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发表于 2019-5-7 15:41:52
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3.不要置身事外
社交在硅谷很重要,而即使在今天,硅谷92%的风险投资合伙人都是男性。女性需要找到一种与人建立联系和关系的方式。被人喜欢是一种财富。
索尼娅·柏金斯受邀去太阳谷参加银行界某次社交活动时,她才二十来岁,刚被任命为门罗风投(Menlo Ventures)的新合伙人,这场活动是由蒙哥马利证券公司(Montgomery Securities)及托马斯·维塞尔合伙公司(Thomas Weisel Partners)的创始人托马斯·维塞尔举办的。除了以妻子或女友等身份出席活动的女眷外,索尼娅是少数几个受到邀请的女性之一。那天,她正在小屋里吃午餐时,维塞尔走到她身边宣布:“索尼娅,我把你加进去了——你要参加比赛。”当天下午要举行一场高山滑雪比赛。
索尼娅之前的人生中一共只滑过十几次雪,她很快就站到了陡峭冰冷的山坡上,感觉就像圣诞怪杰格林奇的狗麦克斯一样,看着白雪覆盖的悬崖,内心十分肯定不会有什么好结果。她的竞争对手包括前奥林匹克滑雪运动员以及前海豹突击队员,维塞尔喜欢招募这一类的人转行当银行家。轮到索尼娅时,她从山上滑下,速度不快却专注而稳定。等她成功着陆时,维塞尔给她竖了个大拇指。那天晚上吃饭时,索尼娅得到了餐厅里最令人垂涎的座位,这是每一个有上进心的银行家都希望得到的座位——挨着维塞尔坐。正如索尼娅所说:“如果你不参加比赛,你永远无法获胜。”
3. Don’t sit on the sidelines.
Networking is key in Silicon Valley, where even today, 92% of all venture capital investing partners are men. Women need to find a way to bond and connect. Being liked is a currency.
Sonja Perkins was a newly named twentysomething partner at Menlo Ventures when she was invited to a banking boondoggle in Sun Valley, held by Thom Weisel, the founder of Montgomery Securities and Thomas Weisel Partners. Sonja was one of only a few women other than wives or girlfriends to be invited. She was in the lodge enjoying lunch when Weisel approached and announced, “Sonja, I signed you up—you’re in the race.” The downhill skiing race was being held that afternoon.
Sonja, who had skied maybe a dozen times in her life, was soon on the steep and icy slopes, feeling like the Grinch’s dog Max looking over the snowy precipice, certain this would not end well. She was competing against former Olympic skiers and Navy seals, guys Weisel liked to recruit to turn into bankers. When it was Sonja’s turn, she took off down the hill, focusing on slow and steady. When she made it to the bottom, Weisel gave her a thumbs-up. That night, Sonja got the most coveted seat in the dining room, a place where all the sharp-elbowed bankers wanted to be—right next to Weisel. As Sonja says, “You can’t win if you don’t play the game.” |
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