From Code To Conquest: How to Succeed as a Minority in Technology

How does a nerdy kid from P.G. County, Maryland end up having dinner with Bill Gates at his mansion, hanging out and discussing ideas with the CEOs of Microsoft, T-Mobile, and Starbucks, and convincing Mark Cuban to help him bootstrap and sell his business? This atypical journey in the life of an entrepreneur is exactly what Kiley Williams will be talking about during his presentation. He has started two companies, successfully sold one, and believes in the value of sharing the lessons he has learned on that journey with others. He will dive into the depths of going from a simple concept to a real product, what it means and what it takes to be successful in business, as well as the not-so-fun parts that people rarely talk about. One such topic in particular is how he strived to be successful in an industry that is dominated by people who did not share common physical features or socioeconomic background as him, and how he overcame those obstacles.

Kiley is an alumnus of Carnegie Mellon University. A full-stack developer at heart, he is passionate about making software the best that it can be. Previously, he was the Chief Technology Officer of a Seattle-based software company for just under 4 years. He spent nearly five years at Microsoft as a Program Manager, before leaving to start his own software company, which was acquired in 2013. He is now leading the sales engineering efforts for Polyverse Corporation, a cybersecurity company in the Seattle area run by Bill Gates’ former technology advisor. Kiley volunteers as a technical advisor and contributor for Givology, a charity for providing funding to underprivileged students and educational projects all around the world. He also volunteers as an Introduction to Entrepreneurship teacher to high school students in Front Royal, Virginia.

Kiley’s approach to presentations is to have an open dialogue with the audience, so any and all questions are welcome. His background is technology-focused, but this talk will cover a more broad spectrum of business, and Kiley will dive deeper into the technology sector if time permits.

Food and drinks sponsored by Limbic Systems (http://www.limbicsystems.com/).