Having lived in the NYC area for over 15 years, I considered it multicultural and diverse until I moved to Silicon Valley. I've met people from all over the world in SV; the cream of the crop where engineers permeate every aspect of the local ecosystem and where innovation lives at a level I've never experienced. Another notable difference in SV, in contrast to the NYC area where there are 200,000 more women than men, is how the male population fully influences the local culture and trends. At the gym the majority of the channels featured are programmed to sports; at events or local meet-ups, the ratio of male to female participation is 75% and 25% respectively; on the streets of Mountain View or Cupertino, it's always a stream of men walking together with few women in the mix; in fashion, most women dress casually, reflecting a dress code more similar to a geek squad verses couture.
On a personal note, 100% of all my SV job interviews have been with men. More recently, I interviewed with eight men for a Senior Director of PR position for a streaming radio network. They're interest focused on growing their female base of listeners. Ultimately, they chose to add yet another male to the team. This made me wonder, has local leadership become so comfortable with its "own" type that seeking out qualified female candidates is no longer a priority? More than likely not since SV has already proven itself to be exemplary in building great products and businesses.
However, as a woman, I still think it's important to simply highlight why it's critical to have qualified women on your team. As stated in the book, "Women Want More:" women account for 64% of the $18.4 trillion spent annually on consumer goods around the world; women in the US control 73% of all household spending; women also already control half the wealth in the United States. Recognition of the rise of the female economy is an important insight to evaluate when planning a company's business development growth strategy. The quintessential staff is one that equally represents both genders and the various cultures and demographics of today's population. Through diversity, the best brands and products can be developed which reflect all the important echelons of society.
Food for thought....
