It's About Damn Time: How to Turn Being Underestimated into Your Greatest Advantage

knew when I saw those statistics that the mythology around Silicon Valley was basically a lie, because ingenuity, hard work, hustle, grit, and innovation aren’t traits that are prevalent only in the straight White male population.

People who have more money than you or more success or more friends—or whatever else it is that makes you feel intimidated—aren’t inherently better than you.

A start-up may begin with one person’s idea, but it can expand past the idea phase only with the help of other people.

You can do it. You deserve to be backstage, on stage, and in the front row. And once you make it there, don’t forget to let someone shorter stand in front of you.

It seemed really natural to give more funding to people who could do more with it and to find great deals for people who had money but didn’t have differentiated or interesting portfolios.

The assumption that underrepresented means underqualified, unaccomplished, inexperienced, or unskilled not only is false, it also shows how far we have to go to change the idea of what a successful founder is.

once I knew the rules and got my bearings, I was faster than the rest of the class. I think about this whenever I’m worried that I’m too far behind or that I don’t belong in a certain circle because I don’t have the same set of qualifications or expertise. Given the opportunity, I can succeed, even when I’m scared out of my mind.

There is nothing wrong with being privileged, as long as you use your privilege to help others who lack it.

I pattern match for grit, determination, and tenacity, and they can come in a whole range of different guises.