Lacy JV Goodwyn

I attribute my success to all the badass women who've opened doors for me throughout my career. My career would not be where it is today if it wasn't for these women, and especially those at Coinbase who took a chance on me. They guided me, supported me, and helped me grow from an EA to a product manager. That experience taught me the power of women helping women, and it's something I carry with me every day. Now, as a business owner and community builder, I'm focused on paying that forward to the next generation of women in tech and AI. I believe that when women support each other and create opportunities for one another, that's how the doors keep opening.

The best career advice I've received is to focus on solving real problems instead of getting caught up in what's trending and exciting. We can easily get caught up in the noise, but the way to really make an impact, especially in AI, is by finding real problems to solve. When you do that, no one can turn away from the value you're creating.

My advice to women entering the AI industry is to try not to get caught up in the noise right now about keeping up or getting left behind. We need you in this space. We need you for the future. There are not enough women in AI, particularly those building the tools that we're all using. We're only about 22% of the global AI workforce, and the number actually building is far smaller. When I think about the future and our daughters, we need AI reflecting women's perspectives and experiences. I know we've created an environment where AI seems so unappealing to women, and I want women to know that we aren't all bad. Those of us women who are in this space are here to help get you started. I acknowledge that the concerns are very real: there are issues with job displacement, ethical concerns around the environment, data privacy, and creative consent. The system is currently set up in a way where women get shamed for using AI tools while men are encouraged to, and that's a real problem. But here's the thing: two truths can exist. There are a lot of legitimate concerns, but AI is here to stay. So either we can work together to help eliminate those barriers and get more women into the space, or we risk being left out of shaping this technology entirely. We're at a big risk right now if we don't participate.

As a business owner, I'd say the biggest challenge is always the pipeline and lead generation. It's about getting yourself out there while also building a company at the same time. It's literally building the plane and flying it, and I think that's the ultimate difficulty when starting a business. You're trying to grow your visibility and bring in new clients while simultaneously developing your services, managing existing projects, and establishing your brand. It's a constant balancing act, but it's also what makes entrepreneurship so dynamic and rewarding.

The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are transparency and communication. I believe strongly in creating spaces where we can be vulnerable with each other. When I interview women for Badass Women in AI, I always say I don't really give a damn about your resume. I want to know how you got to where you are. I want to know about the struggle, because all these women have had to work so hard to get to where they are, and that's where the real inspiration lies. There's nothing more powerful than shared experience. Life is tough, and especially as a woman trying to get into tech or AI or navigating any major life transition, hearing other people's stories and struggles makes you feel less alone. That's why I believe so strongly in leading with transparency and communicating openly about both the wins and the challenges.