It’s an exciting time to be a woman in business: 31-year-old Jessica Thomas is making waves as the CEO of the hot new start-up DataWize, gaining a reputation as a visionary in the tech and business communities. And the most inspiring part is that she’s doing it all while still a dependent on her parents’ cell phone plan. Wow!
Even when out of the office, Ms. Thomas is constantly working, planning, and leading conference calls on a phone she admits is still on her parents’ account.
“Trust me, cell phone contracts are so convoluted, it’s actually cheaper for them to keep my line,” she assures us.
This kind of financial acumen has been vital as Jessica prepares to take her company public. “It is important to balance the needs of my employees with those of our shareholders. It’s all about holding yourself accountable. Oh, that reminds me…” Jessica trails off as she reaches for her phone and Venmos $40 to ‘Mom’ with a phone emoji in the notes.
When reached for comment, Patricia Thomas (‘Mom’) reported that the payment was neither on time nor the appropriate amount for the service. Jessica assures us that her parents are “cool” if payments are “like, a few days late” and Patricia explains, “We agreed on $40 a month a few years ago and just never changed it. We’re just so proud of Jessie, we don’t want to put anything else on her plate!”
Ms. Thomas’ plate is full indeed. “It’s really impressive to see her negotiating with some of the most powerful people in the country,” Alan Martinez, one of the initial investors in the company, tells us, “It seems like nothing can throw her off her game! She has all the answers.” Well, not all the answers. Sources say Ms. Thomas also recently texted her father, Raymond Thomas, the following message: “do u know when ill (sic) be eligible 4 new phone?”
Jessica is proud of what DataWize has been able to accomplish already. “We’ve created a company that has an open, collaborative culture. I may steer the ship, but everyone’s contribution is equally important!” Jessica says. Jessica’s sister, Allison Thomas, 28, responded to this philosophy with some cynicism. “Equal? Jess uses over half of our family’s data every month. It’s so annoying and Mom won’t let us upgrade to an unlimited plan. Just go on WiFi once in a while, you know?” Allison, an accountant, is also still on her parents’ phone plan.
“Jessica’s a fantastic boss,” Pooja Reddy, Datawize’s Sales Planning Coordinator, says, “I’ve texted her in the middle of the night about some project or another, and she always responds immediately.” Ms. Thomas cites her employees having her current phone number as one reason she is hesitant to leave her family plan. “Oh, I could keep my old number?” she says when shown some alternate options, “I don’t know, I’ll have to think about that later.”
