Leah Solivan: Business Innovation

Based on her new podcast, Breaking Precedent, Leah Solivan has shattered barriers on many levels, from reimagining the Future of Work with TaskRabbit, to challenging the Venture Capital industry as a young Latina, to advocating for more women in technology and engineering. She is passionate about sharing her journey and highlighting others’ unprecedented journeys as well. 

Imagine a world where the boundaries of what’s possible are constantly being pushed, where societal norms are challenged, and where new precedents are made every day. This is the world we will explore in Breaking Precedent, a dynamic presentation dedicated to uncovering the stories of those who dare to innovate, trailblaze, and redefine the status quo. 

Throughout this presentation, we will delve into the lives of extraordinary individuals who are not just thinking outside the box but are completely dismantling it to create new standards and pathways in their respective fields. From technology and art to social justice and beyond, we will share their journeys of breaking barriers and setting new precedents. 

Each segment of Breaking Precedent will offer you an intimate look into the motivations, struggles, and triumphs of these pioneers. We will provide a platform where groundbreaking ideas are not only discussed but are also celebrated as catalysts for change. 

This presentation is also about equipping you with the tools and strategies to break precedents in your own life and work. We will explore practical applications that will empower and inspire you.

After 8 years as a software engineer at IBM, Solivan quit her job to found TaskRabbit. With no prior business experience, no MBA, and by withdrawing $20,000 from her IBM pension account, it was a cold winter night when she had the idea for founding TaskRabbit. After bootstrapping the company for 18 months, maxing out credit cards, and building the business from the ground up, Solivan was able to raise over $50 million dollars in venture funding, expand the company internationally, and propel TaskRabbit as a leader of the sharing economy movement. Then in 2017, Leah oversaw TaskRabbit’s successful sale to IKEA – the multinational home décor corporation’s first step into the on-demand platform space. 

There were many lessons learned along the way, and in this dynamic speech, Solivan will share five important lessons that changed the game for her life and her business. From having “Big Hairy Audacious Goals” to discovering ideas, instead of inventing them, Solivan will explore how anyone can be entrepreneurial and drive innovation for their team, business, or organization, ultimately achieving greater happiness for themselves and truly loving what they do. 

Mom always told us not to talk to strangers, but are there really any strangers today? Fifteen years ago, it was unthinkable to flag down a random car and hop in for a ride, but today, with the use of technology, we don’t hesitate to share rides with people we don’t know.

We are willing to hire a handyman through an app, such as TaskRabbit, and we are renting out rooms in our own houses to people we’ve never met before. How did the sharing economy begin and what will it evolve to next? In this dynamic speech, Solivan will share her story of starting TaskRabbit and why 2008 was a pinnacle for the beginning of the sharing economy.

Over the last 8 years, this new trend has evolved into mainstream adoption and continues to grow and scale in new ways that are changing the future of work. Solivan will explore how businesses, large and small, will need to evolve to support this new fragmented workforce, and how, despite the skeptics, providing more flexibility and entrepreneurship in our work environments will drive innovation, support diversity, and ultimately translate to stronger, longer-lasting companies.