Life and Work with Roni Burgener

Today we’d like to introduce you to Roni Burgener.

Roni, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I graduated in 2017 from CU Boulder with a Chemical and Biological Engineering degree and no idea what to do with it. I just couldn’t imagine myself working in any of the industries that my classmates had gone into. I was considering becoming a math teacher and was having coffee with a former teacher, Terri Dimond, to talk about getting started when she introduced me to her friend, Wendy Bohling. Wendy took me under her wing and patiently helped me work through my new career goals and land my first job. Being a woman in tech presented some challenges that I was completely unprepared for and Wendy, having faced many of the same challenges, coached me through some unfortunate situations. It blew my mind that not much had changed between Wendy’s experience 30 years ago and mine in 2018! Having another woman to lean on made such a difference for me and I wanted to provide other women in tech with the same support. That’s when I asked Wendy to start a podcast with me for women in business! Wendy and I have been co-hosting and producing Big Girl Money, originally titled Undervalued, for almost a year now.

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?
The road has not always been smooth! I have struggled with sexist comments, being excluded from big company meetings and overall toxic work environments. My biggest advice for women starting their journey is to talk about the challenges you face with other women. There is so much support available to you if you’re willing to reach out and be vulnerable. One time, I balled my eyes out in front of 20 strangers at a networking event for women. When the first tear hit my cheek I was flooded with embarrassment and shame, but I left that day feeling more supported and making more genuine connections than I ever had at an event like that. I’m not saying watch the last scene from the notebook and then squeeze a lemon into your eye before walking into a networking event, but don’t be afraid to be open and honest with people! Harboring all those feelings of self-doubt and frustration can take a serious toll on your career and your health.

Please tell us about Big Girl Money.
Big Girl Money has been the most labor-intensive and exciting project of my life. Our goal is to provide career advice and support for women in a fun, entertaining, free and accessible way. At the end of the day, we can’t prevent a woman from experiencing gender bias and discrimination in the workplace but we hope we can lessen the damage it has on her confidence and self-worth. What really sets us apart from other feminist podcasts is the age difference between myself and my co-host, Wendy. I find that women my age want the feminist movement to be unapologetically fierce, highlight the stories of victims of discrimination, and put the pressure of finding a solution on men. I notice that women closer to Wendy’s age want the feminist movement to be more positive, gentler, and want to work on finding a solution together. Sometimes I think Wendy is old fashioned and sometimes Wendy thinks I need to “bake a little longer”. We’ve found a beautiful balance on the show. Also, our chemistry is off the charts!

What advice do you have for women who are trying to find a mentor or networking in general?
My biggest advice for networking is to be as authentic as possible. I used to hate networking because I thought it meant having to dress up in business attire and kiss everyone’s ass for an hour. Now I’ve learned that finding a mentor or networking is just building a friendship with someone more senior and likely older than you. You don’t have to click with every person you talk to. And not every conversation you have has to be about work. You might connect because you love the same NFL team or Bachelor contestant! Just be open-minded and take the pressure off. And when you do meet someone you click with, be sure to follow up with them. Like any other relationship, it takes time and effort to become close with a mentor.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.biggirlmoney.com
• Email: biggirlmoneypodcast@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biggirlmoney
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/biggirlmoney
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/biggirlmoneypod

Image Credit:
The podcast cover image credit is as follows. Photographer: Erin at ELC Photography Design: Olivia Burgener & Emma Hussey

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