#StartWithEight to Impact Careers and Industries

Women’s history month is a great chance to remember and honor women who have made great strides in science, technology, healthcare, equal rights and many other areas. However, March is also a time to reflect on the women of today and the work still left to be done.

I’m proud of the fact that women make up about 50% of our workforce and represent a significant part of our executive committee and our board of directors. A part of our company that really shines on this front is our venture capital (VC) arm, McKesson Ventures. Three-quarters of the McKesson Ventures team is female, all at varying stages of their career. This is unique, given that the venture capital industry is one area in which women are woefully underrepresented – in 2017, only eight percent of partners at the top VC firms were women and only two percent of VC funding went to female founders.

McKesson Ventures frequently meets with female founders and woman-led companies, but this month they are committing to doing more. They signed onto the #StartWithEight initiative and committed to meeting with eight women from outside their own networks during the month of March. By doing so, the team has committed to helping give women founders greater access to capital and further build their networks.

While this particular initiative is geared towards the venture capital industry, #StartWithEight can and should be more widely adopted across all industries, all year round. It’s a simple concept, but actively building one’s network is an incredibly powerful way to create new opportunities and advance careers. At McKesson, we’ve established a strong and active employee resource group for women and their champions, but there’s always more that can be done.

This month, I am personally committing to connecting with eight McKesson female colleagues I’ve not met before to learn more about their work and career goals; I know it will be time well-invested. No matter where you are in your career, regardless of if you are a woman or a man, I encourage you to examine your own network. Reach out and look to connect with new people. Engage without a predetermined agenda; what you learn may exceed expectations. By taking a cue from #StartWithEight, you can help achieve greater parity for the smart and talented women around you – and likely benefit yourself, too.