How Can Women Succeed in Blockchain

Ahead of International Women’s Day, some of the leading women in the blockchain industry share their secrets for success.

Of all the areas in tech right now, blockchain, the technology behind Bitcoin, Ethereum and countless other disruptive new applications, offers the best hope for true gender equality. It is a new, young community with enormous momentum, fostering an ethos of inclusion, decentralized authority, wealth and knowledge sharing and a level playing field for all.

Whilst women are still underrepresented in blockchain and horror stories like the infamous North American Bitcoin Conference afterparty in a Miami strip club do occasionally emerge, there is a genuine feeling in the community that there is still time to nip this in the bud and build an industry rooted in gender equality.

In fact, blockchain is crying out for brilliant, fearless women to join the revolution. Whether at the technology level, or in investing, marketing or business development. There are already a significant number of networking groups dedicated to educating and encouraging women to participate. My own company, CryptoFriends, is dedicating one of the two days of our blockchain summit at this year’s SXSW to women in blockchain with an event called ‘New Girls on the Block.’  

I regularly meet many women around the world who are crypto-curious, but aren’t sure how they can contribute, especially if they don’t know too much about blockchain already. Luckily there is a huge pool of women already succeeding in the space who can provide their secrets for success.

Find some strong mentors – male or female

Anu Bhardwaj is a serial investor and the Founder of Women Investing in Women Digital, the State of Women radio and TV network and the Qrypto Queens community:

“I feel like blockchain is all about being in the know. So you need to find people who have complementary interests or strengths so you can take your investing or your entrepreneurial initiatives to the next level. So, whether it’s with people who are co-investing with you, or just explaining the tech, that has really helped me because they are guiding me and encouraging me to look at different aspects. And women shouldn’t just look to other women either. At this moment we don’t have that many experts who are women, therefore we’re going to need to include men more than ever. They want to be included, we need to include them and, if you give them a chance, we’ll have men who identify as women and men who believe in advancing women as our greatest champions.”

Build you network and always be genuine

Siddhi Trivedi has been involved in breakthrough tech for over 30 years. She is an advisor, investor, TEDx director and the CMO of ProofWork Health, a blockchain-based system for securely storing and transparently sharing patient data in the healthcare system:

“The secret to success in blockchain is simple: You work collaboratively, you be open and build trust with your community. That is the real secret to building strong resilient value propositions in blockchain. The more open, transparent and collaborative you are in your approach, I think that is the secret to building successful blockchain applications.”

Don’t be afraid to take risks

Women are typically more risk averse. As a newbie, the world of blockchain and cryptocurrencies can be intimidating, filled with alien terminology and yes, an awful lot of men. But even if you currently think a ‘hard fork’ is a particularly solid piece of cutlery, there’s no reason to shy away from giving it a go.

Anu Bhardwaj ignored the naysayers and decided to take the plunge into investing in cryptocurrencies less than a year ago:

“The secret to my success is that I take a lot of risks. The best thing is to just get started and not worry where things are going to go. You can invest in small tickets. There’s nothing to say you need tons of money. That’s not what this is about. It’s about getting started at the most basic level. There’s this feeling women have that they need to know everything before they engage, but that’s not the case. They can start reading and learning now. But if they want to see their money grow and multiply they can start by finding groups that they invest with. I’m a huge advocate for that and it builds confidence.”

So the key moment on your journey is to be adventurous and experimental. Alexandra Korneva co-founder at  Hapax – PR, marketing and video-production agency specializing on blockchain and fintech: “The blockchain industry is famous for its fickleness. Therefore, you have to be prepared to change your planned direction at the drop of a hat because in a month it could be history. Blockchain is not about some far future, it’s a technology of the present moment.”

Eugenia Ovcharenko, another founder at Hapax agency shares an idea that the future is ready to be our present:  “To move forward we need to be able to have a discourse on a complicated topic in a reasonable and understandable way. Those who are spreading the idea that blockchain as a technology is inaccessible to the general public must open their minds and admit how influential it has become for the international market. It is at the heart of the fourth industrial revolution and is symbiotic with the development of a potential universal standard of living. We have to understand that it is unwise to hinder its growth and we must step aside to allow it to stimulate innovation and bring about a brighter future.”

Be confident and know your worth

Jessica VerSteeg is the CEO of Paragon Coin, a platform that uses blockchain provide transparency and regulatory solutions to the cannabis industry:

“No matter what anyone tries to tell you, remember that you have something unique to offer. Do not underestimate that to be successful, it’s crucial that you learn to like and to love yourself. Having this self-awareness, understanding precisely what you bring to the table, and having the confidence to carry it through to the end will ultimately help you navigate the workplace more effectively.

“You can be confident, savvy, and successful, but it starts with knowing who you are, what you’re worth, and the uniqueness you have to offer. Believing in your ideas, no matter how crazy they might seem, is integral to achieving any of your goals.  Confidence and knowing your self-worth is critical.”

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Disclaimer: This article should not be taken as, and is not intended to provide, investment advice. Global Coin Report and/or its affiliates, employees, writers, and subcontractors are cryptocurrency investors and from time to time may or may not have holdings in some of the coins or tokens they cover. Please conduct your own thorough research before investing in any cryptocurrency. Please conduct your own thorough research before investing in any cryptocurrency and read our full disclaimer.