Call Espree Devora \u201cFounder,\u201d \u201cSuperhero,\u201d \u201cCreator,\u201d \u201cLeader,\u201d \u201cGeek Tech-Evangelist,\u201d or \u201cKick-Ass Podcaster\u201d…\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But NOT \u201ca woman in tech.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Like many women in the industry, Espree prefers the reference to being a female be dropped altogether. After all, no one says \u201cman in tech.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Espree started her first company in her teens and hasn\u2019t stopped since. She is passionate about tech\u2014especially tech startups (and even more especially, tech startups founded by women!)\u2014and thanks to her dad, she\u2019s been involved in it since she was a little kid. She loves to give voice to women on the forefront of technology and business, and her <\/span>Women in Tech<\/span><\/i> and <\/span>We Are LA Tech Podcasts<\/span><\/i> consistently rank at the top of the charts. For Espree, podcasting is <\/span>\u201cpainting audio\u201d\u2026 <\/span><\/i>and a way to connect listeners to new ideas, interesting people, and the world around them.<\/span><\/p>\n

COVID has reduced this world traveler, who has visited over 100 countries and counting, to recording her shows alone in the studio. To quench her thirst for interaction, she now regularly moderates rooms on Clubhouse. (If you have been using Clubhouse, you might recognize her as one of the \u201cfaces\u201d of the Clubhouse app. Her rooms are another way her spirit gets to soar while serving others.)<\/span><\/p>\n

When I asked Espree how she got into tech and created the companies she did, she said, <\/span>\u201cI have a lot of belief in the unimaginable and a lot of hustle. I create my own reality. I go after life, whatever that means to me in each chapter, with all my being.\u201d<\/span><\/i> True to her name, which means \u201cspirit,\u201d Espree is the living embodiment of a spirit who lifts others up with everything she strives to do.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the first things that came up during our interview was her Zoom profile photo. It portrays a woman stepped fully into her power\u2014one who is loving life and unashamed to show the world who she really is. When I commented on it, Espree was appreciative. She shared about how the day it was taken was a particularly hard one, and she hadn\u2019t wanted to show up to the event. That led our conversation to what it means to be a founder of a company.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe definition of being<\/span><\/i> a \u2018founder\u2019 is showing<\/span><\/i> up on the days when you just don\u2019t think you can show up anymore<\/span><\/i>,\u201d says Espree. <\/span>\u201cBeing a creative and community builder is difficult. It is not like what you see on TV or in the movies. Startups are hard.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While Espree knows exactly how hard it is, she also knows if she can do it, so can you. This is another characteristic of being a founder\u2026 or better yet, <\/span>leader<\/span><\/i>\u2026 and Espree is one with massive influence.<\/span><\/h3>\n

In fact, I used to think the word \u201cinfluencer\u201d was a dirty word. It conjured up visions of people who claim they are in business to help others build something, but who are really only about making themselves look good. That is, until I met Espree. Through podcasting, speaking, Clubhouse rooms, and more, she has become a media influencer whose every conversation is designed to help others achieve their wildest dreams. She does it with style, grace, some tough love, a little bit of skateboarding, and lots of sneaker-wearing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Her latest project is one you might not expect: herself. She is learning to prioritize her own needs while elevating others\u2014not an easy project for someone who, like the Energizer Bunny, keeps on going and going. When I asked her what gives her joy, she said, <\/span>\u201cMy Spanish lessons.\u201d<\/span><\/i> And again, because she is so dedicated to serving and elevating others, she even has a Clubhouse room where people drop in to practice their Spanish!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Like many superheroes, Espree has an origin story that created her drive to be a founder (and yes, the distinction between entrepreneur and founder is important). She remembers walking with her dad in Westwood Village, Los Angeles, as a little girl. They were headed to the movies when she saw a building with empty spaces. Walking past it, she looked through the glass and said, <\/span>\u201cThat could be a tee-shirt company. It could sell things from my favorite cartoons.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Reflecting, Espree says<\/span>, \u201cI remember that moment so clearly\u2014how we were standing, and even how my head was tilted. I talked about how the <\/span><\/i>shirts would look and everything.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n

Although Espree thought it bizarre to remember that level of detail, I wasn\u2019t surprised. Every true seeker and achiever can describe the moment when her passion became seated in her soul. For Espree, it was that moment with her father that she saw the possibility of an empty storefront. And thanks to her mom believing that Espree could do anything she set her mind to, and teaching her that <\/span>\u201cevery \u2018no\u2019 is one step closer to a \u2018yes,\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/i> the trailblazer that is Espree was able to soar.<\/span><\/p>\n

Today, through her podcasts, speaking gigs, and Clubhouse rooms, she helps others see the moments when the empty office space in their dreams became their founder story\u2026 and then, she shows them how to <\/span>\u201cget it done.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Call Espree Devora \u201cFounder,\u201d \u201cSuperhero,\u201d \u201cCreator,\u201d \u201cLeader,\u201d \u201cGeek Tech-Evangelist,\u201d or \u201cKick-Ass Podcaster\u201d…\u00a0 But NOT \u201ca woman in tech.\u201d\u00a0 Like many women in the industry, Espree prefers the reference to being a female be dropped altogether. After all, no one says \u201cman in tech.\u201d\u00a0 Espree started her first company in her teens and hasn\u2019t stopped since. She is passionate about tech\u2014especially tech startups (and even more especially, tech startups founded by women!)\u2014and thanks to her dad, she\u2019s been involved in it since she was a little kid. She loves to give voice to women on the forefront of technology and business,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":10623,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[48,1],"tags":[1002,1258,1256,192,1257,435,1259,943],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n