Safe Travels: Women and Rideshares with Terri Phipps and Mary Morrison

And So, She Left: Wisdom from Women Beyond the Corporate World

Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of assault and harassment that some listeners may find upsetting.

Terri Phipps and Mary Morrison are no strangers to the challenges women face when using ridesharing services. Having traveled frequently during their corporate careers, Terri and Mary experienced their fair share of uneasy rideshare situations, prompting them to take on different personas, stay on the lookout for potential dangers, and prepare for worst-case scenarios. And they quickly realized they were far from the only ones.

Driven by the need to create a safer environment for both women passengers and drivers, Terri and Mary founded Wilma, a ridesharing platform specifically designed for women driving women. For Terri and Mary, Wilma is more than just a business endeavor—it's a project with the potential to provide women with a fear-free public transportation option. They talk about their personal connection to Wilma, share traumatic stories from women rideshare passengers that continue to motivate them to make a difference, and offer some of the best advice for women entrepreneurs we’ve heard so far.

Learn more about Wilma.

In this episode, we cover:

• The ridesharing stories that convinced Terri and Mary to start Wilma
• The true extent of the systemic problems surrounding ridesharing for women, and why they can be difficult to convey to men
• The importance of acknowledging and addressing "trauma bubbles"
• Why your personal connection to your venture is crucial to your success
• Managing your deepest fears as an entrepreneur, and how to enjoy the process of scaling your venture

Quote of the Week:

"No problem can stand the assault of sustained effort." - Terri Phipps

Hosted by Katherin Vasilopoulos. Made by Cansulta and Ethan Lee.

Music by © Chris Zabriskie, published by You've Been a Wonderful Laugh Track (ASCAP).

Songs used in this episode include: "Air Hockey Saloon," "And It Is There, In Those Depths," "I Refuse to Accept That There's Nothing I Can Do About It," "Short Song 020123," "We Were Never Meant to Live Here," "Short Song 012123," "Take Off and Shoot a Zero."

Used under the Creative Commons 4.0 International License