Technology damsel in distress? That’s a thing of the past! Kylie is the boss babe behind Chick Geek – a non for profit company that is based on exploring technology and entrepeneurship. Check her out!
Kylie – CHIC GEEK
What do you make / sell? Tell us about yo’ self.
I’m the founder of Chic Geek, a non-profit building a welcoming, supportive, beginner-friendly community for women exploring technology and entrepreneurship. Chic Geek hosts tech talks, tech workshops, a mentorship program and a conference to help women build their confidence using technology and explore their entrepreneurial sides!
How long have you had your business?
3 years
How did you get started?
Chic Geek started as an experiment. We hosted a talk featuring four amazing Calgarian women doing great things in technology and the overwhelming turnout encouraged us to continue building and growing Chic Geek! We’ve been experimenting, iterating and improving ever since.
Who or what inspires your work?
My team. Chic Geek is a fully volunteer-run organization and I’m humbled to count 22 passionate, dedicated women on my team. They have my back, they support me and together, we’re making our community a better place for women.
What do you dream for your business in the future?
My Big Hairy Audacious Goal for Chic Geek is to become a self-sustainable organization that is financially independent so we can stay true to our mission and vision. I want to impact the lives of thousands of women across Calgary, Canada and the world, to feel confident using technology and explore their entrepreneurial sides.
What’s your favourite social media platform and why?
Pinterest. When I’m feeling stressed, I craft. Pinterest always has lots of inspiration and creative projects for me to find an outlet.
How do you pick yourself up when things go wrong?
I have a lot of moments when I feel like everything is going wrong or I don’t know what I’m doing. Here are some of the things that help me peel myself off the ground and keep going:
1) Journal – I write down how I’m feeling, what attitude I want to have, what behaviours I need to get there and my goals for the day. I take it one day at a time with my journal.
2) Be grateful – I take a step back and look around at the people, experiences, opportunities that I’m most grateful for. When I feel humbled by the support and love in my life, it makes me feel like I can do anything.
1) Journal – I write down how I’m feeling, what attitude I want to have, what behaviours I need to get there and my goals for the day. I take it one day at a time with my journal.
2) Be grateful – I take a step back and look around at the people, experiences, opportunities that I’m most grateful for. When I feel humbled by the support and love in my life, it makes me feel like I can do anything.
What’s one thing no one knows about you? Give us an interesting fact!
As a kid, I hated my name. At seven, I asked my mom how old I needed to be to legally change my name. After that conversation, I was convinced that as soon as I turned 18-years-old I would change my name to Rainbow, because that was the most beautiful colour (and therefore the most beautiful name) in the world. I didn’t end up changing my name, but I do still love rainbows!
If you could have any super power what would it be?
If I could have any super power, I would TELEPORT! I would never be late for meetings again, never get stuck in traffic and I could work from anywhere in the world whenever I wanted. Major cool.
What are your social media handles?
Where can we find your stuff?