* Blazing a trail based on empowerment through knowledge of code, Kathryn Parsons is co-founder of Decoded, teaching anyone to code in a
day. Little Grey Cells peers inside the mind of a 2012 digital mover and shaker.
Contrary to popular belief people who want to understand how to code come from all walks of life…
We have had students, teachers, politicians, entrepreneurs, brands, CEOs of FTSE 100 companies…we even had a very well-known Hollywood director get in contact recently (his latest film is going to be about hackers!). Code is not the preserve of a select few, it is a creative and strategic skill too.
Code can transform people…
Fluency in the languages and skills of code is like being given a key to a secret universe…and the confidence to step into it. People have left us saying they feel ’empowered’, ‘realising the art of the possible’… ‘transformed’. An understanding of code genuinely means you will see the world differently.
Code can transform the economy…
If everyone in this country could code the economic benefits would be unimaginable. We would drive the agenda globally in terms of digital, we would be a hot-bed of entrepreneurship and innovation. Everyone can and should code.
I hate jargon…
No smoke and mirrors please. Don’t hide knowledge, share it and don’t be afraid to say you don’t understand something, in all likelihood no one else does either.
People are amazing…
I meet so many people from different walks of life and I am constantly amazed by the talent, personalities, stories, creativity, imagination, achievements, ambitions…of everyone!
Make it happen…
I feel immensely proud to be doing something I passionately believe in. I’ve always been a strong believer in taking brilliant ideas and executing them expertly. Don’t let anyone say you can’t do it. Anything is possible.
Tech is not the preserve of men…
I heard recently that 92% of applicants for IT degrees were male. Funny that! Around 50% of people who come to Decoded are women! They are incredible natural coders and phenomenal innovators and drivers of change within their businesses.
The UK is the most exciting place to be in the world for digital…
There is a phenomenal pace of development and growth taking place. There is an increasingly fertile environment of support and investment for digital start-ups such as the Tech City initiative, collaborative working spaces such as Tech Hub and Google Campus and an influx in meaningful investment and venture capital for start-ups.
Being a UK business is great but I cannot wait to launch in new markets…
We have had huge levels of interest from NY, LA, San Francisco, Sydney, South Africa, Singapore and beyond. We will be launching in new markets later this year. The positivity and support for enterprise in some of these regions is really something else.
I am obsessed by languages, maps and codes…
I studied French since I was small, Italian for 2 years, Japanese for four years at SOAS, Mandarin for two years, graduated in Latin and Ancient Greek from Cambridge…and now programming. It is the new lingua franca.
I am unhealthily obsessed by maps…old maps of London, archaeological maps, Google Earth you name it. I love unearthing past and present cultures through their languages and topographies.
I am currently reading…
Muirhead’s London and its Environs – The Fourth Impression published in 1919. A guide to London with 30 beautiful maps and plans. It was complied with great pains and great generosity and assistance from war time Londoners.
Tim is a DJ, music producer and digital advertiser.
