Sheena Allen

Sheena Allen Speaking Topics

• AI for Entrepreneurs & Employees (Workshop)

  Generative AI has been a major trend over the past few years and shows no signs of slowing down. While many people are familiar with AI, not everyone understands how it works or how it can boost productivity in their work. Through talks or workshops, Sheena helps entrepreneurs understand how to leverage AI tools to enhance their businesses and stay competitive in today's fast-paced market, or employees remain on trend and be more productive at work. Sheena explains and explores AI-driven software like ChatGPT, Grammarly, Canva, and others, demonstrating how these tools can be leveraged to enhance productivity based on each individual's role and career goals.

• Mobile App Mapping & Strategy (Keynote & Workshop)

  How many times have you heard someone say, “I have this amazing idea for an app?” Well, a lot of people do! Unfortunately, most people with the idea have no clue what the next step they should take and for those who think they know, they usually assume that means contacting a developer to start coding their idea into an app. They completely skip over understanding the side of their app that should be well understood before ever reaching out to a developer. Is this a free app or does it include in-app purchases? What about UI/UX? How many similar apps are already available? Is this for iOS or Android or both? There is so much to the mapping out of a mobile app that should be done before ever contacting a developer that is never done.

  Sheena started her first tech company, Sheena Allen Apps, as a senior in college. With no technical background, Sheena bootstrapped her mobile app company to house five apps and generated millions of downloads. In building her company through trial and error, Sheena was all able to master how to map out the idea of a mobile app before ever contacting a mobile developer. After realizing that not having the proper strategy and flow chart mapped out, the lack of preparation and knowledge would cost more time and money when the app entered into the development stage.

  Key lessons from this talk include:

  • Don’t go directly from app idea to app development. That is like having a car (app idea) and tires (app developer), but with no gas (app strategy and mapping).
  • The entire app process • from idea all the way to deployment in the app store.
  • Understanding how the app stores work • Apple AppStore vs. Android
  • How to create a flow-chart
  • What to look for when searching for an app developer and what are the red flags you may be dealing with someone who won’t deliver.

  Workshop:

  The interactive workshop, called App It Out, will include working hands-on with attendees to allow them to see the missing pieces in their app idea. The beginning of the workshop starts with attendees doing an elevator pitch of their app idea to test how or if their idea is as well-defined as they think. Throughout the workshop, attendees will sketch out the first few pages of their mobile app, challenge each other on holes in their flow process, complete competitive analysis, discuss funding options, traction, hiring developers, and preparing for marketing before and after launching their app.

Financial Inclusion

The traditional banking system was never designed to serve everyone equally, leaving over 2 billion people worldwide financially underserved. Lack of financial inclusion has been a critical issue for decades but has become more discussed and at the forefront in recent years as advocates and startups work to tackle the many challenges involved.

Drawing from her personal experience growing up in Mississippi, the poorest state in the U.S., as well as her professional expertise running her fintech startup, CapWay, Sheena highlights the difficulties faced by people living in banking deserts and those who are unbanked or underbanked. She also addresses the barriers created by a lack of trust in traditional banks and how factors such as race, age, gender, culture, and geography can limit access to financial services.

Sheena also explores the role of technology in addressing these challenges, noting how digital innovations have already disrupted industries like transportation (Uber vs. taxis) and hospitality (Airbnb vs. hotels). Similarly, technology has made significant strides in expanding financial access and creating new opportunities. However, Sheena emphasizes that much more work is needed to achieve true financial inclusion for all.

Thriving as a Non-Techie in the Tech Space

When most people think of the tech industry, they often imagine introverted developers immersed in their computers with headphones on, coding away in a focused, solitary state. However, tech companies are made up of much more than just developers. So, if you're non-technical and passionate about joining the tech world, don't let that hold you back. Building a successful company requires a diverse team with a wide range of skills—coders, designers, marketers, salespeople, and more. In fact, many successful tech founders were non-technical themselves, including Steve Jobs (Apple), Brian Chesky (Airbnb), and Evan Spiegel (Snapchat).

Sheena, a non-technical founder of multiple startups, shares her insights on recruiting the right team by understanding your strengths and weaknesses, developing a clear vision, and focusing on other key factors for building a successful tech company. She also highlights the unique and valuable qualities that non-technical individuals bring to the table of a tech company.

Bootstrapping vs. Fundraising from Venture Capitalists (VC) & Angel Investors

Many startups aim to secure funding from venture capitalists (VCs) or angel investors, often believing it's the only way to succeed. After all, the companies raising millions in funding are the ones making headlines in top media outlets, giving founders the illusion that raising money equates to success. However, venture capital may not be the right path for every founder. In the rush to raise money, many entrepreneurs lose sight of building their businesses or fail to fully understand the implications of taking on investment. The truth is, with each investment, a company becomes less controlled by its founder or founding team.

Bootstrapping—funding a startup without external investment—has been largely overlooked. While both bootstrapping and raising venture capital have their advantages and drawbacks, unfortunately, the media tends to focus more on the benefits of securing outside investment.

Sheena Allen, who bootstrapped her first company, Sheena Allen Apps, to millions of app downloads and later raised numerous rounds of funding for her second startup, CapWay, has experienced both sides of the funding equation. Sheena offers valuable insights on the pros and cons of each approach.

Key lessons from this talk include:

• The reality of raising outside capital: loss of control, the pressure to deliver returns, and more.
• Alternative ways to fund your business beyond traditional venture capital, including crowdfunding
• Strategies for bootstrapping as long as possible.
• Determine if VC funding is the right choice for your business or if bootstrapping is a more suitable path.

Women / Minorities in Tech

Women and minorities, especially those who identify as Black and Latinx, continue to face significant challenges in the tech industry, particularly when it comes to fundraising. The sector has long been dominated by a "bro-code" culture of predominantly white men, making the push for diversity and equity a tough battle. Despite evidence showing that diverse teams are more successful, a recent increase in companies withdrawing their commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives has only added more obstacles.

While small victories have been achieved, there's still a long way to go. Sheena reflects on entering rooms and feeling like she has three strikes against her: she's Black, a woman, and from Mississippi—a place many outside the region unfairly stereotype as home to only racists and uneducated minorities. However, if the "three strikes, you're out" mentality were truly the standard, Sheena's story would challenge that. Pulling from her experiences, Sheena provides valuable resources, motivates others, and encourages others to take what makes them different and use it to their advantage as best as possible.