Entrepreneur-In-Residence Says Happiness Is Key to Career
Sequoia Taylor is a San Francisco-based entrepreneur-in-residence at Camelback Ventures. She is also vice president of Seafront Capital, a boutique private equity firm in secondary markets with leading privately held technology companies. She's a graduate of Wellesley College, a former investment banker and a mentor to the nonprofit organization, CODE2040.
What is an entrepreneur-in-residence?
"It's a position in an institution for someone in the process of starting or expanding a new company. I'm an EIR for an organization that funds underrepresented entrepreneurs, mainly women and minorities. "
How would you describe your current role?
"I help Camelback Ventures with strategic partnerships and operational support. Also, I'm working on my own startup as we incubate that idea together. Currently, there's a huge push in the tech community to encourage underrepresented people to enter STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) careers and entrepreneurship. "
You changed your major from computer science to sociology and economics. Could you offer advice to someone with wide interests?
"I've come to realize that declared majors have little to do with success. Clearly, certain jobs do require specific degrees: engineering, architecture and medicine. However I know art history majors from Wellesley who went to work on Wall Street. I urge students to secure meaningful internships and network as much as possible with alumni and others in their chosen profession."
How did your degree prepare you for creating startups?
"I've only started a handful of companies. But I feel that college was the right first move because the experience taught me how to think critically, work under pressure, meet and interact with all types of people."
Do you have any advice for someone who might be considering economics or business versus computer science?
"Yes, do what makes you feel happy. If you are happy in the major, you will perform better. With the plethora of opportunities out there to learn to code, you can always learn those skills elsewhere. Then again, you can always double major and study in two fields."
Laurie Jo Miller Farr loves walkable cities. A tourism industry professional and transplanted New Yorker by way of half-a-lifetime in London, she's writing about the best of the bay and beyond for Bay City Guide, AXS, Examiner and more. Examiner.com.
