Leadership Development | Executive Career Track | Career Pivot | AWS | 

In this Femme Lead episode, Melanie McGrory, Director of the EMEA Tech team at Amazon Web Services, shares her unique career journey spanning cybersecurity, defense, and tech leadership. 

Known for her “zig-zag” career path, Melanie discusses pivotal moments of risk-taking, overcoming challenges in male-dominated industries, and the evolving nature of leadership in today’s digital world.

Melanie and her team at AWS support digital native companies and enterprises by enabling digital transformation, innovation, and new customer experiences. With expertise across 175+ AWS services, including AI/ML, migration, security, and hybrid cloud, Melanie is a recognized leader in driving business outcomes through technology.

Before AWS, Melanie held leadership roles at HP and the UK Ministry of Defence, bringing two decades of experience in strategy, consulting, and general management across sectors such as travel, transport, logistics, and retail.

A STEM advocate and veteran charity participant, Melanie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics and Operational Research from the University of Cranfield. 

Tune in for career insights, leadership lessons, and practical advice for women forging paths in tech and beyond!

Follow Melanie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-mcgrory-4684757/

Rebekka Gunnarsdóttir is redefining what it means to lead in the tech industry. 

As a Senior Manager in AI and Data at EY Consulting in Copenhagen, she brings a powerful blend of business insight, digital innovation, and a deep commitment to community. 

In this episode, Rebekka shares her journey from finance to tech, her passion for shaping the future of AI, and how she founded KATLA, an Icelandic women’s network to help others visualize and reach their career goals. We also discuss authenticity in leadership, building inclusive workplaces, and striking a balance between ambition and family life. 

Whether you're navigating your next career step or curious about the human side of AI, Rebekka’s story offers clarity and connection!

Follow Rebekka on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebekka-gunnarsdottir/

#Femmelead #Femmeleadpodcast #Femaletechleaders #Womenintech  #WomeninAI #Techcareerstories #EYConsulting #Digitaltransformation #AIinbusiness #WomeninSTEM 

In this special episode of Femme Lead, host Alexandra welcomes back Sophie Jelstrup, Head of FX Trading at Nordea Markets in Copenhagen. Sophie returns to share her remarkable journey from Chief Dealer to leading the FX trading desk, offering exclusive insights into career progression, leadership, and the evolving world of finance.

Whether you’re curious about what it takes to rise in the financial sector or want to learn how leaders like Sophie navigate market trends, innovation, and inclusion, this episode is packed with actionable advice and behind-the-scenes stories.

Follow Sophie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-jelstrup-70bb0343/ 

Key Topics & Questions Covered

• Sophie's Career Evolution:
  How Sophie transitioned from Chief Dealer to Head of FX Trading and what her current role entails.
• A Day in the Life:
  What a typical day looks like for Sophie and which aspects of her work she finds most fulfilling.
• Pivotal Decisions & Opportunities:
  The key moments and choices that shaped Sophie’s career trajectory.
• Leadership Qualities:
  The most important leadership traits Sophie has developed and how she’s cultivated them.
• Redefining Success:
  How Sophie’s understanding of achievement in finance has changed over time.
• Building Professional Relationships:
  How her approach to networking and relationships has evolved and supports her leadership today.
• Overcoming Challenges:
  The unexpected hurdles Sophie has faced as a leader and her strategies for overcoming them.
• Leadership in Finance:
  What makes the financial sector unique for leadership development and whether it’s becoming more inclusive.
• Credibility & Impact:
  How Sophie builds credibility and drives impact within Nordea Markets.
• Early Career Preparation:
  The role of Nordea’s graduate program in preparing Sophie for leadership.
• Emerging Market Trends:
  The trends Sophie believes will reshape financial markets in the coming years.
• AI & Automation:
  How Nordea is navigating technological change and what skills finance professionals need for the future.
• Evolving Leadership Styles:
  How the definition of a good leader is changing in finance and the value of diverse leadership styles.
• Shaping Workplace Culture:
  How Sophie and her peers are actively shaping the working environment and culture at Nordea Markets.

Follow our latest updates on femmelead.com

Digital Transformation | Leadership | Pharma | Engineering & Data | HealthTech |

Step into the world of digital leadership and transformation with this episode’s inspiring guest, Anja Leth Zimmer. 

As the Corporate Vice President of Digital Products & Software Engineering at Novo Nordisk, Anja brings over 16 years of experience spanning Pharma, Consumer Goods, and Management Consulting. Her career journey includes pivotal roles at Deloitte and Carlsberg, and today, she leads a diverse team of software engineers, designers, and project managers-driving innovation at the intersection of technology and healthcare.

Anja shares the pivotal moments that shaped her as a leader, including tough choices, failures, and the lessons learned along the way. Discover how she built the confidence to create her own opportunities, and hear her unique “pizza analogy” for taking charge of your career. Anja opens up about navigating periods of status quo and personal challenges, such as returning from maternity leave and turning obstacles into opportunities for growth.

We dive into her approach to authentic leadership, the questions she asks when mentoring others, and how she encourages her team to “make their own pizza” rather than wait for a bigger slice. Anja also offers her insights on the evolving landscape of digital transformation, the importance of working across the value chain, and how to foster a culture of empowerment rather than fear.

Whether you’re interested in digital trends, leadership development, or making a meaningful impact through innovation, this conversation with Anja Leth Zimmer is packed with actionable advice and inspiration for your own leadership journey!

Follow Anja on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjazimmer/

IP | Branding | Creator Economy | Unmtchd Mindset | Personal Branding | Community | 

In this episode, we welcome Oana Leonte, the founder of Unmtchd., a media and education platform dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs with the tools they need to scale their brands. 

With over 20 years of experience in the entertainment, fashion, and sports industries, Oana has worked with major brands like Disney, Puma, and Warner Bros., mastering the art of brand building, intellectual property (IP) strategy, and licensing. 

Now, through Unmtchd., she’s on a mission to help the next generation of founders create scalable, sustainable businesses. In this conversation, Oana shares invaluable insights on the future of branding, why IP and ecosystems are the next big business advantage, and the importance of storytelling in building a lasting brand. 

Whether you’re a corporate exec looking to reinvent yourself or an aspiring entrepreneur, this episode offers powerful lessons on standing out, scaling, and leaving a lasting impact with your brand.

Follow Oana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oana-leonte/

Follow the journey: Home - Unmtchd. 

FemTech Founder | Clue App | Female Health Tech | Entrepreneur | Agency | Women’s Right |

In this insightful interview, Ida Tin, the co-founder and CEO of the menstruation-tracking app Clue, shares her journey from a motorcycle tour entrepreneur to one of the leading voices in healthtech. Ida discusses how she coined the term "FemTech" and the vision behind creating Clue as a tool for empowering women to track their health. 

She also delves into the importance of setting healthy boundaries - both personally and professionally and how these principles have shaped her business approach. 

Ida shares her views on the evolution of women's health technology, the challenges she faced while scaling Clue, and the future of FemTech, offering invaluable perspectives on innovation, collaboration, and inclusivity in healthcare.

Her passion for technology and women’s health led her to co-found Clue in 2013 to provide women with a smart, reliable way to track their menstrual and fertility cycles. Her vision has not only transformed personal health but also created an entire movement within the tech industry. Ida is credited with coining the term "FemTech," which has become synonymous with technology dedicated to women's health, ranging from fertility to menopause.

Under Ida’s leadership, Clue has grown exponentially, with over 10 million users in 190 countries. Along the way, she has received numerous accolades, including being named Female Web Entrepreneur of the Year. 

Beyond Clue, Ida’s influence extends into shaping the future of women's health tech, working alongside giants like Apple to develop period-tracking software for their HealthKit platform. 

Her journey exemplifies the power of innovation, boundary-pushing, and resilience in making a lasting impact on both technology and society!

Follow Ida on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/idatin/ 

Billion Dollar Company | Entrepreneur | Tech SaaS| Career Progression| Climbing Corporate Ladder | 

Alina Vandenberghe is a visionary entrepreneur, tech leader, and the co-founder & co-CEO of Chili Piper, a pioneering SaaS company transforming how businesses manage meetings and customer engagement. Born and raised in Romania during communism, Alina’s journey is one of resilience, adaptability, and a relentless drive for innovation.

In this episode, Alina Vandenberghe shares her rapid career progression - from intern to SVP in just six years - unpacking the strategies she used to build influence, develop leadership charisma, and navigate corporate dynamics. Alina also opens up about co-founding a company with her husband, balancing entrepreneurship with motherhood, and why women are still underrepresented in leadership. 

This is an episode packed with bold insights, real talk, and game-changing advice!

Her career began in product development, where she led groundbreaking mobile projects for Fortune 500 companies, including Samsung, Bloomberg, and Reuters. Recognized for her ability to build high-impact tech solutions, she later ventured into entrepreneurship, co-founding Chili Piper with her husband, Nicolas. Together, they’ve scaled the company into a globally recognized, remote-first organization with a strong culture of collaboration and innovation.

Beyond work, Alina is an advocate for women in tech and leadership, sharing her insights on entrepreneurship, personal growth, and the evolving landscape of marketing and sales automation.

Follow Alina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alinav/ 

Tech Career | Engineering | AI Era | Managing Tech Teams | Leadership | Career Promotion | Visibility 

In this episode, Angela Timofte, Trustpilot's Global Vice President of Engineering, shares her insights on navigating the fast-paced world of tech management and the growing influence of AI. 

We dive into how AI and emerging technologies are transforming how tech teams are managed and how they drive efficiency and performance within her team. Angela also discusses the delicate balance between leveraging AI for workflow improvements while keeping teams agile and human-centered. 

Throughout the conversation, she emphasizes the importance of fostering a culture of continuous learning, setting clear objectives, and ensuring alignment between business goals and tech initiatives. Angela also provides valuable leadership tips on empowering individuals, scaling teams for high performance, and developing future tech leaders. 

This episode is a deep dive into the strategies and practices that set teams and individuals up for success in a rapidly changing tech environment.

Follow Angela on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-timofte-it/

UN | Impact Career | Financial Independence | Role Models | Tech4Good | Sustainability | Creative Campaigns | Global Impact | Leadership | 

Today, we’re honored to be joined by a trailblazer in global leadership, social impact, and cultural innovation, Katja Iversen, the CEO of UN Live.

Katja’s remarkable career spans civil society, the United Nations, and global leadership training for Fortune 500 executives. She works at the intersection of arts, culture, and the world’s most pressing issues, embracing music, film, arts, sports, and gaming to drive progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. From advising world leaders to embracing popular culture for social good, Katja has built a career that is nothing short of transformative.

In this episode, we’ll explore her incredible journey, the challenges, and triumphs she’s encountered in cross-cultural leadership, and how she uses her platform to inspire action and create a sense of global belonging, or what the team at UN Live calls a "Global We". We’ll also dive into her thoughts on leadership qualities, empowering women, and the intersection of personal values with global impact.

Prepare for a conversation that will leave you feeling inspired to think globally, lead boldly, and take meaningful action.

Follow Katja's work on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katjaiversen/ 

Venture Capital | Innovation | Mobility Trends | Sustainability | Career Transition | Investment | Community | Advice 

Join us for an engaging conversation with Samantha Huang, Principal at BMW i Ventures, where she focuses on early-stage investments in transformative technologies such as AI, big data, Industry 4.0, mobility innovation, and sustainability. With a passion for driving progress, Samantha dives deep into the trends shaping the future of transportation, the next generation of human experiences, and the rise of sustainable solutions.

In this interview, Samantha reflects on her dynamic career journey, from her legal and research background to her role in venture capital. She shares her expertise on what it takes to succeed in the fast-paced VC world, insights into emerging opportunities in mobility and sustainability, and advice for aspiring leaders looking to navigate the evolving landscape of innovation and investment.

Samantha holds a J.D. from UC Berkeley Law School and an MA in history from Stanford University. A licensed California attorney, she previously worked as Lead Researcher at the Rock Center for Corporate Governance at Stanford University, focusing on innovation, immigration, and entrepreneurship. Samantha is also a dedicated advocate for diversity and empowerment in venture capital, serving as Board Director for the Asian Law Caucus and Board Director and Head of Content for the Emerging Venture Capitalists Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the next generation of venture capitalists.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the leading voices shaping the future of venture capital and technology! 

Follow Samantha’s updates online: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-huang-10375b106/ 

Founder Spotlight | Climate Tech | Sustainability | Carbon Accounting | ESG | Women in Tech | Innovation

In this episode, we’re joined by Lubomila Jordanova, co-founder and CEO of Plan A, Europe’s leading corporate carbon accounting and decarbonization software provider. Lubomila is also the visionary behind the Greentech Alliance, a thriving community that connects over 3,500 Greentech startups with 500+ advisors from venture capital, media, and business. Her expertise extends beyond Plan A—she’s a member of the International Advisory Board for Social Innovation in Germany and advises on the Sustainability Board at Chloé.

Lubomila shares insights from her journey in investment banking, venture capital, and fintech, as well as her unique perspective on scaling sustainability solutions, integrating ESG into core business strategies, and supporting women in tech and sustainability. We discuss her goals for Plan A and the Greentech Alliance, the future of carbon accounting, the power of social innovation, and much more.

Join us as we explore the mindset, challenges, and vision of a leader making waves in sustainability and corporate climate action!

Follow Lubomila's updates online: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ljordanova/ 

Customer Experience |  Strategic Leadership | Customer Success | Well-being | Actionable Advice | Career Growth |

Join us for a great conversation with Mel Simons, Global Director of Customer Experience at Dreamdata! Dreamdata is a SaaS B2B revenue attribution platform that gathers, joins, and cleans all revenue-related data to present a transparent, actionable analysis of go-to-market data. This empowers you to easily see a 360° customer journey view, understand ROI, reveal buying signals, send data back to ad platforms, and much more.

Mel Simons is a seasoned professional with a strong background in Customer Success leadership roles across diverse industries. With previous roles at companies like ZeroNorth, GOODIEBOX, and Trustpilot, Melanie brings extensive experience in driving customer-centric initiatives and fostering brand growth through exceptional customer experience. 

With a strategic approach to career progression, Mel reflects on key decisions and milestones that have shaped her journey, emphasizing the importance of balancing external customer focus with internal team dynamics for sustainable growth.

Learn how Mel ensures alignment between customer-centric initiatives and team dynamics, fostering collaboration among different departments and overcoming barriers through effective communication and problem-solving strategies. 

We discuss Mel's approach to fostering a culture of continuous improvement within her team while driving external customer satisfaction and internal team development. 

Mel shares real-life examples of navigating differences in perspectives across departments and stakeholders, and she uncovers practical steps for supporting the professional development and success of team members while driving business growth.

Gain valuable insights into setting success roles, prioritizing mental health amidst career demands, and maintaining alignment between long-term career goals and day-to-day activities!

Follow Mel Simons on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaniejsimons/

Sustainable Business Transformation | Global Career | Intentional Networking | Board Member |  Empowerment | Know Your Worth | 

Discover the remarkable journey of Ann Rosenberg, a Denmark native now shaping the global stage from LA with over 25 years of corporate expertise in technology, sustainability, and purpose-driven endeavors.

As a Senior Sustainability and Climate Advisor and Board Member, Ann co-founded the UN SDG Ambition and has dedicated her life to driving impact through initiatives that matter.  

But that's not all—Ann's influence extends far beyond her corporate achievements. Listed in Mission Impact's Top 100 Women of the Future, Ann is leading the charge! 

In this episode, Ann unveils the secrets to leveraging your unique experiences to propel your career forward. From mastering the art of networking to setting bolder goals aligned with your mission and values, Ann's insights are gold for anyone striving for career success in today's dynamic landscape.  

So, whether you're a seasoned professional looking to take your career to new heights or a budding entrepreneur eager to make your mark, this episode is your roadmap to success. Tune in now and unlock the power of networking and harnessing your unique experiences for a fulfilling and impactful career journey! 

Follow Ann on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ann-rosenberg/

Regenerative Leadership | Sustainability Strategy | Co-founder | Sustainable Development | Board Member 

Annemarie Meisling is a visionary leader who stands at the forefront of sustainable business and organizational development. Her career has included influential roles at Chr. Hansen and Novo Nordisk, where she worked on integrating sustainability into their core strategies, as well as engagements with the World Bank and COWI, focusing on sustainable development. 

Beyond her professional roles, Meisling has held leading board positions in key think tanks and industry organizations, including Danish Industries and the United Nations Global Compact, underscoring her commitment to driving sustainable practices across various sectors. 

Currently, as a partner in Koral, she is dedicated to using the power of organizations to regenerate society, the environment, and leadership styles, demonstrating her belief in the transformative potential of businesses to create meaningful change.

In our interview, we discuss the concept of regenerative leadership, sustainability, and the next era for companies looking beyond profitability and into societal impact. 

Follow Annemarie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemarie-meisling-24515a2/ 

Learn more about Koral: https://koral.business/meet-koral 

Conscious & Intentional Leadership| Young Female Leader | Empowerment | Digital Experiences | IKEA | Women in Technology| Coaching | Parenthood | 

For this episode, we’re introducing Christina Bizoumi, a trailblazer in product innovation and leadership. As the Senior Director of Product at Universal Robots, she spearheads the Digital Experience organization, dedicated to ensuring that customers triumph in their automation endeavors.

With a career steeped in the synergy of people and business, Christina is a seasoned leader who has navigated the realms of leadership and product innovation. Before her role at Universal Robots, she spent seven impactful years at IKEA, where she led teams and introduced groundbreaking products to the market, leaving an indelible mark on the industry.

Beyond her professional achievements, Christina has embarked on a new journey as a coach and strategic advisor, channeling her expertise to empower individuals and businesses in crafting remarkable careers and ventures.

Join us as we delve into the dynamic world of Christina, where innovation meets leadership, and success is not just achieved but orchestrated!

We discuss leadership philosophies, coaching others to thrive, parenting lessons, and how to navigate being a young woman in a senior leadership position. Don’t miss this episode! 

Follow Christina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinabizoumi/ 

Chief of Staff | Management Consultant | Start-up | Strategy | Leadership | Success Mindset | Building Relationships | Sponsorship & Mentorship | Advice |

Violeta Todorova is the Chief of Staff at Monta, a platform powering the entire EV charging ecosystem. Before diving into entrepreneurship, Violeta was a Project Leader at Boston Consulting Group in Copenhagen.

Previously, she spent five years at one of the largest marketing & communication companies - Publicis Groupe - working across clients such as Samsung and Heineken.

After exploring education and career options across various locations such as the US, London, and Paris, Violeta is now excited to help Monta succeed and advance her career in the process.

In this episode, we explore Violeta's international career and how she used a solution-oriented mindset not only to solve problems but also to build relationships and propel her career.

What is the role of a chief of staff? Violeta shares a lot of relevant pieces of advice for people looking to change careers and have an impact working with senior stakeholders with a strategic focus.

Join us for a chat about mentorship, what is a success mindset, and more!


Follow Violeta on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/violeta-todorova-a974b762/

Looking to build your start-up career? Join our upcoming event with Monta to learn from the best: https://fienta.com/da/femme-lead-x-monta-start-up-careers

Listen to our episode with Eylem Demir Sentürk on sponsorship here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5nOA4kiDwW3bxmufDYwJuj?si=0WiZ5VaXT6KqNddPnUfxOw

Co-Founder | Growth | Robotics | Logistics | Leadership | Successful Career |

In this episode, we dive into the world of innovation and robotics with Oana Jinga, the Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Dexory, a groundbreaking robotics and data company in Central London.

🎙️ Oana's career journey, spanning from strategic partnerships at Google to innovative product development at Telefonica, has culminated in her current role at Dexory. Her passion lies in bringing robots to the logistics industry, driving significant business value and advocating for the benefits and ethics of robotics, alongside the importance of unbiased AI.

🔍 Oana discusses her roles as Co-founder, CCO, and Product Officer, unveiling how she shapes and leads Dexory's vision and strategy while balancing the commercial and product aspects.

Oana provides an insightful overview of Dexory's technology, showcasing its distinctions from traditional warehouse management systems. She introduces digital twin technology and shares the inspiration behind the platform's development.

As a female leader in technology, Oana looks at the challenges she has faced and how she encourages diversity and inclusion within the tech industry and Dexory. She shares valuable advice for women aspiring to become entrepreneurs and discusses a must-have skill for this journey. 

Follow Oana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oanajinga/

Learn more about Dexory:
https://www.dexory.com/

Sales Manager | Growth | Transferrable skills | Sales leadership | Successful Career |
 
For this new episode, please welcome Jessica Cohen, the North America Sales Manager at Dealfront as our guest and we cannot wait to spotlight her experience! 
 
In this episode, Jessica shares her journey from a decade as a Sales Leader in B2C to her current role as the Sales Manager at Dealfront. Dealfront, a dynamic go-to-market platform, equips sales and marketing teams with crucial data, applications, and insights to conquer leads and seal deals.

Jessica emphasizes that sales revolve around one key element - human connection. Leading the North American sales team for over 2 years, Jessica strives for a personalized experience for all prospects. Beyond the products, she resonates with Dealfront's core values, particularly as a remote-first company.

She delves into insights on building a thriving sales career and connecting with people to pitch new ideas. Jessica also provides tips on navigating the North American market and valuable advice for women aspiring to succeed in the field.
 
Jessica reveals how she stays motivated and resilient in the competitive sales industry, sharing a personal experience showcasing the importance of a positive mindset. She talks about adapting the sales approach to Dealfront's global operations, specifically in the North American market, and provides insights into unique challenges and opportunities.

Follow Jessica on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessashleycohen/

Learn more about Dealfront: https://www.dealfront.com/ 

Formula 1 | Oracle Red Bull Racing | Powertrains | CFD Engineer | STEM | Career Development | Mental Health | CV Tips | Dream Job | 

Meet Andra Groapa, the driving force behind innovation at Red Bull Powertrains! 🚀

In 2021, Red Bull Powertrains roared to life, supplying power units to Formula One giants Oracle Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri. 🏎️💨

Join us as we dive into Andra's incredible journey from dreaming big in Romania to becoming a pivotal engineer at the forefront of Formula 1 technology. 

As a simulation expert, Andra's role in building and running models for the 2026 power unit is nothing short of revolutionary. Her simulations enable the team to predict thermal performance, giving Red Bull Racing a competitive edge!

Navigating a male-dominated field, Andra stands tall, advocating passionately for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

In our episode, Andra opens up about her role, the challenges in the motorsport industry, and her strategies for tackling difficulties head-on. 

As an advisory board member for the Society of Women Engineers, a Mental Health First Aider, and a mentor, Andra's impact extends far beyond the racetrack. 

Join us for an inspiring conversation on her journey to Formula 1, the industry's challenges, and Andra's advice for those aspiring to build STEM careers in the fast lane!

Follow Andra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrapatricia/ 

Financial Wellbeing | Financial Freedom | Wealth Management | Prosperity | Impact Consulting | Personal Transformation | Art of Kintsugi | Angel Investor | 

Ula Caroto is a mentor, coach, thinking partner, and a trusted welllth-being (wealth + wellbeing) advisor. She combines her extensive wealth management knowledge with powerful coaching and exquisite listening skills to help her clients find true prosperity in every area of their lives.

In our interview, we discuss insights on how women approach investing and what they need to succeed in the financial realm, key strategies or advice you offer to women to boost their financial confidence and overall well-being, principles, and methods to help her clients overcome challenges, and amplify their impact, and how she helps women feel empowered with their money and in all areas of their lives. 

She has 16 years of experience as a wealth manager and she has been the trusted advisor to successful entrepreneurs, senior leaders, well-known families, and charities. At one stage of her career, she was responsible for nearly £1bn of clients' wealth. Unusually for the male-dominated investment world, women accounted for over 50% of her client base, giving testament to her understanding of how women approach investing and what they need to be successful.

She founded UC IMPACT Coaching & Consulting - a company focused on empowering ambitious and driven people and organizations to achieve IMPACT: Inner Mastery + Personal and Collective Transformation. She helps her clients overcome challenges, accelerate growth, and amplify their impact.

Ula is skilled in helping women to feel empowered with their money and across all areas of their lives. She is also a connector, Pilotlighter, angel investor, and a keen supporter of female founders.

She's a passionate advocate for Sustainability Diversity and inclusion and applies her "Art of Kintsugi: Power of Imperfection" approach to help her clients turn their imperfections into superpowers and accelerate their career and life progress on the path to empowered authenticity which in turn breeds belonging, confidence and higher positive impact.

Follow Ula on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/urszula-caroto/

Check Ula’s website: https://uc-impact.com/

Street Wisdom:

https://www.streetwisdom.org/ 

Book references:

Hidden Potential. The Science of Achieving Great Things - Adam Grant

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/157095669-hidden-potential

Influence is your superpower. How To Get What You Want Without Compromising Who You are - Zoe Chace

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60458130-influence-is-your-superpower

Essentialism. The Disciplined Pursuit of Less - Greg McKeown

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18077875-essentialism

Unbound: A Woman's Guide to Power - Kasia Urbaniak

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51205436-unbound

If you want to stay up to date with Femme Lead initiatives and events, subscribe here: https://www.femmeleadpodcast.com/subscribe

Women on Stage | Founder | Immigrant Stories | Sponsoring Women | Empowerement | Success Story | 

Eylem Demir Sentürk is the founder and CEO of 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲, and her goal is to increase the number of female leaders within the Pharma & Life Science Industry. As a mother with 23 years of experience in the Pharmaceutical Industry at global companies, she knows exactly which challenges women face.

To overcome these challenges, she designed the «𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻» program, which increases the visibility of the female talents in business and grants them access to the next level positions with the help of powerful leaders. 

At the age of 12, I immigrated to Switzerland and started a life from zero. I faced discrimination at school and later bullying at work. These negative experiences shaped me positively and helped me to design and provide trainings in career coaching, female leadership, being on stage and bullying at work in English, German & Turkish. 

She holds an M.Sc. in applied psychology from the University of Liverpool and a leadership education from Harvard University.

🔺Do you want to move up in your career?

🔺Are you looking for a job that will give you development opportunities and don’t know how to start?

🔺Do you believe in increasing the number of female leaders and talents in organizations?

If you answer any of these questions with a yes, then this interview is for you!

Follow Eylem on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eylemdemirsenturk/

If you want to stay up to date with Femme Lead initiatives and events, subscribe here: https://www.femmeleadpodcast.com/subscribe

Diversity & Inclusion | Economist |  Mental Health | Belonging | Diverse Founders |

Chisom is an Economist, a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Strategist, and a 3 times founder of impact-driven companies. She has over 14 years of experience working with organizations like the European Commission, The United Nations, ExxonMobil, and The Economist Group.

Chisom has just been honored with the prestigious title of "Diversity Leader of the Year" at the Nordic Women in Tech Awards! 🌐👩‍💼

As the founder of Diversify and Diversify Consult, Chisom and her team work with companies, institutions, governments, and civil society to develop sustainable DEIB strategies and embed measurable diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace and society. 

In addition, in 2022, Diversify launched the Diversify Nordics Summit, the largest conference in the Nordics that gathers cross-sectoral stakeholders to amplify DEIB in the Nordics and beyond.

In 2020, she founded HerSpace, a diverse and inclusive co-creation community for all genders, with a particular focus on women and non-binary people. In 2022, HerSpace launched HerTech, a Women in Tech incubator, for women-led companies, with a focus on the inclusion of diverse founders. 

Chisom is a thought leader in DEIB and a passionate advocate for mental health and wellness. She writes often on these subjects and also justice-related topics, and some of her work is published on Forbes.
 

Follow Chisom on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chisomudeze/ 

If you want to stay up to date with Femme Lead initiatives and events, subscribe here: https://www.femmeleadpodcast.com/subscribe

Automotive | Engineering | McLaren | Leadership | Management Advice |

Simone Gemkow is an automotive product engineer with over a decade of experience in British automotive brands. She boasts a robust academic background, including a Ph.D., and a wealth of industrial expertise, which have propelled her from an engineering professional to a proficient people manager. Currently serving as a manager, Simone leads a team of world-class engineers in the automotive engineering sector.

Simone's journey to leadership involved rapid learning in areas like team management, building business relationships, positive influence, and strategic goal attainment. Her influence extends beyond her workplace, as she serves as the president of the International Association of Women London (IAW), actively fostering a community of professional women through monthly events and championing women's empowerment and gender equality.

Recognizing the need for more accessible career progression and people management insights, Simone shares her knowledge and experiences through her blog, "Career with a View," to support young professionals in making their talents visible across their organizations.

In the discussion with Simone, you can expect insights on her current role at McLaren, her career journey in STEM, her leadership philosophy, her commitment to promoting accomplishments, her strategies for handling difficult conversations, the mission of the International Association of Women, her thoughts on women's leadership development, and her reflections on her career journey, including what she might have done differently in hindsight.

Follow Simone on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simone-gemkow/

Check Simone's blog: https://careerwithaview.com

If you want to stay up to date with Femme Lead initiatives and events, subscribe here: https://www.femmeleadpodcast.com/subscribe

Ambassador | Diplomat | Human Rights | Justice | Women's Rights | Career Change | 

Emma Kate Hopkins OBE took up her post as His Majesty’s Ambassador to Denmark in October 2020. Prior to this, she served as Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Bulgaria from 2015 to 2020. Whilst in Bulgaria she was also the senior regional lead for organised crime and rule of law projects (including modern slavery) in Central and Eastern Europe.

Emma was born in Bolton and studied at St. Clement Danes Comprehensive School (Chorleywood) and Cambridge University (Fitzwilliam College) where she graduated with a degree in Law. She was called to the Bar in 1995 and practiced as a criminal barrister until 2001 when she entered public service.

Before her appointment in Sofia, Emma led the UK government’s Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI), a campaign to end impunity for warzone rape. She was awarded the Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2014 Queen’s Birthday Honours List, for services to preventing sexual violence in conflict-affected countries.

Emma’s career in government has included leading legal and policy teams at a senior level. She has worked on immigration and asylum, human rights, EU justice and home affairs, international criminal law, organized crime, as well as violence against women.

Between 2006 and 2008, she developed the first UK strategy on human trafficking and delivered it through a national and international campaign. For her work, in 2008, Emma received the Civil Servant of the Year Award for outstanding contribution to public service and in 2014 her team was given the Civil Service International Award for their work on the PSVI campaign.

In this episode, opening the 5th season of Femme Lead, we explore Emma's journey from her beginnings in Bolton to her studies at Cambridge University, where she earned a degree in Law and later became a distinguished criminal barrister. 

Discover how Ambassador Emma transitioned from the legal world into public service, and how her passion for justice led her to spearhead ground-breaking initiatives!

Follow Emma Hopkins on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-kate-hopkins-966219210/

Follow Emma Hopkins on Twitter.

Learn more about the Ambassador for a Day program: https://www.ambassadorforaday.dk/

If you want to stay up to date with Femme Lead initiatives and events, subscribe here: https://www.femmeleadpodcast.com/subscribe

Authenticity | Agency | Transformation | Activism | Leadership | Shaping Humanity | Technology | Role Model | Consulting | Curiosity | Digital Transformation |


Sarah Freiesleben is a fantastic role model and an inspiration and once you hear her speak you know you have met an extraordinary person! 

Sarah helps purpose-driven organizations sustainably innovate by harnessing and applying human insights to technology development. 

With an advanced degree in linguistics and 15 years working on global, cross-functional enterprise tech projects in a wide variety of industries, she has come to believe that tech needs the humanities to develop tech for humanity. Her passion is shaping more holistic ecosystems so groups of people who want to bring change into the world can find the coherence & agency to be able to do so. 

She works as a consultant at Ramskov Consulting Group in Denmark and as an Industry Fellow at the Danish Technical University.  


Her top 3 lessons reflection on her career path?

1. The future generations are reclaiming their multiplicity. From an innovation perspective, you will find new ideas by having more perspectives. 

2. If something doesn’t feel right, trust yourself. Allow yourself to leave. 

3. Don’t try to predict in 10 years what you want to be. Have some direction, but there needs to be space for following and sensing what can happen and trying it out. 

Don't miss this engaging conversation with Sarah Freiesleben!

Follow Sarah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-freiesleben-40a7701a/

If you want to stay up to date with Femme Lead initiatives and events, subscribe here: https://www.femmeleadpodcast.com/subscribe

Product Management | Product at Heart | Product Teams | Product Coach | Strong Product People | Coaching | Author | Community Building |

In today's episode, we have the pleasure of hosting Petra Wille, an independent product leadership coach and author with a passion for empowering product teams. With over eight years of experience in the field, Petra has been instrumental in helping product teams enhance their skill sets and elevate their performance.

In recent years, Petra's focus has been on supporting product leaders in building outcome-oriented product teams. Her dedication to sharing knowledge with the broader product community led her to publish the highly acclaimed book, "STRONG Product People: A Complete Guide to Developing Great Product Managers," in January 2021. This book has quickly become a must-read for product professionals, praised by industry experts such as Martin Eriksson for its valuable insights into coaching and empowering teams.

In addition to her writing, Petra developed the #52questions coaching card set, designed to help product leaders become effective coaches. These cards offer valuable prompts and guidance for enhancing coaching skills and driving team success.

Alongside her freelance work, Petra serves as the co-organizer of Product at Heart in Hamburg, Germany, where she actively contributes to fostering a vibrant product community.

In this episode, Petra joins us to discuss her professional development journey and share invaluable advice for product leaders striving to excel at building products that people love. Get ready to be inspired and gain practical insights from Petra's wealth of experience and expertise.

Follow Petra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-wille-b8b1329/

Check out Product at Heart: https://productatheart.com/

Check out Petra's website: https://www.petra-wille.com/

Book - Strong Product People: https://www.amazon.com/dp/3982235103?utm_source=pw&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=general 

Inclusive Leadership | Leader | Career Growth | Career Perspectives | Digital, IT & Data | Novo Nordisk | Research & Development | Role Model | Future Skills | 

In today's episode, we have the pleasure of hosting Kathrine Hee Nielsen, a leader in Digital, Data, and IT at Novo Nordisk. With a remarkable career spanning 11 years within the company, Kathrine has held various positions in finance, quality, and clinical development. She is currently leading software development teams as the Manager of Digital Accelerator in Research & Early Development.

Kathrine thrives in the intersection between people, organizational development, and transformational technology. Her passion for fostering inclusive environments is deeply rooted in her personal experiences as she belongs to several minority groups herself. We will explore the facets of leadership and delve into the concept of being an ally. What does it mean to practice inclusive leadership? What role does Kathrine play within Novo Nordisk, and how does she envision the future of skills in her field?

Before joining Novo Nordisk, Kathrine gained valuable experience as a consultant and worked within the governmental sector in Denmark. Her educational background as a political scientist, her diverse international experiences living in Denmark, Greece, Sweden, Ireland, and Vietnam, and her travels to over 50 countries bring a unique perspective to her leadership journey.

Join us as we embark on a thought-provoking conversation with Kathrine, where we explore the importance of inclusive leadership, delve into the intricacies of allyship, and gain insights into her role within Novo Nordisk and the future of skills in her industry.

Get ready to be inspired by Kathrine's expertise and passion for creating inclusive and transformative workplaces. Let's dive right in!

Follow Kathrine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathrinehee/

Learn more about Novo Nordisk: https://www.novonordisk.com/careers/career-areas.html

Learn more about Femme Lead's mission: https://www.femmeleadpodcast.com/

Equal IT | Co-founder | Equality in IT | Recruitment Services | DEI Partner | Interview Preparation | Entrepreneurship | Career Lessons | Reflection | Voices of Women | Representation | Women in Tech | STEM |
 

Ellie King, the Co-Founder of Equal IT is joining us today. Ellie and her team are on a mission to support organizations worldwide in recruiting inclusive teams and building equitable cultures through their coaching and support services.

At Equal IT, diversity, equity, and inclusion are not just buzzwords - they are the foundation of everything they do. Ellie and her team have cultivated a vibrant community and have collaborated with esteemed organizations such as Nordic Women in Tech Awards, Women in Tech Sweden, PyLadies, WomenWhoCode, and HackYourFuture.

Ellie's passion for sharing inspiration shines through her role as the host of Equal IT's Equal Inspired Podcast. Through this platform, she amplifies the voices of women and non-dominant groups who are doing amazing work in the tech industry, creating relatable role models because representation truly matters.

In today's episode, we have the privilege of diving into Ellie's entrepreneurial journey. We'll explore her insights on recruitment practices, the pressing need for increased representation across industries, and her perspective on career progression based on Equal IT's focused initiatives.

Get ready to be inspired and gain valuable insights as we delve into a conversation filled with entrepreneurial wisdom, diversity advocacy, and the importance of equal opportunities.

Follow Ellie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellie-king-62842777/
 
Check out the Equal Inspired podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh7D0wLe6sA&ab_channel=EqualIT-DE%26IisinourDNA

CEO | Co-Founder | Start-up | Investment | Board Member | Fundraising | Global Expansion | Partners for Growth | Social Entrepreneurship | Women Empowerment | Arya Women Investment Platform | 

Welcome to today's episode of Femme Lead podcast, where we have the pleasure of introducing our guest, Esra Talu. 

Esra is not only an extraordinary businesswoman but also a renowned writer, keynote speaker, and the Founding Partner & former CEO of Deppo, the first e-commerce company in Turkey. Serving in this role from 1999 to 2014, Esra successfully transformed Deppo into one of the leading e-commerce companies in the country.

Since then, Esra has been offering her expertise in advisory services to corporate firms, individual investors, institutions, and global funds, focusing particularly on startups and early-stage investment matters. Her extensive experience and knowledge have made her a sought-after advisor, providing invaluable guidance to clients worldwide.

Between 2017 and 2019, Esra held the position of Chapter President at Keiretsu Forum Turkey, which is recognized as the world's most prominent angel investors network with headquarters in San Francisco. This role allowed her to further expand her network and deepen her understanding of investment dynamics.

In 2019, Esra founded GoGlobal, a Miami Beach-based next-generation tech ecosystem advisory company. With strategic partners located in the USA, UK, Israel, Türkiye, and the UAE, GoGlobal specializes in facilitating sustainable and impact-driven growth, scale, and expansion for innovative startups.

As an accomplished professional, Esra also contributes to academia as a part-time Lecturer at Istanbul Bilgi University in the LITE Graduate Program. Her focus lies in the areas of Learning, Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, where she imparts her knowledge and expertise to aspiring students.

Esra's influence extends beyond her various roles. She serves as a board member for numerous organizations, including Arya Women Investment Platform and leading companies in the US, Europe, and the MENA region. Her diverse involvement showcases her commitment to fostering growth and development within the business community.

Follow Esra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esratalu/ 

Check out GoGlobal’s mission: https://www.goglobaladvisory.com/ 

CEO | Leadership | Personal Reflection | Motherhood | M&A | Crisis Management | Team Leader | Business Development | Women’s Business Association | 

Dovilė Končak is the CEO of RAIT Group, in Lithuania, a market research company, and an active representative of key women's business associations in Lithuania. 

Her leadership approach is balanced and holistic, combining empathy with directness enabling businesses and teams to align and find their rhythm in a busy market place which in turn helps to achieve a competitive advantage.

Her journey with the RAIT group started 12 years ago in the role of Head of Projects however she experienced many other responsibilities and roles which today have all led to the position of CEO. 

Currently, she ensures smooth operations and development of divisions in the Baltic and Swedish markets, as well as finding and helping to acquire new companies in existing and new markets (M&A), advising different businesses on solutions to business challenges, and both internal and external crisis management.

In our interview, we discuss management lessons and how to not forget yourself in the process of becoming an organizational leader.

Follow Dovilė on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dovilekoncak/ 

Episode Timeline:

02:25 Dovile, can you share more about the scope of your work today?

04:50 What were some of the lessons you learned in this process?

13:55 You mentioned empathy as the key to being a successful leader. Why?

20:25 Do you believe confidence can be taught?

26:50 How important it is to know yourself and how do you go about growing personally and professionally?

32:00 Conflict management as a way forward - Can you share your advice and reflections?

36:14 What are your thoughts on motherhood and career? How did it impact your environment and your professional aspirations?

41:35 Final 5 Fire Questions.

Entrepreneurship | Hooves | Start-up | Founder | Business Closure | Venture Architecture | Strategic Partnerships | Meta | Lessons | Business Development Manager | Role Model | 

In this episode of the Femme Lead Podcast, we have a special guest speaker, Alina Engel, who is not only a source of inspiration but also a close friend of the show. Alina's entrepreneurial journey started with the co-founding of Hooves, an app that revolutionized the expensive sport of horse riding and brought it into the sharing economy. Although COVID-19 forced the app to shut down, it had a massive impact with over 35,000 horses registered.

Alina's strength in people-facing roles was evident early on in her career, and she constantly focused on building relationships to create commercial impact. After the closure of Hooves, Alina found herself at a crossroads, but she quickly found her footing as a venture architect at OBI Squared, where she worked on creating cutting-edge business models and startup collaborations.

Currently, Alina is working at Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, where she uses her skills to build relationships with strategic partners, from investors in startups to clients and stakeholders in a corporate setting. In this episode, Alina will discuss the ups and downs of being a founder, as well as the importance of building relationships in both the startup and corporate worlds. Don't miss this fascinating conversation with Alina Engel, a true role model for anyone looking to make an impact in their career

Follow Alina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alinaengel/

Article Male and Female Entrepreneurs Get Asked Different Questions by VCs — and It Affects How Much Funding They Get: https://hbr.org/2017/06/male-and-female-entrepreneurs-get-asked-different-questions-by-vcs-and-it-affects-how-much-funding-they-get

Book Recommendation - The Culture Map: https://www.amazon.com/Culture-Map-Breaking-Invisible-Boundaries/dp/1610392507


Episode Timeline:

03:55 Tell us about your entrepreneurship journey. 

07:15 What happened with Hooves at the end, how was the decision made to close the company?

11:53 Pitfalls of first-time founders. 

12:57 How important is the relationship between the co-founders? 

14:50 The importance of bringing together the right team. 

15:45 What mindset do you have when approaching difficult conversations?

19:00 Transparency as the key to moving forward. 

23:10 The benefit of working for a start-up: the impact you can have. 

24:15 What's the biggest learning from your start-up founding path? Would you do it again?

25:00 What’s the main lesson from your entrepreneurial journey? 

27:50 Have you noticed any difference between men and women when raising funds?

35:10 Why did you decide to move to a corporate? What guided you in your career decision? 

39:35 How is it to work for Meta?

41:45 What do you appreciate about the start-up world vs corporate culture?

48:55 Do you have advice for listeners who are unsure about their next professional career? How do you guide your decision-making for e.g. joining Meta?

50:55 If you could, would you change anything looking back?

53:04 The Final 5 Fire Questions.

Brand Management | Communication | Digital & IT Comms | Jewelry Industry | Career Change | Decision Making | Reflections | 

Laura Dzurna was Communications Manager at Pandora from August 2020 until September 2022, with a special focus on digital & technology. In October 2022, she took on a new role at Pandora as Brand Manager, managing one of Pandora’s collections.

Her career in the jewelry industry spans a variety of roles within Brand Communications & PR and internal communication, driving various initiatives and campaigns. A recent example is setting up internal communications for Pandora’s digital & technology function and working to establish the digital & technology community with various initiatives among

other Hackathons.

Laura has a master’s in Brand & Communications Management (Copenhagen Business School).  She loves sports, reads voraciously, and enjoys exploring new cultures.

In this interview we discuss Laura’s career progressions, lessons learned, and the thought process behind deciding to change the department within an organization. She will share more about the importance of community building and how to tackle a career change. 

Follow Laura on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-dzurna/ 

Episode Timeline:

02:30 Laura, tell us more about your current work setup. 

04:45 How does one start to build communities within organizations?

11:30 What are the challenges you've encountered and how can one be successful? 

15:45 Is community building important outside engagement inside the company? What does it help with?

19:00 For those of our listeners who want to start a career in brand management and communication, what skills should they focus on building?

For the leaders who listen, what is your advice on building you career in this field? How do you navigate your career progression?

25:20 You shared with me that deciding on a career change was not easy, what were your main focus areas when deciding to make the switch? 

28:57 What is one of the latest reflections you've had about your career?

32:25 What are the 3 main leadership lessons you've learned from your professional endeavors?

33:20 What is the biggest surprise of your career? What is one thing you would change if you could about your career? 

38:05 The Final 5 Fire Questions.

The podcast is available on all major streaming platforms. More details on www.femmeleadpodcast.com

Coaching | Self-Awareness | Career Development | Bring Your Whole Self to Work | Career Progression | Reflection | Mindfulness | Women in STEM | Role Model |

Our guest is a former Latvian diplomat with more than 21 years of experience in stakeholder management, negotiation, advocacy, and communication.

Inese Podgaiska is the Secretary General of the Association of Nordic Engineers, ANE, and previously worked for the European Environment Agency. 

She received the 2019 Women Economic Forum Award for Women of the Decade in Science Leadership and was included in the 100 Brilliant Women in AI and Ethics list 2021.

She is a mentor and certified mindful coach and advocates for engineers’ role in advancing responsible AI and achieving sustainable development goals.

We’re discussing bringing your whole self to work, and how we can combine our professional aspirations with our personal development plans and not divide the two instances of our life. 

Follow Inese on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/inesepodgaiska/ 

Check out Inese’s coaching practice: https://beyoumindfulcoaching.dk/index-en.html 

Episode Timeline:

02:00 Inese, tell us more about your work on empowering women. 

04:50 What made you decide to start a coaching practice on the side?

09:25 What is your opinion on ‘bringing your whole self to work’? 

15:50 What is your inspiration for hosting workshops on assertive communication? What can we learn from you? 

18:48 Example of assertive communication in practice. 

23:20 What were 3 important career lessons you learned in your career?

27:25 What is your view on career progression?

31:32 How do you tackle work-life balance?

35:10 Looking back, is there anything you would change about your career?

37:15 Final 5 Fire Questions. 

The podcast is available on all major streaming platforms. More details on www.femmeleadpodcast.com

Cultural Adjustment | Living Abroad | Culture Shock | Consultant | Integration | Well-Being Specialist | Intercultural Awareness | Founder |  Role Model | Trainer |


Our guest is Kathy Borys Siddiqui the founder of Active Action, an organization supporting International companies as well as internationals and their families in the intercultural transition when moving abroad. 

Active Action focuses on raising awareness and bringing solutions to challenges that internationals, their families, and employers are faced with, in order to create thriving and positive environments. 

Kathy lived in 4 countries and on 2 continents and holds MA’s in Cultural Studies and in American Studies. A firm believer that "if you are lacking something - create it."  She has been able to combine her passion and profession as an Intercultural Trainer, and owner of Active Action, with public speaking and branding initiatives, and describes herself as a well-being specialist. 

We discuss cultural adjustment and the notion of identity when moving abroad and we deep dive into the stages of cultural adjustment to a new country, culture, and environment.

Follow Kathy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathybsiddiqui/


Episode Timeline:

01:58 Kathy, can you share more about the focus of your work?

05:50 What does it mean to help companies with intercultural awareness?

12:00 The definition of subtext. 

13:25 What are the phases of cultural adjustment? 

22:10 What are the Nordic cultural adjustments differences you’ve noticed compared to other places?

30:35 What does it mean to feel at home once you move abroad? What about your career prospects?

38:30 What are the 3 important lessons you learned in your career?

43:30 Final 5 Fire Questions. 

Career Break | Career Development | Digital Innovation | Digital Agency | People Leader | Goals | Reflections | Learnings | Career Progression | Pause | 

Our guest today is Sonja Lakner. Originally from Austria, Sonja studied communications and media and after a few years of working in digital agencies in London, she has worked in leadership positions in Sweden for the past 15 years. Sonja is passionate about people and helping them develop their full potential in the work environment and loves to work with people from different cultures.

Her latest position was Managing Director for the Swedish office of the digital consultancy Futurice. She is on a career break since the end of November 2022 and she’s joining us to talk about what it means to take a career break and how can it help your career development. 

Taking a career break can be scary for most people, and in this episode, we explore the steps Sonja took to ensure that her career break will benefit her current career setup. Sonja worked for the past 4 years at the same company and is now taking the time to reflect on what is next while sharing how she plans her future career. 

Connect with Sonja on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonjalakner/ 

Episode Timeline:

02:45 Sonja, tell us a bit about your current career gap.

06:20 Weren’t you worried to take a career break? 

08:15 What is your career motto?

Share with us more about the importance of taking a break and what are you experiencing now.

10:15 How do you start planning your next career step? 

22:25 How to decide that a career break is for you?

27:10 What is the setup of working in a digital agency? 

Who inspires you in your professional life?

31:11 Did you change the way you look at work-life balance?

36:30 What inspired you to document your journey on LinkedIn? 

39:10 What is one thing you would change if you could about your career?  

41:20 Final 5 Fire Questions.

Finance | Trading | Chief Dealer | Capital Markets | Nordea | Career | Progression | Leadership | Graduate Program | Role Model | Women in Finance | 

Sophie Jelstrup is the Chief Dealer & Functional Lead - Global Trading at Nordea Markets. Sophie is based in Copenhagen, Denmark, studied economics and has a double master's degree in Finance from the University of Copenhagen and Imperial College London.

She worked within the financial industry since I started at a pension fund as a student worker while studying and continued since then through the graduate program at NORDEA Markets. She is also the co-founder of BlueTomorrow - the Large Corporates & Institutions’ shadow board that connects top management with employees' voices.

Nordea Markets is the leading capital markets partner in the Nordics. 

Nordea Markets takes part in the Nordea Graduate Programme. The Nordea Graduate Programme is an extensive program that covers a variety of business areas whether that is in markets, IT, business, or compliance – all in which you will be able to accelerate your career and evolve both professionally and personally.

Connect with Sophie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-jelstrup-70bb0343/ 

Sign up for the Nordea LC&I and Markets Graduate Open House (Oct 26th, 2022): https://email.nordeamarkets.com/public/event/RegistrationForm/43425F4B7143415E417740 

Apply to the Nordea Graduate Program 2023 (deadline Oct 31st, 2022): https://careers.nordea.com/job/K%C3%B8benhavn-S-Tech-and-Finance-Graduates-to-Nordea-Markets%2C-Investment-Banking-and-ESG-2300/856005401/?feedId=335801&utm_source=CareerSite 

Episode Timeline:

03:55 What does it mean to be a dealer at Nordea Markets?

08:11 How did you start your career in the finance sector?

10:41 What do you think are the 3 most important skills to consider to pursue this career path?

14:43 How would you describe your career path?

20:32 What advice can you share for professionals looking to enter the financial sector?

25:00 Networking and the transition to a full-time role. 

28:05 What is financial freedom? 

33:20 How do you manage challenges at work? 

37:20 What is the culture like within the financial sector?

38:28 What does it mean to build a showdown board like Blue Tomorrow?

41:30 What was the impact of the graduate program when you started?

49:00 Final 5 Fire Questions.

Innovation | CEO | Venture Capital | Board Member | Agile Leadership | Energy & Maritime Industry | Top 50 Women in Technology | Braving Innovation | 

Nada Ahmed is a public speaker, writer, and innovation and tech advisor with over 15 years of corporate leadership experience in the Energy and Maritime industry. 

She is the CEO and founder of Agile Leadership- an innovation consulting company helping startups validate their products and scale. Previously she served as Vice President of Innovation and Transformation at a leading engineering firm in the Nordics. 

Nada is passionate about Innovation, particularly in tech, and loves to help companies think creatively to develop breakthrough solutions. She is also an angel investor in tech startups. Nada strongly advocates diversity and inclusion, particularly in tech and investment communities. 

She has her podcast: Braving Innovation, in which she interviews leaders and shares her own thoughts on topics related to Innovation, entrepreneurship, and venture capital. 

Follow Nada on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadaahmed-agileleadership/ 

Follow Nada on Instagram: @thisisnadaahmed

Check Nada’s work: https://www.nadahmed.com/

Book Recommendation: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Possibility-Transforming-Professional-Personal/dp/0142001104


Episode Timeline: 

04:45 What is your professional focus right now?

08:35 What made you leave corporate for entrepreneurship?

12:30 Stepping into entrepreneurship to follow her passion. 

15:45 Inspiring others to build a career path. 

19:00 How do you build a brand? 

25:50 What advice do you have for women who fear the negative interactions at work will follow their career?

32:45 We need to build up women’s support systems through collaboration. 

36:08 What is your view on the diversity & inclusion topic in the investment world?

41:56 Where can people follow communities around investment and impact?

43:43 Final 5 Fire Questions. 

Company Culture | Organizational Development | Global Transformation | Coaching | Education | Transition at Work | Role Model | Emotional Intelligence at Work |

Summing up all aspects of her work Tamilla Mahkamova is a psychologist, HR, Organizational Development and Transformation expert, coach, and educator.

Over the last 15 years, she has worked in HR, OD, and Transformation roles in a corporate and non-profit environment through East and West. Currently, as Global Change Director at GrandVision, she leads change management in large-scale business and IT programs.

In addition, within her Coaching & Education practice, she works with senior leaders going through a personal change and transition at work or leaders aiming to implement complex change in their organizations. Whenever she has a chance, she facilitates conversations and teachings around working with young adults' social and emotional aspects. 

Whatever the role or assignment, she intends to serve as a vehicle for building connected, creative and effective workplaces.

In our interview, we discuss work as a force for good, how to retain talent in an organization and how to attract new talent. We focus on the workplace as a place of fulfillment and how we can increase our chances of building a culture that helps employees flourish. 

Follow Tamilla on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamillamahkamova/ 

Check Tamilla's coaching business: nowwhat.global

Instagram account: @nowwhatwithtamilla

Companies with an excellent company culture statement based on Tamilla's notes:

https://www.buurtzorg.com/

https://www.patagonia.com/home/

https://www.benjerry.com/ 

Book recommendations: 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/241823.Women_Who_Run_With_the_Wolves 

https://www.amazon.com/Reinventing-Organizations-Frederic-Laloux/dp/2960133501 

Episode Timeline:

02:20 What does the role of the global transformation change director mean?

04:38 How should we understand the term 'company culture?

10:30 What should companies look to do outside providing remunerations to retain new talent?

13:35 How should we mention our activism or projects outside work? 

15:02 How should we retain current talent in the workplace?

20:52 How can we build a culture that helps employees flourish?

29:17 How do you plan your career progression based on your passion?

36:50 How do you incorporate self-knowledge in your coaching practice? 

42:-3 Final 5 Fire Questions.

Chief Product Officer | Mentor | International Speaker | Top Women in Product | Career Advice | Contract Negotiation | Non-Negotiables at Work | Corporate Advisor | Digital Transformation | 

Femme Lead welcomes Alexandra Lung, an internationally recognized product leader, C-suite executive, public speaker, corporate advisor, and leadership mentor. Her experience spans international roles in large companies and high-growth tech scale-ups.

She started her career working as a consultant in strategy. She also held positions in marketing, communication, product strategy, and consulting in digital transformation. She is listed among the top women in Product in Europe 2018, the Elite business women to follow in 2019, and the Top 25 PLG influencers in 2021. 

Alexandra is passionate about building great products that positively impact and drive exponential growth for the business. She is always looking for ways to grow and empower the people around her. 

Today we will discuss career development and how to navigate your career path. Alexandra prepared valuable advice, giving us her step-by-step process to find your next professional adventure by putting yourself first. 

Follow Alexandra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-lung/ 

Episode Timeline:

03:05 Tell us, what are your non-negotiables? And please let our audience know what does it mean to have non-negotiables?

05:45 Where do you mention your non-negotiables in the interview process?

07:15 Do you have a strategy for the interview questions?

09:30: Do you advise the audience to look for subtle cues on their next career step?

14:30 Did you ever feel that your career path was in jeopardy?

16:50 What can you share with women unsure about their family plans?

22:18 Why do you want to reassure women their career paths will be ok?

24:40 How can you navigate a career path successfully?

29:05 Applying for roles that seem out of reach.

34:05 How do you advise people to set up for a new role?

39:45 Stakeholder management when starting a new role. 

45:55 Remember to think about what can happen right.

48:30 Final 5 Fire Questions.

How People Learn | Subject Matter Expert | Learning & Development | Passion | Entrepreneur | Learning | Book to Courses | Learning Design | Instructional Design | Thought Leader | 

Olimpia Mesa is a leading expert and consultant on brain-based learning design. President of Instructional Design Ltd., a company behind hundreds of successful corporate and educational programs, both online and in-person, delivered in various languages.
 
Olimpia designs and consults with organizations on learning projects for leadership development, transformational change management, coaching, and the development and implementation of learning strategies. Olimpia’s broad industry experience includes banking, insurance, retail, real estate, technology, and manufacturing.

In addition to consulting Fortune 500 organizations on learning projects, she is the founder of Book to Courses™ Online School, whose primary goal is to consult authors on how to transform a nonfictional book into online academies or apps.

In our interview, we discuss the career path of an instructional designer, what it means to teach people how to learn and what a successful career looks like. Olimpia opens up about her challenges in starting a company and shares the learnings that helped her turn her passion into a business. 

She is the author of "How People Learn" book: https://howpeoplelearnbook.com/

Follow Olimpia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olimpia-mesa-45345310/

Learn more about Olimpia's mission: https://olimpiamesa.com/


Episode Timeline:

00:30 Thank you note from the Femme Lead team.

02:40 What does it mean to work with learning and instructional design systems?

06:10 How did you start working with instructional design?

10:30 What is the focus of the ‘hoe people learn’ concept?

13:55 How can we best integrate learning experiences?

20:45 Are there ways to learn faster?

25:40 How can people build subject matter expertise?

29:55 What are the steps to ensure the learning efforts work? 

33:11 Changes when starting a business: the entrepreneurship life. 

37:38 One key piece of advice.

42:40 Final 5 Fire Questions.

Director | Career Path | Media Industry | Gen z | Adolescent Content | Advertising Agency | Promoting Talent | Entrepreneur | Diversity & Inclusion | Content Creators | New Generation | 

Ramaa Mosley is a commercial director, filmmaker, and advocate. Ramaa came across her passion for content creation and advertising at the young age of five when she directed her first documentary, screened at the United Nations, by the time she was 15. Not long after that, she began directing commercials and music videos and now has hundreds of commercials, feature films, and numerous documentaries under her belt. 

Today you’ll find Ramaa as the founder of Adolescent Content, a Black - and female-founded Gen Z media company with an advertising agency, content studio, digital platform, app, and global network of over 4,000 GenZ, Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and LGBTQ+ creators in 20 countries. She found her inspiration beyond the agency, not only because of her extensive experience but also because she wanted to bridge the gap between agencies and Gen Z creators by starting an agency to help support them to thrive in creating branded content they care about. 

In this interview, we discuss a filmmaker's career path in the creative realm, entrepreneurship lessons, and how Ramaa plans to inspire the new generation of leaders to be more inclusive through her work.

Follow Ramaa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramaa-mosley-02a73211b/ 

Follow Ramaa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ramaamosley/ 

Check out Adolescent Content: https://adolescentcontent.com/ 

Episode timeline: 

02:15 What is Adolescent Content and how did you decide to start the business?

05:10 What are some key differences when you look at the consumer behavior of GenZ? 

07:50 How should we promote more women & people of color in the audio-visual space? 

13:00 What feedback do you receive from Adolescent Content clients? Tell us more about the impact GenZ creators have?

16:47 What traits do you see in an entrepreneur to succeed in the media industry?

20:25 When it comes to difficult moments, how do you handle situations when things don’t work your way? 

25:10 You started your career as a director: What inspired you to pursue this career path?

31:10 How do you see the field changes since you started your career? 

33:07 Final 5 Fire Questions.

Women in Leadership | Product Leader | Executive Team | Professional Advice | Career Progression | Role Model | People, Product & Process | Healthy Company Culture |  

Poorvi Shrivastav is the GM and VP of Products at HubSpot. She has more than a decade of experience leading global customer, product, and engineering teams. She has launched products, built high-performing teams across enterprise SaaS companies, and is known for scaling emerging businesses.

Poorvi Shrivastav is passionate about education, technology, and culture and is an investor and advisor for multiple educational and software organizations. She holds a Bachelor's in computer science engineering from India and an MBA in strategic management from The Wharton School.

In our interview, we discuss Poorvi's career progression and pillars for success. We also look at building healthy company cultures and the highlights that can make a difference in a company's progress. Poorvi shares: I am looking at Femme lead as a platform for connecting with more women by highlighting my story, talking about female mentors and managers who paved the path to my success, how we invest in female leadership at HubSpot, and highlighting the importance of investing in people, process and product to grow strong leaders for tomorrow. I'd also like to bring in how we [at HubSpot] build teams and cultures that resonate with equality and efficiency, empathy and outcomes, humility and confidence.

Follow Poorvi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/poorvishrivastav/

Episode Timeline:

02:15 Poorvi, what do you consider makes a career successful?

04:20 When could you identify the pillars for success in your career progression?

09:24 How to balance empathy with the skills you need to succeed in your role?

12:48 What are some insights for women in leadership?
 
14:30 What is the advice for listeners at the beginning of their careers?

15:24 How to approach mentorship in our career path?

18:05 How can we support more women in leadership?

20:15 How do you advise we approach difficult conversations? 

23:14 How do you see us investing in the leaders of tomorrow?

25:27 What is your stance on building a healthy culture?
 
28:08 Looking back, would you have done anything differently?

29:52 Final 5 Fire Questions.

Career Transformation | Career Growth | Pivot | Life Sciences | Life in Denmark | Inclusive Leadership | Diversity & Inclusion | Women of Color | Mentorship | Role Model | ProWoc | Life Science | Researcher | 


Phaedria Marie St. Hilaire is a Dominican-born Science Business Leader with over 20 years of experience in the Pharmaceutical and Biotech industries with a passion for people development and making a difference. 

She has a proven track record of inspiring and driving cross-functional, multicultural teams to deliver results from her leadership positions at global companies like Carlsberg, and Novo Nordisk; and from her non-profit organization, Professional Women of Color Denmark.

In addition to a Ph.D. in Chemistry, Phaedria has over 45 publications and patent applications in Chemistry and Biochemistry. She is passionate about diversity, inclusion, and belonging and changing the gender and race narrative. Phaedria believes in empowering self and others, continuous learning, self-reflection, and reinvention. She is a Mentor and Executive Coach. She enjoys pushing mental and physical boundaries and being out of her comfort zone.

In our interview, Phaedria shares how she managed to transform her career multiple times. Transformational journeys are inspiring because these are the moments when you must get out of your comfort zone more than ever and trust that things will turn out OK. This is the central message of our interview: things will turn out OK. 

Phaedria also shares thoughts on her inclusive leadership work, advice for other leaders, and advice for young women looking to join for the first time a managerial role. We also discuss ProWoc Denmark (Professional Women of Color Denmark) and its mission.


Follow Phaedria on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phaedria-marie-sthilaire/

Follow Phaedria on Instagram: @thesainteddoc

Check our ProWoc's mission: https://prowoc.org/

Follow ProWoc on Instagram: @prowocdk 


Episode Timeline:

03:15 What makes a career successful?

06:50 When did you realize a career path is not about the outcome?

14:40 How do you connect your identity with your new path?

18:00 Did you have a safety plan for your career path? 

23:38 How do you advise others to take the first step towards their career transformation

28:15 Your career path is going to turn out OK.

29:30 What is inclusive leadership?

33:28 What is the mission of Professional Women of Color Denmark?

41:39 Final 5 Fire Questions.

Personal Branding | Thought Leader | Entrepreneurship | Career Advice | Failure & Success | Leadership | Hiring Tips | Role Model | 

Amelia Sordell is a thought leader in personal branding, and as she describes herself: “I brand people, not businesses.” She started the agency Klowt in a small bedroom in the middle of a global pandemic. She believes that the future of branding is personal. People buy from people, and trust is vital in any interaction, whether personal or professional. And that is what a personal brand does, it builds trust. 

Amelia Sordell, the founder of Klowt agency based in the UK, is joining us for a special interview about branding yourself and building an engaged audience online. 

Amelia has an impressive following on LinkedIn, where she shares content daily, and you can find her accounts below to hear more snippets of her interviews.

Follow Amelia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ameliasordell/ 

Follow Amelia on Instagram: @ameliasordell 

 Check our Klowt’s website: https://klowt.io/


Episode Timeline:
 
02:10 Introduction to Amelia Sordell, Founder at Klowt, the personal branding agency.
03:56 Why is personal branding important?
07:55 Entrepreneurship spirit & founding a company in personal branding. 
13:38 Failure is part of success. 
15:36 The fear of failure is real. 
17:10 What changes when you become an entrepreneur?
20:20 Interviewing your manager and the hiring process at Klowt.  
24:35 What do you see as key to a good personal branding strategy? 
29:10 Inspiration for sharing content and the creative process. 
30:57 Where do you start to share content? What about confidence? 
34:40 Comparison paralysis when building a personal brand online.
39:45 What should businesses focus on in branding? 
42:06 What is the #1 tip for building an online audience?
44:20 Final 5 Fire Questions. 

Product Management | Leadership | Career Progression | Promotion | Career Planning | Technology | Scale-up | Corporate | HR |  Innovation | Growth |

Gurpriya Bhatia is a product leader in big tech. She works on product strategy and has over 15 years of experience in growth strategy and business model innovation and has worked across the UK, the US, India, Japan, Switzerland, and Zimbabwe.

After growing up and studying in New Delhi, India, she moved to the UK in 2007 to pursue a Master's at the London School of Economics.

Gurpriya started her career in the UK in management consulting with Accenture's graduate program. She then moved to EY, where she started working with tech and fast-growth companies, which started her career in tech. While at EY, Gurpriya also did a 9-month part-time coding boot camp to further understand how technology stacks work. She then joined Google in 2020. She describes her career as a jungle gym. 

In our interview, we discuss her career breakthrough and how to grow your profile to reach the next professional step. Gurpriya shares the scope of her role, what framework she followed in her career growth, and her mindset when it comes to professional development.

Follow Gurpriya Bhatia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gurpriyabhatia/

Episode Timeline:

02:30 What does it mean to work on product strategy?

04:20 What makes a good product leader?

06:56 What process should we consider when asking for a promotion?

12:15 Interviewing your future employer.

13:24 A career at Google and what makes it interesting. 

14:35 How to ask for a promotion? 

16:55 Use documentation for your career planning. 

19:00 Should we consider a framework for career planning? 

20:30 What is your professional motto?

24:25 What are three key factors to consider if you want to grow a business?

26:30 How do you manage difficult conversations? 

30:00 Did you ever feel pressure to continue to reach higher?

33:00 Final 5 Fire Questions.

EdTech | imagiLabs | Girls Education | STEM | Entrepreneurship | Coding for Future | Creators with technology |

Dora Palfi is the co-founder & CEO of imagiLabs, an ed-tech company making products that empower girls with the skills, confidence, and community to create with technology.

Dora worked as a developer at Morgan Stanley and as a UX Designer at Cisco, and has substantial experience teaching programming to children and teenagers as well as advocating for women in technology. Originally from Hungary, and true to her fictional namesake Dora the Explorer, she has lived, studied, and worked in 10 countries across four continents. In addition to her work to bring technology closer to girls, she is also a yoga instructor, bringing mindfulness closer to engineers.

Dora has been recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 2021 list as one of Europe’s leading social entrepreneurs and as a Cartier Women’s Initiative Fellow in 2020.

In our interview, we discuss the role of technology in shaping the future for women and girls. Dora co-founded imagiLabs with the wish to empower young women to pursue a career in STEM. The interests of both boys and girls in technology, math, and science are similar until the age of 12 years old. After that age, it seems that gender stereotypes play an important role in how teenagers see their life options and this shapes their choices in their careers as well. 

imagiLabs' mission: To build diversity among technology's creators so it can benefit everyone. Incredibly, women still make up less than 25% of the tech workforce in Europe. 

We give coding superpowers to girls and nonbinary kids so that the next generation is equally equipped to use technology to shape the future. How do we do it? image has worked with hundreds of young people to make learning Python fun and relevant. 

Our team is building the only mobile-first community targeting 300 million pre-teen girls worldwide with the goal of encouraging them to start coding. The imagi apps introduce Python programming through a visual and gamified learning journey, where colorful designs can be created + shared. We also made a programmable accessory, the imagiCharm, which enhances the learning experience by making code projects more tangible and easy to show off!

Follow Dora Palfi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorapalfi/

Read more about imagiLabs:  https://imagilabs.com/

Episode Timeline:

02:30 Tell us more about imagiLabs and where are you now in your entrepreneurial journey?
05:05 What product does imagiLabs sell?
06:28 How many users do imagiLabs have now, and what engagement do you see?
08:29 When did you decide to become an entrepreneur?
11:15 How did you find the confidence to start your start-up, and how did you get started?
13:33 What is the target group of imagiLabs and how do you target parents as part of your business strategy?
17: 37 What do you think is the key to success when putting together a team? Tell us more about your team setup.
21:04 How do you tackle scaling your business? What piece of advice do you want to share for those looking for investments?
23:05 What is your experience pitching your business and any advice worth sharing?
25:07 How does your day look like as a co-founder and CEO?
26:55 What is next for imagiLabs?
29:45 As an entrepreneur, how do you take care of yourself and your mental health?
32:40 Looking back, is there something you would have done differently?
33:40 What is one final thought you want to share with the listeners?
34:56 Final 5 Fire Questions.

Digitalization Minister | Gender Quality | Shark Thank | Investor | Board Member | Unicef Danmark | Co-founder Nordic Female Founders (now exited) | 

Mia Therese Wagner is an investor, board member, co-founder of Nordic Female Founders (now exited), keynote speaker, and a previous member of the Danish version of Shark Tank - Løvens Hule. 💪

In 2023, Mia became the Danish Minister for Digitalization and Gender Equality!

When Mia started her career, she became a defense attorney, and later she became a partner in “Wagner Attorneys”. In 2017 Mia became CEO of the family-owned company, Freeway until 2020.

In November 2020, Mia co-founded Nordic Female Founders together with Anne Stampe Olesen, and she is currently the CEO. Nordic Female Founders is working towards equal rights and terms for male and female entrepreneurs in Denmark.

Mia is known for her performance in the Danish television show “Dragon’s den” on DR1 and at the time she was the only female investor on the panel.

It is important for Mia to use her voice to ensure justice and equality, and she is especially active in the gender equality debate for female entrepreneurs. She is a board member of UNICEF in Denmark with the important mission of helping all the children of the world.

In her spare time, Mia loves to read a good book, and a nice glass of rum, and spend time with her family and friends.

In our interview, we explore her career, life, and decision to start a new venture after a prolific career as a CEO, as well as discuss advice for entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Follow Mia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miawagner/

Episode Timeline:

02:52 Did your experience change your idea of success?

03:50 What lessons did you bring from your experience as a lawyer and CEO of Nordic Female Founders?

05:33 How did you decide to start a new venture in 2020?

08:24 How important is it to have a good relationship with your co-founder?

10:54 What advice do you have for entrepreneurs starting up?

13:00 Do you feel any pressure to be the only woman on Løvens Hule?

16:00 How can men be promoters of women in leadership?

17:00 What do you see as traits to succeed in entrepreneurship?

18:45 What surprised you most when working with women entrepreneurs?

19:46 What is a winning strategy for a pitch?

21:55 What sort of profiles are you looking for at Nordic Female Founders?

26:20 What do you advise women about sexism in business?

29:05 What is your view on being feminine and being taken seriously? 

32:05 What surprised you in your career?

33:15 Would you do anything differently looking back?

34:18 How do you manage work-life balance? 

37:40 What are the new plans of Nordic Female Founders?

42:35 Final 5 Fire Questions.

Journalism | NGO | Purpose | Career Change | Public Speaking | In the Spotlight | Charity | Inspiration | Career Path | Personal Growth | Media Training |

A former TV anchor, Melania Medeleanu is a seasoned journalist from Romania that now specializes in speech training & public speaking. She left the spotlight and returned to school to study for a master's in speech therapy.

Melania wanted to focus on charity and community work, and this is exactly what she started doing instead. She founded MagiCamp, and more recently, the NGO 'Zi de Bine' (A Good Day), inviting people to donate their birthdays for charitable causes.
⁣
In today's episode, we touch on a lot of things, including:⁣
⁣
1. Melania shares her perspective on career transition and actions she did to find out how to shape her passion for good into a full-time role;⁣
2. Day-to-day management of tasks while running an independent NGO and her public speaking business;⁣
3. What does it mean to change your career from the spotlight to helping people personally;⁣
4. Life lessons from her career as a journalist and her new career as an NGO founder.⁣

Follow Melania's updates: https://www.facebook.com/melania.medeleanu

Find Melania's classes here: https://melaniamedeleanu.ro/


Episode Timeline (in Romanian):

03:55 Cum arata viata ta de zi cu zi?

05:20 Spune-ne mai mult despre Zi de Bine. Cum putem contribui?

10:06 Ce tabieturi ai a.i. sa ai grija de tine?

12:14 Cum ti-ai ales domeniul profesional?

14:38 Ce sfaturi ai pentru ascultatorii care vor sa urmeze o cariera in jurnalism?

17:25 Ce piloni ai luat in viata din cariera de jurnalist?

19:20 Cum ai decis sa iti schimbi cariera?

24:53 Cum gestionezi frica si nesiguranta? 

29:15 Ce secrete poti impartasi despre vorbitul in public?

32:50 Ai schimba ceva din parcursul tau in viata?

34:22 Planurile organizatiei 'Zi de Bine' pentru 2022. 

Education | Sport Management | Women in Sports | Football Education | Volunteer Manager | UEFA EURO 2020 | Leadership | Mindset | Athlete | Tennis Player | 

A former Romanian international tennis player, Diana Pirciu studied communications and sports marketing in the USA before joining the Romanian Football Federation (FRF) as a corporate social responsibility manager and education specialist. 

For EURO 2020, she was the volunteer manager in Bucharest, overseeing a team of 850 to ensure the city's four matches go to plan. Diana is now the education manager of the Romanian National Football Academy and leads engagement projects in FRF.

In 2021 she was recognized by UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) as a top woman in football and her profile was showcased among the ‘Five stars of UEFA EURO 2020.’

In our interview, Diana shares insights into how to create your role within an organization by knowing your priorities and giving yourself the opportunity to change your mind. 

Her athlete background shows up in everything she does. Diana is the type of person who starts projects without having the title or official role for it, but rather as a proactive approach to make things happen and push innovation forward.

As a good source of inspiration for our mental health, Diana shares tips from when she worked with a mental coach. 

Follow Diana Pirciu on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-pirciu-43113731/ 

Here you can read the UEFA article ‘Five Stars of UEFA EURO 2020.’ 

Episode Timeline:

02:35 What is your role at the Romanian Football Federation?

05:48 How did you decide to stop your professional sports career and pursue a different career path?

10:07 How did you decide from such a young age what your professional path will be?

14:22 What did it mean for you to be recognized by UEFA?

21:00 What is one realization about your role as an educational specialist?

24:45 How should we tackle the pay gap between women and men in sports?

28:15 What are the surprises or lessons of your career in sports management?

37:00 How did you approach your mental health?

40:38 Final 5 Fire Questions.

Video & Audio Editing: Laura de Nuzzo.

Success | Entrepreneur | Introvert | 60 Day Startups | Founder | Leadership | Mental Health | Boundaries | Media Platform |  Role Model | Women in Media |

Mashal Waqar is a serial entrepreneur who loves being in the midst of startups, cool tech, writing, and good people.

Her first media startup, The Tempest, impacts millions of readers globally through powerful storytelling. Mashal Waqar also co-created a business accelerator taking women founders from early-stage to revenue in 60 days.  

She is passionate about gender equality, accessibility, and intersectional growth and has previously worked with the United Nations, Xerox, and startups as an advisor and founder.

Among her awards, we find Forbes Middle East 30 Under 30, Entrepreneur Middle East's Achieving Women, 19th World Economic Forum Young Leader of the Year, and many more. She is also a speaker at 2 TEDx talks, Harvard Bold Conference, Stanford MENA Forum, and many other events. 

In our interview, we discussed the definition of success and what it means to “make it.” Mashal confesses her tactics for handling situations as an introvert and how she navigates her entrepreneurial journey.

Follow Mashal on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mashalwaqar/ 

Episode Timeline: 

02:37 How do you manage your success? 

09:52 How do you set boundaries for work? 

15:44 How did you decide to become an entrepreneur?

21:02 How do you define success now?

25:45 How did your idea of “making it” change?

31:55 What are the barriers of women in entrepreneurship?

38:24 Fire 5 Final Questions.

The Imposter Experience | Imposter Feeling | Cybersecurity Specialist | Thought Leader | The Human Element of Cybersecurity | Personal Growth | Organizational Culture |  Confidence | 

Joy Beland is a cybersecurity expert & thought leader. She gained worldwide attention for her thought leadership in the Human Element of cybersecurity while successfully training over 3,000 people on cybersecurity fundamentals. 

She has many accreditations and has successfully contributed to the cybersecurity world. Her mission is to protect organizations from cybercrime, whether caused by external or external internal threat actors. 

In addition to being a CMMC Registered Practitioner, Provisional Assessor and Provisional Instructor certifications, Joy holds the CISM certification from ISACA, the SSAP certification from SANS, Carnegie Mellon SEI certificates for Insider Threat Program Manager as well as Insider Threat Vulnerability Assessor. 

We discuss the imposter experience, phenomenon, or feeling in our interview rather than the imposter syndrome. We deep dive into the topic by asking what it means to experience this feeling of vulnerability.


Follow Joy Beland on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-belinda-beland/


Episode Timeline:

02:27 Introduction to the human aspect of cybersecurity.

05:40 How do you make the switch to focus on the human element in cybersecurity?

08:40 The imposter syndrome: what is it, how does it manifest in our daily lives?

15:00 What do you think the Imposter Phenomenon creates when it comes to barriers for growth?

22:07 Is there a good part of experiencing the imposter feeling?

25:50 What do you recommend to people who do not know where to start changing their imposter experience?

32:50 Self-doubt and representation: how can we manage the imposter experience?

36:20 Final 5 Fire Questions. 

Artificial Intelligence | Internet of Things | Rolls Royce | R² Data Labs | Data Science | Punk | Geek |  Superfreak | Future of Work | Leadership | STEM Careers| Motherhood | AI Trends |

Caroline Gorski is a technology leader with more than 25 years of experience, with a background in strategy consulting, market development, and commercial decision-making at FTSE 100 board level.

She is also the Group Director of R² Data Labs, the data innovation and artificial intelligence catalyst inside Rolls-Royce:

"We create data and AI-based innovations, apps, and services that improve the way Rolls-Royce and our customers operate. We harness industry knowledge and engineering expertise to unlock new value from data that others can't. We believe that only collaborative innovation will find the most undiscovered value from data."

She is the Co-Founder of the Emergent Alliance (www.emergentalliance.org), a not-for-profit Global Data Collaboration initiative focussing on Economic Recovery analytics in response to COVID-19. Previously, Caroline was Head of IoT and Digital Manufacturing at the Digital Catapult and Head of Business Development - Internet of Things for Telefonica UK.

Caroline has an MA from Oxford University and lives in rural Yorkshire with her two children and two very noisy small dogs. She loves live music, heated debate, real ale, and long walks, and is happiest sitting in the pub indulging in at least two of them. 

Caroline tweets and blogs on some of the challenges and opportunities of modern living for women in the corporate world at www.whereisyourbanksman.com.

Follow Caroline Gorski on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-gorski-1b333316/ 

Episode Timeline:

02:20 What does it mean to work in AI at R² Data Labs at Rolls Royce?

08:45 How does AI impact the future of work?

12:35 What should people consider when thinking about the future of the workforce?

16:52 What are the implications of bias and AI?

21:21 What do you advise leaders about AI & IoT? What trends do you see?

24:38 How did you start your career in IT from a bachelor's in arts? 

29:30 What is the path to success that worked for you? 

36:20 What advice can you share for women looking to follow in your footsteps? 

41:00 Would you do anything differently looking back?

42:20 What is your advice for mothers or women who consider motherhood?

48:00 Final 5 Fire Questions.

Mindset Shift | Career Change | Talent Management | Human Resources | Consultancy | Diversity & Inclusion | Representation | Entrepreneurship | Education | Thought Leader |

Four our episode on mindset shift, we have brought to the table a special guest: Dr. Poornima Luthra is the author of ‘Diversifying Diversity: Your guide to being an active ally of inclusion in the workplace’ and the founder and CEO of TalentED Consultancy ApS as well as a member of the teaching Faculty at the Copenhagen Business School. 

She has spent the last fifteen years researching and teaching university courses in the field of talent management, with a focus on Diversity and Inclusion. More recently, Poornima has taken her years of academic experience into the corporate world with the vision of making workplaces more inclusive for all. 

Poornima focuses on inspiring shifting mindsets and expanding the areas of diversity we look at through strategy consulting, corporate training, keynote sessions, talks, articles, blog posts, and podcasts.

In our interview, we discuss the topic of changing your mindset and going for what makes you happy. Passion and career are often two words that we all strive to connect, but the success stories are not shared as much. We think Poornima is an example of how following your passion and going back to who you help you successfully build a career that you are passionate about.


Follow Poornima on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-poornima-luthra-she-her-b09128100/


Books by Poornima:

1. Diversifying Diversity: Your Guide to Being an Active Ally of Inclusion in the Workplace - available on Amazon 

2. From Plant to Planet: Nudge your way towards healthier, more sustainable food habits - available on Amazon

Episode Timeline:

02:30 Why pursue a talent management career?

07:30 Career change: From engineering to talent management.

13:10 What does it mean to shift your mindset?

21:10 What is the recipe to thrive and stay true to ourselves?

29:30 Imposter Syndrome: How do you manage it?

34:49 Thoughts on our fast-paced professional lives.

39:00 Final 5 Fire Questions

Women in Tech | STEM Careers | Role Model | Software Engineering | Talent | CXO | Leadership | Professional Growth | Advice | Working Mother |
 

In our interview, we explore the multi-facets of running an international organization as a technical leader and the need for more representation in STEM. Anne-Sofie shares her experience from starting her career in web development to leading teams and continuing to bring innovation to large organizations. Looking back, the business world still needs to advance the mission of diversity and representation. 

Anne-Sofie Nielsen leads the development of the Peakon employee engagement platform in her role as VP, Software Development at the global HR & financial SaaS company Workday. She is incredibly passionate about leadership, changing the world with technology, and building inclusive organizations.

Before joining Workday, she was the CTO of the Danish startup success Peakon that Workday acquired in 2021. Before that, She was the CTO of the Danish online supermarket nemling.com. She led a charge to rapidly revamp the IT landscape of the growing company, including a whole new customer-facing experience that went on to win multiple industry awards.

She’s also on the board of the Alexandra Institute that specializes in consulting organizations on how to take cutting-edge IT research and apply it to real-world projects.


Follow Anne-Sofie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/femalenerd/


Episode Timeline:

02:05 Representation of women in STEM

03:15 What do you consider are the barriers for women in technology?

05:09 When did you know you want to pursue to a career in tech?

06:53 What is the view of the future of representation in tech?

09:00 What changed in terms of encountering bias at work?

10:30 What do you advise leaders that do not see D&I important?

12:00 What do you advise women who do not see themselves in the team they are part of?

13:50 What advice do you have when recruiting tech talent?

16:02 What reflections can you share for graduates looking to start their tech careers?

17:48 Is there any reflection from the start of your career?

19:45 What is a piece of advice you always emphasize?

20:30 Do you have some advice for new moms?

22:10 How do you tackle confidence? 

24:00 What do you advise women who have challenges at work?

26:05 What lessons did you take from your CXO career?

28:10 What is the most rewarding part of your CXO role currently?

29:30 Looking back would you have done anything differently?

30:45 Fire 5 Final Questions

Human Potential | Emotional Intelligence | Coach | Unlock Potential | Talent | Personal Growth | Fulfilment | Zone of Genius | Leadership | Empowerment

Antesa Jensen is an extraordinary speaker and coach whose philosophy is the fastest way forward is inward. Antesa helps people take something that exists within us, empathy, and use it to fulfill one's path. 

In our latest interview, we explore the topic of unlocking human potential. Antesa shares that parts within that are not yet potentiated can get opened, and as a result, we become more of who we already are. We need to bring more of what is inside and let it out. 

Figuring out your potential is the life journey. In our interview, we go straight to the topic of finding your area of genius: 

'The truth is we are all born with gifts that need to be cultivated throughout our life, and that is potential. People misuse the word to induce guilt, a dangerous stretch on the topic of potential. We all have potential, and it will not be the same for everybody. That should be honored and respected.'

Find out about Antesa’s work: www.antesajensen.com 

Connect with Antesa on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/antesa

Resources:

Download the FREE Breath Bundle from Antesa’s website: www.antesajensen.com 

Book: Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed

Video about Hobby, Job, Career, Vocation by Elizabeth Gilbert

Episode Timeline:

02:30 What does it mean to unlock your potential? 
05:15 How do we become aware of our potential?
08:25 What influences knowing about our zone of genius?
12:50 How do we become aware of the areas we are supposed to grow?
20:15 Breathing Exercise.
21:55 Is it wrong to do something even though it doesn’t represent you?
28:05 How do we cope with the idea that we don’t know what we want?
32:00 Mindset for growth: ‘There must be a reason why I am experiencing this situation.’ 
34:15 What should you know about unlocking your potential?
36:55 Fire 5 Final Questions.

Boundaries | Embodiment | Coach | Practice | Self-Reflection | Boundaries at Work | Alignment | Leadership | Women Empowerment

Sigrid is an Embodiment and Leadership Coach. She is on a mission to help purpose-driven entrepreneurs tap into their infinite potential as leaders by fully embodying their truth and most profound alignment to amplify their impact in this world.

In our interview, we discuss the process of establishing boundaries, how to communicate our boundaries, and how to integrate the practice of setting boundaries in a world that is constantly changing.

She has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs and leaders around the world. Her unique and refreshing wisdom and vulnerability are sure to impact listeners profoundly.

Find out more about Sigrid’s work: https://sigridtasies.com/ 

Follow Sigrid on Instagram: @sigridtasies

Episode Timeline: 

03:15 What does it mean to be an embodiment coach?

04:20 What are boundaries? 

08:25 What does it mean to have healthy boundaries?

 15:00 How can we manage boundaries when we are in a power-play situation in our professional life, e.g., manager vs. employee, senior vs. junior, expert vs. generalist?

 20:55 What advice do you give to people with difficulties setting boundaries or who are stuck in a context where past traumas do not let them evolve from those situations?

 24:50 What are the most frequent pieces of reflection people tell you when they start the journey with you?

 27:55 How can we integrate the practice of setting boundaries and knowing ourselves in a world that is constantly in motion? 

 32:10 What is one thing you wish you knew about your path? 

33:10 Why don’t we tell ourselves from a young age that we can do anything?

37:30 Final 5 Fire Questions 

Confidence | Founder | Coding Bootcamp | CTO | Software Engineering | Code Chrysalis | Speaker | Diversity in Tech | Women Empowerment

Yan Fan is changing the way Asia trains software engineers. She is the co-founder and CTO of Code Chrysalis, a coding Bootcamp in Tokyo. 

She started Code Chrysalis because she was brimming with ideas on best teaching programming and developing top software engineering talent. Code Chrysalis helps individuals change their careers through our programs and works with large enterprises to re-engineer their teams. 

Code Chrysalis is Yan's second coding Bootcamp. Yan co-founded and served as CTO of her first coding school in Jordan, helping refugees in 2016.

Among Yan's accolades, she is a co-creator at @speakherjapan, promoting women speakers in Japan. At the same time, she is a board member of Waffle Org, where women in secondary schools & high schools learn about the importance of IT.

In this episode, you will hear about building companies passionately, searching for your path, and finding it in yourself to move forward even if it means to quit, so you can start doing what you have envisioned to do. 

Follow Yan Fan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yanfan/ 

Follow Yan Fan on Twitter: @yanarchy 

Find out more info about Code Chrysalis: https://www.codechrysalis.io/


Episode Timeline:

00:33 News: Top 5 Finalist as ‘Initiative of the Year’ at the Nordic Women in Tech Awards

05:20 Confidence as an outlier.

06:40 How did you decide to become a founder?

08:49 Would you change the path you chose when you finished high school? 

11:00 The importance of failing.

12:30 What is confidence?

17:50 What destroys confidence?

18:55 Do you see a difference between the confidence level of men & women?

21:25 What do women tell themselves about being successful? 

23:25 What did you tell yourself when you started your first company?

26:40 What do you recommend to people who are afraid to fail?

29:00 What reflections have you done before starting a business?

32:00 How did you decide on your career change?

36:45 Final 5 Fire Questions

Book recommendations:

1. Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado-Perez
2. In the FLO: Unlock Your Hormonal Advantage and Revolutionize Your Life  by Alisa Vitti

Yan would change place with Elaine Welteroth, American journalist, editor, author, and television host.

Agile | Agile Coach | Nuuday | Agile Mindset | IT Transformation | Find your Calling | Career Development | Experiment | The Agile Way 

Signe Hjorth Hansen is the last guest of Femme Lead Podcast season 2! Signe is an Agile Coach for the tech & telecom company Nuuday in Denmark and a board member in the organization Women in Tech Denmark. Signe's career started with a graduate program in the company Cisco and continued as a business manager before moving into the telecommunication space for the last 4 years at TDC/Nuuday.  

Nuuday is a family of 9 brands in Denmark that includes YouSee, Telmore, eesy, Hiper, YouTv, Blockbuster, TDC Erhverv, NetDesign, and Related. The core of Nuuday is TV, broadband, network, telephony, and entertainment delivered across all brands.

An agile coach is a person who is responsible for creating and improving Agile processes within a team or a company. Signe graduated with a master's in Engineering, Operation, and Innovation Management from the Danish Technical University and her career path at Nuuday included the role of service solution architect and commercial manager before becoming an agile coach.

In this episode, we will discuss the day-to-day activities of an agile coach, and the overall understanding of how IT transformation happens with the help of the Agile framework. Signe Hjorth Hansen also shares how she used the Agile mindset to reflect on her career and how she started making decisions using the framework for her professional development. 

We cover:

• How does one become an Agile Coach, and what will it mean for the organization?
• How do you use Agile as a mindset for change and experiment in your development?
• How to find your purpose and calling?

Key takeaways:

• Being an Agile Coach means you need to be comfortable with being proactive, build mental strength, and constantly experiment with different scenarios.
• The people who flourish in the Agile setup take control over their development: Do you like to work freely in a structured environment? You have a specific role, but the tasks differ depending on the project and team you collaborate with.
• Find out what DRIVES you. People will always tell you what you do and who you should become, but they are not you in the end. Understand what drives you. 

Connect with Signe via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/signe-hjorth-hansen-38279721/ 

Read more about the Agile Principles: https://www.agilealliance.org/agile101/

 Read more about OKRs (Objectives and Key Results): https://www.whatmatters.com/faqs/okr-meaning-definition-example/


Episode Timeline:

02:10 What does it mean to be an Agile Coach? 

03:07 What are the keywords of the Agile setup?

04:50 How did Denmark's largest digital service provider decide to go Agile? 

09:28 How do you define Agile? 

13:15 What is the day-to-day role of an Agile Coach? 

15:24 Why Agile matter?

20:20 How do you use Agile for career development?

23:30 What changed when applying the Agile mindset to your career? 

28:25 Planning your Career Roadmap 

29:20 Finding your Calling / Purpose

32:20 How did you realize what was NOT working for you?

34:45 What advice do you have for young women looking to find their calling? 

38:35 Being Agile means adopting Servant Leadership.

41:13 The story of Women in Tech Denmark

Growth Marketing | BitPanda  | Growth Machine | Leadership | Product-Led Growth | Well-being | Career | Uber | Revolut | Marketing Executive | Teamwork | Sabbatical 

Irina Scarlat is the Chief Growth Officer at Bitpanda and an Uber & Revolut Alumna. She joins Femme Lead Podcast to discuss her amazing trajectory in the marketing space, how she tackled becoming a global manager, and how she helped build the growth machine that Revolut is known for. Additionally, we explore well-being and balancing career and family life in a real conversation that “you cannot have it all” and how to prioritize your time.

Irina Scarlat is an entrepreneur at heart, product marketer & team builder, with more than 12 years of business experience, 10 of them in tech. She currently leads the growth department for Bitpanda, an Austrian financial services company that allows its users to trade with cryptocurrencies, stocks, and precious metals. 

She previously spent 3 years with Revolut, where she joined as Country Manager for Romania in early 2018 and grew the local market from 20k to almost 1.5M users. She then built Revolut’s growth machine, led the growth teams in CEE and, later on, their Global Growth department, shaping Revolut’s growth journey from 1M to 15M users globally.  

Before joining Bitpanda and Revolut, Irina has been leading the marketing efforts of Uber in Romania, shaping the local strategy, and working on strategic regional projects & initiatives. During her time at Uber, she launched 3 cities, scaled the market to 1M users, and built the marketing team from scratch. 

Irina Scarlat is a global citizen that has been living, studying & working in seven cities across Europe and the United States, she speaks four foreign languages and she’s also the mom of a hyperactive toddler. 

Follow Irina Scarlat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irina-nicoleta-scarlat-30a4b28/


Episode Timeline:

02:50 What is growth marketing? 

03:45 What do you see are the trends in growth marketing?

05:20 How will the field of marketing evolve? 

07:50 What is the proudest moment from working to grow Uber’s marketing efforts?

11:15 What is the main learning from the period at Uber?

14:10 Learn to focus on what moves the needle

15:10 What is your advice for prioritizing?  

17:00 Revolut career path: Initial KPIs.

18:10 Reaching hyper-growth through Community-Driven Growth.

20:25 What advice can you share for those who look at global roles?

24:03 What changed dramatically when you took over a global role?

27:00 Challenging situations: Approach & Advice.

29:50 How to manage stressful situations?

32:50 How do career & well-being work together? 

36:33 Did you feel stress about family life & career expectations? 

39:48 How to prioritize time between career & family?

40:55 What was the biggest surprise of your career?

42:10 What do you wish you knew 5 years ago?  

Advertising | Creativity | Cannes Lions | Creative Industry | Digital Creators | Best Ads | Publicis | Ad World | Creatives |  

In this episode, we discuss advertising and working with the best creatives. Our guest is no other than Sandra Bold, Cannes Lions Jury member and Digital Creative Director at Publicis Milan. Sandra Bold is far from the typical path of working on a traditional career path, having graduated in architecture and deciding to work with ads instead to showcase the talent that lies within her. 

Sandra Bold joins Femme Lead Podcast to discuss her path, challenges, and what does it mean to work in the creative industries. A typical 9 to 5 is not what you'll find here, and Sandra doesn't shy away from mentioning the industry's hardships, from working long hours to striving to be the best at your craft. 

Sandra Bold started her ad career in Bucharest, Romania where she quickly grew from junior to senior positions. During her career, she kept on winning awards to make her parents less pissed off about her dropping architecture. Among the awards, you will find Cannes Lions, Eurobest, One show, Golden drum, and titles like Copywriter of the year (2016), Top 6 creatives to watch (2017), Pitch 100 Superwomen (2018).

Check out Sandra’s website: http://www.sandrabold.com/ 

Follow Sandra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-bold-22080a44/ 

Campaigns mentioned:

‘Bittersweet Pies’ by Paul Romania: https://www.adforum.com/creative-work/ad/player/34526090/bittersweet-pies/paul 

Ads by Heineken: https://www.adsoftheworld.com/taxonomy/brand/heineken 

‘Be a follower’ by Diesel: https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/diesel-campaign-mocks-influencers/

Episode timeline: 

02:28 How does a day look like working in the creative industries?

04:40 How does wellbeing play in the day-to-day life of a creative?

10:20 What is Cannes Lions, and how did you join as a Jury member?

13:40 How is the field of advertising evolving?

17:20 What are some essential points of stakeholder management? 

18:35 How to build confidence?  

21:12 How do you measure the success of work?

22:00 What other business setup should you prepare when presenting?

24:30 What made you decide to join the advertising field?

28:50 Challenging situation and how to approach it? 

31:49 Tackling wellbeing in the creative industries.

34:20 What to consider when changing roles & countries? 

38:15 What do you wish you knew at the beginning of your career?

39:40 Ladies Steps - What is the deal with gender equality?

43:30 What is your favorite ad campaign? 

Social Entrepreneurship | Social Change | Impact Business | Blue Lobster | Fishing | Disruptors | Business Acumen | Innovation | Digitalisation |

Nima Tisdall is a well-known entrepreneur in Denmark. Together with her co-founder Christine Hebert, they founded Blue Lobster, a platform for sustainable fishermen to sell their catches at a fair price.

In 2020, Nima Tisdall became the European Laureate for the Obama Foundation Leaders' Program, and in 2021 Nima was listed as one of Forbes 30 under 30.

In this episode, we sit down with Nima to discuss her path to entrepreneurship, how Blue Lobster became a profitable business and what challenges the co-founders encountered along the way. We deep dive into building a support system, building confidence, and keep on going even if the journey is not always easy.

At the beginning of 2020, Blue Lobster got a new round of funding and started planning for a B2B model that will serve restaurants with fresh fish. Soon after the pandemic hit, the company started selling to private customers. Within three weeks, the team stopped this plan as it was not playing to the company's strengths, including technological developments.

Blue Lobster's pillars are:

- Low Impact by working directly with fishermen using low impact techniques.

- Fairness by pay the fishermen 2 to 4 times more than what they would usually get.

- Fresh by delivering the freshest seafood on the market directly from the harbor.

Follow Nima Tisdall on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nimatisdall/

Check out Blue Lobster: https://bluelobster.app/

Episode Timeline:

01:38 Nima Tisdall, Obama Foundation European Leader Laureate

03:20 What is Blue Lobster's current setup? 

05:21 What were the challenges of digitalizing the fishing industry? 

07:05 How did you decide to look at the problem Blue Lobster solves? 

08:52 How did you choose to start Blue Lobster?

09:55 What was the feedback Blue Lobster received from the competition? 

13:30 What was the reaction from Blue Lobster to threads? 

16:15 What advice do you have for young women who want to start a business?

20:30 The importance of support systems. 

27:00 The development of Blue Lobster from idea to business. 

32:10 The pivot during 2020.

37:05 What advice do you have when building a team with a co-founder? 

41:18 What is something you wish you knew five years ago? 

CFO Career Story | Leadership Advice | Top Management | Women in Leadership | Finance Career | Lufthansa | Lead with Impact |

In this episode, we converse with Simone Menne, former CFO of Lufthansa AG and Boehringer Ingelheim. Simone Menne is a member of the supervisory board and non-executive director in various companies including BMW AG, Deutsche Post DHL, Johnson Controls International and runs an art gallery in Kiel.

We discuss with Simone her impressive career, what are her pieces of advice for people looking into top management positions and what does she believe about the new workforce generation. 

Career Path: From 1999 to 2004 Simone Menne was responsible for commercial administration and human resources, initially for the Southwestern Europe region until 2001, and later for Europe as a whole. From 2004 to 2010 Menne was in charge of finance and accounting at Lufthansa Technik. In 2010, Menne switched to the former LH subsidiary British Midland as CFO and accompanied their sale to the International Airlines Group. In 2012, Simone Menne was appointed Chief Financial Officer of Deutsche Lufthansa, becoming the first female CFO of a DAX group (most important German stock index ).

Key points:

📍The importance of quota for women in leadership: The world is diverse in business, customers are diverse. It would help if you had a diverse team to do the right things for a sustainable future for companies and take on different perspectives. 

📍Role Models: Having a career-mom and strong female role models inspires women and will increase their self-esteem. You will continue to build your self-esteem as you grow older, and that will also boost confidence and trust in others. Representation is key. 

📍Career Advice: We touch upon starting up knowing that being ‘bold’ is a decision and becomes a requirement as you progress in your career. 

Follow Simone Menne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simone-menne/

Check out Simone Menne's website: https://www.simonemenne.de/

Check out Simone's podcast - Die Boss [in German]: https://www.stern.de/wirtschaft/die-boss/


Episode Timeline:

02:30 Simone's Podcast Die Boss and promoting female role models. What is the mission behind Die Boss?

04:55 Why is it important to embrace diversity?

10:05 Who were your mentors? Who influenced your career

12:50 What do you tell women who do not have the confidence to “go for it”?

18:01 Looking back, would you have done anything differently?

21:25 Career path: what do you see as the key accomplishments in your life? 

26:05 What is your advice to graduates?

29:50 Characteristics of younger generations in the workforce.

34:30 Prior to becoming CFO, what were the lessons that helped you reach this milestone in your career?

38:00 Challenges in navigating your career path: How do you advise listeners to navigate difficult situations?

41:05 How do you think the corona-crisis affected the way the traveling industry?

44:12 How do you see the world has changed in the airline industry?

50:00 What do you wish you knew at the beginning of your career? 

Impact Investing | Venture Fund | Innovation | Healthcare Solutions | Women in Science | Business with Impact | World Impact | 

In this episode, we discuss impact investing: how to change the world through healthcare by creating impact businesses. My guest is Dr. Nina Rawal, the founder of Emerging Health Ventures, in Stockholm, Sweden.  We cover how can we all individually contribute to changing the world for the better, and what are the steps to follow if you are interested in investing in healthcare, as the emerging topic to ensure safety for our society. 

She headed the life science investment team at Industrifonden, a 500 million EUR venture capital fund. Previous experience also includes the role of Vice President, Strategy and Ventures at Gambro AB, and management consulting at Boston Consulting Group in Stockholm and New York. She serves on the boards of a non-profit hospital and health care organization. She holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Neurobiology, and a Masters in Biomedicine, both from the Karolinska Institute, including research work done at Columbia University in New York.

Recognition for her work includes the selection as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and a '40 under 40 - European Young Leader' by Friends of Europe/Europanova.

Follow Dr. Nina Rawal via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nina-rawal-3803a41/

Emerging Health Ventures: http://emheve.com/


Recommendations:

“Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World”, Book by Anand Giridharadas, 2018

“The man in the arena”, Speech by Theodore Roosevelt, 1910

Episode Timeline:

02:45 What is impact investing?

09:38 What can we do to stay up-to-date with what is happening around the world?

14:37 How do you become an impact investor? 

15:45 How do you enter the impact investing space? 

19:40 How do you measure impact?

21:30 How can we know what to look for in emerging markets?

25:00 How do you tackle affordability around the world?

29:00 What is your stance on creating impact with ROI?

33:00 The path to business from life science professional.

37:00 What are some pieces of advice for those who are interested in your career path?

40:00 What are some of the challenges of working in the venture space?

44:30 What do you wish you knew at the beginning of your career? 

Diversity & Inclusion | Leadership | 100Women @Davos | Women who impact | Representation | Women in Board Positions | Africa Women CEOs Network | 

Today’s episode is about diversity & inclusion in leadership. My guest is the amazing Dr. Anino Emuwa, a powerhouse, founder, international public speaker, and advocate for gender-balanced business leadership. 

She was named one of the top 125 Diversity and Including experts to follow on LinkedIn & she has spoken at prestigious conferences and institutions including Forbes, University of Cambridge, London School of Economics, France’s National Assembly, and TechPark Davos to name a few.

An executive strategist, she works with high-achieving women CEOs and founders and she is a coach and mentor for several global organizations. She is the founder of several communities of women including 100 Women@Davos and the Africa Women CEOs Network.

As the Managing Director of the strategy and financial advisory firm, Avandis Consulting in France contributes to UN SDG5 Target 5.5 on ensuring the equal participation of women in leadership. 

In our interview, we discuss the setup for diversity & inclusion in companies and how can we promote diversity in leadership. Representation is key for innovation, and the latest research papers show us that we still have a long way to go to represent diversity. Dr. Anino Emuwa sits down with us to go through the challenges of bringing more women to leadership, how to tackle diversity & inclusion in organizations, and what steps we can all take to get closer to the goal of having more inclusive leadership teams?

Follow Dr. Anino Emuwa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-anino-emuwa/ 

Follow Dr. Anino Emuwa on Clubhouse @anino 

Learn more about Avandis Consulting: https://avandisconsulting.com/ 

Episode Timeline: 

02:30 What does diversity and inclusion mean? 

04:25 How do you see the field of D&I evolving?

08:40 What do you think about pushing for quotas when there could be more competent people? 

12:00 Who should be responsible for moving the needle in the direction of change? 

15:00 How can we bring together parties who think D&I is a buzzword and it will die out? What is your stance on this?

17:12 What is your role at 100 Women@Davos? 

19:56 How does your day-to-day look like? 

23:23 How do you measure the success of your endeavors? How can we measure D&I impact?

25:50 How should you tackle your promotion in management in real life?

29:50 How does one enter the D&I space? If you are passionate about the subject, how can you get started in impacting the world by following such a mission?

31:50 What are some lessons you learned along the way about career development?

34:50 What are the challenges of building your own consulting practice? 

36:30 What pieces of advice do you follow in your entrepreneurial journey? 

38:30 What are some pieces of advice that want to follow your career path?

41:00 How is the story of joining the D&I space? 

42:40 What do you wish you knew at the beginning of your career? 

Neuroscience | Entrepreneurship | Neuroimaging | Exploration | Innovation | Neuroscience of entrepreneurship | Creativity | Ideas Management | Brain Power |

In this episode, our guest is Emily Clements who is completing a Ph.D. in Neuroimaging,  a collaboration between the Entrepreneurship Institute and Neuroimaging Department at King’s College London, aiming to uncover if there is something different in the brain of those who think entrepreneurial.  

The questions she will address with her research are (1) How do entrepreneurs' cognition (thinking) differ from non-entrepreneurs? (2) Do these differences in cognition correlate with the individual’s experience and differences in brain structure/function? (3) Can interventions develop this cognition? 

Aiming to uncover these findings, Emily shares valuable input on what makes an entrepreneur, what happens in the brain when we decide to take risks, and whether we see the path of entrepreneurship as specific to a certain type of person, with similar traits?
 
Findings from Emily’s research point out that entrepreneurship is more about mitigating risks rather than taking risks. 

Key takeaway:

"Develop self-awareness of who you are, how you think. Know your limits on what you can do. You have many strengths, but it is also important to recognize your limits. Often, people do not spend time thinking about who they are, considering their strengths & weaknesses. 

From a neuroscience perspective, for everyone, you can be a lot more successful in your career if you start to recognize who you are and how you think. It doesn’t mean you cannot develop other skills, but this is a more personalized approach to what is needed: what is success to you? "

You can follow Emily Clements on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-clements-852285125/

Check out Emily's community on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frontalthoughts/


Episode Timeline:

01:24 What is neuroscience? 

02:30 The research of neuroscience of entrepreneurship.

03:30 What are some clear findings from the research on entrepreneurship & neuroscience?

06:50 Entrepreneurial mind & teamwork: opinion.

09:40 Decision making & entrepreneurship: opinion.

10:50 Is there a difference between men & women when it comes to taking risks?

15:00 How should we tackle the focus on gender differences in sharing data? 

18:25 What would you advise people who are afraid to start their businesses?

21:55 What are the stages of decision-making? 

24:58 Does it take 21 days to break a habit?

26:20 How important is rest for the wellbeing of our brain?

28:50 Entrepreneurship & well-being: findings. 

33:40 What is the main finding of the research on the neuroscience of entrepreneurship?

37:00 How did you decide to start a career in neuroimaging? 

40:18 What is the best piece of advice received in your professional journey?

41:30 What is the most rewarding activity of being a neuroscientist?

43:00 What is your stance on bringing more women into STEM fields?

In this special episode Alexandra Ciobotaru, the host of Femme Lead joins Noa Segre, Senior Strategist at Talent Garden to converse about navigating the career path in tech and lessons from female role models. This event was live-streamed on the 8th of March 2021, on International Women’s Day.

Noa Segre is a Corporate Transformation Senior Strategist at Talent Garden, who shared insights from her experience in technology and innovation from startups and over 10 years of experience in one of Israel’s leading Venture Capital funds.

Episode Timeline:

07:15 Determine your North Star.

16:12 Your worth is not attached to a job. 

19:03 Set your own pace. It is never too late or too early. 

21:50 Don’t compare your chapter 1 with someone else’s chapter 10. 

24:30 Choose your battles.

27:02 Take responsibility for your life.

32:45 Fire Chat: Noa Segre in conversation with Alexandra Ciobotaru



See the full session on Youtube here: https://youtu.be/Mcl8ttw2kMA

Find out more about Talent Garden here: https://talentgarden.org/en/

Product Management | Psychological Safety | High Performing Teams | Product Executive | Women and Earnings |

In this interview, we discuss with Soumeya Benghanem the role of a product manager, learnings from Soumeya’s career, and how to create psychological safety to support high-performing teams. In the second part of the conversation, we also discuss the topic of women and earnings. Some of the questions we consider are: Are you happy with your earnings, are you unsure whether to ask for more money in your discussion with your manager, what do you feel about money & earnings in your life? This is a part of the discussion that sparked some important learnings, such as seeing money as a tool to live the life you want to live.


Soumeya Benghanem is a Product Management executive with 20 years of experience building product teams and software. She is currently a Product Management Practice Leader at Pivotal Labs, a Division of VMware. She has been the Chief Product Officer and Head of Product at startups in Financial Services and Healthcare. Some of the organizations that she has worked with include The United States Space Force, Merrill Lynch, The Bank of NY Mellon, and Paypal.

Takeaways:

• What is the range of pay in my role? “I use a range because I think it is more important than the average. Average implies there are many people above and many people below. If you get an offer in the average, you should counteroffer or negotiate for higher.” 
•  “Do not let money concerns or inequity pass because it multiplies. In one role, you are underpaid. You will probably be underpaid in the next role. So make sure to take care proactively in every role you get.”
• "Some of the most challenging things I had to go through were thinking the situation was a zero-sum game. You are either a winner or a loser. When in reality, there is complexity. The zero-sum game is an unhealthy mindset to have. Yet very typical when you grow up competitive or do not think about the complexity of a situation. Most of the challenges I had in my career were around situations that I treated like either I would win or lose. "

Follow Soumeya's updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soumeyab/
Follow Soumeya's updates on Clubhouse: @soumeya


Episode Timeline:

02:00 What is product management, and how did the field develop in the last years?

03:48 How did you decide to move into product management? What are some of the peculiarities of the role? 

06:30 How would you define the product space to somebody completely new to it?

09:55 Managing high-performing teams: How do you create high-performing teams? 

12:40 How do you create psychological safety?

17:41 Any advice for teams in the remote-work era? How to implement psychological safety in this new setup? 

21:20 DRIP Framework for 1-on-1 meetings. 

23:10 What was the biggest surprise of your career?

25:46 Learnings from Soumeya’s current executive role at VMware.

28:05 Upbringing and learnings from Soumeya’s life.  

33:00 Women and Earnings.

38:00 Bias towards women if they ask for money. Being greedy versus being confident. 

47: 00 Challenging situations and how you navigated the scenario.

50:00 What advice do you have for those who want to follow in your path?

55:00 Anything you wish you knew at the beginning of your career? 

Health & Wellbeing | Wellbeing Strategy | Organizational Wellbeing | Support & Education | How to develop a wellbeing strategy in an organization | Wellbeing Leader | Strategic Role |

In this episode, Lisette shares her journey in IKEA, how she helped develop a well-being strategy, and how 2020 was the year that saw increased adoption of this topic in organizations, and what are some key steps to consider when tackling health & wellbeing in this setup.

Lisette shares how she developed her own role as a wellbeing specialist, steaming from the desire to shift from focusing on absenteeism to focusing on improved well-being at work, a feeling of social, psychological, financial, and emotional safety.

Lisette’s role in IKEA is setting the vision and leading the global health & wellbeing portfolio, focusing on building a strong and sustainable health & wellbeing culture through a strategic combination of innovation and evidence-based approaches to accelerate development and achieve short-term and long-term results, aligned with the company strategy, global stakeholders and the outside world trends. 

You can follow Lisette de Jonge on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisettedejonge/ 

Resources from Lisette:

Esther Perel Podcast: https://www.estherperel.com/podcast 

The Knowledge Project: https://fs.blog/knowledge-project/ 

Feel Better and Live More Podcast: https://drchatterjee.com/blog/category/podcast/ 

Calm App: https://www.calm.com/ 

Down Dog App: https://www.downdogapp.com/ 


Episode Timeline:

01:58 What is the role of global health & wellbeing leader? 

04:20 How did the idea of having a wellbeing strategy changed in IKEA in the last year?

05:55 What were the first tasks as a well-being professional?

07:24 How did you tackle the process of getting the findings to support the wellbeing strategy?

08:38 What were some of the tangible points of having a wellbeing strategy? 

10:25 What should leaders pay attention to when deciding to have a well-being role in their setup?

12:30 What were some challenges when setting up the agenda for the strategy?

14:25 What is your opinion on some of the lessons we should have learned from 2020?

17:50 Togetherness is important: we don’t mind seeing children in the background of your Zoom call

19:24 How can we take care of ourselves & what advice do you have for listeners?

21:14 What resources on wellbeing can you share? 

24:04 What realizations can you share from working with well-being?

27:10 How did you build your professional setup around wellbeing?

29:00 Any advice for those who want to follow your career path?

33:32 What was the biggest surprise of your career?

34:26 Is there anything you wish you knew at the beginning of your career?

36:20 What are the trends in wellbeing & changes in this regard for the future?

Authentic Parenting | Your authentic self | The impact of your luggage in raising children | Intuition & education | Finding out who you are for yourself and your children |
 

In this episode, we tackle the topic of authentic parenting, how do we find out who we are and what are our values, so we raise children from a place of authenticity and love, not only for ourselves but also for future generations. The main message of this episode is to take responsibility for yourself and widen your lens to see ‘what else is out there for me’?

Ashley is a certified parenting coach, international best-selling author, and founder of Raising Humanity. Ashley discovered through her own life process, deep healing, and by way of her own children, just how important it is to take responsibility for ourselves and reclaim the joy, freedom, and aliveness we were all born with. 

Raising Humanity, a transformational development platform, helps people recreate their foundation of beliefs based on their own values so that they can walk their most authentic path and support future generations in living theirs. Ashley believes that revolutionizing who we are as parents are the path to creating sustainable humanity.  

Raising Humanity's online programs are as follows: 

1. The Balancing Act, a 4-week experience that is the first step off the treadmill, helping bring awareness and boundaries into your life as a parent  https://raisinghumanity.com/the-balancing-act/  

2. The ReConnection Project, our signature 6-month experience that offers parents an opportunity to recreate their foundation of beliefs, and move towards freedom, joy, and purpose https://raisinghumanity.com/thereconnectionproject/

Resources from Ashley:

The 6C's - An assessment as to just how well supported you are on your path of evolution: https://raisinghumanity.com/the-reconnection-project-6-c/

Website: https://raisinghumanity.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/raisinghumanityvillage
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raisinghumanity/?hl=en
 

Episode Timeline:

02:35 What is authentic parenting?

04:02 How do you introduce the topic of authentic parenting to new audiences who never questioned the idea of parenting?

10:40 Where do we start understanding ourselves?

18:20 How do we deal with our luggage so it doesn't affect the way we raise children in a way we might not? 

24:30 What is the process of authentic parenting during the programs led by Raising Humanity?

36:58 How can we tackle the practice of intuition in schools?  

44:40 Ashley’s journey from a successful corporate career to building Raising Humanity 

54:30 Advice for the listeners on authentic parenting and finding their authentic self 

You can find Ashley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-avinashi-b6443b14/

Mobility | Impact of technology on the mobility space| Gender & VC | The role of diversity in building companies | The success of an idea and what impacts it| 


In this new season, we deep dive into new fields of work and we focus on career paths we haven't mentioned before, as well as some topics we were encouraged by the listeners to add. 

In this episode, we discuss the world of venture capital, how to get started, what is to know about the mobility space with Sohaila Ouffata, my next guest, and a great overview of how does one sees their career development through different phases in life. We touch on diversity and the workplace, building successful companies, female-led businesses, and black female-led organizations and their success, and advice from challenging situations. 

Sohaila Ouffata is the Managing Director of BMW i Ventures in Europe. In addition to this role, she also serves in the global team as the Director of Platform with a focus on developing and implementing strategic growth initiatives for BMW i Ventures’ portfolio companies. Leveraging the unique strengths of the BMW ecosystem the goal of these efforts is to establish transformative partnerships and help the portfolio companies succeed and scale, Before joining BMW i Ventures Sohaila worked as a Senior Innovation and New Business Manager within the Telecommunications and Media industry as well as a Management Consultant. Sohaila is a mission-driven leader and a strong advocate of sustainable and responsible Venture Capital investing.

Episode Timeline:

02:16 Introduction of Sohaila Ouffata, Director of Platform at BMW I Ventures  

04:20 Sohaila Ouffata: background and upbringing

08:00 What is your stance on the VC world? How will the future look like?

11:30 What does the role of director of platform entail? How do you promote diversity in this role?

14:22 Mobility and the future of the space

18:10 Women-led businesses & the VC world 

22:40 Navigating different cultural settings: the importance of diversity in the VC world

24:40 What are the most important factors to consider when entering the VC world?

30:30 What lessons can you share from challenging situations?

36:06 What was the biggest surprise of your career?

38:00 Is there any advice for those who want to follow your path?

41:10 What do you wish you knew at the beginning of your career? 

You can follow Sohaila on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sohailaouffata/ 

In this episode, we converse with Kearney Principal, Ceyda Atay Haga about her path into management consulting, pieces of advice for young graduates who want to kickstart their career in consulting or experienced hires who want to transition to management consulting. Moreover, we talk about challenges and advice for those who want to learn from Ceyda’s extensive experience across 4 countries: how to tackle an interview, the importance of confidence, and how you can showcase your skills, as well as insights into the consulting lifestyle. 

For nearly a decade, she worked across Kearney’s Melbourne, Istanbul and Oslo offices and has been a trusted advisor to multiple CXOs for their mission-critical strategic interventions including large-scale transformations, growth agenda, digital & IT, pricing, innovation, and mergers. She takes active roles in Kearney’s local recruitment and diversity & inclusion efforts. She has also been a frequent spokesperson on Technology and Women in Leadership topics.

Follow Ceyda on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ceydaatay/

Read Ceyda’s recent articles:  

https://finansavisen.no/nyheter/telekom/2020/10/02/7573195/kearney-mener toget-holder-pa-a-ga-fra-telenor-og-telia 

https://www.kearney.com/covid-19/article/?/a/10-ways-to-use-digital-to strengthen-your-customer-experience-amid-the-covid-19-pandemic 

https://www.kearney.com/communications-media-technology/article?/a/winning in-sales-through-technology

Episode Timeline:

02:27 What does it mean to be a Principal in a management consulting company?

03:30 Can you share more about your upbringing? Who is Ceyda?

06:00 The career path in Kearney from Turkey to Australia, to Norway.

07:48 Is management consulting an exciting path for graduates to follow? What advice would you share with those who consider consulting as the next step after graduating?

10:46 Are there any tips for students to know when applying to a management consulting firm?

13:15 What are some lessons you wish you knew when starting your career in consulting?

17:15 What do you advise listeners who want to transition to consulting, the experienced hires?

19:40 How much does confidence matter when going to an interview? 

21:45 Do you think there is a difference between women and men when showcasing confidence?

24:10 What were some of the challenges of a career path in consulting?

28:05 What is your advice for people who go through challenges in the workplace?

34:20 Perspective to consider when you receive feedback or go through challenges.  

39:20 What was the biggest surprise of your career?

41:55 What is the most rewarding activity of working as a consultant? 

45:25 What is your last piece of advice for those who want to follow in your footsteps?

In this interview we converse with Anja Monrad, the woman that leads Dell Technologies in the Central & Eastern Europe region, covering 31 countries, from Israel to Poland. This episode focuses on marketing communications and Anja's journey from starting as a graduate in IT sales to becoming an executive, all through planning her career. 

Having joined Dell as Marketing Director for the Nordic countries in 2000, Anja has since pursued an international career within Dell Marketing holding various regional and global roles. She has been in charge of Dell’s CEE business since 2013.

Anja oversees Dell Technologies entrepreneurship initiatives for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. She is an ardent promoter of female entrepreneurship and has been recognized among the top inspiring women in the Nordic tech scene.

Anja is a member of the Danish IT association board and Chairman of the IT association’s Steering committee for Female IT Executives. In 2018 she has been appointed the chair of the Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition Governing Board at the European Union.

Anja's journey is full a wisdom and in the 45 minutes of the interview, we follow her upbringing, the decisions she made to pursue a career in marketing, and how she built her career by creating one opportunity after another, finding sponsors within the company and taking on more responsibility when there was no one else to do the task.

Quotes:

‘’Life is too short for companies who are not supportive of a diverse & inclusive culture. If good talent disappears, companies will change. But you don’t have to waste your time while they figure it out. Try and change the environment, but if it doesn't work, pack up and go somewhere else.”

“Ask for help: Go ask again and then go and ask somebody else. Ask for sponsorship. There is a difference between asking for mentoring and then asking for sponsorship in the organization. Go and ask for help from people who have influence.“

You can follow Anja Monrad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjamonrad/

Episode Timeline:

02:48 Did you plan your career? Did you know you will become an SVP?

05:00 Were there role models or anything in your upbringing that made you want to decide your path?

07:00 Is there anything you wish you knew before deciding your path e.g. university? 

08:30 What do you tell people who feel they are running out of time to building their careers?

13:30 What was a lesson prior to joining Dell that helped you decide on your path? 

19:20 What was the best piece of advice you received navigating the first year of your career?

21:30 What were some of the obstacles in navigating your career?

25:00 What do you tell women who feel their promotion paths are not going the way they want?

28:20 Is there something you would have done differently in your career knowing everything you know now? What about if the company you’re in does not support your path? 

31:55 What was the biggest surprise of your career?

33:26 What is the most rewarding activity of your career?

34:30 What do you tell people who feel the pressure of always looking for a new position?

38:37 Were there any situations where you had to go “through fire”? How do you navigate difficult situations?

43:15 Final thoughts on seeing your job as part of your life, it is a marathon. Your job is NOT your identity. 

In this episode, we discuss the field of business development, how to work with high-level clients, how to communicate, and what questions to ask. The journey to navigate the corporate setup can be paved with challenges if the relationship with your customers is not strong. 

Ana Sarbu shares pieces of advice on how to build fruitful partnerships with business partners and ensure their needs are listened to and met while providing the service Palantir is best known for: the world's leading software for data-driven decisions and operations.

Ana has been living between the US and Europe for the past 12 years and is now based in London, UK. She graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University in 2012 with a double degree in Foreign Policy and Russian and is currently working in business development for the Silicon Valley technology company Palantir Technologies (https://www.palantir.com/). 

She is passionate about offering young people in Eastern Europe the same educational opportunities that she’s had abroad. While in college, together with her friends, she co-founded Aspire Education – an organization focused on discovering, developing, and connecting young leaders in Eastern Europe by offering them opportunities to engage with Ivy-league professors, inspirational speakers, and mentors.

Follow Ana Sarbu on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-sarbu-51a53728/ 

Check out Aspire Education and find out more about the program: https://www.aspireacademy.ro/ 

Resources from Ana:

o   Podcast: NYT Rabbithole – about the effects the Internet has on our lives https://www.nytimes.com/column/rabbit-hole

o   Books:

§  “In Extremis” about the life and work of war journalist Marie Colvin; an impressive figure, courageous and fragile at the same time.

§  For some foundational work: "Plato’s Dialogues", especially Apology, Phaedo, Republic, Phaedrus, Symposium.

o   Speech: Angela Merkel tv speech at the start of coronavirus: https://ga.de/ga-english/news/angela-merkel-s-speech-about-the-corona-virus-in-full_aid-49639811;
Video with subtitles: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/03/angela-merkel-nails-coronavirus-speech-unlike-trump.html

o   Method: take time to reflect on yourself; write down a few things you wish to accomplish over the next years and put them in a box / a jar; set your mind to them. Revisit them in a few years (wait at least 3 years) and see how many you’ve accomplished. Then repeat the exercise. 

Episode Timeline:

03:40 What does your role of business cultivation mean?

05:50 What does business development mean to you?

08:36 How to research and connect with peers in your field.

13:30 What should people know when interacting with clients on a daily basis?

16:50 What questions do you ask your clients when starting to work together?

19:00 Using ‘prioritization’ in your personal life. What is it that you truly prioritize?

24:48 What do you think about the expression 'the customer is in charge'? How do you tackle situations when you know you need to advise your customers differently than they want?

27:43 How did your upbringing influenced & kick-started your career in Silicon Valley?

35:25 What is the most rewarding aspect of your current role?

39:00 What is Aspire Education? How is a program such as Aspire impacting the professional & educational world?

Dr. Ghina M. Halabi is the first person to obtain a doctorate in astrophysics from a Lebanese university, a Space Scientist at the University of Cambridge, Programme Director at Cambridge Judge Business School's Entrepreneurship Centre, and the founder of She Speaks Science. Through all of her initiatives, she aims to make science accessible and women in STEM more visible, one story at a time.

In this episode, Dr. Ghina discusses the role of astrophysics in science, gender biases in showcasing science as a career option for girls, and steps to change the narrative so that more women join STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics).

Throughout her career, Ghina believed that she had more to offer to the world and strived to receive the Award for Doctoral Studies at the American University of Beirut, becoming the first person to receive a Ph.D. degree in Astrophysics from a Lebanese university. Moreover, she was a postdoctoral research associate at the Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, UK, where she investigated the evolution of stars and the formation of elements.

Passionate about women in STEM, she founded She Speaks Science, a platform that features stories shared by contributors in science from around the world: "We want to increase active engagement with science by inspiring young people into STEM, and to make STEM inclusive by promoting women and minority scientists. Our vision is a world where all scientists are valued, and where science is at the heart of society not a luxury or accessory."

In 2019, Dr. Ghina was featured in Postscript Magazine as the Muse Urania, in an issue that aimed to deconstruct mythological muses & reimagine them as modern #WomenofColour.

Episode Timeline:

Introduction & Astrophysics starting at 02’:

00:02:19 Introduction to Dr. Ghina M.Halabi

00:03:36 Astrophysics: Research focus at the University of Cambridge

Career Path starting at 9’:

00:09:40 From the mountains of Lebanon to obtaining the first Doctorate from a Lebanese University

00:12:22 Inspiration for career path and steps to forging your own path

00:15:40 The importance of role models in science

00:17:50 Conversation about biases in STEM

00:27:15 Initiatives taken to showcase role models in science

00:32:02 Reimagining Greek Muses as Women of Color

Advice section starting at 35’:

00:35:33 Advice for the scientific path and tackling underrepresentation

00:39:00 Invitation to join the "She Speaks Science" mission

Connect with Dr. Ghina M. Halabi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ghinamhalabi/

Resources:

• She Speaks Science: http://www.shespeaksscience.com/
• Interview with Women Making Waves: https://soundcloud.com/user-603229904/dr-ghina-halabi
• Interview with Interplanetary Podcast on Wormholes: https://www.interplanetary.org.uk/post/157-ghina-halabi-wormholes 
• Postscript Magazine Feature of Dr. Ghina M. Halabi as the Muse Urania: https://www.instagram.com/p/BvZJG4bgc4l/

In this interview, Madalina Petrescu M.D. is sharing what it truly means to live a heart-centered life. She goes beyond the traditional healing of the physical heart and dives deep into living life from your heart. She talks about how to live an aligned life, a whole, and balanced life, what true health really means, involving all aspects of self including physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. 

Madalina has always been attracted to the space of the heart and the healing arts, becoming a cardiologist in 2004. She currently works at Swedish Medical Center, in Seattle Washington. She holds leadership positions in advanced imaging of the heart and has served as faculty at national conferences on cardiovascular topics. 

Her own personal challenges led her on a life journey into the heart, awakening her to the deeper meaning of conscious living and to what true healing means. She is also a Certified Consciousness Parenting Coach and an international best selling author. She is a certified practitioner and facilitator of heart-opening modalities such as Reconnective Healing, and Kundalini Activation Process.

Madalina shares her authentic life journey, how she came into her profession as a cardiologist, the walls she hit against, and how she discovered that her greatest challenges turned out to be the greatest gifts that led her on the path into her own heart connection, truth, and wisdom. 

In the process, she shares the pearls of how it is possible to show up to the world and serve others by first honoring oneself so she can serve from a full and overflowing heart. She is married to Cris and together they have two beautiful daughters. She loves connecting with nature through outdoor adventures such as hiking, camping, and much more. She also loves to travel, explore cultures, and engage in spiritual practices and heart-centered healing modalities.

Madalina co-authored 3 books that became international best sellers:

1) Ignite your Female Leadership. Thirty-five outstanding stories by women who are inspiring the world through feminine leadership.

2) Ignite your Parenting.  Real-life, heartfelt stories to help parents find balance and joy in raising happy children.

3) Ignite Love. Real-life stories of defining love and manifesting more of it in your everyday life.

Resources: 

1. Louise Hay "You Can Heal your life".
2. Wayne Dyer.
3. Michael Singer "Untethered Soul".
4. Eckart Tolle "The Power of Now".
5. Paulo Coelho "The Alchemist".
6. The Tao Te Ching, also known as Lao Tzu.

How do you decide to start a business that would serve women in the financial industry? The answer? You quickly realize that women are underrepresented in the financial markets, and they generally retire with 35% less wealth than men. In Denmark, the number is 43% less for women. 

Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen is the co-founder of Female Invest, Northern Europe's leading financial educator. 

The goal of Female Invest is to help women become better at investing and managing their personal finances. They do this, among other things, through video courses and coaching sessions.

Since Female Invest was founded in 2017, the company has helped 25,000 women across 33 countries become better at investing.

In this episode, Anna-Sophie will tell us more about Female Invest, the company's missions, and vision, how did she decide to start a business, what are some of the challenges she had to overcome, as well as learnings she gathered.

Recently, Anna-Sophie won the Cartier Women's Initiative Awards in Europe, the world's largest startup competition for women entrepreneurs. and previously she was featured as Forbes 30 under 30. On top of that, Anna is a TedX speaker, and she often speaks about the financial gap and ways to move the needle and educate women about their financial future.

Upbringing

02:20 - Cartier Women's Initiative Award

06:55 - The ecosystem of learning about investment

08:20 - The reason for starting a company: What are the drivers for starting a business?

Career Path

13:00 - Milestones of building Female Invest

14:30 - Navigating the entrepreneurial journey

16:34 - The mission of Female Invest: Closing the financial gap

17:25 - Gender traits in investment

20:35 - The way Female Invest is educating women about investing

Advice

25:19 - Thoughts on starting a company: "You do not need a lot of starting capital"

28:50 - Lessons learned from the Female Invest journey so far: "Do everything thoroughly from the beginning"

31:00 - A team set up for success: The organizational structure of Female Invest

33:07 - Plans for expansion: Global reach.

Resources

• Find Anna-Sophie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-sophie-hartvigsen-46352611a/ 

• Follow Female Invest: https://www.femaleinvest.com/

• Anna-Sophie's TedX Odense Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enfUZR5Un9w&ab_channel=TEDxTalks

• The book written by the Co-founders of Female Invest (Danish): "Klar - Parat - Investér": https://www.bog-ide.dk/produkt/4431022/emma-bitz-klar-parat-invester

• Cartier Women's Initiative Award: https://www.cartierwomensinitiative.com/candidate/anna-sophie-hartvigsen

This episode of the interview podcast focuses on the field of learning and development. Alina Cristina Buteica is a professional with years of experience in the learning space, having built the department for Africa's first billion-dollar company, Jumia.
 
1. Upbringing and education section:

 Alina Buteica is a graduate of 3 business schools and has lived in 17 countries on 3 continents. With such an amazing life story, Alina will focus on her journey into learning and development and how she stepped into a deeper level of personal growth, how to live a sustainable life, and leave an imprint in the organization and teams you work with.
 
 Her journey in Africa started as a trainer for a large shipping and logistic provider for the continent. For one year, she was training employees on standardizing their new identity and processes across the organization.
 
2. Career Path section starting at 11':

·       How to relate to different countries - be open to conversations and show trust.

·       Stay humble and grounded.

·       Have a mindset of "everybody has an interesting story to share."

·       Go towards where the challenge is - this is an effective learning method.

·       "The ones who work the hardest get to have the most incredible experiences" but they also get more on their plate.

·       It is possible to research, design, test, and develop a project on your own, but it is essential to stop and reflect on what you did.

·       It's good to learn to say "yes, and" e.g., "yes, and I also need this level of support" to accomplish a task.

·       Invest in your personal development so you can build a profile that supports all aspects of your life.

3. Advice section starting at 38':

·       "Start from where you are."

·       "It is important to take the path that you enjoy, not necessarily the path that we have been thought is safe."

·       "Nurture: There are periods of contractions and expansion for the universe, such as seasons or cycles of our body. Give it time to rest and restore." 

Alina is now focusing on career and mindset coaching and holistic leadership working with executives to build transformational leadership programs for large organizations through her own company, Growth Hives: https://growthhives.com/

She expanded her portfolio towards personal development, including energy healing & activation programs, and life coaching. 

You can follow Alina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alinacbuteica/

Resources from Alina

Leaders to follow: Tony Roberts, Liza Nichols

Link to the book co-written by Alina: https://www.amazon.com/Ignite-Your-Female-Leadership-Thirty-five-ebook/dp/B07TW9MQPJ

Brittany Arthur is an expert in innovation and design thinking, and through her company, Design Thinking Japan, she bridges the world of innovation and organizational change.

Brittany organically developed the ability to connect her love for Japan with her passion for processes and customer-centricity. She has a double degree in business and Japanese, as she identified that this is the field she wants to pursue as it outlines her passion for people.

Career Path Section at 10’:

What is design thinking?

Design thinking is a methodology based on human centricity, meaning building a product based on the user's need. In this iterative approach, you work for people to bring them better goods and services. Popularized in the West in the early 2010s with IDEO, Stanford's d.school, and the Hasso-Plattner Institute in Germany, the methodology reached Japan maybe 5-6 years later. From there on, Brittany decided to become the liaison between this methodology and the Japanese market, as she possessed both the skills and the passion for this endeavor.

From there on, through her practice, Brittany helps companies to achieve their innovation aspirations in Japan. She continues to adjust the processes and listen to the market, as well as develop as they go along. 

The differentiating factor in Brittany’s career path was her ability to speak Japanese. Looking at the development of the field of design thinking and what her peers were doing, she had a moment of epiphany where she asked herself: “If I won’t do it, who will? If I do not try and move the needle and do work in Japan, who is?”

Where does design thinking fit in an innovation strategy for companies?

Design thinking is an "and tool": use whatever you have AND design thinking. In a company, it plays along in 2 ways. On one hand, it is the ability to build a creatively confident workforce and on the other hand, it is the ability to create new business opportunities.

What are some of the challenges of working with design thinking in Japan?

When you are introducing something "new,” a Western concept, what you need to do is create an analogy that will make it more familiar to the Japanese. For example, in Japan, businesses do not take risks as much as in Western cultures at the beginning of a process, but when committed, they will invest all their resources.

How to use design thinking for your career?

"Take a moment to realize you can design your career. Write down a plan, pivot quickly, and gather feedback. It is not something you need to leave to chance."

Advice Section at 29':

31:00: "Rather than act as a subject-matter expert, simply document your experience. As early as you can in your career, become connected to an idea. Think about what do you want to be known for and make it a part of your everyday life.”

What does it mean to live a non-linear life?

If you live a non-linear, meaning living abroad, working in a new industry, your life is going to look different. "My life is for me, every element that makes you special contributes to living your non-linear life. Your job is to show up for your community, for your industry, for yourself. Your life will look different from your neighbor, which is ok because they took a different path."

Resources: Dan Pink & Sir Ken Robinson

Follow Brittany on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanyart/

Discover Design Thinking Japan: https://www.designthinkingjapan.com/

Brittany's podcast:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/business-karaoke-with-brittany-arthur/id1507834758

How to find your path? How to understand what is in store for you by listening within? 

A tough question, it appears. However, with the right advice, you can find a way to unlock your potential and have a fulfilling career.