Karen White

Are we helping or hurting? That is a question many residents of San Francisco ask ourselves in the midst of a stark and increasing equity gap. As a parent, community member, and incoming board member of the Horizons at San Francisco Friends School, I’m keenly aware of the potential learning loss our public school students in the Mission District experience in the summer months without our support. Our city is undergoing another crisis - looming budget cuts threaten vital programs like Horizons at SFFS that provide equitable learning for Mission youth. We urgently need your support to secure bridge funding and ensure our summer enrichment continues. Our scholars and families are relying on Horizons' high-quality academics and social-emotional growth.  Horizons has been successfully leveraging the months when students are out of school to stem summer learning loss for children in San Francisco for ~10 years. The program has also intentionally increased impact by supporting their scholars through their educational journey during the school year and into High School. Last year, Horizons impacted 150+ scholars with targeted small classroom instruction, confidence-building, and joyful community enrichment experiences- thanks to our dedicated summer education workforce. But we can't continue without you. Please join me in supporting Horizons at SFFS today to expand partnerships, engage more crisis-impacted families, and grow our supportive community stronger. In past years, the SF Department of Children, Youth and Families has been a partner to increase access to education for our students. This summer, as we face a potential 40% loss to our summer program due to DCYF funding cuts that have impacted so many vital programs in our city, we’ve decided to celebrate Horizons Giving Day, the whole month of May. Please join me in our movement - your gift saves the summer for San Francisco scholars and helps bridge the educational equity gap in our city. Let’s help together. In gratitude, friendship and community, Aneesha #GiveTheGiftofSummer #SparkPassions #HorizonsGivingDay https://lnkd.in/gJAYnibC Links for reference: Horizons at SFFS: https://lnkd.in/gfsdugDX Impact Report: https://lnkd.in/gZc2jn85 Press Release on DCYF Loss of Funding: https://lnkd.in/gNprpSyB

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When you're co-founding a business, working through challenges in a healthy way requires having intentional conversations *before* the **** hits the fan. Here, Anita Hossain and Rei Wang, co-founders of The Grand, share their conversational strategy: https://bit.ly/3Q3Etq8

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Bay Area tech founders with ADHD, how would you like to spend a whole day each month working on your business and yourself with the support of an experienced executive ADHD coach and a group of like-minded individuals? If you’re curious about what it might look like and how it might benefit you, shoot me a DM or text MASTERMIND to (833) 230-5150 #adhd #entrepreneurship #founders #bayarea #siliconvalley

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Teresa is an author, speaker, entrepreneur, and technology executive with over 15 years of overseeing global product and user experience teams. Teresa has diverse experience leading product management, product design, research, strategy, and innovation for digital solutions and as a consultant for startup technology firms. Teresa is the Director of Product, UX, and Design at TreviPay, where she drives vision, strategy, and UX for multiple FinTech products and teams. She is the Founder of Lucid Startup Consulting where she coaches startups and serves as an advisor for Central Exchange, a women’s nonprofit, and DevStride, a project and portfolio management solution. Teresa is the instructor of the highest-rated and bestseller course for design sprints on Udemy, 2-Hour Design Sprints: Learn how to solve problems and design products in just 2 hours vs. 5 days using Figma FigJam. Her book Solving Problems in 2 Hours: How to Brainstorm and Create Solutions with Two-Hour Design Sprints released in April 2023 is a Best Seller and #1 New Release in Business Technology Innovation Books. Teresa regularly speaks at conferences on design thinking, customer experience, and product innovation. Teresa received a prestigious Emerging Scholar Award in 2023 from the International Conference on Design Principles and Practices including presenting her research "Putting Into Practice Evolving Design Thinking Methods at Technology Firms: The Evolution To 2-Hour Design Sprints.” She was also a 2022 Women in IT Summit & Award Series Finalist for Advocate of the Year. Teresa has completed many certifications during her career in product, customer experience, agile, project management, and process management including Pragmatic Marketing Certified III ©, Net Promoter Certified Associate, Certified Scrum Product Owner, Certified Scrum Master, Project Management Professional, and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. She also completed Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management Executive Program for Product Strategy Methods, a program with a focus on discovering, developing, managing, and marketing products as a business.  Teresa earned a BS in Journalism from the William Allen White School of Journalism and a BA in English from the University of Kansas. She earned an Executive MBA from Rockhurst University and is studying for a second Master's degree in Integrated Innovation for Products and Services at Carnegie Mellon University, focusing on product and user experience design principles. Buy Teresa's book:  https://amzn.to/3zMMjM2 Udemy Course: Learn How to Solve Problems and Design Product in 2 Hours vs. 5 days using FIgma FigJam https://lnkd.in/gZu_Qvra   Website: https://lnkd.in/gsFQrQkZ   LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/gAsZmWwc  

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Why do women multitask like ninjas? It's all in the wiring! Shaunti Feldhahn, researcher, joins Coach Erica McCurdy, PCC, CMC on #LeadershipHighway to discuss the science behind the differences between men's and women's brains. Shaunti explains how women's brains are wired to integrate emotions and logic, making them multitasking masters! Learn how to harness this strength and use it to your advantage in all areas of life here https://lnkd.in/ezJqCgB2 #WomensBrains #EmotionalIntelligence #LeadershipSkills #WomensStrengths #CommunicationStrategies

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Leaders know loneliness. When I was a CEO, I sought insight and comfort from like-minded leaders, and I speak at length about personal boards of directors in my book. But I also read books. I recently worked with Shepherd.com - Discover Amazing Books on my top 5 books for leaders feeling lonely. These books helped when things were tough. Check them out here: https://lnkd.in/gJWTHeiY Which books helped you? 👇

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Should we prioritize people, or tech innovation in our large-scale development projects? The strategy's slowly shifting to people. And that’s exactly how California Forever CEO Jan Sramek wins over skeptics like Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway. Not bad. “There’s a lot of baggage that tech has created in building new cities that, unfortunately, we are at the receiving end of”, explains Sramek. So smart cities and tech libertarian network states aren't the focus here. Quite the contrary. He calls the project (in this context) “really, really boring.” The focus: ∙ More housing ∙ Walkable cities ∙ Affordable by design* ∙ Improving the country for residents *(housing prices to start at $400k) I recently covered California Forever, dubbing it a future ‘Tech Utopia’ given its massive Silicon Valley backing. So it’s exciting to see Sramek's positioning and skillful handling of the grilling. Is the era of the smart city over due to its 'baggage'? Time will tell. More on California Forever and other visionaries designing new cities from scratch here: https://lnkd.in/e9-i386q Full interview: https://lnkd.in/eMnT8QhU #futureofcities #urbandevelopment

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Work at a natural pace. In Cal Newport's new book "Slow Productivity" he walks through 3 components to accomplishment without burnout. 1. Do fewer things 2. Work at a natural pace  3. Obsess over quality Working at a natural pace is an area I'm focused on as I transition to whatever is next in my career. Most of my career's natural pace was driven by anxiety, coffee, HIIT workouts and more caffeine - which I'm pretty sure isn't what he means. In my late 40's though, that just doesn't work anymore. Nor do I want it to. It's a tricky philosophy though because if you're in the startup world I don't know how you build something meaningful and work at a natural pace. I've never seen it happen. It appears this is a philosophy that needs to be applied to a specific time and place vs. everyone, everywhere. Anway, I don't have the answers, I'm just exploring different questions. What I do know is working at a natural place seems to be more appropriate for where I am today. 

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Employee terminations: they're a topic no one wants to discuss but that every company has to navigate. Thankfully, Melanie Naranjo and wonderful Ethena advisor (& Gusto's former People Leader) Jess Yuen are tackling this tricky topic for the next Ethena webinar. Register if you want to learn more about these topics: How to pressure test whether or not termination is the right course of action Best practices for communicating termination decisions How to minimize risk and choose the best course of action when things get tricky Critical pitfalls to avoid

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How does a product manager land two offers in three months in an incredibly difficult market? In today’s feature, join me, Shobhit, the founder of Intentional Product Manager, as we dive into an enlightening conversation with Sally Niu. Sally, a marketer turned product manager, shares her transformative journey through our Intentional Job Search (IJS) program, where she successfully landed two job offers within just three months of joining. Sally walks us through her experience, detailing the pivotal moments and the comprehensive support she received that drastically improved her storytelling skills—something she identified as a major hurdle in her previous job applications. Despite having significant experience in both B2B SaaS and marketplace products, Sally struggled to convey her value effectively during interviews. IJS offered her the tools and coaching necessary to refine her narrative, align it with key product management competencies, and polish her personal branding across her resume and LinkedIn profile. What makes Sally's story even more compelling are the mock interviews and live practice sessions provided by IJS, which she credits for her newfound confidence and success in landing competitive roles. Additionally, Sally discusses her initial hesitations about the program's return on investment and how a recommendation from a trusted friend who was an IJS alumna finally convinced her to take the leap. Beyond just securing job offers, Sally highlights the invaluable network and community she gained through IJS—a supportive environment that continues to benefit her well beyond the job search. This video is a must-watch for any product managers who find themselves stuck or unnoticed in their career progression. Discover how intentional strategies and a supportive community can elevate your professional journey, just like they did for Sally. Watch and be inspired to redefine your own career path with Intentional Job Search, where we don't just prepare you to land a job; we prepare you to excel in it and make a significant impact in your field. Are you ready to be the next success story? Join us and transform your career trajectory with Intentional Job Search. Watch and Enjoy! Shobhit. Key Moments in this Episode ======================== 00:00 - Introduction and Impact on her career 01:44 - Her hesitations about Intentional Job Search and the decision to take the leap 02:50 - Her biggest AHA moments in the program 04:00 - Her advice for you https://lnkd.in/gmqDCrCu

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Intentional communication is the key to successful and productive working relationships. Breaking down that communication into clear pieces can make it a bit easier. My guests on my recent podcast Rei Wang and Anita Hossain Choudhry have some deep insights to share on this topic - they're the co-founders of coaching company The Grand World. *Key Advice for Working Through Communication Challenges* Prevention is first and foremost! Speak early and often to reduce buildup, bottling up and boiling over of tensions Make feedback about actions and behaviors, not about the person or their personality Rei suggests that using a simple framework like SBIO is a great way to frame feedback. (Situation or data, the Behavior you see, the Impact it has on you, and the Opportunity for improvement or transformation) Make sure feedback conversations are two-sided, with both partners regularly asking for and offering feedback Anita underscores the importance of Co-Creation of resolutions to challenges instead of telling someone to be different. Working on these tensions with a sense of collaboration can lead to reduced defensiveness. Listen in and get more insights here: https://lnkd.in/epwf9aYr

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"Hey Jim, what's ISN's strategy?" 🤔 That question from Intuit's founder was a turning point in my career. It forced me to confront a fundamental truth... Strategy isn't just a plan – it's a set of choices that determine your company's future. Here's a simplified framework I've used to define strategy at companies like Netflix and Intuit: 👉Strategy = Choices: Decide WHERE to play (which customers to target) and HOW to win with those customers. 👉Planning = Decisions: Once you have a strategy, THEN you make specific decisions to execute it. 👉Document & Test: Write down your strategic logic and test it regularly. Are your assumptions about the market and your customers still valid? Remember, strategy is about making bets, not finding a perfect solution. Be bold, be decisive, and don't be afraid to course-correct along the way. If you're interested in learning more about this framework and strategic decision-making, head over to https://lnkd.in/gzwxJtuJ to read my full blog post. #strategy #leadership #business #CFO 

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If you're an early riser, join me tomorrow morning at Product Coffee for a discussion on simplifying your product strategy process and keeping your priorities from getting highjacked. This is a great opportunity to see a real-world customer example, learn two distinct approaches and determine which is better for you. Click the link below for more details and to register for the event: #productmanagement #productstrategy #portfoliostrategy https://lnkd.in/ejE8gGSa

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CEO reads book and implements org wide change. What could go wrong? But really, deep work is where it's at. Check out the post to learn about the thought process behind implementing it at Warrior-Scholar Project and some of the early results we've seen. #twobittuesday #productivity https://lnkd.in/ghtmN2wH

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Recently I asked women founders about their experiences with angel groups and angel conferences. I am deeply appreciative that so many took the time - and trust - to share with me. Based on their stories, here are some top line take-aways we’re taking seriously at FBomb Angels as we imagine the future of Pitches 2 Bitches: > Be as transparent as possible, as early as possible, about our investment thesis and decision-making process. > Be as helpful as possible, and as honest as possible, about what kind of help we can or can’t offer beyond the check. > Rethink winner-take-all scenarios where participation is a sunk cost for everyone else. > Be timely, honest, and supportive in delivering feedback. Also, invite feedback. > Respect and value the person – not just the opportunity their company represents. We don’t just want to see more women investing. We want to see more women investing differently. That means modeling how to show up at every stage of the deal, and makes our final take-away: be intentional about how we show up, at every stage of the deal.

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Reposting just to ensure you hear it from other voices besides mine. Highting the importance of clear communication. Most leaders believe that once they have communicated context, objectives, and strategy, everyone gets it and retains it. For those that do, there's a simple rule... To get your message across: communicate it 10x the amount you think is necessary. In Harvard Business School professor John Kotter's book, Leading Change, he outlines seven recommendations for effective communications: 1. Keep communications simple, direct, focused and jargon-free. 2. Use metaphors, analogies, and examples to bring the messages to life. 3. Deliver the message across lots of different forums and vehicles. 4. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. 5. Lead by example. Behaviour is the most powerful way to communicate so walk the talk. 6. Explicitly address inconsistencies and communicate with honesty and openness. 7. Listen and be listened to in a two-way endeavour. Solicit feedback and encourage questions, challenges and arguments about the vision and what it means for your organisation. Effective communication is one of the most powerful tools for a leader while creating and adapting to change. #innovation #change #agility #leadership #leader https://lnkd.in/dFiFjREn

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Happy to be at #RSAC in SF among 40,000 others exploring the art of the possible this week. Today, I’m taking the top advice Hugh Thompson, Ph.D., Exec Chairman & Program Chair, shared in yesterday’s keynote: 1. See a session about something you never knew about 📝 2. Meet three new people - “Find the why” ❤️‍🔥 3. Just be open to people (luckily this one comes easy :) 🤝 #zscaler #cxorevolutionaries #digitaltransformation

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Lots of great data in this training. We still have so much work to do to. If women had equal opportunities to men at work, we could add $28 trillion to global GDP in a single year. GDP grows at 3% a year, solving gender equity could drive significant GDP growth. Recalibrating the gender disparity is one of greatest missed opportunities of our lifetime. No other single change that we can make to make this level of economic impact at this scale. We need to fix the system, not the women. We shouldn’t ask women to change, we need to allow women to flourish with their diversity of thought to the business.

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If there's one thing I want to share today, it's that SF freaking delivers. I went to a San Francisco Giants game yesterday and spent the rest of the afternoon on a sunny rooftop overlooking the ocean with Martin Spridzans discussing opportunities in ed tech, health tech, and human resources. To some, these may seem like random or boring industries. I am excited. Why? It's the things that don't change that you want to build businesses around. I mean, ask Jeff Bezos. He built Amazon - a pretty successful company - on this perspective. People will always want and need it. That's not going to change. Even if we move into the metaverse or put chips in our brains to connect to AI. It's the things that won't change that you want to build businesses around. People want to learn. To improve. To grow. To be better than others. Modern society is built to grow, even required to grow. Education is fundamental. People need to be healthy. It's the most basic human need. Something we all have to prioritize and optimize. Otherwise, we will pay the price. Sooner or later. We also discussed "one more thing" (🫢) that I see emerging from the many conversations I've had over the last few days. A problem most know. Often faced. But not really solved. Happy to share. But another day 😏 Love, F 🫶 #edtech #healthtech #recruitment #sanfrancisco #entrepreneur

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