A mayor faced a quick question about startup experience during a late-night interview. Instead of highlighting major tech achievements, he pivoted to his background as a public school teacher. He taught 7th and 8th grade English and history and left teaching in 2008 to enter the tech world. The exchange included teasing and a moment of political evasion. Later, he said there was no apology in his performance, but backstage conversations made him cautious about being typecast as a “Silicon Valley” figure. He wanted audiences to understand that stereotypes about tech leaders were oversimplified.
"“I was in the startup world,” he said. “Before that though I was a public school teacher.” The crowd applauded, and Mahan shot them a winning smile. He said he taught 7th and 8th grade English and history. “That’s wonderful,” Stewart responded, laying a trap. “And you left there . . . when?” “Teaching? 2008,” Mahan replied, stiffening slightly."
"“Interesting,” Stewart nodded, feigning naivete. “To do what?” Mahan conceded. “To get into the tech world,” he said laughing. “You got me.” “You son of a bitch,” Stewart chided him, flogging Mahan with his notecards. When I ask Mahan later whether there was a bit of an apology in all his bobbing and weaving, he insists there wasn’t."
"“There was just sort of this pigeonholing of ‘Oh, you Silicon Valley guys,’” Mahan tells me over Zoom, sitting in a freshly pressed button-down in front of a half-wiped whiteboard. “I wanted him and his audience, and everyone who cares and is paying attention to this governor’s race to know that those stereotypes are huge oversimplifications.”"
Read at Fast Company
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