Local Talent: The Entrepreneur’s Handbook Podcast - Episode 20



This week’s guest on the Local Talent podcast has a mission: to get more women educated in tech and to help them to bag some of the high-paying roles in the IT industry. Traci Mitchell has a background in project management and when she was unexpectedly made redundant at the beginning of the pandemic, she set out by herself to do contract field work in IT and she’s loving it. In this episode, she tells Jason about how she got her start in IT, where she finds most of her work now, and what makes her a brilliant new talent in the world of San Antonio stand-up comedy.

There’s plenty for budding entrepreneurs and fans of comedy here, as Jason and Traci get stuck into how Traci wins profitable IT contracts and how she markets herself as a stand-up comedian. You’ll also learn about the University of YouTube and hear Traci discuss the craziest contract job she ever did, plus her biggest ever tech fail.

If Traci’s story has inspired you to think about working in tech or pursuing your entrepreneurial dreams, let the Local Talent team know! You can reach out via Facebook or LinkedIn and don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so that you don’t miss an episode.


Timestamps
[0:00] Intro
[0:23] Traci gives Jason her elevator pitch and explains the problem of the lack of female representation in the IT industry
[3:36] How Traci started her own IT company during the Covid-19 pandemic
[5:40] The kinds of clients that Traci works with now and how she acquired her skills
[7:23] A typical field technician contract and where Traci cleans up
[10:10] The University of YouTube
[11:50] Cutting your teeth on the Field Nation app
[16:00] The craziest assignment that Traci ever did—and it’s crazy!
[19:43] Traci's long-term plans for her business
[21:05] $150 for 10 minutes of work
[21:43] The bidding to jobs ratio and leaving money on the table
[26:05] What tech schools can—and can’t—do for your career
[28:50] Jason and Traci discuss what education the next generation will need
[31:17] Lightning roooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnndd!!
[35:05] Traci's hobby as a comedian and what the stand-up scene is like in San Antonio
[38:40] What it takes to create a killer stand-up routine
[39:53] Busting the biggest myth about women in tech
[41:00] The factors that Traci uses to calculate how much she should bid on a job
[43:00] The current scene on the Field Nation app
[45:32] What Traci wishes she’d known before starting comedy
[46:35] “Oh man, this is really embarrassing:” Traci's biggest tech mistake
[49:09] The best advice that Traci ever received and how she unwinds
[51:11] Showing up: How to market yourself as a comedian
[52:30] Traci's inspiring words of wisdom and her advice for wannabe stand-up comedians
[53:33] Retiring at 55 and Traci's other goals for her IT business
[55:15] Where to go to find Traci online


Highlight Quote
“I want to get girls these jobs so that I can make sure that we are in this industry. We are going to make sure that we've got our footprint. All of these people are making these tech decisions, and we are going to make some of those decisions too.”
Traci Mitchell, Local Talent podcast, (15:11)

Links

Traci on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/what_what_im_famous/
Traci's IT Tech Email:
Tracithetechchick@gmail.com
Traci on YouTube:
https://youtube.com/channel/UCT9-e7sK9BW_8qMSaT33YfQ
Traci's Comedy Email:
Whatwhatimfamous@gmail.com

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