. 🔗 Follow us and connect! We are excited to share our work, spark new conversations, and foster a network of bold creators, changemakers, and allies. Welcome to the RUMA community—we’re glad you’re here. #RUMACollective #BlackCreatives #CreativeEconomy #SocialImpact #FinancialLiteracy #HealthcareAccess #OperationalSupport #BlackFeministLeadership #ArtBusiness #RUMACommunity

🌟 Startmate Women Fellowship Week 6 Wrap-Up 🌟 💫 Last week I caught up with my squad over lunch. It was so nice to connect in person, reflecting on our experiences in the program and discussing opportunities ahead. 🪰 You know those conversations where you wish you had taken notes? Last week I learned about an app called Fireflies.ai. When you feel like you want to revisit a conversation, turn on the app and it will automatically transcribe and summarise for you. That way you won’t lose those nuggets of wisdom or big ideas. 👷🏽♀️ Camille Goldstone-Henry shared her lessons learned as a founder at a Women Founders Guide session. My key take-away: as a founder you have to get comfortable with communicating big visions. You shouldn’t downplay your ambition and vision. Instead think: how big can this become?

🚨 Last chance to vote for Flip the Focus to appear at SXSW Sydney this year! 📢 Please help us tell more tech stories, from more voices, and vote for Flip the Focus to appear this year. ⏰ It takes less than 1 minute - Register on the link below then search for ‘Flip the Focus’ in the search bar or Tech stream, and vote for Flip the Focus. 🗣️ Join Panellists, Clare Nash, Head of Marketing APAC at Snapchat; Noga Edelstein, Venture Partner at Black Nova VC; Steven Miller, COO, Microsoft Asia, & Host, Jen Dobbie, CD at Hotwire Australia, to: ✅ Understand lived experiences in Australian tech; ✅ Discover the funding conundrum and how to flip it; ✅ Learn what we need to change – and what to accept won’t change, yet; & ✅ Get tools to help you flip the focus; All through the lens of amplifying women's voices.  REGISTER and VOTE here to help us Flip the Focus: https://lnkd.in/gV9fUfp4

No 'humblebrag' intended here, folks. I'm sharing this post because it truly brightened up my rainy soggy Thursday! A big thank you to Anna Patarino for her kind words. Anna, your gesture means a lot to me. I'd like to take a moment to emphasize the importance of what Anna did, and why we should all strive to do more of it for one another, whether as mentors, friends, colleagues, or thought leaders. While I have a deep appreciation for technology, considering it almost like a love language, I can't help but feel that we've allowed it prominence over the human element in our workplaces, conference and Zoom Rooms. Reflecting on a recent insightful conversation with Jill Lehman, CPC, ELI-MP a CHRO Executive Coach, we discussed how PEOPLE, not things, are the true and most valuable assets of any organization. How we acknowledge and support our employees and colleagues can profoundly impact the success of a brand or product. Or it's demise. Yet, it seems we've grown somewhat stingy with recognition, often brushing it off as mere sentimentality, instead of recognizing its POWER to foster happiness among employees, which in turn fuels innovation. In short: Recognition can be a catalyst for innovation. I hope this serves as a reminder that celebrating and honoring others not a granola-crunchy thing, but instills a sense of pride in employees and their work. And bottom line for those Cees sweating the balance sheet, that means you get more good stuff from employees and colleagues. #recognitionispower #recognitionfuelsinnovation #celebrateothers #valueknowledge

Last chance to vote for Flip the Focus to appear at SXSW Sydney this year! Voting closes on Monday. 📢 Please help us tell more tech stories, from more voices, and vote for Flip the Focus to appear this year. ⏰ It takes less than 1 minute - please, Register on the link below then search for ‘Flip the Focus’ in the search bar or Tech stream, and vote for Flip the Focus. 🗣️ Join Panellists, Clare Nash, Head of Marketing APAC at Snapchat; Noga Edelstein, Venture Partner at Black Nova VC; Steven Miller, COO, Microsoft Asia, & Host, Jen Dobbie, CD at Hotwire Australia, to: ✅ Understand lived experiences in Australian tech; ✅ Discover the funding conundrum and how to flip it; ✅ Learn what we need to change – and what to accept won’t change, yet; & ✅ Get tools to help you flip the focus; All through the lens of amplifying women's voices.  REGISTER and VOTE here to help us Flip the Focus: https://lnkd.in/gV9fUfp4

We Black people are geniuses, we are so creative, we have so many different skills but when you talk about unlocking your genius and in the way we light up, we have to let AI and other technology tools help us with the rest,” said Alexa Turnage. A futurist technology movement is gaining momentum, one Saturday at a time in Detroit’s start-up community. Alexa and Johnnie Turnage, co-founders of Black Tech Saturdays, have made it their mission to bridge the gap in tech education and access. The innovative husband-and-wife duo is helping redefine how technology intersects with community empowerment for Black and Brown users. The development of a tech-focused meeting space addresses the digital divide across underserved communities, where access to high-speed internet and STEM education remains a challenge. "Technology is crucial to closing these gaps," Johnnie Turnage noted. "It's not just about catching up, it's about leading and innovating." In a world driven by technology, initiatives like #BlackTechSaturdays are not just transforming communities but also inspiring a new generation of tech leaders who are unapologetically Black and brilliant. As Johnnie aptly put it, "We're not just building businesses, we're building a legacy of innovation and empowerment." Kianga J. Moore EBONY Media 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 https://lnkd.in/gdHXtK8x #BlackTechSaturdays #keepgoing #strongertogether #togetherwecan #Bridgethedivide #ClosetheGap #creativeeconomy #Ebony #Detroit #Baltimore #Houston #Miami #Lansing #BlackExcellence #BlackLove #BlackJoy #BlackInTech #LatinxInTech #WomenInTech #DiversityInTech #Entrepreneurship #Founders #tech