Catherine Monson, Chief Executive Officer, Propelled Brands
Sophie Milliken, CEO & Founder, Moja
Susan Semmelmann, Founder, Susan Semmelmann Interiors
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December 2022 Vol - 3 Issue - 14
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Women in tech leadership are not a minority anymore. Their representation has been steadily increasing and is at an all-time high now. According to Deloitte’s estimates, women’s share in the overall global tech workforce has increased by 6.9% from 2019 to 2022, while their share in technical roles has grown by 11.7%. It is fascinating that the fastest growth—an estimated gain of nearly 20%—has occurred in the proportion of women in leadership, says Deloitte.
Creating a holistic diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategy has become imperative in the modern work culture. In fact, many researchers have underlined the fact that diverse teams perform better and are more innovative. Large technology, media, & telecommunications organizations are now highly committed to improving gender diversity, including increasing women in their technical and leadership ranks. For instance, Intel aims to double
the number of women and underrepresented minorities in senior leadership roles by 2030. Women at the top help companies in many ways. It would signal prospective employees that there is a shift in corporate culture, which helps them increase the retention of women in their overall and technical workforces. In this issue, we celebrate women’s leadership in business and technology. We have identified the 10 Most Inspiring Women Leaders in Business and Technology - 2022, a small bunch of powerful decision-makers who inspire women to make bigger strides in a world that was once ruled by their other half. On the cover, we feature Davielle Jackson, an awardwinning entrepreneur, innovator, and the Founder & President of Femi Secrets. As a young black CEO, she has spearheaded Femi Secrets to become the world’s #1 feminine care brand. Enjoy Reading.
Sarath Shyam
36
Catherine Monson, Chief Executive Officer, Propelled Brands
How The Franchise Business Model Has Proven Successful Worldwide
2022
58
Susan Semmelmann, Founder, Susan Semmelmann Interiors
Sustaining the Spirit of Entrepreneurship and Women Leadership
48
Sophie Milliken, CEO & Founder, Moja
Helping Business Owners Get Known
Nino
Alison Houghton-Corfield, National Relationship Director, Master Private Finance
26
Branding: What is New in an Everchanging World?
Raluca-Ioana Man, Founder & CEO, RSEVEN Ltd
RPA in Project Management: A Threat or an Opportunity?
Fusun Borluk, Group Head of Project Management Office, Robotic Process Automation, and IT Quality at AgeSA Hayat ve Emeklilik
Connecting
Melissa Slaymaker, Talent Hub Director for Women in Tech - Global Movement, Volunteer, Co-Founder & Speaker
According to you, what are the three dominating influences in management consultancy today?
We can keep listing the influences in management consultancy eternally, but the 3 main aspects remain unchanged. to ensure the consultancy is effective and efficient we need COMMON WILL, EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, and SPECIFIC DELIVERABLES. No change can be implemented without a high level of dedication and common will. Once the will is there and the change is planned, no significant change can be adopted without open communication cross-company. And last but not least, once the strategy and plan are there, and it is communicated, unless there is a specific person or a team responsible for owning the task, it is never implemented with a necessary level of commitment.
At Women-In-Tech we
believe that education is the fundament of everything and inclusion of women in education programs is essential for building a sustainable and inclusive future
After graduation from the Caucasus School of Business with a BBA in Corporate Finance, Nino has accumulated up to 12 years of work experience in financial & strategic management across different industries and sectors and over 8 years of Experience in holding Top Management Positions. She has been shaped as an experienced Business Consultant with a demonstrated history of working in Strategic, Operational, Project, and Financial Management.
Having emigrated to the Tech Industry, Nino has brought her knowledge and experience to support the development of the Georgian Startup Ecosystem. She holds an in-depth knowledge of Lean management, which is crucial for the successful management of both, companies and projects. Simultaneously having an extensive experience in Corporate Finance, Taxation, and Operational Management, she is skilled in effective utilization of resources and process optimization.
Being a tireless advocate of Women’s rights, equality, and empowerment, Nino has intended to contribute to the creation of new opportunities, especially for female entrepreneurs and startup founders, she is an active mentor to women around the world and a go-to expert in the field of women empowerment in Tech world.
In a recent chat with the team of Digital First Magazine, Nino Lortkipanidze reveals the three dominating influences in management consultancy and talks about her role as a CIO at THE Crossroad. She also shares her thoughts on the importance of women’s inclusion in the tech industry, personal mantra for success, and a lot more. Following are the excerpts from the interview.
Nino, you are the Women-In-Tech Ambassador for Georgia for almost a year now. Please tell us about your work and take on why women’s inclusion is important in technology. At Women-In-Tech we believe that education is the fundament of everything and inclusion of women in education programs is essential for building a sustainable and inclusive future. This is why, our chapter has primarily concentrated on developing an education program. I big step ahead, is our collaboration with GIZ and Caucasus University on developing an Entry Level Penetration Testing course that will be accredited by the Ministry of Education in Georgia and will be available free of charge to women, who are motivated to move to the Tech Industry. On top of that, we have significantly raised awareness of women’s inclusion topics in the Tech industry. Today, I personally sit on most of the gender equality boards in Georgia and serve as a goto person for women’s inclusion topics in the Tech industry.
Apart from that, you are also the Chief Innovation Officer at THE Crossroads, a Global Startups Platform. Could you elaborate a bit more on your role? And what inspires you about this role?
The whole beauty of THE Crossroads is that it serves as a mediator between all the stakeholders of the startup ecosystem. Therefore, being a Chief Innovation Officer of THE Crossroads, means that you need to understand and speak the language of each and every stakeholder, including startups, investors, policy-makers etc.
While working on the side with champions and opinion leaders and absolutely amazing people who breathe innovation, it is very inspiring to create more and build the future we all want to live in
While this position is very demanding from the point of multi-tasking and multi-dimensional approach, it is also outstanding rewarding from the perspective of global network of superior professionals, who modify the industries and change the mindsets on daily basis.
While working on the side with champions and opinion leaders and absolutely amazing people who breathe innovation, it is very inspiring to create more and build the future we all want to live in.
What has been your biggest learning as an innovation leader over the last 12 months? Innovation is everywhere, we just need to learn how to see it.
What are your thoughts on the new working standards that the tech industry is imposing right now on professionals?
They are amazing! Yes, the conservative world has challenges in adapting to the new normal, but if you look at it from the perspective of an individual professional, it is an absolutely brilliant concept of flexible work schedule and freedom of choice of work-place.
We need to understand, Tech industry is an industry that doesn’t have borders. We do not fall into any of the boxes and it is nothing short of cruelty to expect us to sit in 4 walls from 9 to 5. Our daily job is to create, improve and innovate – that can’t be done in gray walls.
What is the biggest barrier to corporate innovation you’ve encountered and how did or are you overcoming it?
Mindset is usually the biggest barrier to innovation everywhere. In the Corporate world, I would say it’s corporate culture – i.e. mindset but on a corporate
level. And the only bullet-prove way to overcome it, is to communicate openly and engage each and every member of the team – is it difficult? Yes, very. – Is it worth it? – Absolutely.
In your opinion, what will be the key trends in innovation to watch out for in 2023?
I think the innovation is narrowing down. We no longer see complex solutions and holistic approaches, but rather one specific task being modified and innovative ways of implementing this specific task. I would love to see more holistic approaches, synergy effects, and crossindustry solutions. I also see a significant rise in market-places and in crypto-exchanges – these are the 2 hot topics as I have noticed.
As an advocate of sustainability, what role will collaboration play to achieve the sustainable development goals?
KEY – unless we learn how to collaborate and optimize out spendings of resources, there is no change to build a truly sustainable future. We
need circular economies, synergy effects, crossindustrial cooperation, etc. that’s exactly why I see as one of the solutions the holistic approaches and cross-industry solutions.
Throughout your career, you have and continue to wear numerous hats and excel in all the roles. What is your secret mantra for being successful?
Hunger for development and uncontrollable curiosity is what brought me here today. And I still don’t consider myself to be successful yet – not according to my standards. There’s still so much that has to be done and achieved, I’m just starting.
What piece of advice would you give to aspiring female professionals?
With a little bit of faith in yourself and a lot of dedication and hard work, you can get literally anywhere. The world is an amazing place to be and to create, just don’t give up and keep doing – everything else will sort itself out.
Davielle Jackson is an awardwinning entrepreneur, innovator, and the Founder & President of Femi Secrets. As a young black CEO, she has spearheaded Femi Secrets to become the world's #1 feminine care brand. However, when Davielle infiltrated the fem care market, there were hardly any major brands thinking about fem tech. She then went on to create entrepreneurial history by entering into Wal-Mart in a record period of 6 months after the invention of her patented product, “The Pretty Panty.” Today, Femi Secrets is recognized as a global brand, revolutionizing women’s wellness.
Femi Secrets’ success mantra has been its Founder’s resilience, perseverance, and vision for the brand. “With hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and perseverance, anything can and will be accomplished,” states Davielle in her book ‘Ready, Set, Go.’ This multitalented, creative genius is indeed an inspiration and a force to be reckoned with.
Since childhood, Davielle has been an exceptionally bright student and a go-getter. She spoke less but observed everything around her. Born to very talented leaders and entrepreneurial parents, she constantly desired to lead and be #1 at everything. In high school, Davielle excelled in academics by standing 1st in the class and outshone at basketball. She did everything from scoring 43 pts in one game to winning the MVP title twice.
Later, Davielle’s constant and tedious focus and strive for greatness led her to college, studying her second love of basketball, science. “I lovveedddd science,” exclaims Davielle. If the number of v, e, and d didn’t reveal her passion for science, then what would, right? After completing her bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, she moved to Atlanta to pursue a medical career. However, it all changed when a friend of Davielle’s told her about her PCOS condition
CURRENTLY, FEMI SECRETS LEADS THE INNOVATION SPACE WITH ITS PATENTED PERIOD PANTY CALLED ‘THE PRETTY PANTY’
that produced prolonged, heavy periods. Her friend was in distress with no efficient sanitary products in the market to help her condition.
For Davielle, this was a turning point in her career. She would go on to disrupt the fem tech market and become the CEO and President of a feminine hygiene brand - something she must not have foreseen at that time.
After knowing about her friend’s condition, Davielle decided to take matters into her hands. Having done an internship at a hospital, she
remembered the panties given to new mothers in the maternity wing. They were easy to use and breathable but unavailable in the markets. Using that as a reference model, Davielle invented the first disposable period panty, ‘The Pretty Panty, ’ which later gave birth to Femi Secrets, a brand dedicated to creating healthier and happier women via education and the healthiest fem care products.
“It is my mission to ensure every woman on the planet has access to healthy feminine hygiene products and create happier and healthier women every month,” says Davielle.
“I also look to a future where fibroids, PCOS, and all other feminine hormonal-induced diseases will be minimized by the preventative effects of Femi Secrets.”
What Makes Femi Secrets the #1 Feminine Care Brand in the World?
Currently, Femi Secrets leads the innovation space with its patented period panty called
‘The Pretty Panty.’ As its number one seller, the leopard print bikini empowers customers to say, “I forget I’m on my period when I have the Pretty Panty on.” And why not? The Pretty Panty is the healthiest, easiest, and most costefficient product. It is also eco-friendly and biodegradable. Likewise, the brand offers a Premium Femi Box, which provides a woman with everything she needs during her periods,
in one box, one shipment, directly to her doorstep.
Furthermore, Femi Secrets launches 5 to 10 new products to make a woman’s life easier. Inspired by Femi Secrets’ innovative product offerings, other brands have also tried their hand by introducing similar products but failed to make an impact in the market. As a result, Femi Secrets not only stands out from the crowd but also successfully creates a sustainable and innovative source for period protection. “We are the only company who services the woman first,” passionately states Davielle.
I ALSO LOOK TO A FUTURE WHERE FIBROIDS, PCOS, AND ALL OTHER FEMININE HORMONALINDUCED DISEASES WILL BE MINIMIZED BY THE PREVENTATIVE EFFECTS OF FEMI SECRETS
“We have continued to scale gradually and meticulously,” reveals the Founder and President of Femi Secrets. In the initial years, Femi Secrets invested in achieving the product market fit. Next came the customer research phase, followed by retention. Traditionally, customers were not used to purchasing products for periods online. Davielle and her team had to train them of that ease, and now they can’t keep Femi Secrets’ products in stock.
During the pandemic, Femi Secrets experienced its highest growth years. With most of its employees working remotely, keeping them inspired and productive was hard for Davielle. She adds, “As we move back into the office, my goal is to inspire them but also hire people who are self-inspired.”
When it comes to motivating her team members, continuous positive reinforcement usually is her goal and method. She implements this by announcing and praising someone who reached a milestone, found a new customer, or excelled in KPIs during a team meeting or on a team call. In turn, the other team members of Femi Secrets also get motivated and aspire to become the next team member recognized on the team call.
In the past, outsourcing work, such as hiring digital marketing firms and mechanizing firms, worked well. “I learned that because our product was so new, it had never been done before. We were literally creating a new way of doing everything,” mentions Davielle.
Today, however, it is an entirely different scenario. Davielle prefers to have her team at the office who are dedicated to the brand's success and putting their hearts and passion into every strategy they formulate. Firms with multiple clients from diverse industries tend to implement the same algorithm to sell every product, for instance, from toothpaste to feminine hygiene products. As a result, what worked out as a marketing strategy in the past is no longer effective today.
One of the biggest mileposts of Davielle’s career was winning the 43North Start-up Competition, not once but twice. Numerous companies had applied for the Buffalo-based 43North entrepreneurial competition, but only 8 were selected. Femi Secrets was one of the
AT WORK, CUSTOMERS, SALES, INNOVATION, AND CONTENT CREATION ARE THE ORDER OF DAVIELLE’S DAY. THIS IS HER SECRET TO STAYING FOCUSED, IN CONTROL, AND AHEAD OF THE CURVE
8 shortlisted companies. As the Founder and President of Femi Secrets, Davielle’s pitch for creating an international movement and changing the face of feminine hygiene stood out and really impressed the judges. Therefore, in a world where less than 2% of women, and out of them, for a black woman entrepreneur to receive funding for her business was a huge achievement.
“It lets the world know, no matter how black or small of a town you are from, you can get things done,” says Davielle. “Keep the faith, be willing to outwork anyone, make huge sacrifices, and it can be done!”
At work, customers, sales, innovation, and content creation are the order of Davielle’s day. This is her secret to staying focused, in control, and ahead of the curve.
AS A GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED BRAND, FEMI SECRETS PLANS TO TAKE OVER MANY GLOBAL REGIONS IN THE NEXT 2 YEARS, LAUNCH NEW AND INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS, AND CONTINUE TO BE THE HEALTHIEST AND MOST TRUSTED BRAND
FOR WOMEN
Moreover, as a millennial business mogul, there is massive pressure on Davielle to beat and meet deadlines on a daily basis. “I deal with the pressure by compartmentalizing business and personal life,” reveals Davielle. She also uses two phones, one for business and one for personal, to stay sane. Her idea to unwind and unplug from work is to spend time with her daughter and family, travel, and work out. In addition, meditation and praying keep her centered.
Davielle suggests aspiring women leaders surround themselves with people who believe in them and can actually be led by women. She says, “I struggle every day with people (men) who just don’t think I should be leading. They can’t grasp and won’t understand it unless it comes from a man.” Hence, let go of people
who can’t be led by women. She further points out that being in a healthy, mental space allows individuals to thrive sufficiently in both personal and professional life. Moreover, women shouldn’t be afraid to say no on some days, as even superwomen need a break from time to time. She further says, “Being a leader comes with plenty of sacrifices, but the payoff is exceptional!”
As a globally recognized brand, Femi Secrets plans to take over many global regions in the next 2 years, launch new and innovative products, and continue to be the healthiest and most trusted brand for women. In this way, Davielle’s relentless pursuit of giving women everything they could ever think of to be happy and fulfilled will continue with Femi Secrets.
Raluca-Ioana Man, Founder & CEO, RSEVEN Ltd
“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently. “Warren Buffett
Let’s discuss branding and why it is so vital today!
Branding is not a specific set of activities, but rather a strategic perspective used to align customer interests and communicate values. Regarding the creation of customer care, branding encompasses more than just visuals.
Branding is essential for achieving and maintaining a competitive advantage. Branding is the process of establishing a company’s brand in the minds of consumers.
Branding never remains constant. It evolves in response to environmental, trend, cultural, technological, and societal changes. By definition, every business has
Raluca is a brand strategist, international business consultant, and keynote speaker who works with CEOs, executives,andentrepreneursto grow or build their professional and personal brands, as well as their business plans and business development. After over a decade of experience in sales, business consulting, business development, and branding, Raluca understands what truly drives success and growth. It’s not just about having a brand; it’s about the people you invest in and how well you connect with those you’re striving to assist. In addition to her extensive branding and business consulting experience, Raluca is an accredited trainer by HRDA- Human Resource Development Authority of Cyprus, a certified mentor and coach. Raluca has been featured in various publications, such as Gold Magazine, Healthy Woman Magazine, InBusiness, Ziarul News, and The Global Interview.
or should have a distinct brand. a signaturebearing label Many businesses believe that branding consists only of a color scheme, a logo, and a slogan, but I can assure you that branding encompasses much more.
Branding heavily relies on tone, emotion, narrative, and customer service. Without all these components, your brand will be unable to grow and develop. You will be unable to properly position your brand.
Consider that a customer’s purchasing decision can be influenced by your brand. Therefore, we can discuss brand strategy. What function does brand strategy serve?
We are all planning, whether we are aware of it or not. We all enjoy organizing our days, vacations, and special events such as birthdays and celebrations. And when you plan carefully, success is virtually assured. You must recognize that preparation is required for both personal and professional processes.
Consider the significance of planning in terms of branding. A brand strategy is a longterm plan that will help our business achieve its long-term objectives. A successful brand strategy (a long-term plan) consists of the brand’s mission, customer promise, and the dissemination of all these elements. With a well-executed brand strategy, brand awareness, equity, and sentiment will all improve.
What is the primary objective of a successful brand strategy? To inform the world of your existence and that of your brand!
What is the significance of branding?
“Your brand is a gateway to your true work. “Dave Buck
You will undoubtedly lose the “business game” if you fail to manage your brand in a way that is “not only here to stay” but also makes a difference, given how rapidly things change and the number of unforeseen events,
or “black swans,” that the entire world has experienced.
Every company and business should take their brand and branding seriously. Did you know that in ancient Egypt, branding dates to 2700 BCE? However, during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, branding changed significantly. After many years of trial-anderror and in-person experiments, branding has become an essential component of any entity seeking to succeed.
Branding is an ongoing process that requires paying close attention to your company’s past and present, as well as developing a strong, cohesive personality for the company and its products or services. People’s emotions and thoughts are influenced by branding because it is associated with the creation of a company’s identity: the sense of who you are, who you
aspire to be, and how you want others to perceive the company or entity.
How do we create a strong, authentic brand?
“A brand should reflect what you can do. You have to deliver, faultlessly and for all time, whatever your brand promises, so it’s better to make your offering sound witty and innovative than to pretend you’re more than you are. Get the brand right from the start, by being honest with yourself about what it is you’re offering.”
So how do you guarantee the strength and credibility of your brand? Prim and foremost, by being sincere and authentic. How would you describe your personality? What is your mission and what are your objectives? What is the intent of your message?
Branding heavily relies on tone, emotion, narrative, and customer service. Without all these components, your brand will be unable to grow and develop. You will be unable to properly position your brand
Because it is essential to consider not only the provision of high-quality products or services, but also their delivery and promotion. Individuals make purchasing decisions and seek out services based on how they feel. Emotions! Construct or modify your brand based on this! Your brand should have a distinct and trustworthy personality, in my opinion.
As a result, prospective customers will be able to connect with you and your business. Customers are more likely to trust your brand if they feel a connection to you and the products or services you provide.
As stated at the outset, the situation is undergoing rapid transformation. We have entered a new reality in which metaverse, virtual reality, brandification branding, sustainable branding, socially responsible branding, customer-driven branding, and humanized brand personality are among the emerging trends. And we must adapt by choosing what is best for us and our brands.
So, what is the conclusion? We no longer live in a world where businesses are built by adhering to strict regulations and deciding what and how to promote. We inhabit a hybrid world in which our customers have the power to “make or break” us.
We live in a world in which, if you aren’t “out there,” you are “nowhere,” a world in which you must constantly strive to improve your brand, team, and offerings.
We should increase our sensitivity and awareness. In the future, our brand and culture will influence our customers’ and our own decisions. Not only are we responsible for making a difference, but also for determining how we will do so.
We should create a brand that represents our guiding principles, values, history, and journey. Let’s ensure there are sufficient individuals who wish to join us (customers, collaborators, and team members).
Make your brand distinctive, one-of-a-kind. Make it authentic, real, and transparent. Do not think about your desires. Consider what your customers require. Consider how you can be of service.
A powerful brand will always prioritize customer needs. Is it not true that you developed your brand with a particular niche or audience in mind? Then focus on what they want. not what you want!
Web
Website: https://www.liquidweb.com/
Headquarters: Michigan, United States
About the Company: Liquid Web delivers reliable, highly-available, secure, and hasslefree hosting fueled by its Heroic Support®. The company provides managed hosting products and services to over 45,000+ customers, spanning 150 countries.
Chief Executive Officer and President, Propelled Brands
Website: https://www.propelledbrands.com/
Location: Texas, USA
About the Company: Propelled Brands is a multi-brand platform company under which service industry franchise brands operate and grow.
Website: https://www.femisecrets.com/
Location: Georgia, USA
About the Company: Femi Secrets is the first Award-Winning period hygiene brand that specializes in making a women’s life easier and healthier.
Website: https://www.salesforce.com/
Headquarters: California, USA
About the Company: Salesforce provides customer relationship management software and applications focused on sales, customer service, marketing automation, analytics, and application development.
Website: https://prosperitythinkers.com/
Headquarters: Texas, USA
About the Company: Prosperity Thinkers aims to educate entrepreneurs, investors, and other wealth-minded people to think and act more Prosperously and helps its client to create good money methods and take back ownership and control of their finances.
Website: https://www.delthapharma.com/en/
Headquarters: Rome, Italy
About the Company: Deltha Pharma aims to provide people with effective, innovative, and high-quality supplements that accompany them throughout their lives and ensure good health.
Website: https://associationofvas.com/
Headquarters: Athens, Georgia
About the Company: The mission of the Association of Virtual Assistants is to be the most trusted source of information in the virtual assistants industry.
Website: https://inceptionfertility.com/
Headquarters: Texas, USA
About the Company: Inception Fertility (Inception) is a family of fertility brands committed to helping patients build their own families.
Website: https://thisismoja.com/
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England
About the Company: Incepted in January 2022, Moja is an organization that works with entrepreneurs and senior executives to amplify their personal profiles and become known authorities in their industries.
Website: https://www.semmelmanninteriors.com/
Location: Texas, USA
About the Company: Susan Semmelmann Interiors is a full-service design firm – from start to finish. The service covers every aspect of construction and design, from renovating an existing home to walking clients through a new build from the ground up with construction detailing services.
Today, businesses are increasingly entering the realm of franchising as a way of scalability to swiftly capture market share and demonstrate market dominance. Franchising’s ability to continually adapt to new circumstances and changing market conditions has become essential to its expanding global influence. A world without franchising is a world with a more concentrated and bland marketplace, offering minimal diversity that would ultimately present fewer competitors.
Helping businesses make this seamless transition is Catherine Monson, Chief Executive Officer of Propelled Brands, a multibrand platform company. The organization
was established in pursuit of helping each brand grow using its unique positioning, momentum, and purpose. She helps advance the strategic path for each brand and offers a clear vision and supportive business model to put franchise owners on the road to success. As CEO of Propelled Brands, she leads the teams supporting franchisees and growing their brands, including FASTSIGNS, NerdsToGo®, MY SALON Suite, and Salon Plaza.
In 2020, the formation of Propelled Brands was announced, which now includes FASTSIGNS; NerdsToGo, an emerging IT services franchise
PROPELLED BRANDS IS A BEST-IN-CLASS, MULTI-BRAND FRANCHISE PLATFORM COMPANY WITH A SHARED SERVICES TEAM COMMITTED TO OUTSTANDING SUPPORT FOR ALL OF THEIR BRANDS, THEIR TEAMS, AND THEIR FRANCHISEES
brand acquired in September 2020; and Suite Management Franchising, the parent company of MY SALON Suite and Salon Plaza, acquired in June 2021. Catherine has been CEO of FASTSIGNS International since 2009. After taking the company through a second private equity transaction in 2019 with their new financial sponsors, Catherine and her team began to build a best-in-class, multibrand franchisor platform company. With the vision to continually scale the business, Propelled Brands is actively looking to add different franchise brands to its family of brands. “Our philosophy of franchise support is to focus on implementing franchising best practices: improving franchise profitability, increasing average unit sales, increasing the value of the brand, successfully selling and opening successful and profitable franchises, developing and maintaining positive franchiseefranchisor relationships, and increasing franchisee satisfaction,” explains Catherine. She gives us a little insight into Propelled Brand as a leading organization in this domain and the dramatic growth it has experienced in just under two years. The organization has flourished from 765 locations to 1,065 locations today. They also have an additional 360 franchises sold and are in the process of opening. All franchisees are notably experiencing a strong growth trajectory in the sales and profitability sector. Catherine's background in management and business
leadership, with over 40 years of franchising and management experience spanning multiple brands, is one of the key elements that brings immense value to the organization.
All in all, Propelled Brands is a best-inclass, multi-brand platform company with a shared services team committed to outstanding support for all of their brands, their teams, and their franchisees.
on franchisee profitability and satisfaction, such as Propelled Brands, affords many benefits to franchisees. The beauty of this focus is that the franchise candidate who becomes a franchisee receives a proven brand and business model, extensive training, marketing and advertising support, and ongoing operations assistance. “At Propelled Brands, we are laser-focused on franchising best practices. Our brands have a proven and successful track record while providing franchisees with a large team to support them every step of the way,” informs Catherine. Climbing up the ladder of success with dedication and determination, the organization seeks to acquire additional B2B and appropriate service-oriented franchise brands.
Commanding market dominance, the organization has achieved several milestones. Catherine recounts the first being FASTSIGNS' significant growth and becoming the unquestioned industry leader. FASTSIGNS has reached over 760 centers in the network, and TTM Systemwide sales for FASTSIGNS are over $709 million. They also introduced a new brand refinement at the 2022 annual FASTSIGNS International Convention, including their new tagline, ‘Make Your Statement.’
Catherine firmly believes that Propelled Brands has been shaped to provide people with the opportunity to become business owners, getting into business for themselves but not by themselves. A world-class franchisor focused
The ‘Make Your Statement’ campaign builds upon FASTSIGNS solidifying a reputation as the leader in visual identity solutions for businesses of all sizes and industries with this new campaign. This campaign highlights the range of visual solutions from large-scale exterior signage to interior wayfinding and decor, vehicle and flooring applications, and virtually any space
CATHERINE FIRMLY BELIEVES THAT PROPELLED BRANDS HAS BEEN SHAPED TO PROVIDE PEOPLE WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME BUSINESS OWNERS, GETTING INTO BUSINESS FOR THEMSELVES BUT NOT BY THEMSELVES
or surface a business would want to convey its identity and create a strong team member or customer experience. In addition to the new campaign and website, FASTSIGNS is launching eCommerce solutions to allow customers round-the-clock access, control over their brand identity, and ease ordering. “FASTSIGNS is focused on delivering end-toend solutions at scale to help customers build brand visibility. Our goals and philosophy of franchise support are to improve franchisee profitability, increase average unit sales, increase the brand's value, successfully sell and open franchises, and increase franchisee satisfaction,” reveals Catherine.
Attaining entrepreneurial success also makes one susceptible to challenges, which Catherine and her team are skilled in addressing efficiently and effectively. One of the franchisees’ biggest challenges in the current environment is finding great talent. Keeping this in mind, Catherine has made it a part of their organizational support to provide career videos, content, and hiring resources for clients to use.
Another challenge franchisees/all businessmen are facing today is inflation, causing increases in costs in all areas of their business. Propelled Brands comes to the forefront and utilizes its massive purchasing power to reduce and delay price increases. Franchisees are also trained on how to increase their selling prices to protect their margins. “The results-oriented, franchisee-focused, motivated culture and people behind our brands make us stand out. We bring a strong
strategy, culture, and discipline to each of our brands, enriching the lives of their franchisees. We know franchising, we love franchisees, and we have a supportive, positive, and motivating culture,” opines Catherine. She takes pride in her expert team and attributes much of the organization’s success to her
OUR GOALS AND PHILOSOPHY OF FRANCHISE SUPPORT ARE TO IMPROVE FRANCHISEE PROFITABILITY, INCREASE AVERAGE UNIT SALES, INCREASE THE BRAND’S VALUE, SUCCESSFULLY SELL AND OPEN FRANCHISES, AND INCREASE FRANCHISEE SATISFACTION
strong-knit team. She is a staunch advocate for creating a positive, growth-oriented culture to drive employee engagement and productivity. The efforts made in this segment were recently enhanced by having spotlighted its team members' engagement. Catherine reveals having partnered with an employee
engagement vendor and completed their first employee engagement survey in September.
Participation incentives are offered, including an extra day of PTO at 85% participation, and all the executives, including Catherine, agreed to sit in a dunking booth if they hit 95% participation. A whopping 99 percent participation was witnessed. This was celebrated with an ice cream social and the
dunking booth in October to display that team members and their feedback are valued. “We are currently digging into the engagement survey results with our account manager. We will select the highest priority focus areas for 2023 to make Propelled Brands an even better place to work. We will share the results with our team members in November and provide monthly updates of our progress during our monthly employee meetings,” adds Catherine. Each manager will also have their department results and work with their team and HR to develop a departmental action plan for 2023 based on their results.
Catherine adds, “Building a great team starts with selecting great employees, giving them the training, tools, and resources they need to excel and grow, empowering them, all within
a great positive culture. When everyone works together with the idea that 'when one of us wins, we all win,' you tend to witness an amazing camaraderie and sense of innovation. Culture needs to be created, nurtured, and maintained by the organization's leader.”
Holding and steering the reins of such a reputed organization can be stressful, and maintaining a positive mindset is essential to continue achieving success. When quizzed on this topic, Catherine divulges that she believes a positive mindset is the most critical characteristic of successful people. It takes discipline to create and maintain a positive attitude. A positive mindset helps manage stress. “Does that mean I am perfect? No, not at all! I sometimes get ‘stressed’ and work to quickly get my mind in a healthy place. I use deep breathing techniques and self-talk. I also believe fitness is key. To ‘unplug,’ I enjoy going to rock concerts, traveling, hiking, and hosting dinner parties at my home,” says Catherine.
She shares with us five common characteristics of all highly successful people and that these characteristics are learned skills, so we can all improve in each of them. These characteristics of highly successful people are a Positive Mental Attitude, Goal-Directed Behavior, Self Motivation, a Sense of Urgency, and Never Stopping Learning. Catherine lives her life by developing these five characteristics, working to improve on at least one of them daily. She also takes great pleasure in imparting this knowledge and teaching these skills to young individuals. Catherine admits, “I feel incredibly blessed to be able to help people on the path to achieving their lifelong dreams of business ownership!”
The franchise business model has proven successful worldwide, and Catherine with Propelled Brands is right at the center of it!
CARVING A NICHE IN THE FRANCHISING ARENA, CATHERINE REVEALS HER PLANS TO TAKE THE MY SALON SUITE BRAND INTERNATIONAL IN 2023. AND ONE OF THE FRANCHISE BRANDS THE ORGANIZATION IS CURRENTLY NEGOTIATING TO ACQUIRE HAS OPERATIONS IN 15 COUNTRIES
Fusun Borluk, Group Head of Project Management Office, Robotic Process Automation, and IT Quality at AgeSA Hayat ve Emeklilik
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is one of the newest trends for the companies. It automates structured, repeatable, and rules-based processes and this way make the life easier by reducing time and cost and eliminating human error i.e. with greater efficiency and productivity. 72% of businesses are expected to invest in RPA over the next years according to some predictions. There may be a question of the difference between the macros or scripted solutions and RPA. Unlike the macros, or traditional software tools that manage simplified, basic processes, RPA software solutions automate complex tasks. At the same time, RPA can interact with multiple applications
Füsun Borluk, who graduated from the Department of Mathematics at Middle East Technical University in 1994, worked in various positions in Turkey’s major institutions such as Yapı Kredi Bank, Akbank, Turkcell Superonline and in the world such as BNP Paribas Cardif and Johnson Controls in her career in Information Technologies. Starting with Systems Engineering, she specialized in Project management, Information Technology Quality and Governance, Nearshore / Offshore Resource and Project Management and Information Technology Holistic Service Management. She worked as an Internal Trainer on various subjects in almost every institution she worked for. She is currently working as the Group Manager responsible for Agile Transformation, Project Management, Robotic ProcessesandQualityatAgeSA.
simultaneously and perform multiple functions at once by interacting with them. So, calling it as one of a fundamental technology would not be an exaggeration.
However, sometimes the employees may not think that as a life saver, in fact, it is sometimes perceived as the threat of elimination of jobs. Most of the time RPA bots frees up the employee’s time for development, or for more valuable activities, not always may there be a different role.
Another risk of the bots is although it is very tempting to reduce the cost, increase the productivity and efficiency, there may be an unrealistic expectation. Think about thousands of bots, it may become more complex than most had hoped it would be. There is no direct correlation between the automation ratio and the reduction of costs.
Now the second part of this subject is the project management. A very special role, managing the project with impact. I always see the projects as an organization and therefore the Project Manager as the CEO of this organization. There are a lot of aspects to consider: budget, people, time, strategy, risks, quality, vendor …etc., like a company. Therefore, a project manager needs to adapt sudden and total changes daily, like a superhero, or a multitasking wizard.
So, with all of these on the table, can RPA help the project management activities for reducing time and cost and increasing the efficiency? Also, there are some other parameters such as machine learning, cognitive computing, pattern matching, artificial intelligence which is not only bots but putting intelligence to the equation. So, is it a threat or an opportunity for the Project Management?
Of course, at the moment, the answer is no. As I previously talked about the role of a Project Manager, whenever the CEO job would be automated, then, there may be a possibility.
The most important reason is that project management not only deals with processes or rules, but it also deals with risks, problems, changes, and human. So, it is not very well structured although we all use some methodologies. It is not repeatable; every project has a different story. We always collect
lessons learned after every project; however, can we use it verbatim? So how can we produce rules that can be done by bots? Especially after Agile taking so much place on our lives. Agile says “individuals and interactions over processes and tools”
But this does not mean that we cannot use RPA in project management. The thing is, we cannot replace a Project Manager or an Agile leader as Scrum Mater or whatever, with a bot. We can only give some repeatable tasks to bots rather than humans in project management. Data driven progress management, resource planning, real time reporting, follow ups and closing activities are the first examples coming to mind. Structuring website forms for collecting requirements is just another good example for using RPAs. Checking of the functionality of user interface elements, data input, process flows, API calls, integration, and system response by means of RPA is called test automation which helps to manage time properly rather than manual testing. Especially in Agile sprints, to test or support a prototype or a pilot project would increase the project cost significantly.
The customers’ support by means of chatbots are another good practice to use. RPA is integrated with intelligent systems that include features such as text analytics, sentiment analysis, and natural language processing. This allows companies to have chatbots that are responsive which is important especially in the maintenance phase of projects.
Hence to me, RPA cannot be a threat to a Project Manager rather a great supporter with proving more time to communication which is a key aspect in the role.
RPA can interact with multiple applications simultaneously and perform multiple functions at once by interacting with them. So, calling it as one of a fundamental technology would not be an exaggeration
and Founder of Moja
In today’s fast-paced world, women-owned businesses are gradually increasing. While most companies worldwide are built upon the patriarchal foundation, Sophie Milliken, CEO & Founder of Moja, is a leading female entrepreneur helping tip the scales in favor of changing the archaic women entrepreneurs and male-owned counterparts’ ratio. Incepted in January 2022, Moja is an organization that works with entrepreneurs and senior executives to amplify their personal profiles and become known authorities in their industries.
Sophie helps us better understand the current market trends and solution providers and how Moja stands apart as it caters to every
client’s unique requirement. She says, “Most companies work with people just on their social media or a certain aspect of this domain. Moja comes to the aid with bespoke solutions tailored specifically to meet client's needs from our many offerings.” Once the client is onboard, they commence their journey with Moja by completing a quiz indicating where their profile is currently and providing direction for their tailored Moja plan.
Moja offers a wide range of services that make up a client package. This could be podcasts, award entries, speaking engagements, press and PR opportunities, social media support, and a personal website. Each month the client knows which activities
will be taking place to raise their profile and get them known in their industry. “We work with entrepreneurs and senior execs to get them known in their industry and beyond. This makes it easier for them to win sales, grow their business, and attract fun opportunities,” explains Sophie.
Sophie’s journey as a successful businesswoman began as she took the traditional corporate route after university and joined the John Lewis graduate scheme. She adds, "I was very fortunate in that John Lewis sponsored me to complete my MSc in HR Management which was a brilliant learning opportunity." After several store management roles at the Newcastle branch, she moved into HR and found a strong passion for learning and development. She then moved down to the head office in London to pursue her HR career and became responsible for graduate recruitment as her final role. In 2013, she parted ways with John Lewis to set up her first business, graduate recruitment and employability consultancy. With her knowledge and drive, she scaled that business before selling it in 2019 and founding Moja.
She expresses how grateful and fortunate she is that part of her team from her last business followed her to Moja, helping her reaffirm that every client will experience superior quality services. “I had the idea and set the vision to bring employees and
then clients on board. I am passionate, enthusiastic, driven, and motivated to succeed; that energy inspires others.
I’m a big fan of lifelong learning and encourage my team to always be learning too,” declares Sophie. She delves deeper into the seamless functioning of her team and how such perfection is attained. Moja operates within a very open culture where everyone is direct with their feedback and support. Innovation is encouraged, and so are risks. That is the only way to achieve more, combined with a positive spirit, open culture, and strong communication is something Sophie swears by. She says, “The Moja team has super high standards, so our clients get the best possible service, and we work hard to over-deliver. What we do has a snowball effect, and as clients get more well known, they find it easier to close sales, be considered a thought leader in their industry, and attract fun opportunities.”
On enquiring what are some of the best ways to motivate team members, especially in today's evolving industry, Sophie reveals key leaders need to give their team clear direction at a high level while also ensuring they have the autonomy to deliver in the way they think best. It is important to support the team by allowing them that freedom. Additionally, one must ensure the team is fairly rewarded for the work done through salary and other benefits. While this may be harder for Start-Ups, getting creative with the performance rewards is encouraged.
WE WORK WITH ENTREPRENEURS AND SENIOR EXECS TO GET THEM KNOWN IN THEIR INDUSTRY AND BEYOND. THIS MAKES IT EASIER FOR THEM TO WIN SALES, GROW THEIR BUSINESS, AND ATTRACT FUN OPPORTUNITIES
Sophie has been leading change since the start of her career. In her first business, Sophie led recruitment and employability experts, SRS, to become the leading provider of assessmentcenter simulations for universities and trained over 30,000 students at these events. Sophie also worked with employers such as M&S, JP Morgan, Expedia, and AXA to design and deliver their graduate recruitment campaigns.
In addition, Sophie has been a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development since 2013 and was awarded a Fellowship from the Royal Society of Arts in 2019. She is also recognized as a well-renowned and sought-after author. Her first book, From Learner To Earner, was published in August 2019, becoming a best seller in October. Sophie’s best-selling second book, The Ambition Accelerator, was published in February 2021 and includes advice from Dragons’ Den star Sara Davies MBE and The Apprentice’s Linda Plant. A podcast accompanies The Ambition Accelerator and includes interviews with the women in the book.
A multi-award-winning businesswoman and proud mother, Sophie also enjoys supporting the North East region. She is a strong supporter of Northern Power Women and the co-founder of City Ladies Networking. Effortlessly juggling all these titles while bringing about much-needed change in the business world, she is Chair of Smart Works Newcastle and has achieved tremendous success delivering the aim of doubling the number of unemployed women supported with interview clothing and coaching across the North East and securing Sara Davies MBE
as the charity’s ambassador. In June 2021, Sophie became a Founding Ambassador for Every Child Needs a Mentor. Furthermore, she is a non-executive director for Funding Focus Investment Trust, the investment trust for female and under-represented entrepreneurs.
Becoming the very change she wants to see in the world, TEDx Talk speaker, Sophie’s focus right now is on growth for Moja. The organization aims to expand both the client base and its team. “We are exploring global opportunities and would love to secure clients in the US as our starting point. Like the UK, we think there is a gap elsewhere for what we
do. It is early days, though, and we want to nail the UK with launches in other key cities before moving into new locations,” reveals Sophie.
She is also committed to her non-executive roles, which include supporting Social Allies, a Teesside-based business with an incredible founder in Jess Tucker. Sophie’s charity role is as Chair of female unemployment charity Smart Works Newcastle and the charity has real ambition. She signs off, “At Smart Works Newcastle, we have huge plans to double the number of women we support. I also started my Ph.D. recently, which will keep me even busier for the foreseeable future. It’s just as well I enjoy my extra responsibilities, as life is certainly never dull!”
BECOMING THE VERY CHANGE SHE WANTS TO SEE IN THE WORLD, THE TEDX TALK SPEAKER, SOPHIE’S FOCUS RIGHT NOW IS ON GROWTH FOR MOJA
Dr. Ingrid Vasiliu-Feltes, CEO at Softhread Inc., & Founder & CEO at the Science, Entrepreneurship, and Investments Institute
Dr. Ingrid Vasiliu-Feltes is a healthcare executive, futurist and globalist who is highly dedicated to digital and ethics advocacy. She is a Forbes Business Council member, digital strategist, passionate educator, and entrepreneurship ecosystem builder, known as an expert speaker, board advisor and consultant. Throughout her career, she has received several awards for excellence in research, teaching or leadership and is ranked as a global thought leader for Quantum Technology, AI, Privacy, Digital Twins, Health Tech, Ecosystem Building. Additionally, she serves as an Expert Advisor to the EU Blockchain Observatory Forum and was appointed to the Board of Advisors for several organizations. Her academic tenure was followed by several executive leadership roles, and she holds numerous executive certifications from Harvard, MIT, Stanford.
Traditional business models have cultivated and promoted a top-down hierarchy with a dominant leader sitting at the top of an organization
As highlighted by numerous international organizations including the United Nations, the recent global crises, such as the pandemic, the climate emergency and war conflicts, have shown the positive difference women’s leadership and decisionmaking can make in key leadership roles across all domains ranging from government, business, and the not-for-profit arenas. At the same time, we are currently witnessing an accelerated adoption of frontier technologies and the transition from web 2.0 to web 3.0. This next world wide web iteration is uniquely poised to trigger the next industrial revolution. Women must be an integral part of the transition from the 4th to the 5th, as they
represent 49% of the world global population, and the majority workforce in several domains such as education, healthcare, and social work.
With the transition toward the next generation internet called web 3.0 and the birth of a new digital economy powered by converging deep tech, women have a unique opportunity to turn a long-standing gender divide into an era of opportunity. A 2022 women in the workforce report published by McKinsey highlights how the pandemic has changed what women want from their companies, including the growing importance of opportunity, flexibility, employee wellbeing, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The rise of social entrepreneurship, as well as novel creator- and gig economies can be powerful catalysts for future generations of
women that are well prepared and empowered to take full advantage of this new era. By designing novel education systems, novel governance models, business models, novel financial instruments, and novel talent management solutions that reduce the gender divide we can change the existing paradigm by offering future generations a more inclusive, diverse, and equitable global business and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
So how could women achieve this paradigm change? I would like to propose a strategy centered around EDUCATION, EXCELLENCE, and an ECOSYSTEM APPROACH (the 3 Es).
Education can bridge the existing digital and financial divide. Web 3.0 represents a new opportunity to disrupt the education landscape and pave the way for the future global workforce. Web 3.0-relevant education must cover the full life span, from young girls to women currently enrolled in the workforce. Aiming for excellence in the web 3.0 era will not only bridge the existing deep tech divide but can also offer an opportunity to lead and serve as role models. Finding a niche area and excelling in delivering highly soughtafter skills cab ne a powerful conduit to attain a competitive advantage in the fast paced, deep tech- infused web 3.0 powered era. However, perhaps the most important driver of success is an ecosystem perspective, which can be generated by embracing an abundance mindset and reconfiguring risk-aversion to an exponential thinking style.
Women Leadership in the web 3.0 will certainly face numerous challenges, such as cultural, religious, economic, and
socio-political. However, developing a complex portfolio of skills and management methodologies such as design thinking can be a game-changer. Honing their financial skills for web 3.0, being involved in developing legal and regulatory frameworks for web 3.0, designing proactive ethics and regulatory compliance programs for web 3.0 or becoming skilled web 3.0 cybersecurity experts could be the pathways to success.
In a recent book chapter, I contributed to Annie Gibbins’ Book, in which I emphasized the opportunity to achieve business dominance via a deep tech acumen. Given that deep tech is at the core of a growing digital economy and attracting increased investments, it is imperative to increase the number of women leaders in the deep tech community.
In my recently book published via IGI Global, I also illustrate how women empowerment can lead to an accelerated timeline to accomplish the goals outlined by the UN SDG Agenda. Web 3.0 can become a powerful enabler for global women citizenship and facilitate attainment of the UN 2030 Agenda. Digital identity will likely be key factor and a powerful catalyst for education, employment, upholding human rights, as well as accelerating financial inclusion efforts. The rise of women DAOs, as well as increased engagement in the emerging Metaverse Ecosystem can also lead to a more balanced, inclusive, and diverse business ecosystem, and societal reconfiguration.
The groundbreaking work accomplished by the Mission Impact team also showcases how Women of The Future can share their knowledge and therefore leave a legacy for future generations.
Interior Design is a fast-paced, fascinating line of work. The demands are high, but the rewards are just as great when helping clients realize their home design dreams. One of the marquee entrepreneurs in the industry is Susan Semmelmann, who has been in the business for over 25 years and continues growing her interior design and architecture expertise. Being in the construction industry for many years, her experience helps shape how she sees all aspects of design today. She gained experience integrating design elements into the foundation stages of a home during
the construction detailing process. “Creating something beautiful from the ground up, from the framework to the finishing touches, is pure magic. It’s the realization of a dream for my clients, and I am grateful to be part of that process. Giving back to those around me is the common thread that flows through everything I do and everything my company stands for –it’s our cornerstone,” shares Susan.
As the Founder of Susan Semmelmann Interiors, Susan understands that leading a company is not easy. When she launched her brand three and a half years ago, she realized
SUSAN SEMMELMANN IS ONE FOUNDER THAT HAS DEFIED ALL ODDS TO MAKE A NAME FOR HERSELF IN THE INDUSTRY. SHE HAS BEEN IN THE BUSINESS FOR OVER 25 YEARS AND CONTINUES GROWING HER INTERIOR DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE EXPERTISE
a dream and vision she had been developing for many years. She realized that taking that leap of faith made all the difference and proved to people that it is never too late to chase your passion and turn it into a reality. As a leader, Susan always wanted to be a role model for other women in business. “I want people to look at my journey and see what it takes to roll up your sleeves and do the work to breathe life into a dream – it’s so worth it! My story is relatable to anyone who knows there is a passion and a calling in their life but needs that push to start along the path to pursue it. I didn’t know everything before launching my business; I simply started, and everything has been revealed along the way at the right time. I put one foot in front of the other every day and learn as I go,” she shares.
SUSAN SEMMELMANN INTERIORS IS A FULLSERVICE DESIGN FIRM –FROM START TO FINISH. THE SERVICE COVERS EVERY ASPECT OF CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN, FROM RENOVATING AN EXISTING HOME TO WALKING CLIENTS THROUGH A NEW BUILD FROM THE GROUND UP WITH CONSTRUCTION DETAILING SERVICES
Susan sees a business much like the construction detailing service she offers. “If you care for and nurture the foundation and attend to the smallest details, the result will be seamless and beautiful,” she says. Susan Semmelmann Interiors is a full-service design firm – from start to finish. The service covers every aspect of construction and design, from renovating an existing home to walking clients through a new build from the ground up with construction detailing services. They have their own manufacturing facility for Susan Semmelmann Interiors Collection of furnishings, bedding, and drapery so clients can have a fully custom design experience. The company has experts who can take a design vision from CAD to reality in no time! “We go directly to the mills to source our luxury fabrics; the options
for customization are endless. We also carry hundreds of fabulous vendor lines to satisfy any taste or style. Our Fort Worth Design Studio and online store will soon be open to the public so we can share our resources and expertise with the public and other designers as well!” explains Susan.
Many founders have some point in their life that changed their perspective for the better, thus creating an idea or increasing their motivation to take that leap of faith. Susan’s turning point was when her husband developed a very rare, life-threatening form of bone cancer. “During that time, every day I woke up, and he was still here was a gift. Thankfully, he beat all odds and is still by my side today. This season developed my grit and determination, my heart of pure gratitude for the supportive community that rallied around us, and my
mission to give back. It planted the seeds and laid the foundation for everything my business stands for today,” shares Susan.
Susan Semmelmann Interiors has won numerous awards for its work in the industry and for the way they operate, acknowledging its professional and philanthropic pursuits, including Philanthropist of the Year, Best of Design, Best of Houzz, Best Luxury Interior
Design Firm in Texas, Most Influential People in Fort Worth, Entrepreneur of Excellence Award, Most Innovative Interior Design Firm, and 10 Most Powerful Leaders Revamping the Future. Recently, the company won 7 awards at the Fort Worth Magazine ASIDs Awards and was honored to be a five-time Fort Worth Dream Home designer.
Another foundation of Susan Semmelmann Interiors’ brand as they connect with clients is “Our style is your style.” The experience for each client is entirely different. Designers bring their skills and creativity to the table, collaborating with clients to bring their dream homes to life. By listening to the overall vision for the finished product, the employees at Susan Semmelmann
Interiors approach each meeting with an open mind and heart. Soon, they have a combined understanding of the vision, thus joining the client to bring design into reality. “We love the creative process that flows with every client, often shifting and moving as everything starts to materialize and take shape. Our custom design and in-house manufacturing services allow us to think outside the box and bring unique solutions to every project,” shares Susan.
As a strong entrepreneur, Susan wants her company to grow, but more specifically, she wants it to grow well. She believes that the more successful the company is, the more it can give back to society. Her goal as a leader is to always be an example to those around her, to work hard, and never to rest on success. Instead, she believes in striving forward and reaching new goals every day. “Helping people brings fresh air
THE SUSAN SEMMELMANN STUDIO WILL SOON BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, ALONG WITH ITS ONLINE STORE AND CUSTOM IN-HOUSE MANUFACTURING
to my lungs; it’s the life force and the joy in my world. We have the privilege of sitting across from our clients daily, hearing their hearts and helping them realize their home dreams. We also have the honor of paying this joy forward to charitable organizations near and dear to our hearts like A Wish with Wings, Raquel’s Wings for Life, and many more as we continue to grow our capacity to give,” Susan explains.
Susan’s personal and professional lives are intertwined. Susan Semmelmann Interiors has been a family affair from the beginning, and she has invested in developing and maintaining a culture founded on faith, family, and friendship. The Susan Semmelmann Interiors team is closeknit, always looking out for each other’s best interests. The company works alongside each other, and it’s understood that no one is above or below any task. This mindset builds trust and camaraderie that conveys outward as the team engages with clients and the community.
Every team member brings great value to the overall environment with various strengths and talents to round out the big picture of the company’s offering. “If people are recognized, valued, and affirmed, they flourish, and at Susan Semmelmann Interiors, we are a “people first” company,” explains Susan.
“While we build dreams for our clients, we have also built something exciting in Fort Worth! Our 10,000 square foot building houses our firm offices and our Fort Worth Design Studio,” Susan shares. The Susan Semmelmann studio will soon be open to the public, along with its online store and custom in-house manufacturing options. The concept is to open these resources to the public and give other designers more options to offer their clients. “I’m passionate about sharing what I have to help others… help others! By providing these options, we can reach beyond our physical location through online ordering and virtual design consultation – there is no limit to our availability across the globe,” explains Susan.
Melissa Slaymaker, Talent Hub Director for Women in Tech - Global Movement, Volunteer, Co-Founder & Speaker
Melissa Slaymaker is Talent Hub Director for Women in Tech Global and Volunteers as the Women in Tech Country Director for South Africa, a registered Non For-Profit Company. She has worked in Technology from an Executive Search and Recruitment perspective for over 15 years in the UK and in Africa connecting Women to Technology and Leadership roles.
Melissa is a speaker, moderator, and advocate for Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace and helps to empower women through connecting them to opportunities!
Melissa has a BSc Degree in Psychology, Genetics and Physiology from the University of Stellenbosch and a postgrad MDP (Management Development Program) from the University of Witwatersrand.
Melissa is also the Co-Founder for NFTy-art, a start-up that helps African Artist mint their art into NFT’s (nfty-art.com) that can be sold on the Metaverse. She has a real passion for Technology, Empowering women and for connecting people.
Recently, the team of Digital First Magazine sat down with Melissa Slaymaker to know about her role as a Talent Hub Director for Women in Tech, her volunteering experience as the Country Director in South Africa, personal mantras for striking a work-life balance, and a lot more. Let us take you through the wonderful insights we received from Melissa Slaymaker.
HR qualities or characteristics are “female” by design. What I mean by this is that the qualities usually in a HR person is caring, nurturing, fair, kind, understanding, putting people first
In your opinion, what are some of the key strategies that can help women achieve the success they want in their workplaces, especially in male-dominated roles or industries? There are a few strategies that I could mention. First of all, know yourself, what you stand for, and develop a personal brand around that, so that people know who you are. Identify your “tribe”, a supportive network of peers, colleagues and senior managers that you know will have your back. Know who your male allies are, that will support you and that you can learn from. Dare to ask questions. Gain the confidence in yourself and know what your value add is. Understand what your strengths and weaknesses are so
that you can utilize your strengths and work on your weaknesses. Finally, get a mentor that will guide you in your career.
According to Namely’s HR Career Report, 71% of HR professionals are female. Why do you think is the HR profession dominated by women? HR qualities or characteristics are “female” by design. What I mean by this is that the qualities usually in a HR person is caring, nurturing, fair, kind, understanding, putting people first.
There are many men that have these qualities, but it tends to be a more attractive career opportunity for women, as usually these characteristics come naturally to them.
Please tell us about Women in Tech Talent Hub. As its Director, what are your roles and responsibilities?
The Women in Tech Talent Hub is a job board where companies that want to find diverse talent can post their jobs. We market the jobs on LinkedIn and via our newsletters that go out to our 200 000 + network of women globally.
It also makes our members aware of what jobs are available, what skills are in demand and how to apply.
We also have Diversity and Inclusivity workshops, as well as workshops on how to write your CV, prepare for interviews or create your persona brand – all to help our members get jobs.
The Talent Hub also offers a recruitment service, based on a retained model.
You also volunteer as the Country Director for Women in Tech South Africa. Can you please share your experience of working with the non-for-profit organization. How different is the South African talent (women) pool than rest of the world?
First of all the South African Talent (men and women) are in my opinion some of the best in the world. I lived in the UK for 14 years and USA for 2 years and companies love to hire South Africans where possible as they are resilient, have excellent work ethic, great communication skills and work harder than most. When I moved back to Cape Town I started following Women in Tech, but there was no chapters in Africa. That was one of the main reasons I decided to start a chapter – was to put South Africa and Africa talent on the map. I was so proud in October 2022 when we had 2 South Africans win 2 of the 8 global awards in Dubai.
The recruitment market is very competitive and talent scarce. In South Africa we have a huge “brain drain” going on as many leave the country or work for companies remotely as the Pound, EURO and Dollar is very attractive compared to the Rand
The South African chapter has grown to 11 members 17 Advisory Board Members – all volunteering to help towards the global mission of empowering 5 million women and girls in STEM by 2030. This year alone, the South Africa Chapter has impacted 17850 lives through our various programs. These include: Mentorship program, THIS IS ME (job readiness program), IT Learning centre created in Philippi Village, Computer donations, PowHer.events, Awards, School career days etc.
I am very interested in learning new skills so when an opportunity became available to do a course on NFT’s I jumped at the chance. Since then, I have been hooked on learning more about the Metaverse, Crypto, NFT’s – all things that use Blockchain Technology. Through our Women in Tech Network and Partnerships we have access to various curriculums to learn Blockchain and I wanted to help empower
What led you to establish (co-found) a start-up called NFTy-art.com? What are its objectives and vision?
others around me by educating them on this new technology.
When I met Leora Hesson from Artjamming, we instantly connected and created this concept of learning, but having fun and creating art that we then mint into NFT’s.
The African Art Collective is a digital art gallery in the Metaverse that uses NFT’s to showcase artist work that can be sold on Opensea and potentially create a passive income. I’m really passionate about Financial inclusion and empowering through quality education, so this speaks to many of the problems we have especially in Africa, and through NFTy-art we can help de-mystify the Metaverse and help create an inclusive future for African artists.
As an Executive Search and Recruitment Consultant helping companies recruit diverse talent, what kind of challenges do you face during the recruitment process and how do you overcome them?
The recruitment market is very competitive and talent scarce. In South Africa we have a huge “brain drain” going on as many leave the country or work for companies remotely as the Pound, EURO and Dollar is very attractive compared to the Rand. Having a huge network is important to be successful, which can take some time to build. To overcome this I stay up to date with trends, attend as many events as I can and continuously network to build relationships.
At various events, you speak about bridging the digital gap in Africa to prepare for future jobs. Can you please shed light on this topic?
Africa as a continent has the largest population of youth in the world, yet our education systems are arguably the worst. We face further obstacles like connectivity issues, high cost of data, basic infrastructure, safety, loadshedding, which makes access to digital learning, especially in
rural areas, nearly impossible. Our curriculums are over 500 years old which doesn’t prepare our youth for the working world today, which means there is a huge skills gap, even after a person completes their tertiary education.
The solution to this, I believe, is a re-vamp of the entire school system. Collaboration between government, the education sector, enterprise, and corporates to help build the necessary infrastructure, creating safe, wellconnected spaces where all children can learn. Access to good quality education at low costs.
This problem is only going to get worst, and unemployment is going to rise if nothing is done.
What is the one lesson learnt that’s unique to being a woman?
There are many lessons, but if I have to choose one, is that women are their own harshest critics and their lack of confidence and imposter syndrome results in them not putting their hands up for promotions or not applying for jobs when they don’t meet 100% of the criteria, compared to men that will apply if they meet 50% of the criteria, resulting in less women in leadership roles, and the gender gap increasing in STEM especially.
As a single mother, how do you balance your personal and professional life?
This is never easy. I am a positive person in general and always look at any situation as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. My children motivate me to work harder and to live my purpose which is to serve others, connecting
people and to try and make the world a better place.
I like the outdoors and go glamping with my children whenever we get the chance.
We are lucky to live in Cape Town with many beautiful beaches, wine farms and hiking trails.
Throughout your career, you have and continue to don numerous hats and excel in all the roles. What is your secret mantra for being successful?
I do things that I’m passionate about. Everything I do connects to my purpose
Connecting people, creating partnerships, collaborating to empower others.
Whether that is connecting people to jobs, connecting founders to funding, connecting children to educational opportunities, connecting women to a global network or artist to the Metaverse, it’s all the same purpose and leads to empowering others.
What piece of advice would you give to aspiring female professionals? Find your purpose.
If you know your “Why”, your Passion, whether that is creating, serving, leading, learning, travelling, caring, organizing, connecting etc., find a way to turn that into a career or a business that gives you financial freedom.
Don’t try to do everything on your own. Find partners, peers, or a network that will help you achieve your goal. Outsource that which you are less good at and focus on your strengths.
Alison has been in financial services for almost 25 years, the majority of it spent at BOS, Halifax and Lloyds, where she cut her teeth in mortgages and protection and developed as an individual, gaining the transferable skills and experience to venture out into specialist lending. She now works as national relationship director at Master Private Finance, a master broker and packager in the specialist finance arena, working with businesses and mortgage networks. Alison is passionate about diversity and inclusion within the finance industry and is leading a group within the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries (AMI)Taskforce, working with the newly created AMI Steering Group, supporting, and championing inclusion for all, across the industry.
Traditional business models have cultivated and promoted a top-down hierarchy with a dominant leader sitting at the top of an organization
Any leader will tell you, that leadership is a tough job, especially when starting off.
Leaders are responsible for successfully creating and communicating a vision of what the business looks like, what the culture is, in which direction they want it to go, how they’re going to get there and most importantly, how they are going to get the staff to believe in the vision and follow them.
I think most leaders are familiar with the phrases, it’s tough at the top and two heads are better than one.
This then poses the question of why do people strive to be the top dog, the top
banana, at the top of their game and the dominant leader?
Traditional business models have cultivated and promoted a top-down hierarchy with a dominant leader sitting at the top of an organization. Is this still the right approach for all organizations and are there changes ahead in terms of modern leadership?
Let’s look at co-leadership. What is it and is it viable?
I’m currently in a position of coleadership. For anyone not familiar with the term it’s when 2 or more leaders share leadership responsibility.
“I’m not too sure about that”, I can here many people saying.
Who makes the decisions?
Is it good for the business?
What happens if there’s a disagreement?
How are staff managed?
How do co-leaders communicate?
Decision making becomes a shared responsibility and it leads back to the vision and strategic direction of the company. I have spoken with many lone leaders who have held executive positions and a large amount would have relished more support in terms of making decisions, having people around them who could have offered a different perspective or direction. Co-leadership works best when all leaders trust each other. Trust is first and foremost when considering this style of leadership, if you don’t trust your co-leaders abilities, knowledge, and skills then it will likely fail.
Is a one-dimensional linear thought process good for business? Yes, it is in some businesses but just imagine the opportunities co-leaders can create. They can bring different skills sets, thought processes and experiences, which complement each other which allow for greater collaboration and often quicker decision making.
Co-leaders are not going to agree 100% of the time and this is when any ego’s have to be firmly and quickly put aside and the focus is directed unequivocally on the vision and strategy whilst never losing sight of what’s best for the business.
Managing staff can be onerous and difficult at times and when you have co-leadership it’s imperative that staff clearly understand which leader is responsible for which part of the business and any requests, process changes, updates etc. they receive, have been agreed by all leaders.
When you can focus on playing to your strengths, you are more confident, have better clarity of thought, performance improves, which creates positivity and drive
Our experience of co-leadership.
Master Private Finance is led by Aaron Noone Sales and Operations Director and myself Alison Houghton-Corfield, National Relationship Director.
The foundations of the leadership are trust, aligned values, unwavering solid morals and a clear agreed vision for the business
No one individual is right 100% of the time, yet when leading a business alone, you are 100% responsible for everything. The vision, the
direction, the decisions, the communications, the people who rely on you and it can weigh very heavily on an individual’s shoulders.
Leadership to many is often aligned with power and someone having that ultimate power within that organisation. In this scenario the power is shared so it’s imperative that coleaders are able to leave their ego’s at the door, fully embed themselves in the business vision and adopt a balanced approach with open mindedness.
This allows you to develop an authentic brand as you don’t need to be the boss of everything. It also promotes self-development along with self-awareness, as despite what people think, nobody is the finished article, nobody is fully developed, everyone can get better.
When you can focus on playing to your strengths, you are more confident, have better clarity of thought, performance improves,
which creates positivity and drive. It also allows other leaders to play to their strengths too which cultivates a stronger leadership team as other leaders, can pick up areas you aren’t as strong in, as an individual can play to your strengths within your business get support in the areas of your business that are weaker, it will have a whole host of benefits. You will: Feel good about your role within the business.
Harvard Business Review published an article which discussed the impact of positivity on an organisation:
During the past few years, we have developed a powerful tool to help people understand and leverage their individual talents. Called the Reflected Best Self (RBS) exercise, our method allows managers to develop a sense of their “personal best” in order to increase their future potential. The RBS exercise is but one example of new approaches springing from an area of research called positive organizational scholarship (POS). Just as psychologists know that people respond better to praise than to criticism, organisational behaviour scholars are finding that when companies focus on positive attributes such as resilience and trust, they can reap impressive bottom-line returns.
Co-leadership is also a good process to help you talk out loud with other leaders. It’s like a spell check for your organisation and it allows different leadership styles to work with different personalities when required.
It can also be an anti-dote to leadership loneliness which isn’t addressed often enough when leaders are in the thick of things.
Think about it, could it work for you?
Nurture future possibilities
