Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly McCormick.
Kelly, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and went to undergrad at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio to pursue Business-Finance. I then went on to law school at Tulane University, but found out shortly after graduating, that although I loved law school, I didn’t enjoy practicing law. I started working at Stanford in a temporary research role at their Graduate School of Business, and when that wrapped up, I landed at University of Houston. I became more engaged in entrepreneurship while I was in California, and jumped at the opportunity to help student entrepreneurs.
I started teaching “Intro to Tech Entrepreneurship” and managing the UH startup accelerator to help students and faculty launch startups. Soon after that, I wanted to get more women entrepreneurs involved. Last fall, the business school launched a class called “Women in Entrepreneurship.” I’ve enjoyed teaching the past two semesters, and I can’t wait for the next one.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It was definitely not a smooth road! So many times, I started pursuing something only to find out I didn’t like it and it wasn’t for me. I felt lost a lot, and worried a lot that I was never going to figure out where I was supposed to end up. But when you start going down the right path, it just clicks. I started feeling more energy and excitement around my work, but there were times when I thought that might never happen.
My advice to young women who are starting their journey would be to investigate your options! Check out different careers and opportunities by talking to people in those fields, shadowing or interning before you set down a long path to that end (for instance, something like law school). Don’t expect to have it all figured out – and don’t let anyone make you feel like you need to – because no one really does.
Even if you’re doing something you don’t like, do a great job at it because it will open doors. And when you find the right thing for you, pursue it fearlessly!
Please tell us about University of Houston.
I work at the University of Houston’s Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship as the Director of the startup accelerator and a professor. I run a startup accelerator to help students and faculty launch startups. I spend a majority of my time during the year preparing for the accelerator, recruiting students and teaching foundational entrepreneurial content. I teach “Intro to Tech Entrepreneurship” and “Women in Entrepreneurship” classes. I have been passionate about that class for a long time, and I’m working to make it the best possible experience for any women who are interested in entrepreneurship.
I am so proud to be a part of the entrepreneurship ecosystem at UH because it is all about supporting students and you can see that passion in everyone who works there. I think that active work to make the classes, workshops, events and programs more than just a classroom experience has a real impact on students. They walk away with experience and support, and hopefully, the belief that they can be successful in whatever they choose to pursue in the future.
There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
I think finding a mentor has to come naturally. My best advice would be to engage in opportunities that you find interesting and try to genuinely connect with people whose work you admire and who you genuinely like. My greatest mentors have grown out of relationships that were not forced, but rather, grew organically over time. I think it also is helpful to make sure the mentor knows you appreciate their time and feedback. Do your best to keep them updated on your progress, and try to keep up with their lives too. Also, send a thank you note! Or food/drinks/coffee never hurts.
Contact Info:
- Email: kelly@redlabs.uh.edu
- Instagram: uhredlabs
- Facebook: UHREDLabs
- Twitter: UHREDLabs
Image Credit:
C. T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
