What was the "a-ha moment" that led you into tech?
It was a total accident for me. I was between my junior and senior years in college and I decided I wanted to go into business. So, I took an internship at a company that did large container leasing. I interviewed in the accounting, marketing and MIS departments. Knowing nothing about business at 20, "management information systems" sounded sort of cool. I thought I'd get to work on "people stuff." The first day I showed up to work they said that MIS was about computers. Needless to say, I was unpleasantly surprised. Not to be deterred, I went to the library and got every instruction guide I could about computers and set to work. I've never looked back.
What has been your most radical career shift, and how risky was it?
I don't think about any of my career shifts as being risky or radical. This may be considered strange given that I'm a two-time entrepreneur, but I've never felt truly in my own skin the way I have when I'm a part of something that I had a hand in creating. Whether it was my 4th to 6th grade rabbit-breeding business or Ning, this is what I'm happiest doing.
What technological advance are you most excited about?
The fact that it's now (close to) free to create something from nothing on the Internet and you don't have to be a developer to do it. The democratization of creation inspires me.
NEXT: Juliet Flint
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