{"id":43319,"date":"2023-10-20T15:27:43","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T15:27:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/startupsmart.test\/2023\/10\/20\/using-data-to-save-lives-three-important-lessons-from-melinda-gates-life-startupsmart\/"},"modified":"2023-10-20T15:27:43","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T15:27:43","slug":"using-data-to-save-lives-three-important-lessons-from-melinda-gates-life-startupsmart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.startupsmart.com.au\/uncategorized\/using-data-to-save-lives-three-important-lessons-from-melinda-gates-life-startupsmart\/","title":{"rendered":"Using data to save lives: Three important lessons from Melinda Gates’ life – StartupSmart"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"Melinda
Image: Brett Power <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

When Melinda Gates entered the tech industry, the world was very different to what it looks like today.<\/p>\n

During a talk at Dreamforce<\/a>, the tech philanthropist shed light on some of the more colourful moments of her journey, including having to give up on her dream college because it thought “computer science was a fad”.<\/p>\n

But Gates pursued it anyway and she ended up at one of the world’s most innovative tech companies Microsoft.<\/p>\n

Here are three key lessons from her career to date.<\/p>\n

1. Realise the power of one small act<\/h3>\n

After completing studies in computer science, Gates began interviewing with various companies and she worked closely with a hiring manger at IBM.<\/p>\n

When Gates mentioned that she was weighing up all options and would be meeting with Microsoft too, she received a surprising push of encouragement from the IBM employee.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe said, \u2018if you get an offer from that company you should take it [because] if you go there, your chance for advancement as a young woman, if you are as good as I think you are, will be astronomical, versus staying here and going through the runs\u2019,\u201d Gates said.<\/p>\n

A single act can like this have huge ripple effects, she said, and no entrepreneur nor business leader should ever take this for granted.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone in this room has the ability to change somebody\u2019s life,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you put your mind, your shoulder and your energy, your heart into those things, you can change the world and you are changing the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. Comfort with discomfort forges great strength<\/h3>\n

Gates was in the first class of MBAs to be recruited by Microsoft, which at the time had barely over ten employees.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were nine men and me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were changing the world, we were creating products that no one had ever seen before [and] thinking what features people want.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was a fascinating time for Gates as she quickly worked her way up the ranks.<\/p>\n

She said there was an inside joke that you don\u2019t get promoted till you make your first mistake.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a very fast-paced industry, it was just a lot of fun,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

To other women entering the game of computer science, she encourages them to stick at it.<\/p>\n

\u201cLearning computer science is like learning a new language you\u2019ve got to keep your self-esteem up in those uncomfortable parts,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

3. Data science has answers for a better world<\/h3>\n

From very early on in their professional and personal relationship, Gates and her partner Bill Gates bonded over a deep desire to give back to the world.<\/p>\n

She said they agreed when the company was \u201cvery small\u201d that the vast majority of revenue generated by Microsoft would be directed to these efforts.<\/p>\n

The data geeks would identify problems in the world and try and figure out the best and most resourceful solutions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are the most number of lives you could possibly save for $1000?\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Using computer science to their advantage, Gates said they have been able to see real results through initiatives like the vaccine delivery.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, it has saved 7 million children\u2019s lives,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Gates, who calls herself an “impatient optimist”, said solving problems like these is now their purpose.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe see all the problems in the world, we see [the] things that we can solve, solve in our lifetime,” she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will have a cure for malaria in our lifetime. Bill and I dream and believe that we can actually wipe malaria off the map.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor it to happen, we need the tools to come and the science to catch up and all the pieces we\u2019re working on to come together.”<\/p>\n

Follow StartupSmart on<\/em> Facebook,<\/em> Twitter, LinkedIn and iTunes.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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