Reflections on the Access Tribe Female Founder Bitcoin Program

As we wrapped up the recent Access Tribe female founder course “Every Business Will be a Bitcoin Business”, I’ve been reflecting on the lessons learned, and next steps.

I spent over two decades navigating the labyrinth of traditional finance working for companies such as Bloomberg and Barclays Investment Bank. I've sat in countless meetings, conferences, and coffee corners where us ladies would talk shop about shattering that notorious glass ceiling. And I thought, "Great, let's shake up this space!" That's how committed I was—heck, I even led a global board training program at Barclays to help women grab those elusive board seats.

But guess what? Despite the training, some excellent women were hesitant to step up to the plate citing family commitments or a fear of the unknown. Like they say, "You can lead a horse to water, but you shouldn't water board it."

Fast forward to my new world—Bitcoin.

I'd hoped that the sound money principles of Bitcoin would be deeply appealing to women, who are generally more “risk-aware” and that they would be flocking to learn about this new technology that protects your wealth from debasement and allows you to pass a meaningful inheritance on to your children. But nah, it was more like a dude-fest (all be they very nice dudes who were extremely welcoming) —only 14% of Bitcoiners are women! But you know me, always the curious optimist; I wanted to understand why.

May this year, I found myself in Miami chatting with this brilliant Bitcoiner, Luke Broyles. I had this theory that maybe women are more 'risk-aware,' and that's why we were missing out on the Bitcoin action. But Luke dropped a bombshell: "Women tend to be agreeable. They go where there's consensus. Men do not, and are happy to venture into the unknown, whether their friends are doing the same, or not".

BOOM! Lightbulb moment! He was right. I'm not your typical woman; I'd taken Jordan Peterson's psychology course the previous year and scored high on the 'disagreeable' scale. I even wrote an article about it here. So, I thought, where are all the other badass, disagreeable women at?

Cut to a dinner in Miami the next night. The head of marketing at a Bitcoin firm told me I was chasing unicorns—until I mentioned my new theory. Suddenly, he was all ears: "You might have a point. What about investors?" he said. “What about female entrepreneurs?” I said.

Coincidence or not, I had a talk lined up with a group of Angel Investors. And when I gave them my Bitcoin spiel, the response was electric. Turns out, these are the women we're looking for—those who score high on disagreeableness and openness. The real movers and shakers, and you know what? So do female founders. So, what did I do? I created and launched a female founder program that gets these powerhouses knee-deep in Bitcoin tech.

Now, I had high hopes, fuelled by years of experience at Barclays, running an innovation team and an accelerator program. And sure enough, the program took off. We had 13 sessions, jam-packed with insights about Bitcoin blockchain, Lightning Network, you name it.

The room was buzzing with energy; these female founders had different expertise levels but shared a passion for Bitcoin. But here's the kicker. Most of these fabulous women were solopreneurs. And you know what? They liked it that way. As shocking as it was, I realised it’s a broader trend, not just in Bitcoin but in startups generally.

So, in true start-up fashion, I pivoted. Instead of trying to churn out a conventional accelerator, I chose to go with the flow and going forward Access Tribe will continue to be your go-to place for ongoing Bitcoin education. Think of it as a dynamic hub where female investors, founders, and the Bitcoin-curious women already in the corporate world, as well as students, can connect, collaborate, and grow.

We’ll continue to bring you face-to-face with Bitcoin experts, help you stay ahead of the curve, and let you network like never before. It's not just about getting you into Bitcoin; it's about creating a space where you thrive, not just survive.

So, if you’re a female investor, a founder, a mom who wants her kids to learn about Bitcoin, or just someone intrigued by the buzz, Access Tribe is where you belong.

Soon, women won’t be joining the revolution, we’ll be leading it.

👉 Apply to be a part of the community here: https://accesstribe.com/join and get a 15% discount on the full yearly subscription price of $80 using code JOIN.

I’ll see you over there!