Ellen Siminoff ’89 has a long list of accomplishments; successful entrepreneur and investor, a founding exec and senior vice president at Yahoo, a sought after CEO and board member who Forbes magazine named a Master of Information but you can add to that one heck of a story teller.
Siminoff visited campus recently to chat with students over lunch about her time at Princeton and her unique career path. She shared an expert’s view on successful business models, the importance of the pivot, and how being the first out of the gate isn’t always the one who makes it to the finish line.
Mom of a current Princeton undergrad, Siminoff advised the group of about a dozen or so students that “right now you don't have to know what you want to be in life. When I was seventeen I was sure I'd be a doctor living in Chicago, not married, no kids. Boy was I wrong." She captivated the audience with personal anecdotes of why she didn’t go to med school, how she ended in Silicon Valley, and her harrowing Outdoor Action freshman experience.
She also offer some excellent advice. “Everyone doesn’t have to launch their own startup right out of college. You can bring your skills to a company with traction and add value while gaining experience and finding your talents.”
Thanks to the Bendheim Center for Finance for co-sponsoring this G.S. Beckwith Gilbert ’63 Lecture. This event was held at the Princeton Entrepreneurial Hub at 34 Chambers Street on October, 1, 2019.