From Scarcity to Scale: A Love Letter to Fearful Founders on Why New York Tech Week Needs You in the Room

Dear Dreamer,

Let me tell you something straight from the heart: You belong in every room you think is too shiny, too technical, or too elite for your presence.

I know how it feels to walk into spaces (like New York Tech Week)—eyes wide, badge swinging, adrenaline pumping, and doubt brewing. But let me stop you right there: your vision is not too much and your background, however non-technical, is not a liability. It's your secret weapon!

Being an underestimated founder ain’t easy, but it sure is fun, building solutions to very real problems: like visibility, access, and capacity, while truly uncertain, it’s more than empowering.

Before launching algorithms and trademarking vetting technology, I was booking experts for the #1 cable news network, with over 140,000 manual segment bookings under my belt. In that chaos,  I saw the missed marks, the inefficiencies, the burnout, and most importantly, the overlooked perspectives and the brilliance buried under bias. So I built a solution. Not with a technical degree—but with necessity, conviction, and the belief that visibility should never be a privilege.

And now? We’re scaling.

Our proprietary vetting algorithm didn’t come from a Silicon Valley garage. It came from my work in the newsroom. It’s smart, disruptive, and yes—trademarked. We’re like “the Amazon for vetted influence and expert insights” all automated. Watch my founder reel below.

Crystal founder reel

But let’s talk about you.

If you’re walking through NYC Tech Week this year wondering if you’re “technical enough” to show up in the AI conversation, pause. Breathe. Then come find me.

I'll be on the AWS panel talking about GEN AI and Bedrock, breaking down how we’re building something extraordinary with minimal resources and lots of conviction. We’re not just talking about innovation; we’re talking about access and automation as currency; truly going from Scarcity to Scale.

And here’s what I’ve learned on that rapidly iterative journey:

• Start where the problem lives. You don’t need to be an engineer to solve a technical problem, you just need to care enough to build a better way.

• Show receipts, not perfection. Partners don’t need a perfect pitch deck. They need proof that your solution works and that you’re committed to the mission.

• Collaborate like your company depends on it because it does. My best tech partnerships were born from DMs, coffees, and brave conversations in spaces like this.

• Make noise. Visibility isn’t vanity, it’s real velocity. So get loud. Get seen. Get vetted (😉)!

My final words of advice: DREAM BIG! Dreamers, if you’re wondering if tech is “for you”, the hard-coded answer is yes, it is. Not just because tech is evolving, but because the future requires your voice in it.

ICYMI, Forbes called it: We’re building the future of media access. Our AI doesn’t just boost visibility, it is leveling the playing field, streamlining workflows, and scaling capacity. Read the full feature here

Whatever you’re building, whatever you’re dreaming, it’s possible. Trust me, I know, I did it and I am still doing it, so can you. 

I’ll see you out there, Crystal