Hacking the System (My Story)

I gave this talk to Girls Who Code, a group of 15-17 year old girls in a summer intensive at Twitter.

Transcript

1. I’m @lizTheDeveloper Director of Operations @Hackbright Academy Chapter Leader Girl Develop It @GDISF Thursday, August 8, 13
2. How to be a Hacker (Based on a true story) Thursday, August 8, 13
3. Here’s my life story, RQ Thursday, August 8, 13
4. I learned to code when I was young Thursday, August 8, 13
5. I learned to code when I was young To combat learning disabilities Thursday, August 8, 13
6. I learned to code when I was young To combat learning disabilities And to connect with my dad Thursday, August 8, 13
7. I learned to code when I was young To combat learning disabilities And to connect with my dad I dealt better with formal logic than with people Thursday, August 8, 13
8. My dad knew I was smart Thursday, August 8, 13
9. My dad knew I was smart But my teachers, and the school didn’t always see that. Thursday, August 8, 13
10. My dad knew I was smart But my teachers, and the school didn’t always see that. Learning disabilities coupled with boredom caused me to drop out Thursday, August 8, 13
11. Lessons I learned from School Thursday, August 8, 13
12. Lessons I learned from School Schools are just organizations, run by people Thursday, August 8, 13
13. Lessons I learned from School Schools are just organizations, run by people All organizations are just run by people Thursday, August 8, 13
14. Lessons I learned from School Schools are just organizations, run by people All organizations are just run by people No one is going to see hidden potential in you Thursday, August 8, 13
15. Lessons I learned from School Schools are just organizations, run by people All organizations are just run by people No one is going to see hidden potential in you You have to show them what you’re made of Thursday, August 8, 13
16. Showing them what I was made of Thursday, August 8, 13
17. Showing them what I was made of Instead of focusing on what I wasn’t good at Thursday, August 8, 13
18. Showing them what I was made of Instead of focusing on what I wasn’t good at First EMR System in the US that was HIPPA Certified (Age 16) Thursday, August 8, 13
19. Showing them what I was made of Instead of focusing on what I wasn’t good at First EMR System in the US that was HIPPA Certified (Age 16) Changed the course of a company from bankruptcy to 200% growth (Age 20) Thursday, August 8, 13
20. Showing them what I was made of Instead of focusing on what I wasn’t good at Changed the course of a company from bankruptcy to 200% growth (Age 20) Rewrote Fraud Prevention for 8 of the top 10 banks in the country (Age 25) Thursday, August 8, 13
21. Showing them what I was made of Instead of focusing on what I wasn’t good at Rewrote Fraud Prevention for 8 of the top 10 banks in the country (Age 25) Moved to San Francisco (Age 25) Thursday, August 8, 13
22. Still showing off Thursday, August 8, 13
23. What I learned Who you surround yourself with, who your friends are is everything Thursday, August 8, 13
24. I don’t mean connected friends Thursday, August 8, 13
25. I don’t mean connected friends I don’t mean rich people Thursday, August 8, 13
26. I mean people who expect something from you Thursday, August 8, 13
27. People who... expect things from themselves Thursday, August 8, 13
28. People who... expect things from themselves think complicated stuff is cool Thursday, August 8, 13
29. People who... expect things from themselves think complicated stuff is cool want to help you succeed Thursday, August 8, 13
30. People who... expect things from themselves think complicated stuff is cool want to help you succeed have their own lives Thursday, August 8, 13
31. People who... expect things from themselves think complicated stuff is cool want to help you succeed have their own lives have a reason to do what they’re doing Thursday, August 8, 13
32. People who... expect things from themselves think complicated stuff is cool want to help you succeed have their own lives have a reason to do what they’re doing believe in something more important than themselves Thursday, August 8, 13
33. People who... expect things from themselves think complicated stuff is cool want to help you succeed have their own lives have a reason to do what they’re doing believe in something more important than themselves Show you this with their actions Thursday, August 8, 13
34. You can be friends with people you think are cooler than you. Thursday, August 8, 13
35. You can be friends with people you think are cooler than you. No one’s keeping score. Thursday, August 8, 13
36. You can be friends with people you think are cooler than you. No one’s keeping score. Ask for help when you need it. Thursday, August 8, 13
37. Biggest Insight? Thursday, August 8, 13
38. Society is just a system Thursday, August 8, 13
39. And systems... Thursday, August 8, 13
40. And systems... Can be hacked Thursday, August 8, 13
41. Hacking Thursday, August 8, 13
42. Hacking • Apply without the qualifications listed Thursday, August 8, 13
43. Hacking • Apply without the qualifications listed • Submit applications past the deadline Thursday, August 8, 13
44. Hacking • Apply without the qualifications listed • Submit applications past the deadline • Call in favors Thursday, August 8, 13
45. Hacking • Apply without the qualifications listed • Submit applications past the deadline • Call in favors • Show up unannounced Thursday, August 8, 13
46. Hacking • Apply without the qualifications listed • Submit applications past the deadline • Call in favors • Show up unannounced • Start fights on Twitter Thursday, August 8, 13
47. Statistics, stereotypes, and should-be Thursday, August 8, 13
48. Statistics, stereotypes, and should-be doesn’t apply to you Thursday, August 8, 13
49. Never let anyone question your eligibility Thursday, August 8, 13
50. Rules are for chumps Break ‘em Thursday, August 8, 13
51. Rules are for chumps Break ‘em (Laws are for citizens though. Don’t break those.) Thursday, August 8, 13
52. More Hacking Thursday, August 8, 13
53. More Hacking • Not many women in Engineering (This means you’re rare.) Thursday, August 8, 13
54. More Hacking • Not many women in Engineering (This means you’re rare.) • Never talk to anyone not empowered to make decisions Thursday, August 8, 13
55. More Hacking • Not many women in Engineering (This means you’re rare.) • Never talk to anyone not empowered to make decisions • Have the right information before you ask for something Thursday, August 8, 13
56. Vulnerabilities Thursday, August 8, 13
57. Vulnerabilities • It’s most people’s job to help you, not stop you from getting you where you’re going. Thursday, August 8, 13
58. Vulnerabilities • It’s most people’s job to help you, not stop you from getting you where you’re going. • Policies and systems stop people, not other people. Find out what you need to get around a policy. Thursday, August 8, 13
59. Vulnerabilities • It’s most people’s job to help you, not stop you from getting you where you’re going. • Policies and systems stop people, not other people. Find out what you need to get around a policy. • There’s almost always a way around. Find it. Thursday, August 8, 13
60. Questions? Thursday, August 8, 13
61. (stay in school) - @lizTheDeveloper Thursday, August 8, 13