From Personal Crisis to Global Impact: How Bailey Farren Is Revolutionizing Public Safety

EIA sat down with 2017 alumna Bailey Farren, cofounder of the tech startup Perimeter. In a world where natural disasters, like wildfires, are becoming more frequent and severe, Bailey’s innovative approach is empowering communities and first responders to respond more effectively. With a degree from UC Berkeley and a Forbes 30 under 30 recognition, Bailey has transformed personal experience into a mission-driven venture, creating technology that bridges critical gaps in emergency management. Bailey shares the origin of Perimeter, her challenges in the tech arena, and her most valuable insights for upcoming female entrepreneurs.

Could you tell me more about your experience founding Perimeter? How did you begin the process?

In 2017, my family and I were forced to evacuate our home due to the Tubs Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history. It devastated over 36,000 acres, destroying thousands of homes and causing significant loss. This traumatic experience served as the catalyst for my journey with Perimeter.

During the evacuation, we lacked crucial information about the fire’s location, safe routes, and shelters. I had assumed that first responders, like my father, had access to this critical information, but they were unable to share it effectively with the public.

After the fire, I conducted interviews with public safety agencies and discovered they still relied on outdated technology, like paper maps and radios, for situational awareness. This realization inspired me to create Perimeter—a comprehensive solution to equip both public safety agencies and residents with life-saving information for better decision-making during emergencies.

What were the initial challenges and motivations for implementing this project?

The challenges I encountered, firstly, centered around a career choice. I knew I could concentrate my efforts at pursuing a career at a large technology company, focusing on minor design adjustments to increase advertising revenue. Alternatively, I could create something that genuinely impacts people’s lives. When presented with this choice, the decision was evident. During difficult times, I reflect on the company’s origins and my personal experiences, which consistently motivates me to persevere.

The firefighting industry is quite male-dominated. What are the challenges and opportunities of being a female founder in this industry?

It has been an intriguing experience, as I am frequently the only woman present and often considerably younger than my colleagues, sometimes by 20 years.  I am aware of the unique challenges I must overcome to be perceived as experienced in this field. However, in working with public safety agencies, I have found that once I demonstrate my ability to ask insightful questions, actively listen, and approach situations with humility, individuals become receptive to my perspective. Despite being the only woman in many professional settings, my extensive research, inquisitiveness, and close collaboration with first responders have facilitated my recognition as an expert in this domain.

Research indicates that male founders do not encounter the same obstacles regarding experience and perceived experience as their female counterparts. For instance, figures like Mark Zuckerberg, the 19-year-old male college dropout, exemplify the archetypal founder narrative. A young man in this position is often perceived as a visionary. Conversely, a young woman entrepreneur may be labeled as inexperienced. Thus, female founders face additional challenges, including but not limited to critiques of their experience. Understanding how to navigate these obstacles is crucial for success.

The unique knowledge and research you bring to the table is paramount. What role does preparedness have in distinguishing your qualities and fostering trust?

Founders who present themselves as having all the answers can be difficult to take seriously. Approaching potential customers with humility and acknowledging that we may not share their life experiences is crucial. Deferring to their understanding of their problems and avoiding the assumption that we have all the answers is essential for building a successful relationship.

What community initiatives could we implement to facilitate a smoother transition and overall experience for female founders?

The most crucial action for any founder, especially females, is to pose challenging questions at the company’s inception, particularly in the pre-product stage. The ability to ask insightful questions that reveal target customer pain points simplifies building the right product and establishing oneself as an expert. Women’s natural empathy, used as a tool, can be leveraged to develop suitable products, marketing, and messaging, ultimately guiding the company effectively.

What do you mean by challenging questions? Can you provide any personal examples?

To successfully solve a problem, it is crucial to have a precise understanding of the challenges that potential or existing customers are experiencing. Making assumptions about these problems can prevent the discovery of additional information that could be crucial to understanding the underlying issues.

For instance, when I started my company, I was certain that we would be building and launching satellites into low Earth orbit to track wildfires. I assumed that the main challenge first responders faced was a lack of knowledge about the location of the fires. However, during the research period, I discovered that even with the best data available, these first responders lacked a practical way to access map-based information while in the field. Therefore, even if we had built a constellation of satellites, it would not have been beneficial to our target end-users due to their inability to access the information.

This experience taught me that it’s easy to accept the initial problem presented and assume that we understand the underlying causes and challenges. However, it is essential to ask probing questions and not simply move forward with the first answers we receive. We must delve deeper to uncover the root of the issue; otherwise, we risk building a product that does not adequately address the actual needs of the users.

Having raised 6 million dollars for your venture, can you describe the journey? Do you have any tips or approaches you can share with other founders?

The foremost tip that I can offer is to practice confidence. During the initial eighteen months of my fundraising endeavors, I faced daily rejections. Throughout my fundraising journey, and especially within that first year, I have been rejected by over 300 investors. It was not until I received feedback from another female founder, who had listened to my pitch, that I understood my approach. Throughout the fundraising process, I had been acting as if the investors would be doing myself, and all those we would help, a favor by investing. This was because I had started the company to solve a significant problem that affects me and my family personally. I spent the majority of my venture capital pitches focusing on our desperate need for the solution, as opposed to emphasizing the market size and the opportunity.

What I learned after hundreds of rejections is that success is achieved by truly understanding the motivations of potential investors. We were able to demonstrate the revolution within the public safety industry, which generated excitement. Therefore, when I encourage others to practice confidence, and to articulate the market size, remember that while words convey one message, confidence brings something else entirely. Confidence in articulation, posture, and in refusing to accept rejection is paramount to success.

You won the Miss San Francisco pageant. How did you enter that field? What was the pivotal moment?

The reason I decided to compete was that I had seen a friend compete in the Miss California pageant. I was impressed by the ambition, articulation, and drive of the competitors. Despite their young age, they were making significant contributions to their communities. As I mentioned, I seek out activities that challenge me and help me grow more confident. Competing in a pageant was certainly outside my comfort zone and I believed it would provide valuable self-learning experiences.

Being both a tech entrepreneur and a beauty pageant queen is quite an accomplishment. What valuable lesson did you learn from the entire pageant and experience that applies to being an entrepreneur and to daily life?

One of the most significant lessons I learned concerned posture and stage presence. I was astonished when I attended the Miss California 2024 pageant; I felt that I could predict who would be in the top five solely based on how they stood on stage. Of the 50 women competing, I could have predicted the top contenders based only on their posture. As a female founder, I was surprised that no one had ever discussed posture with me.

I have since learned that posture not only projects confidence but also increases internal confidence. When I practice maintaining good posture, I feel significantly more confident than when I am sitting or standing as I normally do when alone. First impressions are crucial. Although I do not have data to support this theory, I believe that investors know whether they will invest within the first five seconds of meeting someone. I believe that those first impressions are more indicative than the pitch itself. In a world where less than 2% of venture capital dollars go to female founders, we need to analyze what we need to do to fundraise and exude the confidence required to close deals for our companies.

Has your participation in an EIA and your subsequent role as a UC Berkeley ambassador supported your entrepreneurial journey in any way?

I was unaware of my potential to be a tech founder before attending EIA. While I had considered a leadership role in business and always envisioned myself as an entrepreneur, it was at EIA that I recognized my capacity to be the founder of a tech company. Through the program, I gained invaluable insights into the essential skills for a founder and how to assemble a team that complements one’s strengths. My early success as a founder can be attributed to my education at Berkeley and participation in the EIA program.

Do you have any final advice for young entrepreneurs who are going through the EIA program or starting their business?

The most crucial guidance I can offer to EIA participants is to be present. Reflecting on my own journey, my co-founder, initial employees, investors, advisors, and even more recent investors and my first accelerator all originated from EIA connections. Therefore, my advice to a student embarking on this summer’s program would be to prioritize presence. You never know who might be sitting next to you; it could be your future co-founder, employee, or investor. These individuals will all be present at the program, asking challenging questions and driven by ambitious visions. Focus on immersing yourself fully in the experience and leaving nothing to chance.