The 20 Most Successful Businesswomen to Watch 2019

Desk Editor’s

Transforming the World Bit by Bit

Businesswomen,thisworditselfishavingso

manysuccessstories,aneraofstrugglein thismen’sworldtofindequalplace,women empowermentandfeminism.Thisalldefines women’spersistentandcommitmenttoget moreself-improvementandbringchangesintheworld.But wherearewestandingtodaybecauseasiamseeingwomen empowermentisnotanissuesanymoreandfeminismisat itspeaksowhatarethechallengesandchangeswomen’s arehavingatpresenttime?

Today,whenwetalkaboutworkingwomenor businesswomen,weonlycelebratethosewhoalreadyhave achievedhigherpositionintheirrespectivecompanies.But therearemanyotherswhoaresimpleworkingwomenand havingfamilies,spouses,andotherresponsibilitiesandyet completingdemandsfrompersonalandprofessional commitments.Thesewomenaremotherandwifeandwhen thebusinessrequireshertobetheleaderandshow commitment;theyperformaccordingly.

Successinbusinessrequiresastrongleaderwithcritical leadershiptraits.Accordingtovariousstudies,companies withthewomeninleadershiphavebetterfinancial performancethanmen,mostlyduetotheiruptothemark managementskills.InUSonly12.3millionbusinesses,

whichiscovered40%businessesinthecountryarewomen owned.Thesestatisticsshowthephenomenalworkand promisesbywomenintheirpersonalandprofessionallife.

Womeninbusinessesaredynamicallybringingchangesin theeconomyandInsightsSuccesshastakenthe responsibilitytocelebratetheiroutoftheboxideas, businesstraitsandleadershipskills.Inthisissueof"The20 MostSuccessfulBusinesswomentoWatch"Insights Successhasshortlistedthosewomenleaderswhoare persistence,confidentandkindofrebellioustoachieve somethingthatmanyonlycandream.Theirstoriesfrom scratchtotopoftheworldarerealinspirationforothersand givingasighthowcananyonereachtotheheightof success.

FeaturingtheCoverStoryisKimDavis,ChiefDiversity andInclusionOfficerofNFP,workedtoalignthe company’sgoalsandemployees’goalsinawaythatadds valuetoanorganizationandengagestheemployeetoexcel andmanagetheirowncareergrowthandsuccess.After integrationofheracquiredcompany,sheassumedthehead ofHRroleforNFPandbecameanexecutivelevelleaderin thecompany.TransitioningNFPfromapublicholding companytoaprivateinsurancebrokerageandconsulting companythathasgrowntobethe4thlargestinsurance brokerageintheUS,requirescultivatingapeople-centric workenvironmentwherethecompany’semployeesare seenasthe#1assetofthecompanyandencouragedto buildhonestandtransparentrelationshipswiththeclients andvendor/partnerstouniteallpartiestogetherformutual success.

Also,makessuretoscrollthroughthearticleswrittenby ourin-houseeditorialteamandCXOstandpointsofsome oftheleadingindustryexpertstohaveabriefknowledgeof thesector

HappyReading!

A leader does not born with exception she/he creates it.

Rohit Chaturvedi

CoverStory

KimDavis

CreatingaPeople-centricWorkCulture

“

Therewillbedayswhenthingsdon't goasplanned—butthat'sjusta detour,notafullstop.

Employee’sengagementandperformanceare criticaltotheoverallsuccessofan organization.Youwill accelerategrowthin thebusinessifemployeesfeelthattheyare valuedfortheworktheydoandtheideastheyhave. Peoplecentricmanagementallowsyoutobuild processesandprogramsthatbring“interconnection” betweentheorganizationanditspeople.KimDavis,

ChiefDiversityandInclusionOfficerofNFP,withher expertiseinHRleadershipandpeoplecentric managementisbringingvaluetotheorganizationand engagestheemployeetoexcelandmanagetheirown careergrowthandsuccess.

Belowarehighlightsfromtheinterviewconducted between Kim and Insights Success:

Tellusaboutyourfirst entrepreneurialventure:Howdid youcomeupwiththeideaand howdidyoustartyourbusiness?

In2000,Ijoinedtheprivateequity firmIcahnEnterprises.Imanaged portfolio-wideHRandbenefit

programsbynegotiatingeconomies ofscaletoimprovebenefitprogram pricingwhilemaintainingindividual contractsandhighlevelsofservice foreachportfoliocompanyowned. Privateequityfirmswerestartingto holdtheirportfoliocompanies longer,andworkingtoincreasetheir valuebeforeselling.Itmadesense thatifwewerehavingsuccess managingportfolioprogramsand reducingthedoubledigithealthcare increasesforasingleprivateequity firm,thenwecouldapplythe strategyonagranderscale.With encouragementfromseveralbusiness contactsandthesupportofmy family,IstartedHRMetrics,which laterbecameAlteritythroughajoint venturewithanotherbenefits consultingfirmwhichwasalso havingsuccessintheprivateequity spaceAlteritybecameagold standardforconsultinginprivate equityHRandbenefits.Itisstilla highlyregardedprivateequity consultingfirmaspartoftheNFP family

Giveabriefoverviewofyour backgroundandyourroleinNFP Corp.

AsChiefDiversityandInclusion Officer,Icontinuemycareer’swork ofsupportingstrategicempowerment programs.Ileadavarietyof integratedinitiativestoensureNFP attracts,engages,andretainsan innovativeworkforcededicatedto empoweringandcelebratingdiverse

perspectivesforthebettermentofthe entireorganization.Priorto transitioningtothisnewrolein January2019,Ispentsixyearsas NFP’sChiefHumanResources Officer,creatingaunified,peoplecentricculturethroughoutNFP.One ofmymajorinitiativesinthiswork wascraftingaprogramknownas PeopleFirst,whichunderpinsNFP’s effortstomakepeoplethepriority.I wasalsoappointedtotheNFPboard ofdirectors,allowingmeto contributetothesuccessofNFPat multiplelevels.IjoinedNFPthrough theacquisitionofthecompanyIcofounded,bringingentrepreneurial benefitsconsultingandhigh-level HRdesignexpertisefromtheprivate equityspace.PriortoNFP,Ispent over20yearsbuildingandleading HRteamswithinlargecompanies suchasGE,CarlsonWagonlitTravel, MCI,EquityResidential,andIcahn Enterprises.

Whatisthebiggestchallengefor youasawomaninbusiness?

Forme,itsfeelingcomfortablewith myaccomplishments.Callit impostersyndromeoranyother name,butasawomanwhoisa successfulentrepreneurandC-suite levelexecutive,therearetimeswhen Istillstrugglewithfeelingworthyof thesuccessIhaveachieved.Iknow thatconfidenceandacceptanceof myselfarekeyandworkexternally toalwaysbringthosetothe conversation,butthatdoesn’tmean

therearen’ttimeswhenseedsofdoubtcreepin.Idohavetotakeastepback sometimesandremindmyselfthatIdeservetobewhereIamgivenmyhard workandaccomplishments.It’salsocriticallyimportanttorememberthatmy voiceasasuccessfulfemaleexecutiveandentrepreneurisavitalpartofthe businessconversationtodayandforthefuturebusinesswomenwhocome afterme.

Howdoyoumaintainwork-lifebalance?Whathelpsyouinbeingdiligent inbusiness?

Ithinkthattellingpeopleyoucanhavework-lifebalanceallthetimeandstill becomeaseniorleaderandsuccessfulentrepreneurisnothonest.Ithinkyou canhavebalanceonanygivendayorweekoryearbutthatcomeswith tradeoffswheresometimesworkhastocomefirstandsometimesfamily. Therearedefinitelymoreopportunitiesinthebusinessworldtodayfor flexibilityandwork-lifebalancebutitisn’teasyandrequiresthought, commitment,andfamilysupport.

Whathaveyoulearnedaboutentrepreneurship,leadership,andguiding others?

IthinksomeofthemostimportantlessonsIhavelearnedinmycareerareto valueyourtimeandthatofothers,andtobewillingasanentrepreneurtotake onanyroleneededatanygiventime.Youhavetoprovideguidanceandshare knowledgeandexperienceswillingly,butthen getoutofpeople’swayandlet themdowhattheydo.Youhavetostayinquisitiveabouthowthingswork, askquestionsofpeoplewhothinkdifferentlythanyouandconsiderthose ideaswhencreatingorinnovating.

Howistemperamentcriticaltosuccessinbusiness,accordingtoyou? Ifyouwantpeopletolistentoyou,collaboratewithyou,supportyouor believeinyou,youhavetobeconsistentwithyourwordsandactions. Rememberthatotherpeople’slifeexperiencesaredifferentfromyours,which meansyoumustbepatientandstriveformutualunderstanding.Ibelievethat angerwillquicklydisassociateyoufromothers(eveniftheydon’tshowitto you)andwon’tmaketrustorprogresssustainable.

Whatstrategiesdoyouundertaketomakeyouremployeesresourceful?

Youhavetoengageemployeeswithwhat’shappeninginthebusinessand showthemhowtheirworkandtheirsuccesscanbedirectlyrelatedtothe business’success.Providepeoplewiththetoolsandresourcestothink creativelyandlearnnewskillsortechnologies.Employeesneed communicationtoolsandthetimetonetwork,andthatalsohelpstocreate

long-termrelationshipsandfoster teambuilding,belonging,and commitment.Withthosepractices andafiercepaceofacquisitions, NFPhasbecomeoneofthetop globalinsuranceconsultingfirms withover5,800employeeseach makingadifferenceinthesuccessof NFPandourclients.

Whataresomeofthevital attributes,inyouropinion,that everyleadershouldpossess?

Honesty,authenticity,strong communication,passion,dedication, accountability,andadesireto empowereveryonearoundthem.All ofthatandasideofhumorhelps!

Hownecessaryisittoalign businesswithtechnologyandwhat areitsoutcomes?

Technologyisineveryaspectofour livestodayandbeingboth comfortablewithitandusingitin businessiscriticalforcompetitive advantage.Itcanincrease

productivityandoperational efficiency,improvecommunications withemployees,customersand vendors,buildbusinessculture, provideaccessforresearchand innovationandoffersecurityfor businessandclientinformation.

Alwaysbeingcurious:willingto learnnewtechnologies,ask questionsofothersontechnologies they’reusingthatareimprovingtheir work,andidentifynewproductsthat betterservetheclient.

Whatadvicewouldyouliketogive forotheryoungwomenwhowould liketostarttheirownbusiness?

Lookaroundatyourdailylife,the workyouarepassionateaboutor areasthatareinneedof improvement.Next,considerwhat solutionsmaybebetter,more efficient,ormoresustainable,and determinethebestdelivery.Ifyou understandyourabilitiesyoucan thenlookfortheresourcesand/or peoplewhocanhelpyoutogetyour ideatested,piloted,orontomarket. Youshouldfeelcomfortableand confidentinthecommitmentoftime, energyandeffortthatstartingand runningabusinesscantake.Itisalso importanttoplanyourself-careso youcansustainyourphysical, mental,andfinancialhealthduring thestartupphase.Withallofthat said,planningdoesn’tmeanyou mustbeabsolutely100%"ready"in everyaspect;takeachance,believe inyourself,don’tgiveup,andknow thatyoucanmakeithappen.

“Feelpassionateaboutyourwork soitisn'twork,itspartofwhoyou areandwhatyoubelievein.”

Howdoyousustainyour entrepreneurialspiritinthis changingtechnologicalera?

JusttodayIhadayoungandenthusiasticwomencall meupaskingforadviceandmaybesomepointerson howtobringhervisiontolife.DuringthecallIcould almostseeherdeflatingwhileIpiledupthelistof challengesthatcamewithfundraising,developingtech productsandgatheringtherightteam.Iknowexactlywhat thatfeelslikebecauseI,myself,haveexperienceditmany timesbefore.Themountainofworkthatfacesan entrepreneurissheerunfathomable,andthat’sprobablya goodthing:whoknowshowmanycompanieswouldstillbe outthereifthefoundershadknownwhatawaitedthem!? Thatfeelinginmind,Ididleavethecallonanuplifting note(Ihope),butwhatIalsodidwassendheralistof femalefoundergroupsaswell.

Havingafemaleledandpopulatedecosystemthatcan absorbsomeofthepainsanyfemaleentrepreneurhasto facecanbethedifferencebetweensucceedingandgiving up.Ichoosethewords’givingup’onpurpose,becausewe canallfail,butitshouldbefortechnicalitiesallstart-ups face,andnotbecausewearelonely,overwhelmedand unsupportedwomen.

FromexperienceIhaverecognizedthreesortsoffemale ecosystemsthatareimportantfordifferentchallenges withinthejourney,eachaddingtheirownindividualvalue, andIamgratefulforeachandeveryoneofthem:

Ÿ

TheCommunity:thesegroupsaremoremotivational andempoweringthanhavinganactualimpactonyour business.Especiallyatthebeginningoffoundinga companytheyareimportant.Yougettomeetother women,heartheirstories,recognizedthatit’snotonly youandmakefriendsalongtheway.Ithinkthese groupsareveryimportantforyourmentalhealth, especiallywhenyournewcompanyalsomeansa changeoflifestyle.Youcanmeetotherwomenandhave ateaoradrinkwithoutfeelinglikeyoushouldbe workingbecauseyouARE.Panelswithtalks,meetups andevenworkspacesdistinguishthesegroupsfrom strictlysocialevents.Myfavouriteone:Blooming Founders.

Ecosystem for Women

buttheemphasisisonlearningfromandnetworking withthespeakers.Ihavemadethebestoutofthemby targetingeventswithspeakersthatcouldbeimportant formybusinessandthatIwouldotherwisehave difficultiesaccessing.Tomygreatestsorrowmany eventsareearlymorningbreakfastmeetingsat7or8, whereIpretendthatit’sanormalhourtobeaboutfor me.Myfavouriteone:SheWorx

Ÿ

ThePlatformers:Thesegroupsoffermostlyawardsand events.Whileonthesurfaceyouoftendon’twin anythingtangiblelikeprizemoney,theawarditselfads hugevaluebecauseitishighlyrespectedinthefieldand opensdoors.Duringtheeventsyougettonetworkfrom aprivilegedpositionwhichisinvaluableforcompanies thatarefundraising.Itisalsooneofthefewvisible socialmarkersthatallyourhardwork,blood,sweatand tearshasbeenacknowledgedandrewarded-something youcanshowtoyourpainfullyneglectedfriendsand family.Myfavouriteone:TechWomen100

Duringthedevelopment,thefundraisingandthepivotof mydigitalmentalhealthcompanywithouremotional fitnessgame,eQuoo,therehavebeenmultipletimesthat thesegroupswerethereattherighttimeandplace,offering mesupport,informationandaplatform.Womenarestill vastlyunderrepresentedinthetechworld,andwhilethe #MeToomovementhasunearthedmanyofthepeople abusingtheirpoweragainstwomen,itcanstillbeahostile environmentifyou’reunlucky Andstatisticallyspeaking youwillbeunluckyafewtimes.

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TheEducators:thesegroupsoffertalks,workshopsand one-on-one’swithhighlysuccessfulmenandwomenin thestart-upworld.Hereyouneedtobringyourpenor laptopandstayontopofwhatisbeingsaidbecausethe lecturer/guestspeakerwilldumplargeamountsof wisdomonyou.Sometimestherearedrinksafterwards,

TheVCworldisslowlystartingtounderstandthata mentallyhealthfounderisaproductiveoneandhaving communitiesthatsupportusisavitalingredienttoour wellbeing.

Ittakesavillagetoraiseachild?Well,ittakesacityto buildastart-up.

AbouttheAuthor

Silja Litvin is the Psychologist, Founder and CEO of PsycApps Digital Mental Health, a company that uses AI, gamication and psychology to help people help themselves. She is a developer of the multi-award winning eQuoo – the Emotional Fitness Game.

Silja was born in Germany but moved to southern California early in her life. Exposed to many diverse cultures early in life, she developed an insatiable curiosity for the human condition leading to her pursuing a degree in psychology. During her 17 years of international modelling she began her Masters at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, graduating in Clinical Psychology and Systemic Family Therapy in 2013. Alongside her education as a Systemic Family Therapist in 2015, she began her PhD in Clinical Psychology.

A child of the digital generation, Silja was looking for ways to use apps and social media to help people suffering from mental issues. She went on to create a psychological mobile app that helps users identify and self-manage depression. With this idea, she undertook her PhD thesis, thus ensuring it to be evidence based and ethically sound.

Now she is venturing into the world of AI, gamication and chatbots to nd a way to be able to help people help themselves, launching her emotional tness game eQuoo in the UK, USA, Canada and Australia. The game has been featured in major news outlets such as Forbes and TechCrunch and she won multiple prizes with PsycApps such as THE EUROPAS Pitch Awards and Pitch@Palace on Tour.

Silja Litvin Founder & CEO PsycApps Digital Mental Health

Evelina Lavrova

Helping Startups Grow and Evolve

Learningcertainsetofskillsispurposeless,unlessonedoesn’t putthemeffectivelyintopractice.Similarly,anideaismerely a thought, until a certain action is not taken to turn it into a successful business. However, a new venture has to go through different challenges, undulating moments, and enlightening failures. One who learns from those dilemmas and moves ahead, ultimately climbs the ladder of success Meet Evelina Lavrova, an avid entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of Decrypto PR, who exemplifiesthetrueessenceofbeinganentrepreneur.Inaninterview with Insights Success, Evelina shares her challenging journey of becomingabusinesswoman.

Belowarethehighlightsofaninterview:

Tell us about your first entrepreneurial venture: How did you comeupwiththeideaandhowdidyoustartyourbusiness?

I had some job interviews and realized I didn’t want to work as an employee any longer. Every job was the same. I suggested to some friendsthatweworktogether,butwedidn’tfindtherightproject.Then I decided to launch my own company. I felt that I was ready to do something new I’m a perfectionist and when I worked with other companies,Iwantedeveryoneelsetobeaswell–buteverybodyhasa different attitude. Sometimes it interfered and held me back in my goalsandtasks.Ifpeopledon’twanttogothesamewayasme,Iwon’t wastetime.

Give a brief overview of your background and your role in DeCryptoPR?

I’m founder & CEO of Decrypto PR, CMO of Waves World and an ExpertatCVLabs-ablockchainincubatorinZug,Switzerland.Prior tothatIworkedforaround2yearsatWaves.Iwasnamedoneofthe Top10FemalesinCrypto2017byCoreMagazine.BeforethisIalso promotedPay-Me,Yell,Gett,andothers.

What is the biggest challenge foryou as a businesswoman? How doyoudealwiththechallenges?

Tosellmyself!Icaneasilysellotherpeopleandcompanies,butI’ma little bit shy when it comes to selling myself. Maybe it’s a Russian habit.Almost every day I have new challenges and try to solve new problems–it’salongto-dolist.

Howdoyoumaintainagoodwork-lifebalance? Whathelpsyouinbeingdiligentinbusiness?

I work with people in different time zones Sometimes I get requests at the weekend or on public holidays, because it’s a holiday in one country, but a workday in another I traveled a lot duringthelastyear.Itrytocombinebusinessgoals such as conferences, meetings and holidays in one trip. If I visit a new place, I try to take a few more daystovisitpopularlandmarksandexplorethecity

What is your learning experience of entrepreneurship, leadership, and guiding others?

Managing people is not an easy process. In my experienceitisbettertofindpeoplewiththesame vision as you than to try to change ones with a differentvision.

How critical is temperament to success in business,inyouropinion?

14 years ago, I broke the stereotype about the character of a sales manager Our commercial directorwantedtofindanextravertSalesDirector It was a long process and took a lot of time, but without any positive results I had joined this company a short time earlier and wasn’t the ideal candidate for the position But finally, my persistence won out, and I became the best sales manager – I made 80% of the company’s sales. Actually, you can be successful with any temperament,butdependingonthekindofperson youareyoumightgoaboutthingsindifferentways.

Whatstrategiesdoyouundertaketomakeyour employeesresourceful?

I have a small team, but we share the same principlessoit’sveryeasytoworktogether.Ithink it’s important to maintain a friendly and comfortableenvironment.

What are some of the vital attributes, in your opinion,thateveryleadershouldpossess? Determination,persistence,andconfidence.

What advice would you like to give for other youngwomenwhowouldliketostarttheirown business?

Try to practice your entrepreneurial skills step by step In modern life practice is much more important than education, and especially so in business.

You will always hear a lot of criticism Stay confidentandkeepgoing.

‘‘

Play with a strong competitor and you become stronger. Or do a more difficult task and you grow quickly. It comes from sport and I think it's very similar for business.

Evelina Lavrova Founder & CEO

The Glass Ceiling Effect: Another Perspective on Women and Leadership

Theglassceilingisabarriersosubtlethatitis

transparent;yetsostrongthatitpreventswomen frommovingupthecorporatehierarchy”

---Ann

Morrison,AmericanAuthor

Theterm“Glassceiling”canbedefinedasan unacknowledgedupperlimitincorporationsandother organizations,abovewhichitisdifficultoreven impossibleforwomentoreachouttothehighest ranks.“Glassceiling”isapopularmetaphorwidelyused forthehard-to-seeinformalbarriersthatpreventswomen fromgettingpromotedorachievingfurtheropportunities inleadershippositions.Themetaphorof“glassceiling” hasalsobeenusedtodescribethelimitsandobstacles facedbyracialminoritygroups.

TheU.S.DepartmentofLabor’s1991definitionofglass ceilingis“thoseartificialbarriersbasedonattitudinalor organizationalbiasthatpreventsqualifiedindividuals fromadvancingupwardintheirorganizationinto management-levelpositions.”(ReportontheGlass CeilingInitiative.)

FamousAmericanactresscumauthorAnnMorrison definestheconceptoftheGlassCeilingas:

“Theglassceilingisnotsimplyabarrierforan individual,basedontheperson’sinabilitytohandlea higher-leveljob.Rather,theglassceilingappliesto womenasagroupwhoarekeptfromadvancinghigher becausetheyarewomen.”

TheElementsbehindtheGlassCeiling:

Itisprettyobviousthatwomenarefacingalotofhurdles tobreakthroughtheglassceilingandreachtothe highestleadershippositionthroughouttheages. Preventingbothwomenandorganizationsfromreaching theirfullpotential,theinvisible“GlassCeiling”denies usallofthemaximalbenefitsofgenderdiversityin leadership.Someofthemostcommonbarriersare highlightedbelow:

Jobisolation:

Womenareofferedthesamekindsofjobroleslikestaff, publicrelationsoroccasionallyfinancespecialtiesthat rarelyleadtothemorepowerfulmanagementpositions. Overtime,womenareeventuallyexcluded fromjobsinthemainstreamofbusiness,theroutetaken byCEOsandpresidents.

Old-boyNetwork:

Therearemanyinstanceswhenmengetsthemanagerial powersinanorganizationwhomanagesgreaternumbers ofpeople,enjoysmorefreedomofhiringandfiring,and controlsthecompany’sassetsdirectlywhilewomenare deprivedofsuchauthoritiesandpowers. Itisthe“Old-boys”oftheorganizationthatmakesallthe policy;wherethewomenarekeptvirtuallyabsent.

SexDiscrimination:

Inarecentsurvey,workingwomenwereaskedaboutthe greatestobstacletheyhadtoovercometoachieve success;“simplybeingawoman”wasthemostfrequent response. InanothersurveybytheWallStreetJournal, womenleadersquotedtheirmostseriousobstaclein theirbusinesscareerstobe“malechauvinism,attitudes towardafemaleboss,slowadvancementforwomen,and thesimplefactofbeingawoman.”Theseinstancesare enoughtoprovetheprevalenceofsexdiscriminationin theworkplace.

SexualHarassment:

Sexualharassmentremainsoneofthebiggestbarriers forwomeninmanagerialroles.Acorporateenvironment thattoleratessexualharassmentintimidatesand demoralizeswomenexecutives.Evenaftertheadoption andenforcementofnumerouslawsagainstsexual harassment,womendonotfeelsufficientlyencouraged andempoweredtospeakoutforfearofcompromising theirwork.

BenefitsofWomeninLeadership: Studiesfoundthatinclusionofwomeninbusiness leadershiphassignificantlyimprovedsuchfactorsas firmvalue,financialperformance,economicgrowth, innovationandsocialresponsivenessandphilanthropy

Theadditionalbenefitsofwomenincorporateleadership includestrictermonitoringandsupervisionandfewer legalinfractionssuchasfraudandembezzlement.A betterbalanceamongwomeninleadershippositionscan createamorediverseteamofleaderswithdifferent perspectivesandagreaterabilitytocontributenewideas

andthusenhancingtheprofitability The transformationalleadershipstyleoftenusedbywomen tendstobeagoodoptionforcontemporary organizations,asitencouragesemployeemorale, motivationandperformance.

OvercomingtheBarriers:

Strategies

Women’sprogressupthecorporateladderisstilllimited bythe“glassceiling”despitethemyriadofGovernment policiesandprogramswhichhavebeenintroducedto ensurethattheirtalentsandskillsarerecognizedand accepted.

Womencanhelpthemselvestoovercomethiscareer hurdleby: Acquiringappropriatebusinessskillsandknowhow; Takingupline‐managementpositionsratherthan managementserviceroles; Gainingthenecessaryexperiencethrough “apprenticeship”and“actingpositions”; Seekingcareercounseling; Volunteeringforleadershipandexecutivepositions; Andlastly,acquiringtheabilitytomeasuretheir operatingeffectivenessintheworkplace.

Anawarenessoftheemergenceofnewbarrierstotheir progressisalsoworthconsidering.Thecurrent socio‐economicsituationiscreatingdifferent“glass ceilings”intheformofthedownsizingoforganizations, newdifferentiatedandself‐directedcareerpaths,the adventofthecontractualworker,andthecareofaged parents.

Conclusion:

th

Sincethelatterhalfofthe20 century,womenhave madegreatpacesinincreasingtheirrepresentationinthe workforce.However,aconsiderablegapremainsin achievementofleadershippositionsacrossdifferent fields.RenownedfeministGloriaSteinemstateditbest: “Clearlynooneknowswhatleadershiphasgone undiscoveredinwomen.” Itisfarpasttimewestriveto findoutandfinallyshattertheglassceiling.

Rachel Brownlow Lund

Empowering Women to Step Up

Starting a business is like starting a family. It’s new and

overwhelming, and there’s almost never a perfect time to start. You’ll have thoughts like, ‘I’m not old enough’or ‘I’m not young enough’or ‘if only I were better prepared or knew suchand-such first.’And it’s so easy to doubt yourself, get trapped in feelings of fear, or to feel like an imposter. But if you can embrace the newness, the I-don’t-know-ness, and go for it anyway, then you’ll open yourself up to so much growth and opportunity.” TheseencouragingwordsofRachelBrownlowLundsmartlyportray theessenceofentrepreneurship,whichisallabouttakingaction.

FromFreelancertoEntrepreneur

Anavidentrepreneur,Rachelbeganher entrepreneurialcareerbystartinga ghostwritingcompanyduringherlast semesterincollege.ShecalleditRachel BrownlowGhostwriting,andforthefirst coupleyears,shemadeagoofitasan independentfreelancer,hustlingtogenerate newclientsandleads.

“I knew next to nothing about entrepreneurship, but I was dating someone at the time who was interested in entrepreneurship, and I had several friends who had started up small businesses and side-hustles,” saysRachel.Withoutthose connections,shesuspectsshewouldhave continuedontogradschoolorappliedfora job,asmanyofherfellowcollegegraduates weredoingatthetime.Fortunately,after someencouragementfromher entrepreneurialfriends,shetookaleapand registeredforherfirstDBA.

Overthenextfewyears,shegrewfromthe soloRachelBrownlowGhostwritingintoa boutiqueghostwritingcompanycalledYour WrittenWord,wheresheandherteam workedonnonfictionbooks,blogsand articles,helpingsmallbusinessowners positionthemselvesasthoughtleaders.

Becomingafreelancerandthenan entrepreneurhasbeenaseriesofbig challengesandgrowthopportunitiesfor Rachel.Tothissheasserts, “No one is born knowing how to network or hire staff or write copy or be an effective saleswoman. But you stretch, and you grow. You pivot, and then you grow some more. And all the while, you continue to impact more and more people.”

AnIdeaofMe2Lead

Currently,Rachelrunshercompany Me2Lead,whereshehelpswomengrow theirbusinessesthroughstrategicpower positioningandbusinessleadership coaching.Shementionsthatifshehad createda10-yearplanforherselfwhenshe startedherfirstbusinessin2009,itprobably wouldn’thaveincludedMe2Lead. “At that point, I was still figuring out a lot of

“ “

Focus on the lead indicators and the inner work, and success becomes inevitable. Most people focus on lag indictors, but this is a mistake.

Rachel Brownlow Lund Business Growth Coach Me2Lead

fundamentals around business and leadership for myself,” shesays. “I never dreamed I would be in a position where I could help other women grow their businesses.”

Yetthatispreciselywhereherentrepreneurialjourneyled her Afteryearsspenthoningherbusinessacumenthrough hardlessons,mentorship,coaching,businessincubators, masterminds,hundredsofbusinessbooks,workshops, onlinecoursesandmore,shebeganhelpingfriendsfasttracktheirownsuccessesinentrepreneurship.Discovering thatshehadbothtalentandpassionforhelpingwomen growtheirbusinesses,confidenceandvisibility,shestarted thecoachingcompanyMe2Lead.

Initially,Me2Leadbeganasaside-hustletoproveoutthe concept.WhenRacheldiscoveredthatshewashelping clientsachievesomereallyextraordinaryresultsintheir businessesandasleaders,sheenrolledinacoaching certificationprogramandthenwentfull-time.

“If someone had told me back in 2009 that what I do today was an actual job, I would have been like, "wow! Can that person coach me?” she jokes.

ChallengesArePartoftheProcess

ForRachel,impatiencehasalwaysbeenoneofherbiggest challenges. “I want to do more than I have energy or hours in the day to do it all,” shesays.Evenwithdiligent planningandprioritizing,thingsalmostalwaystakelonger thanshewouldlike.

Withgrowth,alsocomechallenges.InRachel’sopinion, challengesaren’tsomucheventualastheyareadailypart ofbusiness.“Newlevels,newdevils,”ifyouwill.To overcomeherownchallengesinbusinessandlife,Rachel findsithelpfultoworkwithherownbusinesscoachesand tostaypluggedintoanenvironmentofentrepreneurswho arefurtheralongthansheis.Often,they’vealreadyseenthe challengessheisencounteringintheirownlivesorthrough workingwithclientsandcaneitherofferadviceorassure herthatwhatsheisgoingthroughisallpartoftheprocess.

KeepTrackofEverything

AccordingtoRachel,work-lifebalancehardlyexists. Instead,shetendstofeelthateverythingcomesincycles. Shehascycleswhereshefeelssupercharged,productive andontopofhergame,andthentherearetimeswhenshe needsadayortwotozoneout,watchNetflixandjustnot think.Thesedaystendtocomeafterabigspeakingeventor aconference,soshehasstartedtobuildthemintoher calendar “Perhaps that’s its own form of balance,” says Rachel. “Because everything evens out in the end.”

ThetwothingsRachelhasfoundthathaveworkedwonders inkeepingherplayingatahighlevelarewhatshecallsher “morningformula”,adocumentshehascreatedaroundher goalsandidealselfthatshereadseachmorning,andher dailytrackers.Shetrackseverything,fromsleep,meditation andgratitudetoherdiet,outputandhowmuchshereads thatday.Shealsohasanothertrackerforbusinessmetrics. “I realize that for some people all that tracking may sound excessive,” shesays, “but it keeps me accountable.”

It’sAllAboutaDesiretoHelp AccordingtoRachel,agrowthmindset,agratefulheart,a desiretohelp,andthebeliefthatthere’sasolutiontoevery problemarevitalattributeseveryleadershouldpossess. Secondly,whenitcomestosellinginformation,whether that’sthroughcoaching,consulting,writingabookor creatinganinfoproduct,oneoftenhearstheadviceto “make your mess your message.” Rachelalsofindsittrue, asshebelievesmostpeopletendtoteachwhattheyhave personallygonethroughthemselves. “It’s because they went through those struggles and learned how to adapt that they now have valuable information to share with others” shesays.Throughherlens,thisiswhatentrepreneurship, leadership,andguidingothersisallabout.

Niermans Owner Q10 Consultancy

Martine Niermans is the Owner at Q10 Consultancy, a company that focuses on helping companies to create the best customer experience and journey. She founded Q10 Consultancy because of her passion for Customer Success and the growing Saas industry. Due to her international upbringing she came in contact with different cultures from an early age. She took the best of all worlds in terms of service and this is how she takes customer success to the next level.

About the Author

Martine

Ways to Sustain the Entrepreneurial SpiritinWomenWomen

In2016IleftmyjobastheCCOofavery successfultechscaleup.Iwantedtostartajourney bymyselfinthisgreatbigworldandonmyown terms.Ihadtheclassicstruggleoffindingabalance betweenmypersonallifeandmypassionformyteam andmycustomers.Beforethat,evenwhenIworkedat largecorporateslikeApple,IalwaysfeltIwasincontrol ofmakingmyownchoicesandIwantedthatfeeling back.

Manyaroundmeincludingsomeofthepeopleclosestto mesaidIwascrazystartingmyownbusiness.ButIhad nothingtoprovetothem.I’veneverbeensomeonewho staysonthepathoftraditionalexpectations.Ihadto followmygut.Iwantedtohelptechcompaniesbecome customercentricandcontributetotheworldby evangelizingmyobsessionforcustomers.

Now2yearslater,Iamstillinthemiddleofthejourney, butlovingeveryminuteofit.Iamtheproudco-ownerof 2othertechcompaniesthatIco-foundedalongtheway, nexttomyfirstloveQ10Consultancy

Forthelike-mindedwomen,IwouldlovetosharehowI sustainmyentrepreneurialspirit.

BeConfident

Itrulybelieveconfidenceisthemostimportantaspectin anyentrepreneur.EversinceIwasayounggirlIhave

beenluckyenoughtohavebeenbroughtupbymy parentswhomademebelievethatIcanbeanythingI want,withoutanylimitations.Myfatherevenmadesure Iwasabletomaintainmyowncar,causehealwayssaid, youdonotneedtorelyonanyoneunlessyouchooseto. Ilivedandtravelledallovertheworldwhichgavemea differentandamazingperspectivetolifewhichhelped megrowinmyconfidenceandindependenceatayoung age.Thatisawonderfulstartinlifeandaluxurytobe raisedthiswayIfoundoutlaterinlife.

Ifeelwe(women)areourownworstenemy.Youare onlylimitedtowhatyouthinkyouare.Not,whatanyone elsethinks.Sobeconfident.Believeinyourselfandyour business.

TrustingyourGut

Youaregiventhisbeautifulthingcalledsoftskillswhich entailsyourgut.InthepastIhavetriedtoignoreitbutit alwaysprovedmeright.Sobeintouchwithyourinner selfandtrustyourgut.Itisalwaysright.Evenifit makesthepathyoutravelonforamomentmore difficult.

Createateamaroundyouwithexpertiseonthingsyou arenotasgoodat.I’velearnedveryearlyonyoucannot doitall.Noonecan.Somakesureyouhirepeoplewith therightmindsetandaskillsetdifferentfromyours whichiscomplementary

Staypositive.Positivityislifesaving.Learnfrom failureandtakethebestofitandgrow.Positivityis animportanttradeofanyleader,itequalsthatyou haveproblemsolvingskills,somethingeveryone needs.Thisincombinationwithconfidence(notethis isnotarrogance)isakillercombinationforafemale entrepreneur

EmbraceYourSoftSkills

Wedon’tneedtobecomemen.Itisimportantwe embraceoursoftskills.Femaleentrepreneursspend moretimeinbusinessonthingslikeempathy, relatingtotheircustomersandactuallybringingthat visiontothemarket.

TodayinTech,wherewearelivinginthe’ageofthe customer’;meaningthecustomerhas(almost)allthe powerandthevendorsneedtolistentothem,itisof mostimportancetohaveacustomercentriccompany. Thisiswhatwomenaresoamazingat.Thiswill distinguishyourcompanyfrommostcompetitorsand eventuallyitwillgrowyourbusinesstremendously overthelongertermifyoutakecareofyour customers.Theywillcomebackeveryyearandgrow theirbusinessandtellotherpotentialcustomers. Recurringrevenueisessentialnowadays,sousethis strength!

FindaMentor&Network

AsanentrepreneurinTechbutalsoasjustsomeone intheworkingworldIalwayslovetohaveamentor SomeoneIcanbounceideasoff.Thiscanbean expertinyourfieldorotherfemaleentrepreneursor both.Andthinkoutsidetheboxonthis.Ihavea mentorwhohasnothingtodowithmylineof expertise,butisagreatbusinesswomananddoesnot evenlivehereinHolland.Withtheinternettheworld isyourplayground.Imentoraswell.Findsomeone

oragroupyoucanconnectto,thatyouadmireand makeitawin-winsituation.Adviceandmentorship needstoworkbothwaysandonceyoufindthatsafe spacetounwindandshareexperiencesyouwillfind quicklyyouwillbelearningfromeachother.

Work/LifeBalance

It’s been said enough time, but it’s important,make sureyouhavetimeforyourself.Don’tlosesightof yourpriorities.

Asasinglemomofa4,5yearoldwithmyown businesses,timemanagement,agreatbackup network,andmakingprioritiesisoftheessence. Luckilynowadayswecanallworkflexible.IfIneed tobehomeIchoosetobehome.Butsometimesit doesnotwork,thendon’tsweatit.Giveyourselfa breakandthink’IdothebestthatIcan’.Meditation isgreatandwhatIalwaystrytodoisgooutsidea lot,forfreshairandmoving.SoafterlunchIalways takeawalkwhenIcan,toclearmyheadand prioritizemyafternoon.Iliketotalktopeoplewhile walking.Youcreatebetterhighqualityconversations whenyoutakepeopleoutofthebusiness environment.

Womenarenaturalentrepreneursandleadersbecause oftheirattentiontodetailandtheirabilityto multitask.It’sveryeasyforustolookatthelittle things,andthat’swhatmatterstobeingan entrepreneur Allwehavetodoisbelieve inourselves.

SophieSlavin Director

LeadingwithExperienceandSkill Sophie Slavin

SophieSlavin,theDirectorofSASCONSULTANCYSERVICESisaproficientbusinessleaderwho

boostsbrandawareness,promotescampaigns,assists/runssocialmediapagesforbothindividualsand businessesthroughherexcellentconsultancyskills.InaninterviewwithInsightsSuccessSophieshares herinspiringentrepreneurjourneythroughherexperiencesandachievements.

BelowarehighlightsoftheinterviewconductedbetweenInsightsSuccessandSophieSlavin-

GiveabriefoverviewofyourbackgroundandyourroleinSASCONSULTANCYSERVICES.

YoucouldsayIhavearathervariedbackground!Istartedmyfirstjobat17inEstateAgencyandhada multitudeofrolesoverthefollowingyears,frombeinganentertaineronaholidayparktoinvigilatingexams withinaYoungOffendersInstitute!IalwaysfoundenjoymentwhenIwasabletousecreativitywithinmyjobs andfinallyfeltsettledwhenIbecameaPAwhichincorporatedinternalcommunicationsandsocialmedia aspectswithintherole.Iwasmaderedundantafter9yearsandprettymuchdecidedinstantlythatIwouldhave agoatsettingupmyownbusiness.IwasasingleMumwholuckilyhadagreatbossthatletmedotheschool runsandworkfromhomeonceaweek-Iwasn’tsureI’dfindanothercompanywhowouldletmestillhavethat flexibilitysothatIcouldspendtimewithmydaughter.IalsoenjoyedSocialMedia,notjustthecreativityofit

buttheabilityitgaveyoutoconnectwithpeopleandI couldseemanybusinesseswerenotusingittotheir advantage.SASConsultancyServiceswasthenborn.

Describesomeofthevitalattributesthatevery businesswomanshouldpossess.

SomeoftheattributesIconsidertobevitalare positivity-nomatterhowbadadayit'sbeen,how demandingaclientmaybeorhowitmayfeellikesome thingsaretakingawhiletogainfruition,reminding yourselfofthegoodthingsgoalongway.Thinkabout thewins,thegainsandtheprogressionyouhavealready made.Becourageous-tryoutnewideas,ignorethose whodon'tthinkyoucandoit-ifyoudon'thavetheguts tokeeppushingforward,no-oneisgoingtodoitfor you!

Whatwerethepastexperiences,achievementsor lessonsthatshapedSophie'sjourney?

InmyfirstfewmonthsofbeinginbusinessIgaineda ratherlargeclient-atthetimeIthoughtIwasequipped bothtechnicallyandmentallytotakethemon.Itwasa lessontolearnthatIshouldn'trunbeforeIcouldwalk, howeverasinalltypesofbusinesswelearnalotalong thewayandItookitasavaluableexperience.Ihave alsounderstoodtheimportanceofembracingyour strengthsbutalsoacknowledgingyourweaknessesand takingactionsothattheydon'tbecomeahindrance.AsI progressedandimprovedbothmyselfandmybusinessI wasthenreallypleasedtohavebeenshortlistedfora numberofawardsbeforebeingannouncedasBestSocial MediaManagementCompanyUKandLeadingFemale inConsultancyServicesattheInfluential BusinesswomanAwards.

Whatweresomeoftheprimalchallengesand roadblocksthatSophieSlavinfacedduringtheinitial phaseofherjourney?

Ithasbeenahugeandfastlearningcurve!Istartedmy businesshavingspentmostofmyworkinglifeinlarge

businessessoitwasquiteanadjustment.Nobodycould preparemeforwhatitwouldbelikebeingyourown manager,accountant,administrator,salesperson, marketer,researcherallinone!Iwasabittooeagerto makeagoofit-(Ihadn'tevendraftedabusinessplanin thebeginning).IntheearlystagesIsufferedslightly fromimpostersyndromehoweverthiscouldhave stemmedfromtheinitiallackofpreparation.Thankfully, Ilearntquicklyandcansafelysayskillandexperienceis nowfirmlyinthemix.

WheredoesSASCONSULTANCYSERVICESsees itselfinthenearfutureandhowwillyoucatalyzethe change?

Wehavealreadyhadagreatyeartodate,highlightsof whichincludedwinningBestSocialMediaManagement CompanyUKandLeadingFemaleinConsultancy Services2019andwearenowlookingforwardtoour nextperiodofgrowth.Currently,workistakingplaceon expandingourtrainingofferingandliaisingwith associationstobuildourclienteleaswellasdevelopinga multimediaAntiBullyinginitiativetoeducatechildren onhowtostaysafeonsocialandtonotlivetheirlifeby likes.Plus–youhearditherefirst–wearesoon launchingasectionofourbusiness,tailoredspecifically forhighprofilebusinesspeopleandindividualsinthe publiceye.Needlesstosay,thisisareallyexcitingtime andwearealsokeentowelcomemorepeopletoour teamtojoinusonthejourney!

Whatisyouradviceforemergingwomen entrepreneurs?

Doyourresearch,believefullyinbothyourideaand yourselfandgoforit!Therearesomanyopportunities availableoutthere-don'tbethepersonwhospends foreverwaitingfortomorroworthe"righttime"because someoneelsewillgooutandgrabthoseopportunities beforeyoudo.

“ “

The Fuss about AI

Ihavebeenastrongadvocateofconversational technology(VoiceTech/NLP)andAIandhavepitched foritinvariousconferences,GuestLecturesatleading businessinstitutesandtocorporatesandIamoftenbeing askedwhatwillhappentoourjobs?Sothisistruethat Artificialintelligenceseemslikeabiguntameablemonsters tomost,andeveryoneislittleanxiousaboutfuture.

Andthatcouldbetruesittingin2010,butpastfewyears newoldresearchandyoungprogressivecompaniesand devisionofenterprisesarewillingtomakeittheirsole purposethattheinfusedigitaltransformationintheir companyandprovideassistancetoothers.But,withthe prevailingreputationthatcomesatacostofeducating everyone,reallyeveryone.

Theyseeitasariskandanyhaveburnttheirhandstrying totamenoviceearlystageAImodels.Butthatsfine,thats howwegrow.Ibelievethatweareintellectualbeingswith curiousminds,whywouldwewanttodorepeatablejobs whichmachinescandowithgreaterefficiency Wecan delegatethesechoresandteachthemachinestohelpus betterandimitatehumandecisionmaking,innovateat personalleveland“DemocratiseArtificialIntelligence”.

DemocratisingAIthroughplatformsforlikevoice technology-NaturalLanguageprocessingsothetechnical algorithmscanstaywithspecificuserbasewhileuseofthe AIalgorithmscanbemadeassimpleasconversingwith machines.Thatsasureshotwaytoupskillingresourcesfor example:TeamofAnalystscantraindashboardsand BusinessIntelligencetoolstomapbusinessKPIsand generateCompellingBusinessStoriesandInsightsin naturallanguageforeveryoneintheorganisationtobenefit from,andthenkeepbuildingthetrainingoveritthrough machinelearning.Wearepersonallyrunningtrialswith Fortune50companiesonthis,sowhenIsayyouneedto

startlookingatwaystoincorporatenewtechnologiesI meanit.

Forenterprisestherearecertainimminentcrisisthat demandthattheychangerapidlyandmarketisnotatallas forgivingasitwasafewdecadesback,someoneis constantlyrootingforyoutomakeamistake.Thisisleading enterprisetotransformundertheintegratedenvironmentof DigitalTransformation VoiceTechnologyhaslatelybecomeastableAIprocessand wouldcompletelychangethewayweinteractwith technologyinthefuture.Visualizationwillremainatthe heartofithoweverwithconversationaltechnology,wecan expectashifttomoreverbalads,likeradio,butmore personalizedandactionable,butstilltomakeadecisionon whichproducttobuyyouwouldwanttoseeitvisually Alsosearchwillbecomemorespecificandhyperlocal, wherewewillbepromptedtogiveverbalfeedbacks,that wouldamounttopopularityofproductsandplaces,howit happenswithmobileapplicationstoday

Siri,Cortana,Alexahavebroughtconversationtechnology topeopleforsometimenow Theycomebundledupwith smartphonesandcanbeusedtodobasicsearches,tolook upcertainthings,cueupsongsetc.Speechtechnologyhas comemuchfurtherthanthat.Withitsadvancementwecan nowcontrolouroven,tvandotherhouseholddevices,can searchcomplexdatafromcloudorcanmakephonecalls forourselves.Itcanchangethewaywefunctioninour dailylives,ourtimewithourfamily,serviceswereceive andthejobswedo.Itcaneliminatelearningcurveof devices,repeatablechores,andcompilingexcelsheets.And itwillnothappeneventually,it’shappeningnow.

Developerswillinnovatetocreatemoreaudiocentricuser interface,therewillbediscoveryperiodforthemtofindout howtominimallypromptusertogiveinputsandimplement

About theAuthor

Preksha Kaparwan is the Co-founder, CMO, V.UX Designer of Realbox.AI . The versatile IHM Pusa graduate initially served as the chef but got inclined towards technology and business analytics and founded RealBox in 2015. Within three years of its inception, they have raised $300k for Realbox and, their customers include fortune 50 and big 4 enterprises. As a thought leader she has been part of TEDTalk talk shows. She was awarded 'The sparks 2018' by your story for tech services for her exceptional contribution as a Tech Evangelist.

voicemodulatedvisualcommands.Wecansee speechapproachingapointwhereitwould becomesoreliablethatwecanjustuseit,like howwedoitwithotherhumans,andnoteven thinkaboutit.

Iampersonallyinspiredtobringacceptance forconversationaltechnologygloballyandI believethattherealsuccessforthiswouldnot bewhenbigcorporationsandindustrieswould beusingitbutwheneverysmallandmedium businessandeveryhouseholdwouldbeusing itandhelpustogetaholdofourrecedinggrip onrealityfromvisuallyattractiveand distractingscreensonourtv,onoutlaptops andoursmartphones.

Wehaveseenthiskindofashiftwith automatedtechnologiesandprocesseswhich hasledtoreducedlaboriouswork,efficiency increasedandavertedaccidents.Smartphones broughttechnologiesclosertotheenduser.So, ItooksidewithArtificialIntelligenceand MachineLearningtechnologies,thatwillaid seamlesslywhileco-existinginourrealities. Andimpactisnotjustonusinourpersonal capacitybutforbusinessestooand professionalswhospendendlessnights collatingdataandmakeprettypptstoshowto thebosses.

Ibelievethatspreadingthewordonchanging technologicaldemographyisnotour responsibilityorourburden.Butyouknow whyImakeitmypurpose??

Becauseitisamajorstepinevolutionof technologyandIknowweneedtoharnessit, shapeitnow,beforesomeoneelsedoesit foryou.

Preksha Kaparwan

Co-Founder & CMO RealBox Data Analytics Private Limited

Inamarketgovernedbytechnology,productsseerapid

evolutionandtransformation.Businessesare increasinglyundertakingnetworkinfrastructure initiativestoimproveefficienciesandtolowerthecost. Softwarecompanies,therefore,constantlyseektolaunch newproductenhancementswithagilityandefficiency The competitionforexperiencedITworkersandleadersinthis marketisrelentless.LeadersrequireITprofessionalsto helpdriveandsupportgoalsrelatedtostorage, virtualization,unifiedcommunications,andsecurity.To ensuresuccess,entrepreneursneedtoattractandretainthe talentedresourcepoolsrequiredtobuild,manage& optimizeapplications.Withover23yearsofsolid experienceinthetechindustry,UshaBodappuhasbecome onesuchsuccessfulserialentrepreneurwhoiscurrentlythe FounderandCEOofEsolvit,Inc.Ushaisan accomplishedtechexecutive,andwithEsolvit,shehasa platformforhelpingotherfemaleentrepreneurs&for funnelingsomeofthecompany’ssuccessbackto nonprofits.

AwarenessofStrategicBusinessOpportunities

Inthisfast-pacedcompetitiveworld,beinganentrepreneur isnotaneasything.ButUshaBoddapu,withher persistence,businessacumen,andexceptionalleadership skills,overcamealltheobstaclesalongthewayand establishedEsolvit,thefastest-growingITcompany.She attributeshersuccesstoakeenawarenessofstrategic businessopportunitiesandtheabilitytotechnicallykeepup withtheevolutionoftheTechindustry.Ushasays,“My goal is to mentor as many entrepreneurs as I can to lead successful businesses with the right Mentors.” Toattainher

goals,shementoredseveralservice-disabledveteransand women-ownedbusinesses.

EmpoweringandInspiringPeople

AftercompletingherMastersinComputerScienceand graduatingfromRapportLeadershipInternational, Paradise,Texas,Ushabeganhercareerworkingasadata scientist/consultantinFortune500companieswhereshe acquiredin-depthdigitalknowledge&experiences.With herquintessentialleadershipquality&technicalexpertise, sheenteredtheentrepreneurshipfieldandstartedEsolvit Inc.in2006.Sincethen,therewasnoturningbackin Usha’scareer

UshaBodappuiscurrentlyservingasthePresidentand ArtificialIntelligenceScientistatArytic,Inc.AnArtificial Intelligencepredictivehiringplatformpresentedbeforethe DepartmentofDefense.Sheisoneof36advisorsinthe worldservingintheForbesArtificialIntelligenceExecutive AdvisoryBoard,ServingintheCityofAustinadvisory Board,TheGreaterAustinAsianChamberofCommerce BoardofDirectors,andservinginthePolicyCommittee. Whenaskedwhathadhelpedhertoremainsuccessfulfor decades,Ushasays,“I have always kept my focus on leading by example. To do that, I had to continually upgrade my skills, overcome all the problems along the way, and inspire people by empowering them to reach their fullest potential. And I think that’s the reason behind my continued success.”

Moreover,shehasbeenawardedthemostinfluential womeninCentralTexasbyAustinBusinessJournalin2019

Failure is not an option when you seek right guidance at the right time by right mentors.

Usha

andhonoredtheWinnerofProfilesinPowerawardin2019. ShehasbeenhonoredtheNationalTop5Executive LeadershipawardforInnovationatEngage2019“The PowerofPeople”,CityofAustinhasawarded“The Excellenceawardforgivingbacktocommunity”inthe presenceofrespectedMayorSteveAdler,Federal Governmenthasawardedthe“USAEmergingLeaders award”in2018.SheholdsWomenofSubstanceawardin thepresenceofMissIndia,TheGreaterAustinAsian ChamberofCommercehasawardedEconomic DevelopmentEngineawardtoEsolvit,Incin2017.Shehas beenintheNationalnewsofUSAEmergingleadersteam appreciationatCityofAustinExcellenceaward.Sheis currentlyservingontheBoardofUSAEmergingLeaders CEOMentoringgroupsofMasterMindsintheAustinArea. ShehasmentoredService-disabledVeteran-ownedBusiness SDVOSB,IncubatorprogramsforHighSchoolStudents, MentoredWomen-ownedbusinessesandminority-owned businesses.SheistheproductownerfortheMentorProtégé programofEsolvitEduandArtificialIntelligenceAI PredictiveHiringproductandCyberSecurityProduct.

End-to-EndSolutionstoCustomers

Today,UshaBoddapuhasestablishedthecompanyas leadingITservicesandsolutionprovidersinthecountry thatprovidesend-to-endsolutionstocustomersby employingnew-generationtechnologiessuchasAI,Big Data,Cloud,CyberSecurity,RoboticsandInternetof Things(IoT)inbusiness.Tomakethecompanystandoutin themarket,shehasintroducedstrongbusinessmodelswith swift&smoothscalability,cutting-edgetechnologywith qualityengagement,andinnovativetech-orientedsolutions. Herdreamistomentorandservethecommunityandbe partoftheEconomicDevelopmentofthegreatnation UnitedStatesofAmerica.

TransparentandEmployee-friendlyCulture

Beingadedicatedfollowerofethicsandvalues,Usha Boddapucultivatesaninfluentialorganizationalculture.By bringingpeopletogetherfromvariousbackgrounds,she createsadiverseandinclusiveenvironmentwithinthe company.Ushaalwaysgivesprioritytoheremployees.She treatsemployeesasapartofEsolvitInc.Andhence,she cultivatesempathy,understanding,andtwo-way communicationwithinthecompanytomakeitsculture transparentandemployee-friendly.Famedforher exceptionalleadershipskills,shewasselectedagainstthe fivecriteria:degreeofinnovation,bottom-lineimpact, compellingevidencecommitmenttoagency,andindustry, compellingevidenceofcreatingathrivingandpositive workplacecultureandemployeefeedback&anecdotes. Ushaexplains,“Esolvit believes in Empathy, Communication, Diversity, Inclusion, Core Values, and Ethics, which we lead by example.” Shefurtheradds, “Our core values are Respect, Accountability, Integrity, Social Responsibility, and Excellence. Our values are in our DNA,

which always raises our employees above expectations.”

One-StopDigitalSolutionProvider

Initially,UshalaunchedEsolvitInc.asanITservice provider,intendingtosolveIT-relatedproblemsforlarge andsmallbusinesses.However,tomatchtheincreasing paceofcustomers’demandandadvancementintechnology, shetransformedthecompanyfromanITserviceplayertoa one-stopdigitalsolutionproviderwitharepertoireof offeringsintechnology,consulting,analytics,digital intelligence,andoperations.BasedinAustin,Texas,today, EsolvitInchasitsphysicalpresenceintheU.Sand globally,includingColorado,Virginia,andIndia.The companyisservingbothlocalandglobalcustomers.“We work with the world’s top brands, fortune 1,000 companies, Multinational companies, and innovative start-ups. We have offices in the United States and India,” statesUsha.

ConfidenttowardsaBrightFuture

Inthenearfuture,EsolvitInc.aimstocreateahugeimpact onthenation’seconomyanddevelopment.Byembracing moderntechnologiesandinnovationinbusiness,the companyintendstogivebacktosocietyandcreate thousandsofjobsintheUSAandtheregionaround.As EsolvitInc.consistsoftherightpeople,technology,and culture,thecompanyisconfidenttomovetowardsabright future.Inanutshell,UshaBoddapuconcludes,"I am excited about the future of Esolvit, Inc. how we can empower our clients through the next-generation technologies.”

UshaBoddapuisworkingonTaskforceforHomelessness inAustinTexaswithAustinLeaders.Hermajorsocial responsibilitiesarePublicSafety,providingeducationto underUnder-Privledgedchildren,STEMeducationtogirls andReducingtheHomelessnessinUSA.

Attributes of aGood Leader

Leadershipisaboutusingthe powerofapositionto empoweragroupofpeoplein ordertoattainacommongoal.A leader’staskistoimplementtheplans thatusuallylookgoodonpaper, throughadelegatedteam,inaspecific timewithanongoingmotion.She/he mayusethetraditionalmethodormay thinkoutofthebox.Itdependsonthe leaderashowtodoit;theultimate motiveistogetthejobdone. Although,eachandeveryindividual hasadifferentapproachonleadership, somemightsayitisaboutsetting examples,somemightsayitisabout sharingtheauthority;whatmattersis, takingtherightdecisionwhenitis mostneeded.

Leadershipvariesfromone organizationtoanother An organizationisadynamicbodyand createsnewprobabilitieseverynow andthen.Andwithnewprobabilities, comenewchallenges. Although,itisimpossibletoovercome everychallenge,thebusiness environmenthasadoptedcertain leadership styles fortheefficiencyof business:

TheParticipativeLeader ParticipativeLeadershipistheprocess ofsharingauthoritywiththework forceinordertogetoptimum efficiency Theteam,aftergetting accesstocertainpowers,works responsiblytoaccomplishthegoalsset byitsleader Thesharedleadership alsohelpsincaseofanyrequirement ofchange,astheemployeesadapt quicklyinsuchenvironment. Incidentally,thisstyleofleadershipfits bestinascenariowhenthereisa limitationoftime.

TheTransformationalLeader

Atransformationalleaderinspiresthe teamthrougheffectivecommunication andanintellectualenvironment. However,theseindividualsrequire moredetailorientedmanagersto

successfullyimplementtheirstrategies.

TransformationalLeadershipis consideredamongthemosteffective employeesoftheorganization.Oneof theexamplesofthistypeofleadership iswhenaleaderisassignedonahigher levelforeffectiveenvironment.

TheTransactionalleader

Thetransactionalleadership,asthe namesuggests,enablestheleaderto incentivizetheteamcorrespondingto theirperformance.Theteamgets rewardedwhenitattainsthegoalsand theLeaderhasthepowertoreviewthe resultsandactaccordinglywhenthe teamfailstodothesame.Thegoals andthestrategytoattainthemare decidedbytheleaderandtheteam itself.

TheSituationalleader

Situationalleadershipisatheorythat thebestleaderwilladapttothe requiredleadershipstyleaccordingto needofthehour ASituationalleader mayadoptdemocraticstylewhile discussionbusinesswithsenior executive,butmayswitchto transactionalatthetimeofteam review.Howevereveryindividualhas anaturalstyleofleadershipanditmay bedifficulttoswitchrolesatacertain pointoftime.

Qualitiesofagoodleader

Thereisanoldproverbthatsays, “Give a Man a Fish, and You Feed Him for a Day. Teach a Man to Fish, and You Feed Him for a Lifetime.” So isthecasewithleadership.Oneofthe basicqualitiesofaLeaderistopasson theleadershipskills.

Followingaresomeofthequalitiesof agoodleader:

Ÿ CommunicationSkills

Communicationisthebasic requirementforefficiencyina business.Asthelevelofhierarchy elevates,therequirementof communicationgrows.Especially,

whenitcomestoleadership,thereisno scopeforlackofcommunication.A Leaderwhofailstodevelopthisskillis lookedupasincompetent,becauseitis hisjobtosendthemessageloudand clear.Although,itisalsoimportantto listenasitisanintegralpartof communication.

Ÿ

Integrity

C.S.Lewissaid, “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” Beitgivingcredittooneof theteammembersorbeitadmittinga mistake,aleaderwearsintegrityasa badgeofhonor.Theydowhatisright, nomatterwhat.

Empowerment

Asmentionedearlier,Leadershipis aboutusingthepowerofone’sposition toempoweragroupofpeopleinorder toattainacommongoal.Agoodleader shareshisauthoritywiththeteamin ordertogetthejobdone.Bydoing this,heshowsconfidenceintheteam andobligedbythegesture,theteam workswithfullenthusiasmto accomplishthegoal.

Ÿ

Decisionmaking

Thereisriskindecisiontomaking. Greatleaderstakegreatdecisions whenthestakeishighanditisthe successofthosedecisionsthatmake themgreat.Toaddup,agoodleader takesrightdecisionattherighttime. Inconclusion,agoodleadercanbe definedbythedynamicsofhisstylein leadership,thevaluesthathebringsto theorganization,themethodsheuses tomakethebestoftheresources,and thekindofdecisionhemakesinthe givensituations.Attheenditisabout theattitudeofanindividualtobring thechangeforgood.

Yulia Rorstrom Founder & CEO Duck & Dry

Chic,fun&fastwithaproseccobarandaprivate

eventslounge,Duck&Dryisonesuchworld wherethetraditionalrulesofhairdressingdonot apply Havingcreatedbeautifulhairforthousandsofclients sinceitslaunch,thecompanyhasintroduceditsownrange ofblowdryessentialsfusingmodernsciencewithnatural activeingredients.ItallbeganwithYuliaRorstrom,the FounderandCEOatDuck&Dry.Passionateaboutbeauty andentrepreneurship,andwithadesiretocreateanexciting newbrand,shelefthercareerinfinanceandsetoutto createamodernstylingdestination.Withthegoalof professionallystyledhairtobecomepartofaneveryday beautyregime.Uncompromisingonquality,yetaffordable inafunandvibrantenvironment.

ExperienceinDifferentSectors

YuliaRorstromdidn’thaveabeautybackgroundatall! Afterfinishinguniversity,sheknewshewantedtoworkin ManagementConsulting&gainexperience,andutilizethe skillsthatshelearnedduringherstudies,withindifferent sectorswhilealsogettinginvolvedinhigh-levelprojects. Butthencomingfromafamilywhichisimmersedinthe worldofbusiness,shequicklyrealizedthatshewantedto setupherownbusiness.So,Yuliahadn’tplannedtosetup ablow-drybrand,butitallkindofhappened!Sheidentified anicheinthemarketandsetaboutcreatingadistinctive brandwithintheindustry

Inthe5years,sinceYuliastartedDuckandDry,shealso gavebirthto2children–hereldestis4,andtheyoungestis 2.Shedecidedtonotpickoneortheother,orwaitforthe rightopportunityforeitheroneofthem."If you just throw yourself in it, you will battle your way through", saysYulia. Shedoesthinkthatasupportnetworkaroundoneselfis veryimportant,especiallyifyou’rea"single"entrepreneur asopposedtoco-founders,andthatsupportnetworklooks differentfordifferentpeople.Yuliahasgotavery supportiveUkrainianfamily.HermothercametoLondon for6monthseachtimeshehadababy,andshewouldnever beabletodoitwithouther,alongwithafull-timenanny andaveryhands-on&understandinghusband.Her weekendsarespentasmuchaspossiblewiththefamily,so she’snotmissingout.

FindingManagerialStyle

WorkingintheservicesindustrymeansYuliaRorstormhas areallybigteam,andforher,oneofthebiggestlearning experienceshasbeenfindinghermanagerialstyle.Yulia wasnotareadymadeproduct,sheisstillnot,butshehas madeleapsandboundsofimprovement.Onethingshealso triesnottodoisshieldhermanagementteamfromthe biggerpictureandhowthey’regoingtogetthere,"because engaging people in the broader scheme of things is what galvanizes them and gets them to follow you." saysYulia. Shealsoadds,"It’s so important to be patient when things

might not be going your way, extremely determined to ensure things get done, flexible and adaptable as things don’t always work out the way you plan, and you have to constantly self-motivate yourself – it’s mostly all on you, so if you’re not pushing yourself regularly, then it’s hard to achieve what you envision for your brand and business."

CultivateRelationshipwithPeople

OneofthethingsYuliahaslearnedwhichismostpoignant isthatveryoftenpeopledon’tworkforabrandora company,theyworkforaperson.Yuliasays,"It doesn’t have to be me, it could be their direct manager, but I do try to cultivate that relationship where people think of how their performance and attitude affect each other." It’s importanttoconnectonahumanlevel.Shealsoadds,"I’ve also learned that it is important not to let your emotions get to you too much, especially in front of the team, and to lead instead with enthusiasm and happiness."

Establishingandrunningyourownbusinessisanextremely challengingjourney.AsCEO,themainchallengesinvolve thedailygrindofdealingwithvariousissues,difficult questions,assessingyoursuccessesandfailures,aswellas seekingnewopportunities.Mostchallengesare encounteredduringthefirst3-5yearinitialsetupphase.

QualityStylinginaFunAtmosphere

YuliaRorstormcomesfromanentrepreneurialfamily.Her parentshavealwayshaddifferentbusinessesandinthe backofhermind,shealwayswantedtocreatesomethingof herown.Yuliawasinterestedinthepowerofabrandand whatitcancreateandachieve.Atthetime,shewasdoinga lotoftravelingforbothworkandpleasure.TheUS,of course,ishugeforblowdrybars,andwhatstruckhermost aboutthemwastheexperienceaspect."It wasn’t about quick and cheap styling; it was the buzz, energy, and the excitement surrounding the whole visit", saystheleader.

YuliawasalsoinspiredbyJapan,notfromablow-dry perspective,butthereisahugeconcentrationofsalonsin Tokyo,andeachoneofthemhasadifferentpersonality. Theydon’tfeellikeyourtraditionalUKhairsalon. Whethertheyhadquirkyuniformsoracoffeeshoporart gallery,shelikedthisconceptandwantedtocombine somethingthatwasbrandandexperience-led,butdoneina Londonstyle.

ThatwashowDuck&Drywasborn.Thecompanyisall aboutqualitystylinginafunatmosphere.Itismoreofan experienceratherthanjustaquickinandout.Thecompany positionsitselfasadestination—amustonyourto-dolist! Ratherthangoingforacocktailwithafriend,youcancome foraProseccoandablow-dry Theorganizationhastaken somethingwhichcouldbeconsideredasafunctional serviceandcreatedanexperiencearoundit.