Dr. Kathryn Messegee is an American-born humanitarian, advisor, author, composer, and artist with more than 32 years of experience in technology prototyping. She is the founder of Geode, a layer-one blockchain. At 16, her summer job involved conducting scientific research at NASA. Before turning 25, she earned a Ph.D. in Mathematics (specializing in Nonmonotonic Reasoning) and spoke at conferences on human reasoning and making the infinite finite. A hyper-polymath, she has worked across six industries—including a stint as a DARPA PM—gaining the expertise and patience to launch Geode Blockchain. She has published 17 books, hundreds of articles and papers, created dozens of unique art pieces, and released six albums.
What were your initial years of growing up like? Tell us about your life before starting your corporate journey/venture/initiative.
My father was a physicist, and my mother was a nurse turned computer scientist. It was a typical GenX upbringing—rather feral but with a twist. My father suffered from severe PTSD as a former Marine in the Vietnam War, leading to a challenging home life that taught me resilience, independence, and empathy. On the bright side, education was highly valued and supported, and my parents provided me with the best education possible. My family often ran side businesses, including a gun store and gun range, where I learned the basics of running projects and businesses. It was an unusual upbringing, but it shaped who I am today.
Every industry that is now a large-scale, top-notch business once started as a small idea in the minds of entrepreneurs. What was that idea or motivation that made you start your business/initiative? What motivated you within to say, “YES, go for it!”?
As I watched the blockchain industry emerge, I realized that smart contracts could truly set people free—allowing them to profit from their own time, attention, and productivity in ways impossible in a Web2 world. For years, I tried to convince friends in the crypto space to take on this project, but they were more interested in NFTs and DeFi rather than real utility. Eventually, I realized that if Geode was going to exist and make a difference, I had to build it myself. My husband and I had retired from defense technology prototyping at the time, and after sharing the idea with him, he became my co-founder. We have been dedicated to Geode ever since.
Would you like to share with our young budding women entrepreneurs the change you would like to see in the world if given an opportunity?
The phrase “if given the opportunity” is the wrong way to think about it. You are alive—that is the opportunity. The question should not be who will allow you, but who can possibly stop you. The change I am creating in this world is this: for every centralized system that profits off your time, attention, and productivity today, I am replacing it with a decentralized system that lets you profit directly. This shift will fundamentally transform how we work, live, and improve the lives of billions worldwide.
Women are a growing force in workplaces worldwide, standing shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. What are your thoughts on women in leadership today?
Women have the unique ability to offer collaborative leadership in ways that men cannot. We are wired for collaboration and thrive when we embrace our natural leadership style instead of adopting a masculine one. What you’ll find is that collaborative leadership is actually more powerful than hierarchical models and will dominate in the coming decades. Instead of trying to “thrive in a man’s world,” recognize that it was never truly a man’s world. Lead in your own way. You will realize that the only ceiling, glass or otherwise, is the one in your mind.
What’s the most important thing you have learned in your personal and professional journey? What is your personal motto in life?
Your mindset—especially how you see yourself—is the only real barrier. Your thoughts shape your reality, so consciously choose the kind of reality you want and go make it happen. Allow yourself no excuses.
With your grit and determination, you are making a considerable impact, breaking through, and serving as a role model for many budding entrepreneurs. What would you like to say to young women leaders reading this?
When you are just getting started or entering a new industry, fear is the first thing you need to conquer. Do the thing that frightens you. Not only will you grow, but you’ll also realize that your fears were never truly worth it. Just take that first step. Then take the next.
