Dr. Sharon Jones is the founder and CEO of The Dot Consulting and the founder of the Dottie Rose Foundation, an organization closing the gender gap in technology for young women. In this episode, she and Carla trace how a side hustle born out of a 2008 layoff, a pay cut back to a third-year teacher’s salary, and the loss of her grandmother eventually grew into two organizations. Sharon shares the tree analogy that grounds her through every rewire: roots to come home to, and wings to go find out who you are. They also talk about the guilt of building a business while raising three kids, why she believes technology should never lose its human, hands-on core, and the one small daily habit that gets her through the hardest days.
Episode Navigation
- 00:00 — Welcome to Rewiring with Carla and introducing Dr. Sharon Jones
- 01:40 — How the side hustle started: losing a corporate job in the 2008 crisis
- 04:48 — Losing her grandmother, Dottie Rose, and the foundation named in her honor
- 09:16 — Realizing the rewiring had already started inside the messy middle
- 12:40 — Turning in her notice: the moment she finally launched full time
- 19:43 — The tree analogy: roots to come home to, wings to go find out who you are
- 27:21 — Why she started Dottie Rose Foundation: the missing female representation in tech
- 34:51 — Dottie Rose Foundation by the numbers: 4,500 girls served and a 95% return rate
- 43:26 — Her go-to tool for getting through hard days: one small thing to look forward to
- 46:32 — Closing thoughts and where to get involved with Dottie Rose Foundation
About Our Guest:
Dr. Sharon Jones is a leader in computer science, an educator, a business owner, and a mom who has spent years making technology feel more accessible and more human. She is the founder and CEO of The Dot Consulting, where she helps organizations think differently about technology, education, innovation, and impact. She is also the founder of the Dottie Rose Foundation, an organization created to bridge the gender gap in technology and create access to education, mentorship, and opportunity for young women, named in honor of her grandmother, Dorothy Rose.
Tool to Use:
A family-time non-negotiable, for Dr. Sharon it was family dinners; this is the space that gets priority and helps everyone recenter and reconnect amid the messy middle.
Connect & Resources:
Learn more or volunteer with the Dottie Rose Foundation: dottierosefoundation.org
Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
Watch on YouTube: RewiringwithCarlaV
Website: 5683justbe.com
Follow Carla V. on Instagram: carla_variglotti_
LinkedIn: Carla Variglotti
Facebook: Carla Variglotti