Jerelyn Rodriguez, CEO Of The Knowledge House, Talks Success In Nonprofit

Jerelyn Rodriguez co-founded The Knowledge House (TKH) to bridge the gap between careers in tech and women and people of color in inner-city communities. The Bronx native and Columbia University graduate felt inspired by Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code, and her efforts to advocate for STEM opportunities in underserved groups. She also felt inspired meeting her co-founder Joe Carrano, who taught himself how to code. The two decided to start TKH in Hunts Point, NY, a highly impoverished neighborhood in the Bronx.

TKH leads programs and serves communities in the five New York City boroughs, Newark, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and has plans to expand to Washington, D.C. With 10 years in serving in communities, TKH has provided tech training to over 2,500 students, with the majority of them women. She hopes to double their reach in the next five years.

They’ve helped their graduates land full-time jobs in tech, provide for their children, and some have retired their moms, the founder says. They will be accepting applications to their Innovation Fellowship through January 15th.

Her Agenda spoke with Jerelyn to hear more about her journey as an entrepreneur and her advice to those who wish to take the same path:

Her Agenda: What were some important steps that you took when you were starting The Knowledge House?

Jerelyn Rodriguez: We partnered with a nonprofit organization in the Hunts Point area of the Bronx called The Point CDC. They were an arts and community program but they didn’t offer any tech [programs]. The Point was interested in us bringing that program to their site. They gave us space [and] laptops to use. Me and my co-founder paid the first group of Knowledge House students that we recruited for a 10-week program. We taught 10 participants how to code, about 3D printing, digital marketing, [and] lean entrepreneurship. We were able to get 75 percent of those students an internship in the tech fields. 

Her Agenda: As the CEO of a Black-owned nonprofit, what was one major challenge that you [faced] and how did you overcome it?

Jerelyn Rodriguez: Fundraising is always a challenge. There’s data that says Black [women] entrepreneurs receive the least amount of funding compared to other groups. It’s taken me a long time to finally say, ‘Yes, I have the resources needed to deliver a high quality program.’ I had to get rejected from a lot of the funders that I pitched to in the first three years. They didn’t end up funding us until we came back a second [or] third time. Seeing those disparities in the beginning was very discouraging. But, I’m very passionate about the mission and the work, so I’ve just never given up.

Her Agenda: What about your background? Do you think it lends the most to your success?

Jerelyn Rodriguez: I think being from a low-income background from the Bronx and being [an Afro-Latina] woman makes me a unique leader. I’m just a hidden gem, and I think that there are so many hidden gems in the Bronx. I’m very fortunate to have gone to an Ivy League school. I’ve been blessed to get some recognition and other accolades that have helped folks become more aware of my work, Forbes being one of them. Amplifying all of those accomplishments, along with my unique background, help me mobilize folks and resources to support the work. 

Her Agenda: What are three key lessons that you’ve learned about running a nonprofit?

Jerelyn Rodriguez: It’s important to connect with other founders so you have a network [to] lean on to vent, share best practices, and to support each other. Two, in the beginning, funders usually fund the leader more than the impact [or] the products. It was important for us to maintain a strong, digital brand and make sure that the leader[’s] story [and] the early impact of the organization is always visible.

And [three], the people on your team [when you start] a company will probably not be there while you are taking your company to the next level. You need people that are scrappy [and] will be able to manage ambiguity. But as you grow, you do need to surround yourself with people that know more than you. 

Her Agenda: For budding women entrepreneurs, what are three tips you would offer them? 

Jerelyn Rodriguez: One, I think having a strong market solution that’s backed by customers is important. Nonprofit leaders should not depend solely on philanthropy, like grants and donations. If you have a good service, program, or product and you can sell it, that is going to be a more sustainable company in the long run. Two, [be] fluid with your pitch. When I talk to a corporation, I’m trying to build a business case for them. If I’m talking to a community organization, I might be talking about how a partnership can deepen community impact. The last piece of advice is to start documenting your processes early. As you grow your team, you can provide them with standards [and] procedures that are written down [and] you will prepare yourself to set those new folks up for success.