'mconstantlycuriousabouthowI'llevolveasaleader
IWhensomeonebecomesaleader,dotheychange,or willtheystaythesame?Whatqualitiesdoyouneedto beasuccessfulleader?Ihaveseveralquestionsaboutthe characteristicsofaleader,andinthiseditorialnote,Iwill attempttoaddressthem.
Weallknowthatleadershippositionscomewithmany obligationsanddutiesthatneedanimmenseamountoftime andeffort.Butwhatifyou'renotthatpersonwiththose traits,andyouendupinaleadershipposition?
Unwrittennormsgovernsocietyandmustbefollowedtobe successful.Weattempttotrustthemandfollowthem.But whataboutinnovationanddistinctivenessifeveryonestarts doingit?Whetheryou'realeaderornot,beingaccountable foryourworkisaqualitythateveryoneshouldhave.When youbecomealeader,though,“responsible”ismorethan simplyawordonyourLinkedInpage;youareinchargeof yourjobandthatofyoursubordinates.
Authenticity,inmyopinion,takesyouplacesand establishesfriendshipsthatlastalifetime.Onceina leadershipposition,mostpeopletendtochangetheir originalconductandattitude.Ifitworksforthem,that's fantastic.However,Ibelievethatbeinghonestandunique contributesmuchtomakingyourtimeasaleadergolden.
Assumeyou'reahappypersonwhoalwayshasagoodtime atworkandhasauniquerelationshipwitheachcoworker Yougetpromotedtotheteamleaderpostonefineday, whichiswonderful.What'sdifferentnow?Your responsibilitieshavegrowninquantity,andyounowhavea teamtoleadandguide.
Doesthiscauseyoutoalteryourbehaviortowards yourteam?Doesthefactthatyou'realeadermakes youchatandjokelesswithyourcoworkers?Does thefactthatyou'realeaderforbidyoufromhaving fun?Ifyes,youhavelostyouridentitybecauseofa newposition.Whathappensnext?Yourcoworkersor subordinateswillnoticeyourshiftinbehavior,and theirattitudetowardyouwillalsochange.Thismay appearinsignificant,butitcouldhavealong-term impactonyourteam'sworkquality.
Aleader,inmyopinion,shouldkeeptheirunique personalityandestablishpleasantrelationshipswith theircoworkers.Theonlyadjustmentthatmustbe madeisyourattitudetowardyourtask.Yes,delegate taskstoyourteammatesandexpectsatisfactory results.Butkeepinmindthatwhileworkwillalways bethere,relationshipsaredelicate.Goodrelations ensuregoodteamwork.
Inthiseditionof“The 10 Most Inspiring Women Leaders to Follow in 2022,” InsightsSuccesshas recognizedsomebrilliantwomenleaders.
Learnabouttheeffortsofsuchremarkablefemalesin bringingchangeintheworldwiththeirleadership skills.Readoureditorialstaff'swritingsandtheCXO perspectivesofsomeoftheindustry'stopexecutives togaininsightintothefield.
Sonali Dhiwar sonali.dhiwar@insightssuccess.com
ArungalaiAnbarasu ChiefTechnologyand StrategyOfficer
DeirdreMcGettrick Founder
ElenaSinelnikova Co-founder&CEO
EmmaDickison CEO&President
ErnaGrasz CEO
JenniferBassett Founder
KaterinaTrajchevska Co-ErnaGrasz founder&CEO
KatherineColombino CEO
GlobalDirectorof Commercial, LegalandDigitalRisks
NatalieCramp CEO
BakerHughes bakerhughes.com
ufurnish ufurnish.com
Metis metis.io
HomeHelpers®HomeCare homehelpershomecare.com
AsanteAfricaFoundation asanteafrica.org
BassettEventsInc. bassetteventsinc.com
Adeva adevait.com
BuroHappold burohappold.com
Profusion profusion.com
BakerHughestakesenergyforward-makingitsafer,cleaner, andmoreefficientforpeopleandtheplanet.
ufurnish.compartnerswith100+furnitureretailers,bringing over1millionoftheirproductstogetheronto1website.
Metisprovidetheinfrastructureforcreatingandmanaging decentralizedcompaniesonblockchainfast,cheapandeasy
HomeHelpers®HomeCareisahomehealthcareservicethat providestopqualityin-homecare.
AsanteAfricaFoundationisasocialimpactorganization educatingchildrenandtransformingworldsineastAfrica.
BassettEventsspecializesinthecreationofexceptionalevents forprivateandcorporateclients,itdesigns,plansandmanages everyprojectfromconceptiontoexecution.
Adeva'scommunitywelcomesmembersfromalloverthe globe,helpingthemjoinamazingremoteteams,grow professionally,andberecognizedastechnologyleaders.
Software&ServicesConsultingSRLisatechnologycompany committedtotheclient.
BuriHappoldvalueshumanwellbeing,curiosity,embrace mutualresponsibilityandgenuinelycareabouttheimpactand legacyofitswork.
Profusionhelpsyourbusinesstobecomemoreefficient,more effectiveandmoreprofitablethroughtheinnovativeapplication ofdatascience.
Emma Dickison
& President
Helpers® Home Care
C O V E R S T O R Y
Supporting clients across North America, we help families stay connected and focused on the things that matter most to them by providing exceptional care.
necanchoosetowalkseveralpathstoattaintheir
Ogoals;however,sometimes,unintentionalpathscan createabeautifuljourney.
"I wish I could say this path was intentional in the beginning," saysEmmaDickisonsharingtheprofessional journeythathasledhertobecomeCEOandPresidentat HomeHelpers®HomeCare.
Emmaattendedcollegetobecomeateacher,whereshe learnedthatteaching,coaching,anddevelopingpeopleis thekeytogrowingasuccessfulbusiness.Herearlycareer startedincorporatetraininganddevelopment.Shemanaged increasingresponsibilitiesthatshapedherleadershipskills atBlockbusterandSylvan.
Emmarealizedthatherutmostessentialdutyasaleader wastohelpemployeesandcompaniesrealizetheir potential.AsCEO&PresidentofHomeHelpers®Home Care,shehadtheperfectopportunitytodojustthat.Emma focusedonbuildingandshapingateamthatwasas committedasshewastothecompany’smission: To help people stay independent, safe, and happy as long as possible wherever they call home.
Emmanotes, "As we've grown, we've added to our team and our outstanding network of franchisees. We've kept our
focus on our mission. Our mission drives our spirit of innovation and rallies the team while we purposefully pursue our goals."
Emmahasdedicatedthepastfifteenyearsofhercareer, advancingseniorcarethroughHomeHelpers®HomeCare andasanindustryadvocatethroughherworkwiththe HomeCareAssociationofAmerica,servingasthe PresidentoftheBoardofDirectors.
Mostrecently,Emmahelpedadvocateforbenefitsfor HomeCareworkersthroughoutthispandemic.Her contributionshelpedtoensurethatCaregiversareclassified asessentialpersonnel.Shealsocreatedpartnershipswith PPEsupplierstoensurethesafetyofallHomeHelpers® HomeCareemployeesandtheirclients.
HomeHelpers®HomeCare’svisionistobethemost trustedandrespectedproviderofcomprehensivehomecare servicesandsupporttohelppeopleremainindependent, happy,andsafewherevertheycallhome.
ForEmma,oneofthebestremindersofthe"WHY"behind thesupportsheandherteamattheHomeHelpers®Home CareNationalSupportCenterinCincinnati,Ohioprovide onadailybasis,isbestrepresentedwiththeExceptional Caregiverprogram.Emmashares,"Eachyear,weget hundredsofnominationsfromclientsandfranchisees—we sharethesewithourteamsregularly—astheyalwaysshow theimportanceofwhatwedoandthegenuineappreciation clientshavefortheirCaregiversandtheservicesprovided."
Emmaexpressesthatthespiritofinnovationdrivesthe organizationandkeepstheteamhighlyengaged,improving thelivesofseniorsandtheirfamilies.
In2021,HomeHelpers®launcheditsnewCared-4℠ serviceoffering,aninnovativemethodthatischanginghow homecarecanhelppeoplestayindependentaslongasthey chooseanddosowithaffordableoptionsfortheirclients.
EmmasharesthatCared-4startswithexceptionalin-home careandleveragesnewwaystoconnectandengagewith
Our focus is to provide the level of care for you or your loved one that we would expect for ourselves and our families.
clients,anduniquelycovers thefourmajorriskfactors associatedwithhospitalizations. Fromnutritionplanningand mealpreparationtomedication reminders,wellnesscalls,and tech-enableddevicestohelp whenanemergencyarises, Cared-4extendsthe continuumofin-homecare andisshapingthenext generationofhomecare.
Asmanyseniorsneedadded supporttostayindependent,they worryabouthomecare'sfinancial andpersonalimpact.Asan organization,HomeHelpers®Home Careisdedicatedtoleveraging technologytoenhancecareandreduce costsforitsfranchiseesandclients.
Emmastatesthatleveragingin-home monitoringsolutionscanhelptheHomeHelpers® HomeCarefranchiseeandaclient'sfamilyknowif there'sbeenafall,achangeinroutine,andalsobealertedif there'sanemergency.Sheadds, "Having access to monitoring technology can give our clients greater freedom to enjoy their favorite activities, knowing that if they need assistance, there is help at the press of a button away. We are the first in our industry to use voice-controlled monitoring, as well as technology that provides the family and Caregivers’key data points on the overall welfare of the client in an easy-to-use portal."
AspartofthecontinuumofcarethatCared-4provides, HomeHelpers®HomeCarehasalsoaddedwellnesscalls toitsserviceofferings,allowingthefranchiseestocheckin onclientswhenaCaregiverisn'tinthehome.Thesecalls provideinvaluablesocialconnectionsandimportant remindersaboutmedicationorotherroutinesnecessaryto keeptheclientsafeandhealthy
HomeHelpers®HomeCare’sfullyintegratedback-end enterprisesoftwaresystemhelpsfranchiseesplantheir staffingtoreduceburnoutandturnoverofCaregiversby managingtheirworkloadmoreefficiently.Thesystem providesaccesstodatathathelpsthefranchiseesrunmore
effectivelyandmakebetterdecisionsfortheirstaffand clients.
HomeHelpers®HomeCareisfocusedontheefficiency technologycancreatemovingintothefuture,including robotics.Emmasays, "I am hopeful that other executives like myself will weigh the benefits of these technologies with the greatly needed personal connection our clients deserve. In many cases, the bond between a Client and a Caregiver is highly personal and is one of the greatest gifts that come from working with a group like Home Helpers® Home Care."
Laborshortagesareoneofthemoresignificantchallenge homecareagenciesfacetoday.Demandforhomecare serviceshasonlyincreasedsincethepandemic,andwith theagingtrendsofthepopulation,demandwilllikely continuetogrow.
Businessleadersinthehomecareindustrywillneedtofind waystoreduceturnover,increasehiringefficiencyand enhancetheCaregiver'sexperience.HomeHelpers®Home Careprovidesfranchiseeswithongoingtrainingprograms thattheirCaregiverscanutilizetodevelopnewskillsand continuetogrowintheirprofession.
Theorganizationhasdevelopedrecognitionprogramsthat showcasethefantasticworkCaregiversdoandsharewith othersthevaluablesupportthatCaregiversprovide.
SeniorCareisessentialtoEmmaasshewasafamily caregiverforyears.Sheshares, "I understand how invaluable the work is. I can't envision a future where I don't connect to this industry in some shape or fashion. For Home Helpers® Home Care, I see a very bright future
focused on supporting our franchisees with innovative programs that continue to help them grow and serve their community. We've achieved double-digit compound annual system-revenue growth for the past ten years. I see our growth continuing both in terms of gaining market share and in industry growth overall."
Emmaadvisesaspiringentrepreneurs thatareresearchingthehomecare industryasanoptionforbusiness ownershiptojumpinwithbothfeet astheverticalisexpectedtothrive withnumeroustailwindsdrivingthe marketforward. "Our population is aging, living longer, and living with more chronic conditions. We need people who want to make a difference and positively contribute to the quality of life of their clients/patients and their employees and coworkers," Emmaconcludes.
As everyday life becomes challenging, a little help can go a long way.
venthehardeststoneschangetheirshapeswhen
Efacingthecontinuouswaterflow.Similarly, women'sleadershipconstantlysoars,bendingthe inadequatedifficultiesofmakingbalanceddecisions, fosteringaculturethatbenefitseveryone.Oneofmany attributesthatmakewomenleadersuniqueisthatthey mightperceivebusinessthroughaneyeofamother;the waytheycare,nurture&enablegrowththeniscarried throughwiththeirbusinessacumen.Akintosuchdistinct perceptions,ArungalaiAnbarasu,amotherofa7-year-old daughter(Ada),ispassionatelykeenonpromotingSTEM women,makingtheworldabetterplace.
Apartfrombeingamother,ArungalaileadsastheChief TechnologyandStrategyOfficeratWaygate Technologies(WT),worldleadermarketleaderin industrialinspectionsolutionsandabusinessthatbelongs totheBakerHughesenergytechnologycompany.She acquiredhermaster'sdegreeinElectricalandComputer ScienceworkingontheNon-DestructiveTesting(NDT) thesis.ArungalaiandherteamspearheadWaygate Technologies'evolutionintoaDigitalInspectionSolutions (DIS)space.Sheenvisionsplayingacriticalroleinthe
eadershipis theabilityto inspire peopletopursuethemost importantbusiness objectives.Itistheabilityto bringoutthebestinotherstoget thejobdonemostdiligentlyand creatively.Oneessentialtraitthatcountsto leadbyexampleisbeingcharismatic.
Charismaticleadershipisapotentialleadershipstyleto leadthepeopleintherightdirectionfortheworthiest causes.Itisdrivenbyinspiringtraitslikeexcellent communicationskills,exemplaryattitude,cheerfulness, harmonybetweenwordsandactions,persistence,andan appealingpersonality
Charismaticleadershipischaracterizedbyagreatbalance ofamazingtalentaswellasbrillianttemperament. Charismaticleadershavehappinessintheirsmiles,gravity intheirvoice,graceintheirwalk,andcommandovertheir words.Theyhavetheknackofpushingotherstogreat heights.Theybecomegoodmentorsandgoodguides.
Intheworldoftemptationsanddistractions,everyone needsacharismaticleadertohelpthemstayawayfrom unnecessarytemptationsanddistractions.Charismatic leaderskeeppeoplefocusedonachievingtheirgoals.They
delivergreatresultsbytheirremarkableabilitytohold peopletogetherforaccomplishingthemostcherishedgoals oftheorganizationtheyareleading.
Leadershipisnotjustaboutphilosophybutaboutprovingit practically.Commonpeoplefollowwhatgreatleadersdo. Thestandardssetbygreatleadersbecomethenormforthe commonpeople.Charismaticleadersleadbybeing genuinelyexemplary.Theylivetheessenceandpreachit. Theysaywhattheymean,andtheymeanwhattheysay. Theirbrilliantpersonalityandbrillianttraitshelpthemto bringoutthebestinothersforgreatcauses.
Charismaticleadersarenotrigid.Theyarehighlyflexible. Theyignoreoroverlooktheminoroffensesormistakesby theiremployeesorteammates.Theyinspiretheiremployees tomakemistakesaslearningexperiences.Theydon’tforce theiropinionsonothers.Theyrespecttheindividual’swill andtheircreativity Thishelpstheminnurturingthe creativespiritintheorganization.Theysharpentheir personalandprofessionalattributestobethemosteffective businessleader.Coolness,commonsense,communication practice,charmandcheer,confidence,honesty,and humilityarethemostessentialtraitsofcharismaticleaders.
LMoreover,theyareverycheerfulintheirapproach.They alwaysthinkofwin-winsolutions.Theyrespondto situationswithcoolnessandcommonsense.Theyarevery goodcommunicatorsbecauseoftheirgreatcommunication practice.Charmandcheeristhemostattractivetraitof charismaticleaders.Theyknowthathalfthejobisdoneif theysucceedinmakingthemselvesandtheiremployees happyandcheerful.Theybelievethatcareofanotherhalf jobwillbetakenbyhardworkandtheirabilitytodivorce themselvesfromnegativityandstayjoyful,andmaintain thesamejoyfulatmosphereintheirteammembers.
Confidence,honesty,andhumilityareintheirgenes.They understandthatconfidenceisfundamentaltosuccessinany field.Theirhonestandhumbleapproachhelpsthemtobe groundedtopursuetheirgoalswithgritanddetermination. Theyarehighvibrationalatalltimes.Theydon’ttuneinto negativefrequencies.Theyknowthattheycangetthejob doneiftheysticktotheprocess.Theyenjoytheprocess thanjustcelebratingtheresult.Theyfightwithcompetence, confidence,andcheerfulnessandcelebratesuccesswithout beingcomplacentorcasual.Theykeepthemselvescalmin allsituationsandaimtodelivermorethanneededor expectedfromthem.
hilearchitectureprovidestheframeworkfor
Wspace,settingupvibeandmoodrequires suitablefurnishingsandinteriors.Awelldesignedroomspeaksvolumesabouttheatmosphereone wantstoconvey Toprovidecustomerswiththeperfect furnishingproductsthattheyseek,DeirdreMcGettrick, founded ufurnish.com,whichhasamissiontochangethe wayweallshopforfurnitureandfurnishings.
AstheCEO,Deirdreprovidesaplatformthatenables consumerstoeasilysearch,discover,compare,andshop furnitureproductsononewebsiteacrosstheentireretail market.Inourendeavortofind “The 10 Most Inspiring Women Leaders to Follow in 2022,” wecameacross Deirdre.Wetalkedwithhertounderstandhowsheelevates differentaspectsofherbusiness.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Briefouraudienceaboutyourjourneyasabusiness leaderuntilyourcurrentpositionatthecompany.What challengeshaveyouhadtoovercometoreachwhereyou aretoday?
Asachild,Ilovedallthingsinteriors,visitingfurniture shops,andlookingatimagesfromthepropertysectionof thenewspaper.Afteracareerinbankingspanningadecade, Iboughtmyfirsthomeandwassuperexcitedaboutthe prospectoffurnishingitwithallmysavedinspiration designs.Alas,theexcitementturnedtofrustrationasIwas
unabletofindtheperfectproductsformyvision.Thisledto thebusinessideathathasbecomeufurnish.com.Iwas solvingaconsumerproblem,andthatconsumerwasme. Leavingmycareerinbankingmeantwalkingawayfroma well-remuneratedroleandtakingtheriskofstartinga company,somethingIhadnoexperiencewith.Ihadto overcomeallmydoubtsandreallybelieveinthesolutionI wasbringingforconsumers.ThekeyIrealizedtostarting andgrowingabusinessisthatyouneedhelp.Youwill neverbethebestateveryskillset,sogetpeopleonboard whocancomplementyourskills.Togetherwearestronger.
Tellussomethingmoreaboutthecompanyandits missionandvision.
Iamthefounderofufurnish.com,anonlinesearch,and discoverywebsiteforhomefurnitureandfurnishings.At ufurnish.com,webring150+furnitureretailersontoone websitetomakefindingtheperfectitemoffurnitureeasy fortheconsumers,akintohowAutotraderaggregatescars, Skyscanneraggregatesairlines,andRightmoveforreal estatesearchintheUK.Atufurnish.com,yourdreamhome isourmission.
Enlightenusonhowyouhavemadeanimpactinthe industrythroughyourexpertiseinthemarket. Istartedthebusinessfromtheperspectiveofaconsumer whowantedtorecreateahomedesignbasedonallthe homeinspirationIhadcollectedovertheyears.Bybeing theperson,youareactuallysolvingtheproblemfor;it
The 10 Most Inspiring Women Leaders to Follow in 2022
helpstokeepclearinyourmindthesolutionthatisrequired whileputtingasideotherinfluencingfactorssuchas shareholders,retailersandallotherstakeholders.The consumerisalwayskeptatthecoreofmydecision-making process.
Describeindetailthevaluesandtheworkculturethat drivesyourorganization. Wehavefivecorevaluesatufurnish.com,Honesty, Integrity,Fairness,Simplicity,andSustainability.We describeourselvesasakintoasportsteam;wearehighperformingwithadesiretodeliverresults.Weworkhardto createthechangerequiredinthefurnitureindustry Todo this,however,weneedtobeopen,transparent,andhonest inouropinionsandfeedback.Weencouragepeopleto speakup,sharetheirviews,butonceadecisionismade
basedonthefactsavailableatthetime,everyonelinesup behindthatdecisionfortheoverallgoodoftheteam.We keepsimplicityandfairnessatourcoreandoperateinthe mostsustainablewaypossible,bothfor1)theenvironment and2)maintainingsustainablerelationshipswithallour stakeholdersfromteammembers,retailers,consumers,and shareholders.
Undeniably,technologyisplayingasignificantrolein almosteverysector.Howareyouleveraging technologicaladvancementstomakeyoursolutions resourceful?
Forufurnish.com,whatiscriticalisdevelopingautonomous systemsthatservemanypurposeswithinourbusiness, whetheritbedataprocessing,integratingdisparatesystems, ortheuseofmachinelearningtoolstoimprovethe ufurnish.com allows you to search furniture and home furnishing ranges from 150+ retailers all on one website.
accuracyandqualityofdata.Thesearethethingswe constantlyimplement,analyze,andrefinetodayandwill continuetodosointothefuture.
Ifgivenachance,whatchangewouldyouliketobring totheindustry?
Iamtheultimatechampionoftheconsumer,andifthe industrycanchangetomakeimprovementsforthe consumer,thatisalwaysastepintherightdirection.Iam passionateaboutincreasingtheamountofchoiceavailable toconsumerstohelpthemmakebetter-informedbuying decisions.Bybringingtogetherallretailers,regardlessof size,thestrengthofthebrand,marketingbudgets,ora numberofproducts,Ibelieveufurnish.comiscreatingthat change.
What,accordingtoyou,couldbethenextbigchangein theindustry?Howisyourcompanypreparingtobea partofthatchange?
Thesupplychainwillbethebiggestchallengeoverthe comingdecade,withtheimpactoflimitedresources, expensiveshippingrates,andever-changingtradingrules (suchasBrexitintheUK),meaningthatthesupplychain willbeinterrupted.Asufurnish.comisonestepdetached fromthesupply,weseektohelptheconsumerfindtheir perfectfurnitureitemsbyshowingthemwhatisactually availableinthemarket.
Wheredoyouenvisionyourselftobeinthelongrun, andwhatareyourfuturegoalsforthecompany? Thevisionofufurnish.comistobetheworld’slargest searchanddiscoveryplatformforhomefurnitureand furnishings.Thatismycorefocusforthefuture,asittakes yearstobuildatrulysuccessfulcompany.Forexample, Airbnbisover13yearsold,havingbeenfoundedin2008.I envisagemyselfleadingthecompanythroughthestartup phaseintogrowthandenteringmaturityasaglobally recognizedbrand.
Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingwomen entrepreneurswhoaspiretoventureintotheindustry?
Networkandlearnfromotherswhohaveachievedsimilar thingstoyourgoal.Youcan’tandwon’tavoidevery mistake,butsomethingyoucanlearnfromothers’journeys tohelpyouachieveyourgoaleasier.
Likeanyotherindustry,womenhavesettheirfootin theblockchainindustryaswell.Thoughthe percentageoftheirinvolvementinthecryptosector islow,theyareplayingasignificantroleinshapingthe industry’spathforward,ensuringsustainablegrowth,and strengtheningitsglobalinfluence.Onesuchwomanwho hasmadehermarkintheblockchainindustryisElena Sinelnikova,theCo-founderandCEOofMetis.
Withanextensivebackgroundindevelopingenterprise softwaresolutionsforgovernmentandlawenforcement industries,Elenaisnowsignificantlycontributingtothe enhancementoftheblockchainindustry.
WeatInsightsSuccessgotintoconversationwithElenato learnmoreaboutherjourneyandhowsheischangingthe landscapeoftheindustry
Belowarethehighlightsoftheinterview:
Briefouraudienceaboutyourjourneyasabusiness leaderuntilyourcurrentpositionatthecompany.What challengesyouhadtoovercometoreachwhereyouare today?
Byprofession,Iamasoftwaredeveloperwith20plusyears ofexperienceindevelopingenterprisesolutionsforthe Canadiangovernmentandlawenforcement.In2016,with myclosefriend'shelp,Icameacrossblockchaintechnology thatchangedmylife.Ileftmywell-paidandstable corporatejobandbecameanentrepreneur.First,Ifounded CryptoChicks,anon-profitorganizationthatisnowhelping womengeteducatedandfindjobsinblockchainspacein56 countries.WhileworkingontheCryptoChicksproject,I metmyfutureco-foundersofMetis.io,andwebuiltan amazingnewstartupthatisnowamongthemostprominent scalabilitysolutionsinblockchainspace.
Tellussomethingmoreaboutthecompanyandits missionandvision. Metis.iohasagoaltohelpstartupsandmature organizationstomovetheirbusinesstoblockchainwithjust aclickofabutton.Manywouldliketodoso,butveryfew canaffordexpensiveblockchaindevelopers,soMetis.iois helpingthosebyprovidingadecentralizedplatformwhere prettymuchanyonecancreateacompanyonblockchain, invitepeopletojoin,hirenewemployeesorfreelancers, andpaythemsalariesviablockchain.Also,youareableto createdifferenttypesoforganizations.Forexample, membershipwithmemberspayingtheirduesvia blockchainandreceivingservicesfromyouforthat. Anythingispossible.
Describeindetailthevaluesandtheworkculturethat drivesyourorganization.
Ourpolicyisverysimple-fulltransparency,trust,and holdingeachotheraccountable.Wedon'thavetitlesor bosses-anyteammembercanapproachandhelpanyonein
ateamifheorshethinkstheyneedhelp.Itworksreally great,andIamveryproudoftheteamthatwehave.
Undeniably,technologyisplayingasignificantrolein almosteverysector.Howareyouleveraging technologicaladvancementstomakeyoursolutions resourceful?
Wearebuildingstrongtech,butwealsoreusedopen-source codethatwasdevelopedbyotherblockchaincompanies andenhancedandimprovedittotheextentthatallowedus tosolvetheproblemthatweaimedtosolve.Forexample, wetooktheOptimisticRollupcodedevelopedbythe Optimismteamandmadeitmorescalablebyaddinganew chainandnewvirtualmachineforeveryorganization dynamicallywiththeabilitytosetuniquepermissionsfor eachteam-andwiththat,weareabletocreatevarious typesofdecentralizedorganizations.
Ifgivenachance,whatchangewouldyouliketobring intheindustry?
Theregulatorylandscapeandsupportinglawsarevery muchbehindintheblockchainspace.Insteadofpenalizing them,wehelpregulatorsgeteducatedsotheyhaveallthe knowledgetheyneedtosupportblockchaincompaniesin theirbusiness.Iwishthisprocesshadmovedabitfaster.
What,accordingtoyou,couldbethenextbigchangein theindustry?Howisyourcompanypreparingtobea partofthatchange?
MassadoptionforBlockchainandCryptoisuponus,and thisisexactlywhereMetis.iocomesintoplaybyproviding anaffordableandsimplewaytodrivethisadoption.
Wheredoyouenvisionyourselftobeinthelongrun, andwhatareyourfuturegoalsforthecompany? OurvisionistobuildadecentralizedWeb3economy platform,soafterourteamcreatesit,itwilllivealifeofits ownwithoutanyofourinvolvement.Thisisthegiftwe wanttomaketotheworld
Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingwomen entrepreneurswhoaspiretoventureintotheindustry?
Quittingmyjobandstartingabusinesswasthebest decisionImade.Itisnotlikethisforeveryone.Butifyou arethinkingofdoingthat,Iwouldbehappytohelpand mentor
We provide the infrastructure for creating and managing decentralized companies on blockchain fast, cheap and easy.
“ “
The 10 Most Inspiring Women Leaders to Follow in 2022
Providing academic support, life skills training, livelihood skill development, and opportunity creation.
Erna Grasz CEO Asante Africa Foundation
ntoday’sworld,theimportanceofeducationis
Iunparalleled.Thebettereducationtheyounger generationreceives,themoretheywillcontributeto thedevelopmentofcommunitiesthatwillassistinshaping abettertomorrow.However,noteverychildisfortunate enoughtoreceiveaqualityeducationduetovarious circumstances;theirpotentialandtalentdon’tflourishwith lackofaccess.AfterwitnessingthesituationinruralEast Africa,ErnaGraszco-foundedAsanteAfrica Foundationtofillthisgap.
AsanteAfricaisrootedinUNSustainableDevelopment Goals;itachievesresultsthroughinterconnectedprograms designedtoalleviatepovertybyfosteringthedevelopment ofeducatedandresilientyouth.AstheCEOofAsante AfricaFoundation,Ernaispassionateaboutthepowerof qualityeducation.Sheunderstandsthechallengesin managingthecomplexprioritiesofhealth,safety,security, andeducation,recognizingthefragilityandlinkage betweeneducationandfoodandeconomicstability Apart fromplayinganessentialroleinassistingtheyounger generationwitheducation,sheisfrequentlyontheglobal stage,promotingexecutiveleadership,innovatingeducation programs,andpromotingsustainablephilanthropyversus charity.
AsinglemotherraisedErnainTexas,facingchallenging conditions.Ernalearnedearlyinlifethateducationwasan excellentenablerandpersonalresiliencewasthekeyto thrivingindifficultcircumstances.Herfocuseddriveledto hergraduatingatthetopofherclassintheman’sworldof ElectricalEngineering.Herprofessionalcareerstartedat LawrenceLivermoreNationalLaboratory,leading innovativeteamsdevelopingsystemsolutionsforthe nation’sgreatesttechnicalchallenges.
AsErnatransitionedtocorporateleadershipinSilicon Valley,theseskillsenabledhertoleaddiverseteams throughambiguityandchaosbyprovidingvision,structure, andpurposetotheirtechnicaltasks.ForErna,forward progressisalwaysdrivenbyagreaterpurpose.
Ernaco-foundedAsanteAfricaFoundationaftervisiting ruralcommunitieslackingaccesstoeducationinruralEast Africa.SheandhertwoAfricanco-founderswereinspired topursuethatgreaterpurpose:EducatingChildren.
AsanteAfricaFoundation,aglobalsocialimpact organization,isfocusedon“EducatingChildrenand TransformingWorlds”throughacademicsupport,skill development,andopportunitycreationforyouthinrural EastAfrica.Ernaexpressesthateducationisthefirstand mostcrucialstepinemergingfrompoverty.
AsanteAfricatakesthisastepfurtherinallprogramswith locally-led,youth-led,andgirl-ledprograms.Asante Africa’syoungpeoplehaveasaying:“Ifit’saboutus,it can’tbewithoutus.”Itchallengesanddrivesthemotivation ofthefoundation’swork-simple,scalableinterventions canprovideyoungpeoplewiththetoolstheyneedtothrive. Solutionsmustbelocallyledandembracedbythe community Thisisthebestwaytoensuresustainable impactandgenderequity
AssustainableprogressinruralEastAfricarequiresanontraditionalapproach,atop-downsolutionisnotlikelyto workintheprivateandeducationsectors.AsanteAfrica programsaredesignedtobelocallyledandimplementedto ensurethesolutionsaddresslocalchallengesandare embracedandsustainedbythecommunity.Ernapushesthis evenfurtherwithyouth-ledinitiativeswherestudents activelyengageinAsanteAfrica’s“Learn-Do-Teach”
The 10 Most Inspiring Women Leaders to Follow in 2022academicprogramsandembracePay-it-Forwardprinciples, ensuringtheireffortshaveimmediateimpactonstudents, theirfamilies,andtheircommunity Youthbecome empoweredandconfident,knowingtheirideascanleadto localsolutionstolocalchallengesandultimately, sustainableimpact.
TheeffortsofAsanteAfrica’sprogramswererecognized whenitreceivedtheUSAIDYoungWomenTransform Prizein2018forthegirl-ledLeadershipand EntrepreneurshipProgram.In2019,AsanteAfricawas recognizedasaTop10finalistfortheDruckerInnovation Prizeforthe“Learn-Do-Teach”model.TheObama FoundationinvitedAsanteAfricatoparticipateinthe GlobalSummit.Inthefollowingyear,AsanteAfrica receivedtheBronzeAwardforSub-SaharanEducation Innovation.
Havingrootedvaluesinanorganizationisessentialasit plantstheseedsfromwhichitwillgrowfrom.Asetofcore valuesguidesAsanteAfricaFoundation:YouthandWomen Led,InclusiveLeadership,Pay-it-Forward,Innovationand ContinuousLearning,Partnerships,andAccountability. Thesedrivealleffortstowardsustainableimpactwhile ensuringtransparencyandaccountabilitytoall stakeholders.ErnastatesthattheseeffortsimpactAsante Africa’syouththrivingbylearning,doing,andteaching others.Theirparentsandcommunitiesareinvolvedand embracethevaluesofeducationandPay-it-Forward initiatives.Thevalueofeducation,entrepreneurship training,andhardworkisclearandisspreadingto neighboringschoolsandcommunities.
Technologyisagreatenabler,andErnaexpressesthat duringthepandemicwhenschoolswereclosed,Asante Africasustainededucationforyouthinthemostrural communitiesbybringingdigitalcontenttosmalllearning groupshousedundertreesorothercommunitylocations.
Modernqualityeducationisincreasinglyavailabledigitally, withorwithouttheinternet,andtheinterfaceengages students,unlikethememorizationofconventional classroomsettings.Byembracingdigitaltechnology, Africanyouthwillbeattheforefrontofinnovation, preparedtobuildpeaceful,morevibrantcommunitiesand thriveintheglobaleconomy,Ernamentions.
Ernaexpressesthatthepandemictaughtseveralvaluable lessons,includingwhyclassroomwallsdonotlimit
learningandeducation.Technologyischanginghow knowledgeisdelivered,andtheworldisincreasingly connected,enablingthedistributionofcontentandideasin real-time.Ernacontinuesthattechnologyisakey ingredientinconqueringthegreatestchallengesofour times:Climatechange,health,genderequity,andending poverty.Inheropinion,technology-enabledyouthwillbe moresuccessfulinbusiness,providingfortheirfamilies, buildinglocaleconomies,respectfullyutilizingresources, andgrowingthemiddleclass.Technologybringstheworld closertogether,spreadsideas,enableslocalandglobal commerce,andenablespositiveactiontowardpeaceful collaboration.AsanteAfricaFoundationisleadingthat changeinruralEastAfrica.
AsanteAfricaFoundationaimstoimpactanadditionalone millionyoungpeopleinEastAfricaby2025.Itplansforits students,staff,andalumnitoberecognizedfortheir communitysuccessandimpact.Ernastatesthatwomenand youthwillleadtheprograms,andthefundingwillbemore globallydiversified,withalmosthalfofthefoundation’s resourcescomingfromthecountrieswhereitoperateswith leanoperationsandstronggovernance.Shesays,“These are all key ingredients of a thriving, sustainable organization with deep impacts on tomorrow’s leaders.”
Nooneeverpromisedlifewouldbeeasy.Erna’smother usedtosay “If you are striving to be good, it will be hard. If you are striving to be great, it will be even harder”. Erna says “Expect difficult times and take it one step at a time, celebrating the small successes along the journey Eventually you will be achieving greatness.” Erna encouragesbuddingwomenentrepreneurstothinkbigand takecalculatedriskswiththesimplephilosophyof“Trust yourinstincts,intuition,andintellect.Feelthefearanddoit anyway!”
Erna’sworkislivingproofthatbigchallengesrequirebold leaderscapableoflistening,learning,andactinginthebest interestsofthosetheyserve. “The future is being created by empowered, skilled, and passionate young people. Asante Africa will continue educating and creating opportunities for youth determined to architect that bold future for themselves and their world,” Ernaconcludes.
Jennifer Bassett CEO Bassett Events Inc.
hesoaringdemandtohavepersonalizedeventsthat
Tdifferentiatefromtheconventionalhasledto seekingeventmanagerswhodeliveragenuine high-touchexperience.Togoaboveandbeyondtocurate anextravagantandmemorableevent,ensuringaseamless flowbecomesessential.Thus,tomakeeverycorporateand luxuryeventatrulyextraordinaryexperience,Jennifer Bassettimpliesherproficiencyincreatingsparkling initiativesforherclients.
AstheCEO,Jenniferhasdedicatedtwodecadestorunning incrediblesuccessfuleventmanagement,primarilyworking withpremiumbrandsandcompanies,creatinguniqueand memorableevents.Herexpertiseintheeventmanagement nichehasinspiredtheupcomingleaderstodedicate themselvestothepursuitofachievingexcellence.
InsightsSuccesscaughtupwithJenniferandtalkedabout herjourney,understandingtheperceptionbehindher approachthatmakesheroneoftheinspiringwomenleaders worldwide.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Briefouraudienceaboutyourjourneyasabusiness leaderuntilyourcurrentpositionatBassettEventsInc. Whatchallengesyouhadtoovercometoreachwhere youaretoday?
Igrewupinaverysocialenvironmentwithmyparents oftenhostingpartiesandevents,sonaturally,mylovefor entertainingdevelopedataveryearlyage.In1999,Iwas
workingforacompanyasaneventproducer,andsix monthsintomyjob,theydecidedtoclosetheirdoors.At thattime,IdecidedthatIhadenoughcontactstobeableto gooutonmyown,soonemonthafterleavingthat company,IstartedBassettEvents,andtherest,astheysay, ishistory.Overthecourseofowningabusiness,therehave beenmanychallenges.Mostrecently,theglobalpandemic. Ourcompany,likemanyothersintheliveentertainment business,hadtopivotandremarkettoasmallerevent demographic.WestartedbarebyBassett,whichoffersfull eventplanningformoreintimategatherings.Aschallenging asthepasttwoyearshavebeen,theyhavealsobeen rewardinginthatwenowhaveanotherbranchofour businessthatwelikelyneverwouldhavehad.
Enlightenusonhowyouhavemadeanimpactinthe industrythroughyourexpertiseinthemarket.
Weareaboutiquecompanywhichmeanswhenyouhire BassettEvents;youhaveourattentiontoeveryaspectof theevent.Ourteamisalways100%investedineachevent, andthatlevelofcommitmentiswhatsetsusapartfromthe rest.Wedon’tviewourselvesasahiredvendor Wearean extensionoftheorganizationthathashiredus.
Describeindetailthevaluesandtheworkculturethat drivesyourorganization.
Wealwaysstrivetoprovidethebestexperienceforour clients.Ourteamisincrediblycreativeandhands-on,and wearealwayslookingforuniquewaystomakeourevents memorable.Weselect‘bestinclasspartnerstoworkwithto ensurethateveryaspectismanagedbytheverybestand flawlesslyexecuted.
Undeniably,technologyisplayingasignificantrolein almosteverysector.Howareyouleveraging technologicaladvancementstomakeyoursolutions resourceful?
Weusealotofeventplanningsoftwaretohelpkeepus organized,whetherit’sforregistrationormassmailoutsto guests.Therehavebeensomeamazingadvancementsin eventplanningsoftwareoverthelasttwoyearstohelpwith thevirtualsideofeventplanningaswell.
Ifgivenachance,whatchangewouldyouliketobring totheindustry?
We’vedoneitall!Smallgatheringswithupwardsof3000 attendees.We’vehadthehonortheworkwithfirst-class,
award-winningentertainmentandclients.We’vetackled bothvirtualandin-person.Wehopetocontinuetobring back“fun”intoourevents.Peoplearereadytopartyand entertain;weareallcravinghumancontact.Bassettwillbe readytomakeithappen!
What,accordingtoyou,couldbethenextbigchangein theindustry?Howisyourcompanypreparingtobea partofthatchange?
Wehavejustseenamassiveshiftinhoweventsarebeing executedduetothepandemic.Mostofourbusinesscomes fromworkingwithnon-for-profitsandcharitable organizations,producinghigh-endGalas.Becausevirtual andhybrideventsarebecomingmorethenorm,those organizationsareabletotapintoamuchbroaderaudience, whichtheynormallywouldn’thavebeenabletoreach.I believewewillbeseeingmoreandmoreorganizations incorporatingvirtualcomponentsintotheirevents.
Wheredoyouenvisionyourselftobeinthelongrun, andwhatareyourfuturegoalsforthecompany?
Wehopetocontinuetogrowandexpandourinternational database.Wearealreadylookingaheadtoaverypromising 2022!
Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingwomen entrepreneurswhoaspiretoventureintotheindustry?
Goforit!It’sanincrediblyrewardingprofession,andifyou haveapassionforit,youwillloveit.Andwhenyoulove whatyoudo,youwillbesuccessful.
Themodernbusinessworldrequiresaninnovative approachinworkplaces;wehavewitnessedthe changefromcubiclestoopenworkplaces;however, workculturedemandsanotherchange.Withaperceptionto bringthefollowingdesiredchangetoworkspaces, KaterinaTrajchevskaco-foundedAdeva,enabling companiestoworkremotelybycreatingvarioussolutions basedonyearsofexperienceinthefield.
AstheCEO,Katerinastronglyadvocatesthatthefutureof workisnotaboutwhereyouworkfrombutwhatyou deliver.Adeva'seffortshitthenailontheheadinthe unprecedentedpandemicthatallowedbusinessestooperate remotely,expandtheirrootsglobally,breaktraditional methodologies'barriers,implyingAdeva'sconceptof Work Without Boundaries.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Briefouraudienceaboutyourjourneyasabusiness leaderuntilyourcurrentpositionatthecompany.What challengeshaveyouovercometoreachwhereyou aretoday?
BackwhenIwasstartingmycareer,mycountrydidn'toffer toomanyopportunitiestoworkonexcitingprojects.The outsourcingindustrywasontherise,andmostofwhatwe sawwerelegacyprojectsandunexcitingwork.Thestartup worldwasoutofreach,togetherwithallthefunchallenges thatcamewithit.
Istartedfreelancinginsearchofmoreinterestingworkand instantlylovedtheflexibilityitoffered.Thechallengewas, though,tokeeptheworksupplysteady-itwastoorisky andunpredictable.That'showAdevawasborn.Searching forwaystoimproveourownfreelancingexperience togetherwithmybusinesspartner,werealizedthatwe coulddothesameforeveryonewhowantedtheflexibility ofremoteworkwithoutcompromisingonthestabilityof regularemployment.
Enabling work without boundaries by connecting organizations with tech talent across the world.
Therewereplentyofchallengesontheway,especially becausethecompaniesthatcouldprovideamorestable workloadweretheonesthatweremoreinclinedtowardthe traditionalwayofwork.Educatingenterprisesaboutthe benefitsofremoteworkisamajortask.Nowwiththe pandemic,wefacedamassiveshiftintheindustry,which acceleratedtheadaptationformanycompaniesandenabled ustogrowmuchfaster
Tellussomethingmoreaboutthecompanyandits missionandvision.
Adevaisaremotetechprofessionals'networkdrivenbythe purposeofenablingworkwithoutboundariesfortech professionalsworldwide.We'repassionateadvocatesfor remotework,andournetworkisdistributedinover30 countriesacrosstheglobe.
Usingacommunity-drivenapproach,weengagesomeof thebrightesttalentsintheindustry,enablingorganizations toscaletheirengineeringteamsfast.Bycuttingout unnecessaryexpensesandminimizingfees,Adevahelps companiesreducetheirhiringcostswhileprovidinglongterm,remoteopportunitiesfortechtalentworldwide.
Enlightenusonhowyouhavemadeanimpactinthe industrythroughyourexpertiseinthemarket. We'vebeenfullyremoteforfiveyears,andovertheyears, wedealtwithmostofthechallengescompaniesarefaced withnow,havingtoadapttothenewnormalquickly.Our approachhasalwaysbeentoworkoutourproblems,finda solutionandoncewe'recertainitworks,offerittoour customerstofacilitatetheirworkwithdistributedteams.
Whetherit'sbyeducatingcompaniesonimplementing strongprocessesforremoteworkingorproviding infrastructureforeasiermanagementoftheirremote contractors,we'vealwaysusedourexpertisetoenable companiestoworkremotelywithoutlimitingthemselvesto acertaingeographiclocation.
Describeindetailthevaluesandtheworkculturethat drivesyourorganization. Westandbehindthepremisethatit'sneverabouthowmuch youworkbutwhatyoudeliver Whatvaluedoyoucreate. That'sthemainthingwewanttopassontoeverymember ofourcommunityandeachoneofourclients.
Beingapeople-drivencompany,wemeasuresuccessinthe opportunitieswecreateforpeopletoenjoylifemore,tolive thelifestyletheyalwayswanted.Forsomeofour colleagues,thatmeanstoliveandworkfromadifferent locationeverycoupleofmonths;forothers,tosurforclimb mountainpeaksbecausealltheyneedtodotoafforditis packtheirlaptopandhittheroad.Formostofthem, though,it'stheflexibilitytobalancetheirpersonaland professionallives,tospendmoretimewiththeirfamilies, ormovetoamorepeacefullocationwithoutworrying aboutthecommuteorlackofworkopportunities.
Thosearetheexperiencesthatdriveus.Knowingnotthat youhelpedsomeonemakealiving,butthatyouhelped themlivethelifetheywant.
Undeniably,technologyisplayingasignificantrolein almosteverysector.Howareyouleveraging technologicaladvancementstomakeyoursolutions resourceful?
Technologyisimperativetoourabilitytogrowandserve ourtalentandcustomers.Wecompletelyrelyonour platformforachievingthat.Ononeside,wehavepeople interestedinremotejobswhocanapplytojoinregardless ofifthey'reactivelylookingforajobornot.Ontheother side,clientscaneasilysignupandposttheirjob requirementstostartthehiringprocess.
Themagichappensinthebackoffice,wherewehavea smartsearchandmatchingprocesstofindthebestfitfora givenpositionandmakeanintroduction.We'reincreasingly automatingtherepetitivestepsofourmanualprocessesto beabletofocusmoreoncreatingvalueforourclientsand ournetwork.
Wheredoyouenvisionyourselftobeinthelongrun, andwhatareyourfuturegoalsforthecompany? Ourmissionistoenableworkwithoutboundariesfor1 millionpeopleby2030.Tosupportcompaniesand individualsuntaptheirfullpotentialandremoveborders fromworkbycreatinganinfrastructureforeveryonewho wantstoworkremotely
Withmoreandmorecompaniesopeninguptoworking withdistributedtalent,acompletelynewsetofchallenges willarisedealingwithfakeidentities,theinabilitytostay compliantwithlocallaws,theoverheadofmanagingand payingpeopleacrossborders.Utilizingourexperienceand theobstacleswe'veovercometogetwherewearetoday,we aimtosolveeachofthesechallengesforcompaniesacross theworldandenablemoreindividualstoaccess opportunitiesthatneverexistedbefore.
Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingwomen entrepreneurswhoaspiretoventureintotheindustry?
Theglasscanbehalffullorhalfempty,dependingonhow youlookatit.We'refarfromhavingafavorable environmentforwomenentrepreneurs,butjustbecauseof that,therearesomanycommunitiesandnetworksthat supportwomenandcreateopportunitiesthatwouldbehard togetotherwise.Makeityourstrengthtousethem.
leadercommittedtoacausewillalwaysgivetheir
Aalltogetthedesiredresult;theyunderstandthe importanceoftheirwordandhowitaffectspeople aroundthem.Cultivatingthiscommittedapproachinher workingsisKatherineColombino.Herdedicationtoher workledhertoleadonmultipleleadershiproles,and currently,sheservesastheCEOatSSCSoftware& ServicesConsultingS.R.L.Shehasdevelopedawork culturethatishasaclearobjectiveofthesatisfactionofits customers.
WecaughtupwithKatherineinourquesttofind "The 10 Most Inspiring Women Leaders to Follow in 2022." We talkedwithhertounderstandhowherprofessionaljourney ofoverthreedecadesempowerseveryonearoundher.
Below are the highlights of the interview. Briefouraudienceaboutyourjourneyasabusiness leaderuntilyourcurrentpositionatthecompany.What challengesyouhadtoovercometoreachwhereyouare today?
Theworld'sgreatestLeadershavealwaysremainedfocused ontheirgoalsandhaveconstantlybeenputtingtheirefforts tomakethemsuccessful.Incrediblethingscanhappenif younevergiveup!Sometimeswegiveupduetothelackof self-confidenceforsomereasonasweenteronourjourney
Thelimitationsinlifearenotgivenbyyourphysicalorby thesituationitself;theyaregivenbyyou,ifyourmind changes,yourworldtoo.
Itdoesn'tmatterhowyourlimitationsare;clingtobright vision;learnandtrytoexplorenewthings.Getup!This visionoflifehasalottodowithmyphysicallimitation, whichalwaysmakeseverythingdifficultforme,studying, working,havingfriends.Timeandsomucheffortmademe strongerandbraver
Tellussomethingmoreaboutthecompanyandits missionandvision.
IhavestartedthecompanySoftwareandServices ConsultingS.R.L.,withaclearobjectiveofEducationand TrainingSAPSYSTEMSin2012.
Wewerealwaysputtingalloureffortstowardsasolefocus: Customersatisfaction.Today,S.S.C.S.R.Laccomplished morethan100successfulimplementationswithhighly skilledprofessionalswhoholdmorethantwodecadesof experienceinleadingthemostchallengingprojectsinthe country.SSCSRLbecameoneofthemostimportant partnersinParaguayofSAPBusinessOneSystems.
Enlightenusonhowyouhavemadeanimpactinthe industrythroughyourexpertiseinthemarket?
IamtheC.E.O.ofS.S.C.-Software&ServicesConsulting S.R.L.AnexpertconsultantinSales,Implementation, Development,Training,andSupportofSAPsystems.
IHaveadegreeinSystemsAnalysis,Post-degreesin UniversityDidactics,andEnglishTeachingStaff.
Withextensiveexperienceintheareaofmanagementof WorkTeams,IheldvariouspositionsatHeadquartersfor morethantwodecades.BeforetheopeningofSSCSRL, forfouryears,IwasinchargeoftheBusinessUnitofSAP BusinessOneinanotherParaguayanpartnerofSAPandan I.T.companywithanexemplarytrackrecordinthenational marketandwithmorethan20consultantsindifferentareas.
IamalsoSAPCertifiedConsultant"F.I."and"MM."
IdevelopM.K.T.plans,sales,andpersonnelmotivation policies,amongotherswithintheunit,andcontributed progresstowardstheprojectgoal.
Thesatisfactionofourclientsisthemainengine ofourorganization;itiswhatmotivatesuseveryday togeneratenewgrowthopportunitiesthroughthe creationofnewandimprovedtechnologicalsolutions.
KatherineColombino C.E.O.
The 10 Most Inspiring Women Leaders to Follow in 2022
Priortothat,Iacquiredaninterestingbackgroundof knowledgeofvariousbusinessareas,inwhichIbestowed allmyknowledge,attitude,andcommitmenttoworkand complianceofgoals.
So,myexpertisewasveryimportanttodrivethecompany tosuccess.
Describeindetailthevaluesandtheworkculturethat drivesyourorganization.
Employeesareessentialforanyservicecompany.Inour company,knowledge,experience,andresponsibilityare veryvaluablethingsregardlessofsex,age,race,orreligion.
Wearealwaysthinkingaboutthehumanpart,and especiallyatthistime,inwhichmanypeoplehavesuffered losses,wearepermanentlytakingcareofmentalhealth.
Ifgivenachance,whatchangewouldyouliketobring intheindustry?
Iwouldlikebusinesstobeaccompaniedbyethicsand morals.Also,thosesmallcompanieshavethepossibilityof workingwiththeStateinmoreconvenientconditions.
What,accordingtoyou,couldbethenextbigchangein theindustry?Howisyourcompanypreparingtobea partofthatchange?
Thebigchangesarealreadyhappening,andpossiblythe adoptionoftheintelligenceofthingsaswellasartificial intelligencewillbepresentbothinsoftwaretechnology,as invehicles,medicine,andalmostanymachine.
Wheredoyouenvisionyourselftobeinthelongrun andwhatareyourfuturegoalsforthecompany?
Inthemediumterm,Iseemyselfdelegatingtasksand workinginourownoffice,analyzingoptionstoconquer newmarketsabroad,andcontinuingwithmywritingcareer
Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingwomen entrepreneurswhoaspiretoventureintotheindustry?
Mymessageisthatyoubebraveanddaretoundertakeand ventureintothetechnologicalenvironmentasitoffersvery importantopportunitiesforwomen.
Thereisawideworldouttherefullofopportunities thattestusineverypartofthejourney.Butalong withsuccess,whatfollowsopportunitiesis challenges.So,whatmakesthisjourneytolerablefor companiesandespeciallyforbusinessleaders?Itisthe transformationbroughtbytechnologythathaschangedthe lifeofeveryoneandmadethingseasierforus.The industrieswelcomethistransformation,andeventhe leadersareembracingit.Theimplementationofinnovation andtechnologyintheworkplacehascreatedmany opportunities,duetowhichcompaniesandleaderswere abletobringmuch-neededchangesintheirrespective sectors.Thisshowsthateverythingispossible-onlywith therightintent,knowledge,andtheapproachofalways learning.
Astheysay,ifyoustayinoneplaceforalongtime,you becomethatplace.Thatiswhyyouneedtokeepupdating, innovating,andre-innovatingyourselfcontinuously Today, thedrivetoturninnovativeintheirapproachhasbecomea necessityforleaders.Thisjourneygoesthroughalotof challenges,failures,andultimatelysuccesses.Butitisthe experiencethatmattersthemost.Evolvingaccordingtothe situationsandrisinginallthechallengeswilldefineyou.
Andtoday,thereisadireneedforbusinessesandleadersto leveragetechnologicaladvancementstothriveintheir domains.
Recently,thepandemicemphasizedtheneedtoembrace digitalizationasmanybusinesseshadtogodigital.The bottomlineisbusinessleaderswillalwayshavetobe preparedforsuchunprecedentedtimes,andtechnologyis oneofthefactorsthatwillkeepyouaheadofthecurve.
Aleaderwithdiversetalentisthefirstchoiceformany companies,anditisaboutamatteroftimethatitbecomesa criterionfortoday’sbusinessleader.
Today,manyleadersarefocusedonbuildingtheir successfulbusinesscareersinthetechnologicalfield.The greatnewsisthatwearebuildingagenerationofbusiness leaderswhoarebringingachangetomakethisworlda betterplacetolive.SundarPichai,ElonMusk,JeffBezos, SteveJobs,etc.aresomeprominentnameswhohave broughtadrastictransformationinthebusinessworld.
Therearemanypossibilitiesbroughtbytechnological advancementsthatareyettobeexplored.Finally,wecan concludebysayingthatbycombiningtechnology, innovation,andbusinessacumen,businessleaderswill crosstheirpathswithtransformationstheywanttobringin thisworld.
Manyinspiringstoriesstartsmallbutsignificantly impacttheworldwhenheard.Similarly,women leadersthatmaketheirpresencethemselves fromthegrounduparetheoneswhoinspireanenormous numberofpeople.Growinguponasmalltropicalislandof Penang,Malaysia,MayWinfieldwastheonlyonewhohad accesstooldschoolcomputersduetoherfather'sinterestin them.Broughtupinarelativelytraditionalhousehold,she wasstronglyencouragedtochooseaprofessionalcareer Later,MaystudiedlawinSheffield,England,andthena post-graduatebarrister.Sheworkedasanadvocateand solicitorfortwoyearsinMalaysia.Followingshemanaged tobecomealawyerintheSouthWestofEngland.
Today,MayleadsastheGlobalDirectorofCommercial, LegalandDigitalRisksatBuroHappold.Sheworks closelywiththebusinessworldwide,identifyinglegaland digitalrisksandopportunities.Sheassistsindeveloping newtechnologyanddigitaldataproducts,services,and offeringsacrosstheindustry
BuroHappoldisaninternational,integratedconsultancyof engineers,consultants,andadvisers,withapresencein31 locationsworldwide,over70partners,and1,900 employees.Foundedin1976,BuroHappoldhasbuilta world-classreputationfordeliveringcreative,value-led solutionsforanever-challengingworld.Asatrulyinter connectedcommunityofexperts,itvalueshumanwellbeing curiosity,embracesmutualresponsibility,andgenuinely caresaboutitswork'simpactandlegacy.
In2011,Mayspecializedworkinginconstructioninsurance lawinLondon,wheretheUKGovernmentmandatedthe useof3DBuildingInformationModelling(BIM),whichby 2016wasappliedtoallgovernmentprocuredconstruction projects.ThismandateallowedMaytocombineher interestswithherwork;however,shewasfrequently advisedtodroptheinteresttofocusonmoney-making specialismsorendeavors.
Maydidn'tgiveupandreadanythingthatshecouldfindon thetopicandattendedadigitaltechnologyconferencein theconstructionindustry,whereshewouldbetheonly lawyerintheroomandonlyoneofahandfulofwomen. Shelearnedthatthenewprocessesledtonewrisksandwas eagertohelptheindustryavoidthetickingtimebomb.An opportunitystruckintheformofthemajorcontractor, Carillion,thatledMaytomovein-housetoworkthere, whereherbossencouragedhertoresearchBIM.Sheended upleadingonthelegalandcontractualmattersfordigital andtechnologyissuesatCarillion,thena£4bcompany
AfterCarillionfailed,Maywastoldrepeatedlyin interviewsandbyheadsoflegalthatthedigitaland technologyaspectsofconstructionwerenotofanyreal assistancetothemorhercareerandwasrejectedfrom severaljobs.Inthemeantime,Maywroteoneofthefirst detailedlegalanalysesofacontractualframeworkforthis areaoflaw(citedworldwide).Eventually,Dr.Marzia Bolpagni,asupportivefriend,introducedMaytothenow CTOofBuroHappold,AlainWaha.
Be bold in your belief.
BuroHappoldisinapositiontoeffectrealchangeasitcan workcollectivelytowardsanequitableandgreenrecovery, adaptingitsbusinesstomitigateclimatechangeandthe biodiversitycrisis.Itrecognizesthattheindustrymust makesubstantial,sustainedchangestodesignandcreate environmentsfromthebuildingtoaregionalscalethatare
sustainableandfair.Asengineersandconsultants,itis committedtoworkingwithclientsandpartnerstobetterthe industry,cities,andcommunities.
BuroHappoldisavalues-basedpracticewithaninclusive culturedrivenbymutualrespectandpassionforcreating:
• Valuehumanwellbeingandarediscontentedwith limitations,committingtotakingthisasseriouslyfor itspeopleasitsprojects.
• Itisadiverse,one-firmculture.Whenitgetsright,it sings.Internalbarriersarealwaystobeovercome throughinclusivityandequityaboveallelse.
• Itembracesmutualresponsibility.Itiseasytodefault toindividualsuccess.Teamsneedtosharesuccessand failureinthesameway.
• Itismorethanabusiness.Itcaresaboutthelegacyof ourwork.Ithasaresponsibilityofcareasanemployer andinfluencerinshapingtheworld.
• Sustainabilityisintrinsictotheeconomicandsocial impactofitswork.Goingbeyondcompliancerequires challengingpreconceptionstakingextrasteps.
• Ittakescouragetocreate.Itsculturefostersadynamic betweentechnologyandempathytogaindeeper insight,unleashimagination,andmanagerisk.
Maymentionsthattheorganizationisactivelyinvolved withitslocalcommunitieswhereveritcanandmakesits skills,experience,andtimeavailabletothoseinsociety mostinneed,wherevertheyarelocatedintheworld.Its mainprogramforcommunityinvolvementisShareOur Skills(SOS),establishedin2014;itenablesitsemployees tocarryoutnon-fee-payingworkduringregularworktime.
Mayexpressesthattechnologyshouldn'tbeusedpurelyfor technology'ssake;itcanenablepartiestoremoverepetitive tasksormakethingsmuchfasterandmoreefficient, generatingmoreaccurateresults.
BuroHappold'sclimatetoolkitordashboardshortensthe timetogenerateaclimatereportfromonedaytoten minutes;removingbarriersandspeedsupprocessestorun thecomplexanalysisinvolved–allattheclickofabutton, makingthedatamoreaccessible.
Maynotes, "Automation is a great tool when applied sensibly, leading to more time being made available for designers to make better decisions and produce higher quality, sustainable designs. Though it can't replace the years of experience, local knowledge, and precedent in the areas we work in – as well as the risk mitigation and
liability control provided by the legal team. There is no single tool that accounts for all those variables, and we correctly use technological advances to supplement and enhance our services – rather than replace them."
TheLongHaul Maystatesthatwhileknownforitsforward-thinking, technologicallyadvancedethosandwaysofworking,Buro Happoldis,insomeways,atthebeginningofitswhole digitaljourney.Mayfeelsblessedthatthebeliefand supportofvariouspeoplehaveledhertotheroleshehas today,enablinghertoleadthelegalriskssideofthedigital journey
MayenvisionstosupportBuroHappoldtocontinuetobe thoughtleadersandrecognizedtalentsinthedigitaland constructiontechnologyspacewhileprogressingitsstrong visionofsustainabilityandmoreequalityanddiversity withintheindustry
Mayadvisesbuddingwomenentrepreneursnottolistento thedetractorswhowantyoutopursuesomethingmore accessible,moremainstream,ormoresuitedtoyou.She says, "Be bold in your belief. However, understand that the road can be long and is hard; nothing good comes easy, and it will take personal time – though the balance is important to make it all worthwhile. It is possible – I have my career, my side 'hobby' of digital-based conferences, papers and activities, a 6-year-old child, a patient husband, and loving friends."
Concludingherthoughts,Mayasserts, "Research and consider sensibly what precise direction you should take to succeed in the way you envision – where is the gap in the market, where is the knowledge gap, what organizations are vital to be involved with? Be prepared, in the long journey, to pivot when needed while keeping your eye on the goal. My journey as a legal specialist in digital and technology matters started in 2011, and I build on it every day."
Natalie Cramp CEO Profusion
Womenhavepavedtheirwayinthetechspace andachievedremarkablemilestones.Theyhave climbedtheleadershipladderintech organizationsbybringingdifferentperspectives,skillsets, andapproachestothetable.Onesuchstrikinginstanceof theabovestatementisNatalieCramp.Throughher leadership,Nataliehasaptlyexemplifiedhowatech companycanthrivebyhavingwomenatthehelm.
NatalieistheCEOofProfusion,acustomerandbusiness analyticsagencythatsupportsclientsofallsizesto monetisetheirdata.Shebringsmorethanadecadeof experienceleadingprivate,public,andthirdsector organizationsthroughsignificantperiodsofinnovationand changetothecompany AtProfusion,sheleadsateamof 80consultants,datascientists,dataarchitects,developers, anddigitalmarketingexperts.
WeatInsightsSuccessgotintoconversationwithNatalie tolearnmoreaboutherjourneyanddynamic contributiontothetechspace
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Briefouraudienceaboutyourjourneyasa businessleaderuntilyourcurrentpositionat Profusion.Whatchallengesyouhadtoovercome toreachwhereyouaretoday? Myjourneyasabusinessleaderhasbeenabout helpingpeoplesolveproblems,bethatfortheir transformationprogramsfortheirbusinesses,
supportingtodelivertheLondon2012Olympics,or tacklingsomeofthechallengeswefaceasasocietythat willhaveabroaderpublicbenefit.Itrulybelievedataisthe waytosolveourproblems.AsCEOatProfusion,we supportpeopletotacklethechallengestheirorganizations faceusingthepowerofdatascience.
TherearefewfemaleCEOsindata,andwhilstitcanbea challenge,itisalsoanopportunitytoaddmorediversityof thoughtandapproach.OneofthethingsIamvery determinedtodoasaleaderistosurroundmyselfwithas manypeoplewithdifferingbackgroundsandapproachesas possible.
Tellussomethingmoreaboutthecompanyandits missionandvision.
ProfusionhelpsbusinessestogrowusingdataandAI.We believethatdataisoftenanuntappedasset-widely availableandfrequentlyunderused.Wecreatemultidisciplinaryteamstolookatpeople,technology,andculture toembeddata-ledwaysofthinkingandoperating. Wedon'tjusthelpyoucreatethedatastrategythatwill supportyourbusinessstrategy,butweensurethatyouhave thetechnologyyouneedtodeliverit,thepeoplewhoare skilledandconfidenttobothdelivertheprojectsandputthe insightintoactionintheireverydayroles,andwhenyou needusto,deliverprojectsthemselves.
Enlightenusonhowyouhavemadeanimpactinthe techindustrythroughyourexpertiseinthemarket. Outsideofworkingwithcompaniestodelivercutting-edge
dataprojects,I'mproudoftheworkProfusionhasdoneto promotetheethicaluseofdata,improvedataliteracyand drivebetterrepresentationintheindustry
OurDataAcademyisgearedtowardsbothdevelopingdata literacyinorganizationsandhelpingunderrepresented groupsgetintothedataprofession.Oftenbusinessesdon't havethedataliteracyintheleadershipoftheorganization toasktherightquestionsoftheirdata,understandtheartof thepossible,andexecuteontheinsighttheyreceive.We enableorganizationsthroughtrainingandsupportprograms todeveloptheirknowledgeandconfidence.Wealsosupport youngpeoplefromdiversebackgroundstogettheirfirst opportunitiesindata,withexposuretocommercialprojects.
Describeindetailthevaluesandtheworkculturethat drivesyourorganization.
Diversityandinclusionareattheheartofourorganization.
Profusionembracesdifferentwaysofthinkingandworking becausewefundamentallybelievethatthisdrivesbetter results.Weareproudthatourteamof80peopleismadeup ofover20nationalitieswithmorethan25languages spoken.
Wehaveafoundation,ProfusionCares,whichseekstouse datawithpurposeandimpacttomakeadifferencein society–thisrangesfromprobonodataprojectstoabig focusonsupportingthenextgenerationtoembracethedata professionandsecureopportunitiesinthisveryexciting field.
Finally,innovationisunsurprisinglyanimportanttenetof ourculture.WepartnerwithleadingUniversitiestobring thelatestacademicthinkingtoourcommercialclientsand havewonmultipleawardsforthispartnershipworking.
Ifgivenachance,whatchangewouldyouliketobring inthetechspace?
ImprovediversityinthedataandAIindustry.Aslongas
therearelimitedbackgroundsandwaysofthinkingforour practitionersandleaders,therewillbelimitedprogress.We aretryingtocontributetothisthroughourDataAcademy wherewebringcandidatesfromdifferentbackgroundsinto theindustryandretrainexistingleaderswithdifferentskills intodataandAI.Weoperateonamodelwhereforeach coursewesell,wegiftplacestoeducationandcharity leadersandteamstoalsogainthebenefitsofthislearning.
What,accordingtoyou,couldbethenextbigchangein thetechindustry?Howisyourcompanypreparingtobe apartofthatchange?
Technologymovesatafasterpacethanthelaw,andwe haveseenmanyinstanceswheredataandAIhavebeen usedpoorly,ininvasiveorunsafeways.ThefieldofData Ethicsisgrowingrapidlyandissetuptobethenextbig changeintheindustry.
Thereisalwaysmorethanabusiness could dothanperhaps it should do.Whenabusinesscouldusethedatatohelp, butacustomermayconsiderthataninvasionoftheir privacy,whereshouldthebalancefall?
It'shardtohaveasimpleanswer,soourDataEthics AdvisoryBoardishelpingustocreateTheGoodData Guide,asetofprinciplesandadvicethatcompaniescanuse whentheydon'tnecessarilyhaveethicistsavailable.
Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingwomen entrepreneurswhoaspiretoventureintothetech industry?
Recognizetheskillsyoubring–itisnotallaboutbeing abletocode.Dataisacollaborationbetweentechnology, technicalskills,andbusiness,andbusinessunderstandingis critical.Understandtheassetsyoubringtothetableand findarolethatletsyouusethosestrengths. Secondly,askforhelpandsupport–peopleliketobe useful,andthereisalotofsupportavailable:networking groups,educationalcharities,mentoringschemes,free onlinetraining,andmuchmore.Untilyoutalktothem,you won'tknowwhatyoudon'tknow.Askforhelpbeforeyou needit,anddon'tforgetyou'renevertoooldtodowork experience.
Havingasupportnetworkbothpersonallyand professionallyiscritical.It'snotaliethatitislonelyatthe top,andyouneedthosepeopletohelpguide,challenge, connect,support,andlistentoyou–don'tbeafraidtoask. Allofusneedhelp.
“Data is the untapped asset on your balance sheet and Profusion translate that asset into profit for your business.”
