#1002 Women in Technology | Denzil Eden

I spent some time with Denzil Eden, the founder of Smarty AI, an AI productivity assistant that aims to enhance routines and automate tasks. Denzil shared her experience as a female entrepreneur in the tech space.  Throughout our conversation, she had great insights and advice for other women looking to play in the tech space.  Here are the key points from the interview:

1. Challenges in the Tech Space: Denzil shares her journey as a young, female founder in the tech space and highlights the uphill battle she faced due to the crowded productivity market and the subconscious biases against women in tech. Her perseverance and resilience helped her navigate these challenges, ultimately leading her to success.

2. Advice for Aspiring Founders: Denzil emphasizes the importance of validating ideas and understanding customers' needs before building a product. She suggests using landing pages, prototypes, and user interviews to gauge interest and gather feedback before investing significant time and resources, which can save founders from pursuing ideas that may not have market demand.

3. Investor Relationships: Denzil advises that founders should carefully vet potential investors, treating the relationship like a marriage. Finding investors who align with the company's vision and the founder's values ensures a smoother partnership and greater support for the business's long-term goals.

4. Cultivating Networks: She stresses the importance of building and maintaining a strong professional network, as it can greatly benefit a founder's career and the success of their business. Denzil notes that networking helps founders access resources, advice, and potential collaborators, all of which can be crucial for growth.