Being a woman in a male-dominated industry: The inspiring story of Jessica Gomez, founder and CEO of Rogue Valley Microdevices

At age 26, Jessica Gomez started a manufacturing company with her husband. She began with no money and no prior knowledge of how to run a business. Almost 20 years later, she has been named to the 2021 Women of Influence List by the Portland Business Journal and received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, among many other honors. Jessica’s business, Rogue Valley Microdevices, is a micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS) foundry, in other words, a contract manufacturer. They fabricate physical devices for other companies. Jessica tells us about the very beginnings and how the recession gutted her company, forcing her to lay off the team she’d built. She and Carol also discuss the CHIPS Act and how it may benefit her industry. Jessica paints us a picture of what it’s like being a young woman in her industry.“I go to a conference and it’s 500 men in suits, and me and the staff,” Jessica says. Someone asks her, “Are you guys going to bring more coffee down for us? I think it is empty.” She responds, “No, no I’m actually here for the conference.”In this episode, you’ll learn about Jessica’s troubled upbringing which left her homeless at one point, and how she found success against all odds. Learn more about Jessica Gomez and Rogue Valley Microdevices You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on Twitter @carolbschultz or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbschultz/.