Judy Robinett: Social Networker To Power Connector
In episode #17 of My 2.0, guest Judy Robinett, Founder of Crack The Funding Code, shares her career transition from social work to a power connector.
Judy calls her career transitions ‘one mistake after another’. She went to college for a Physcology degree and became a social worker after. She transitioned to getting her masters in Economics and started figuring out that she was good at business. Working in Fortune 500, she felt nausea on Sunday nights thinking about going to work on Mondays. After more explorations and reflections, Judy decided to start her own business running a franchise restaurant for 8 years. She maintains that the important thing is to do the hard work. We will hit a wall, but will also figure out a way over it, under it, around it, since there’s always a way.
After selling the restaurant, a friend asked for advice for a biotech company that was broke and in litigation. After she helped them with their challenges, she was asked to be a CEO. She struggled internally with questioning her own competence in being the CEO of a public company but worked through that challenge to successfully raise money and turned it into a success. She thinks that the next level will bring the next devil and as Tony Robbins says, a Golaitah shows up every time but it’s up to us - whether we’re going to get a sling and a rock or run away.
Additional questions for Judy.
What helps us get through current challenges and be ready for the next one?
In Judy's opinion, asking people for help, and knowing where to find the right people in the right rooms is what helps us get through current challenges and be ready for the next one. She also believes in the right mentors and to always be learning. We should be asking people the three golden questions; How can we help them, what other ideas they have for us and who else they think we can talk to.
What causes us to break out of our comfort zone?
We should think through all our preconceived notions and assumptions of difficulties. To solicit as much help as we can, to ask for training when we need it. And to understand that if we don’t get out of our comfort zone, we’re stuck.
Her advice to pre transition self.
To kick fear to the curb. To avail all opportunities and use all the information and ideas we have and are surrounded with. To get into the right rooms with the right people to ask the right questions.
What led her to write ‘How to be a power connector’?
Judy wanted to write a book about funding businesses. When her agent discovered the types of people she knew, she asked Judy to write a book on networking. And Judy wrote this book to help people like her, shy and unsure. To turn each stumbling block into a stepping stone that makes us stronger, and puts steel up her spine.
How can women use wisdom through the book in their career transitions?
This book will help us evaluate our current network, and build it out, including helping us find people smarter than ourselves and in different walks of life.
What led you to write ‘Crack the funding code’?
Judy didn’t want to write another book. But the more people she talked to, she realized how critical and pervasive the problem of funding for startups was. And so through this book, she intends to provide founders the wisdom and resources to show them the right rooms with the right people that can help them with their funding problem.
How do we make sure we get more women to the starting line of entrepreneurship, and find funding for their businesses?
Judy’s advice is to take baby steps, networking one person at a time. And to leverage resources like the Association of Corporate Growth that provide CXO mentors.
Do men have a different career transition than women?
Judy thinks prejudice is with us for much longer than we want it to. She thinks it’s more difficult for women, and even more so for women of color, to go through career transitions. She thinks services like the one Joya Dass provide in speaking with influence are a great normalizer. She is also hopeful that women entrepreneurs running Angel grouple like Golden Seeds will empower women and minorities to gather at the front lines.
You can reach out to Judy via LinkedIn or her email at judy@judyrobinett.com
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