by Claire McGovern, Strategic Initatives Associate, Pipeline

It was 103 degrees out (yes that’s not a typo. One-hundred three degrees!) when I made my way over to Cindy Gallop’s Chelsea apartment to conduct our #womaninnovator interview. I had seen Cindy speak at a NYWSE* event, “Social Media for Social Change”, so I had a general idea of what I was getting myself into. I remembered her humor, her style, and her ability to engage the entire room.

Walking into Cindy’s fabulous home felt like a mirage drawn out of the summer heat: the colors, the fabrics, the art! As Manhattan scorched outside in the heat, I found myself in a breathtaking oasis with a woman innovator. As we began the interview, Cindy’s confidence radiated through her. We discussed her fantastic work with MakeLoveNotPorn.com, which was inspired by her real life experience. “I date younger men,” she stated flatly. “And when I date younger men, I have sex with younger men.” MakeLoveNotPorn.com grew from the disappointing fact that the growing trend of real sex education comes from hardcore pornography. And for those on the receiving end of that education, it can be a drag. Cindy was compelled to start MakeLoveNotPorn.com, and the response surprised even her! After launching at the TED Conference (and becoming one of the most watched speakers of the series), Cindy’s website took off. She told me of her plans of expansion, too, so stayed tuned!

Recently, however, Cindy has been focusing on IfWeRantheWorld.com, an online platform that seeks to turn human good intention into action. One of Cindy’s pet peeves is the fact that most people want change and to do good, yet don’t get off the couch to make it happen. Her platform wants to make it ridiculously simple for people with good intentions to mobilize that desire. Cindy’s philosophy on innovation is straightforward and clear: women by the very fact that they are women, and inherently a minority in the mainstream culture, are natural innovators. Cindy advises other women innovators to ignore the doubters, the haters, and the second-guessers. “Those people who say it can’t be done should get out of the way of people doing it.”

*New York Women Social Entrepreneurs (NYWSE)

Claire McGovern is Pipeline’s Strategic Initiatives Associate. Her responsibilites include managing Pipeline’s social media presence, content creation, and producing the #womaninnovator series. Claire’s posts will document her summer at Pipeline and her observatinos as she navigates through her own personal pipeline.