share this story It is a well-known fact that there are fewer female CEOs than men. I became one of the minority when I founded Little Riot, an interaction design company, upon graduation from university in 2010. I started my business to develop Pillow Talk, a digital product which enables couples in long distance relationships to communicate with each other via their heartbeats. As an excited, enthusiastic graduate not yet jaded by the harsh reality of the real business world, I had no reason to doubt myself as I shamelessly lay my foundations in the technology world; an industry that remains very much male dominated. Two years on, my experience has broadened and my knowledge has increased, but every day I fight two battles; I have to prove myself as both a businesswoman and a technology pioneer. I don't feel like I struggle as a female in a very male-dominated industry, more that I just constantly have to work around - and indeed defy - the assumptions people make about me based on my gender. Many women I've met feel disadvantaged by the attitudes they encounter, but I like to think that there is something positive to be found in every setback. Over time, I have become familiar with the preconceptions I face and have learned how to ensure I make them work for me. "So you just came up with the idea, right?" This is the most common and by far the most frustrating assumption people make: that I