Jennifer Cloer is the CEO & co-founder reTHINKit Media and Executive Producer of The Chasing Grace Project, which is one of the most powerful documentary series showcasing the challenges of women in tech.

Early in her life, Jennifer discovered the power of storytelling to bring struggles to life. She spent the first part of her career working in the agency world supporting many of the world’s top venture-capital backed open source companies, and she also helped Google launch their first Google I/O developer conference. She then joined the Linux Foundation where she led their content and communications initiatives.

But Jennifer had a burning desire to build her own firm to work on projects that mattered deeply to her. And when she learned there were fewer women in tech today than thirty years ago, she was shocked, scared, and angry. As she says, “There’s never been a more important time to have everyone at the table - women and all minorities from every corner of the world - contributing to technology because of trends like AI and ML. We all need to be informing these systems or we risk living in an even less inclusive world.”

In this episode, Jennifer shares how The Chasing Grace project came together and the challenges women in tech from all over the world are facing. She also discusses how organizations can participate in screenings of this important documentary to help raise awareness and create even greater impact.

This is the story of an amazing person’s drive to make a difference in so many lives.

https://anthonysdesk.com/jennifer-cloer-bringing-struggles-to-life-through-the-power-of-story/

Early in his life, Chris Cera knew he wanted to build his own business. But when he completed his undergraduate degree from Drexel University, starting his own company was the farthest thing from his mind. In this episode, we hear from Chris about what it took for him to make the leap out of the corporate world (GlaxoSmithKline, Traffic.com) and into the realm of startups.

Chris talks about the idea of moonlighting as a way to ease the transition into entrepreneurship. And he discusses what it means for him to be an entrepreneur and how he parsed through all the “entreporn” (coined by the supremely talented Amy Hoy, it’s the fetishizing of all things entrepreneurship).

Chris also shares the backstory of the founding of one of the most successful and impactful startup communities - Philly Startup Leaders. Chris openly shares his learnings, including his biggest failure lesson - as well as his desire to create intentional experiences to help move people.

https://anthonysdesk.com/chris-cera-entrepreneurial-journey-lessons-learned-and-creating-intentional-experiences/

I had the pleasure of interviewing Tracey Welson-Rossman - entrepreneur, executive, and advocate - on my podcast. Tracey has done so much for both the startup scene in Philadelphia as well as inspiring and cultivating young women in tech. Tracey shares her journey and lessons learned along the way.

https://anthonysdesk.com/tracey-welson-rossman-cultivating-communities-and-people/

Nancy Belmont (Personal coach; Courage Wall creator) and Anthony discuss Nancy’s initiatives to touch lives and make a difference.

https://anthonysdesk.com/nancy-belmont-mission-to-empower-and-inspire-others/

Elizabeth Galbut (SoGal Ventures co-founder) and I discuss entrepreneurship, venture capital, women empowerment, gender equality, and startup investing. In high-school, Elizabeth had perfect math SAT scores. And she was a mathlete. Yet not a single person in her network – including guidance counselors – suggested she pursue a degree in engineering or computer science. Why?… 

https://anthonysdesk.com/elizabeth-galbut-mission-to-make-a-difference/

Diana Lovett, Founder & CEO of Cisse Chocolate, built an extraordinary company – both in its mission and execution. In this episode, Anthony had the pleasure of speaking with Diana and hearing about her experiences, lessons learned, and tips for effectively scaling a business – one whose products you can find on the shelves of… 

https://anthonysdesk.com/diana-lovett-and-the-chocolate-factory-lessons-building-a-social-mission-chocolate-co/

It’s the age old question about leading a rewarding life: What makes you happy? In this episode I detail my experiences answering this question and provide a framework for choosing happiness.

https://anthonysdesk.com/what-makes-you-happy/

Do you prefer being a full-time employee or working as a freelancer / consultant? Is one a better choice than the other? Which is right for you? Great questions. In this episode, I walk through the differences and what it takes to get started as an independent consultant.

https://anthonysdesk.com/freelancing-vs-full-time-which-is-better-a-framework-for-choosing/