### Fiji Simo: From Fishing Village to Tech CEO

Fidji Simo seamlessly blends her French heritage with tech leadership, redefining grocery delivery at Instacart.

### From Fishing Village to Tech CEO: The Inspiring Journey of Fiji Simo
* 🌊 Welcome to Sète, a picturesque city in the south of France, where the **essence of the Mediterranean** meets the inspiring story of Fiji Simo, a tech CEO raised in a family of **fishermen**.
* 🚀 Simo's journey from her hometown to Silicon Valley showcases her **grit and determination**, having transitioned from roles at eBay and Facebook to becoming the **CEO of Instacart**.
* 👗 Despite the tech industry's pressure to conform, Simo proudly embraces her French heritage, stating, "I tried to dress down at Facebook, but it felt **horrible because it wasn’t who I was**."
* 🍽 Simo emphasizes the importance of family and food in her upbringing, noting that "**in our family, food is everything**," which has shaped her passion for both technology and nourishing people.
* 🛒 As CEO of Instacart, Simo aims to merge traditional fishing practices with modern technology, believing that **"technology should help the people who are caring for their particular craft."**
* 📈 Under her leadership, Instacart has shifted its focus from merely being a **grocery delivery app** to becoming a **grocery technology company**, integrating deeply with over **1,500 grocers**.
* 💡 Simo advocates for a more efficient food system, highlighting the need for technology to **reduce waste and improve access to nutritious food**, stating, "**the food system is completely suboptimized**."
* 👩 As a role model for aspiring female leaders, she encourages them to "**dream big and not put any limitations on themselves**," proving that success can stem from **humble beginnings**.

How Instacart's CEO Fidji Simo Brought French Style to Silicon Valley | The Circuit with Emily Chang

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Bloomberg Originals

Arrival in Sète, a charming coastal city known for its port and cuisine.

Meeting Fidji Simo, a tech CEO who grew up in Sète.

Simo's background: raised by fishermen, she achieved success in Silicon Valley.

Simo's unique style and refusal to conform to tech industry norms.

Simo showcasing her hometown and its cultural significance.

Simo's Family and Sète's Fishing Industry

Simo's family's generations-long involvement in the fishing industry.

The importance of food and family traditions in Simo's upbringing.

Simo's perspective on the respect given to fishermen in Sète versus tech professionals in Silicon Valley.

The significance of the local dish, tielle, and its family-oriented preparation.

Simo's comparison of French and American cultures regarding work-life balance.

Simo's reflections on her father's demanding work as a fisherman.

Simo's decision not to join the family business but to adopt their work ethic.

Simo's grandfather's adaptation to new technology in the fishing industry.

Simo's early life in Sète and her limited exposure to the outside world.

Simo's high school experience and meeting her husband.

Influence of American television on Simo's aspirations.

Simo's dedication to education and her choice of a career in technology.

Simo's initial rejection by Facebook and her subsequent successful application.

Simo's risk-taking and achievements at Facebook.

Simo's advantages and disadvantages as a non-founder CEO.

Simo's vision for Instacart as a grocery technology company.

Simo's approach to resetting expectations during challenging times.

Simo's response to Wall Street's skepticism regarding Instacart's valuation.

Instacart's competitive strategy against larger players like Amazon and Walmart.

Instacart's acquisition of Caper and the functionality of AI-powered smart carts.

Simo's perspective on rising food costs and their impact on consumers.

Addressing the perception of Instacart as a luxury service.

Simo's response to complaints regarding gig work conditions for Instacart shoppers.

Instacart's advocacy for addressing dietary-related diseases through technology.

Simo's thoughts on the global food system and its inefficiencies.

Simo's ambitious plan to optimize the food system through technology.

Simo's experience having dinner with President Macron.

Entrepreneurship in France and Representation of Women in Tech

Simo's perspective on the challenges and opportunities for entrepreneurship in France.

The underrepresentation of women, particularly French women, as tech CEOs.

Simo's advice to aspiring French female tech leaders.