Zulma Y. Terrones, MPhil’s Post

🎉The holiday party season is in full swing! 🎄 🌁 San Francisco is buzzing with incredible events and opportunities to connect with the founder and tech community, and this holiday season has been no exception! 🌃 One standout gathering for me was the final Women Tech Meetup of the year held a couple of weeks ago at the Netherlands Consulate in San Francisco by Dasha Shunina and Fidelity Private Shares. 🚀 Not only was the festive spirit palpable, but this immigrant edition brought together a diverse group of exceptionally talented female founders and strong supporters. The dynamic panel of female leaders shared inspiring stories of their personal journeys and how this has shaped their careers and entrepreneurial paths. ⭐️🌟 Some key highlights: - Annija Eizenarma, partner at Sprintly Partners and mentor at Techstars, dove into the journey of rebuilding networks and personal branding in a new city and country. She highlighted the challenges of navigating language, culture, and norms while creating meaningful connections. - Kristy Kim, CEO at TomoCredit, emphasized the critical role of credit in American culture and the doors that remain closed without it. - Agnes Koppelman, Deputy Head of Mission at the Netherlands Consulate in San Francisco, offered valuable insights on navigating American culture as an immigrant founder raising funds. She noted the stark differences in communication styles, particularly how U.S. “politeness” often lacks the directness understood in other cultures, which can lead to ambiguity and confusion for immigrant founders. - Assel Tuleubayeva, co-founder of Alma, shared insights on the process of getting an O-1 visa for individuals with extraordinary ability or achievement. She reflected on how personal perceptions of “extraordinary” can differ from the government’s criteria. 💫 Thank you again, Dasha Shunina and Fidelity Private Shares, for putting together such a memorable event! Special thanks to the panel, Agnes Koppelman, Annija Eizenarma, Kristy Kim, and Assel Tuleubayeva for the time and insights ✨ and to Kevin Mei for the great pics! 📸 It was great to meet so many talented women— excited for the next one! 🌟