Month: July 2022

Female Disruptors: Natalie Lorenz of Decorus Home Staging On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up…

Female Disruptors: Natalie Lorenz of Decorus Home Staging On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry

Life is a series of puzzle pieces, and if we view each problem as a puzzle piece and how we can solve the puzzle, the problems become easier to overcome.

As we move into a new phase of our business, which is serving the luxury real estate market, we have had to adjust our pricing which has not always been received favorably. I can see this as a problem or just see it as a puzzle piece we are trying to position in the right way, to find that perfect fit. Sometimes it needs a little rotating to get it right.

As a part of our series about women who are shaking things up in their industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Natalie Lorenz.

Natalie Lorenz is an international award-winning home staging expert, CEO, Speaker and TV Contributor. She has become known as “America’s Home Staging Expert” with television and media features on NBC, CBS, Cheddar, CW, Elle Décor, and some of the top stages in America. Natalie is the Founder and CEO of Decorus Home Staging and Design with offices in Seattle and Southwest Florida. Natalie leads her team of award-winning luxury vacant home stagers to challenge the status quo. It’s that unique and customized approach that has garnered Natalie some of the most respected accolades including being named one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Real Estate Staging by the Real Estate Staging Association for five years running.

Natalie, an undeniable leader in the staging industry, has taken her business from an incubator startup to a 7-figure business in just five short years. She is accredited through Certified Staging Professionals and Staging Design Professional, and is a Short Term Rental Stylist and a Certified Color Consultant.

Hailing from South Africa, Natalie relocated to the U.S. nearly two decades ago and now calls America, home. She is a wife and mother of two.

Natalie would love to help you achieve luxury, balance and unmatched quality that converts in your next one-of-a-kind home staging design.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

I always had an interest in interior design and when I moved to the States I had considered getting a degree in Interior Design. As a young married woman, living in the Bay Area, it wasn’t on the cards for me and I decided to put this dream on the back burner. Fast forward after having my two daughters, I found myself needing back surgery. While I was recovering from major back surgery, I watched way too many home improvement shows and told my husband I wanted to flip a house. Once I recovered, I got my real estate license and bought a house to flip. My husband said, I chose the Mount Everest of flips to do, because it was an extremely difficult project to complete. As we were getting ready to list the house for sale, my realtor advised me that I needed to stage the house. I didn’t know much about staging at that point but I did know I didn’t want to spend another dime on the house. I eventually agreed and found a budget stager to stage the house and we have a saying in the industry, cheap staging isn’t good and good staging isn’t cheap! Well, I got what I paid for and needed to supplement the staging. I was very excited about having to go shopping and decorate the house. My husband said, “You mean you could have just done this part and you would been happy?” I think we both realized that flipping houses wasn’t for me but decorating was. A friend suggested I start a home staging business but because the project was so difficult, I couldn’t imagine starting a new business. I took a couple of months to catch my breath and that Christmas my husband gave me a few staging books. I started reading them and saw that there were staging conferences a couple of times a year and there happened to be one in Las Vegas in January. He said, “Well, I guess you are going to Vegas”. I couldn’t go to Vegas without really knowing what Staging was about. I found myself some educational tools and a couple weeks later went and got certified as Home Stager and then attended my first Staging Conference. A month later, Decorus Home Staging was born. I believe I came full circle with my love for interior decorating. I am not an Interior designer but I get to design beautiful spaces with a purpose every day.

Can you tell our readers what it is about the work you’re doing that’s disruptive?

This is a multi-layer question. We are disrupting the status quo. No 1: From an industry point of view…

Home stagers can sometimes have an air about them and get very territorial about “their Designs.’ I can understand this as we put our hearts into every design we do but after attending an Inman conference a few years ago I really heard what realtors were wanting from their vendors. From that day forward, I decided that at Decorus Home Staging, we were checking our egos at the door and what we were doing was not about us, it was about the marketing vision that the realtor had and that we were there to support that vision. This is now our business philosophy. Many people are amazed at how small our marketing and advertising spend is. What we do is ALL about relationships and not how good our advertising is.

No 2: From a design and product prospective. Home Staging is not about throwing furniture in a house and hoping for the best. For me and my business, it is the upmost importance that what we put into a seller’s home is pristine and as near perfect as possible. It is so important to us, that we developed reusable furniture covers to protect our staging props to ensure that we keep that high standard of quality in each home. We now manufacture these covers in the USA and they are available to the industry for purchase. The earlier adopters of theses covers are hooked and it has been a game changer in their businesses.

No 3: During the pandemic, supply chain issues caused a major problem for obtaining new inventory. Part of what makes a stage a spectacular one is the artwork, and we couldn’t get our hands on any in a timely manner to keep our product standards. We decided to bring printing and manufacturing of artwork in-house and have a full-blown framing workshop in our warehouse. This has set us apart as we can fully curate artwork for a specific house on a whim. THIS challenges the status quo and puts us ahead of our competition.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

The funniest mistake I made was believing that I was an “expert in my field” just because I just completed my training. Ok, I didn’t really believe it but I was told that I should believe it. The truth of the matter is that I felt like an imposter and it took about two years and 100’s of houses later to actually feel like I knew what I was doing and be confident in my abilities. The person that told me this was shocked that I didn’t feel like an expert. I definitely feel like there’s a certain degree of ‘faking it till you make it’ through our life. But you have to know the difference and be authentic in your belief.

We all need a little help along the journey. Who have been some of your mentors? Can you share a story about how they made an impact?

I have many sounding boards in the staging industry that I often speak to about various issues. There has been many a time when I have felt like giving up, or I have been so mad at all my staff and felt underappreciated and those “talk me down” phone calls have been impactful by speaking to someone that not only knows the pains of our industry but can empathize and always give a different point of view. I believe it is really important to have trusted confidants that can help you through the “human” side of business.

My dad has always been a huge mentor in my life. His career in senior management of the largest private airline in Southern Africa, gave him years of wisdom he can impart. He managed a large staff, and I think the hardest part of running a business, is the managing the people. He always knows how to approach a specific problem when they arise. His best piece of advice that always comes to mind when I am dealing with my team, is that you should always address the problem, not the person. I don’t care for any sort of conflict; this is always a struggle for me when I need to deal with staffing issues. This piece of advice definitely helps me overcome my fear of “hurting their feelings”.

On a personal note, throughout my childhood and youth, he has always told me that ‘I am the head, and not that tail”. I tribute this belief to my “glass full” attitude and belief that I can do things even when they seem daunting.

In today’s parlance, being disruptive is usually a positive adjective. But is disrupting always good? When do we say the converse, that a system or structure has ‘withstood the test of time’? Can you articulate to our readers when disrupting an industry is positive, and when disrupting an industry is ‘not so positive’? Can you share some examples of what you mean?

Disruption can definitely ruffle feathers! People either love you for it or hate you for it. I think disruption is good when it elevates the industry as a whole and it’s for the greater good. I have a deep desire to see other small businesses thrive and if I can disrupt the status quo to help elevate them in their business and thus the industry, we all win. I think disruption is bad when you do it for self-gain at others’ expense.

An example of a good disruption, is our doing a lot of R and D on the furniture protection covers. Not only did it help our business save on manpower, time, money and waste, but those that have adopted it have found huge savings in their businesses and they can’t operate without them! Not only that, by protecting our inventory, we put a better product into people’s houses. This as a whole raises the standard of the industry. Winning all round! We disturbed the status quo for the better.

Can you share 3 of the best words of advice you’ve gotten along your journey? Please give a story or example for each.

1). Life is a series of puzzle pieces, and if we view each problem as a puzzle piece and how we can solve the puzzle, the problems become easier to overcome.

As we move into a new phase of our business, which is serving the luxury real estate market, we have had to adjust our pricing which has not always been received favorably. I can see this as a problem or just see it as a puzzle piece we are trying to position in the right way, to find that perfect fit. Sometimes it needs a little rotating to get it right.

2). If in doubt, then no

I use this while shopping, whether is clothing or inventory, this has saved me so many times from spending money on something that won’t get used.

3). Regret the chances you take vs the chances you don’t take.

I don’t have any regrets in my life!

We are sure you aren’t done. How are you going to shake things up next?

The staging industry is still fairly new. It is definitely prevalent in some markets but there is still so much to do in other markets. The paradigm shift of taking someone’s home to make it a product to take to market, still has a long way to go. Through our standard of excellence and always raising the bar, It is my goal to not only make this shift nationally but internationally. We are starting by expanding our business into Florida. While we continue to excel in Seattle, there is still much work to be done.

Over and above that, my husband and I have a heart to serve and help anyone that seeks help in our industry. Our partnership has always been one of “ always say yes and we will figure out the rest”, so while we expand our staging and staging support business, I have no doubt that when that next opportunity arises to make a difference, we will say YES!

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by ‘women disruptors’ that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

Having a solid support system. They say behind every strong man, is a strong woman. I believe the same should be said of a woman. I feel blessed to have an amazing husband that does whatever he needs to do to support me and our business. It has been said of my relationship with my husband, that I am the flame and he is my fuel.

It Is my hope that every trailblazer can have a “fuel” behind them!

Do you have a book/podcast/talk that’s had a deep impact on your thinking? Can you share a story with us?

I just recently read “Three Feet from Gold” by Greg S. Reid and Sharon Lecther. Owning a small business in today’s turbulent world is not easy and the weight weighs heavy some days. Over the last five years I have sewn so many seeds and nurtured them but the feeling of it never being enough was very present. I was wondering when I would hit that gold vein. The book definitely helped me to dig deep and not give up because we are literally three feet from gold. We are SO close to that vein and every day we inch closer to it. Never give up.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

If I could inspire a movement to reject mediocrity and adopt exceptionalism, I believe that the world would be a better place. Have you been out to a restaurant and paid good money for service that was mediocre and food dead-average? You walk out of there feeling ripped off and upset because you have been let down. Have you been to a car dealer where it doesn’t matter what car you are buying, you have been treated with the upmost professionalism, treated like you are the only person that matters and that your experience is the only experience that matters? You feel happy and appreciative of the encounter and made you feel human and well loved. Imagine if we felt that every day? If we all strived for excellence in everything we do, our jobs, our interactions with people, service, products, it would make a positive impact on the world.

Sadly, in today’s society, more so evident after the pandemic, mediocrity has set in and it feels like everyone has given up. I dream of a world where we can say with authenticity “How can I serve you?!” AND do it with excellence.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“You can choose to not participate in the crazy” — Me

I have had some toxic people in my life and sadly spent many hours rent free in my mind. I made a conscious decision to not participate in the crazy and it was freeing. It’s ok to walk away from toxic people! And I am a lot happier for it.

“ You don’t have to give up your core values to conform to social pressures” — Me

I have never been one to bend to peer pressure and I hold very firm to my core value that I grew up with and hold near to me to this day. I am ok with not compromising those values, and it makes me authentically me. You either love me or not, and that’s ok!

How can our readers follow you online?

Instagram and Facebook @decorshomestaging

@iamnatalielorenz

www.decorushomestaging.com

www.americashomestagingexpert.com

www.iamnatalielorenz.com

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

Female Disruptors: Natalie Lorenz of Decorus Home Staging On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Disruptors: Alisa Grafton of De Pinna Notaries On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your…

Female Disruptors: Alisa Grafton of De Pinna Notaries On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Firstly, in social situations, don’t judge a book by its cover. I regret to say that during my career there have been a few uncomfortable scenarios where I dismissed someone “because they didn’t look important enough”, only to find out — to my surprise and embarrassment — that they were the decision-maker. Don’t assume anything.

As a part of our series about women who are shaking things up in their industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Alisa Grafton.

Alisa Grafton is a partner at De Pinna Notaries, a leading legal notaries firm, and assists law firms, investment banks and multinationals to execute cross-border transactions. She is also active in female leadership and is a mentor for the Athena40 Forum. Alisa recently published her first book Great Networking: The Art and Practice of Building Authentic Professional Relationships.

First of all — thanks for this opportunity to talk to your readers.

My career started back in 2001 when I came to settle in London from abroad. I was looking for the best way to use my legal qualification and linguistic skills and someone mentioned notaries. I started as an assistant but was offered a training contract early on, and then worked my way up to make partner 11 years after joining that firm.

I have always enjoyed the work and perhaps more than anything else — the chance to deal with clients on a daily basis. I have met unbelievably inspiring people along the way, but for me, the real interest has been in building a network of contacts that help to consistently grow and expand the business. This has also become the real inspiration behind my book, “Great Networking: The Art and Practice of Building Authentic Professional Relationships”.

Can you tell our readers what it is about the work you’re doing that’s disruptive?

I belong to a rather traditional, fairly closed-off and extremely small profession — Scrivener Notaries Public. In fact, there are only around 35 of us in the whole of our jurisdiction of England and Wales!

Many of the clients are passed from an older generation of notaries to the new generation, and traditionally there has not been much focus on developing business through establishing new connections.

However, unlike many of my colleagues at the time, I did not already belong to an established network when I entered the profession, I had to learn to network and find my own tribe. That was essential for progressing my client base and for cementing my place in the profession. Needless to say, that was not without its challenges. But now, looking back, I know that the goal was absolutely worth it.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

From early on in my career, I tried to develop relationships with those whom I felt I could learn from. This meant that I occasionally appeared to have punched above my weight, joining events that primarily attracted the heavyweights in their fields. I went through the period when I felt — by far! — the stupidest and the most junior person in the room… But you know what? It did not kill me, but the guts that it took me just to sit at that “big bosses” table gave me an injection of confidence that I can handle a difficult work situation. Even the one where I feel completely out of my depth.

We all need a little help along the journey. Who have been some of your mentors? Can you share a story about how they made an impact?

Ah, this is my favourite topic! To put it succinctly, I would not be where I am today, had it not been for the many generous people who have shared their time, guidance and advice with me.

In my book, “Great Networking”, I reiterate that no man is an island, and I describe in detail the impact certain people had on both my career and my wider understanding of the way the world moves. Whether it is a coaching session from an in-demand professional or access to the book of business from a colleague — I never forget people who have been kind to me. And I am fully aware that my success is never entirely mine, and it needs to be shared.

In my mind, the real skill is to know what to keep and what to change. Take the tech progress, for example. I am excited about the opportunities that tech developments offer in the workplace, but I am concerned about what it might mean for the social skills in certain circumstances. Machines can simplify routine tasks, but they cannot replace communication between humans, and so while we encourage technological development in the workplace, we should be just as passionate about maintaining and improving the so-called soft skills. This is truly our advantage as species.

Can you share 3 of the best words of advice you’ve gotten along your journey? Please give a story or example for each.

Firstly, in social situations, don’t judge a book by its cover. I regret to say that during my career there have been a few uncomfortable scenarios where I dismissed someone “because they didn’t look important enough”, only to find out — to my surprise and embarrassment — that they were the decision-maker. Don’t assume anything.

Secondly, remember the kindness that people have shown you, and be grateful. Don’t shy away from saying a genuine “Thank you”. I have gained valuable clients simply because I lifted the phone and expressed my gratitude. People like recommending people who acknowledge goodwill.

And thirdly — enjoy success. Celebrate others, absolutely, but also remember to celebrate your success. You’re not just “lucky”, success normally comes as a result of hard work and determination, and these are worth celebrating. I am somewhat struggling with this, so this is the advice I will take away myself!

We are sure you aren’t done. How are you going to shake things up next?

I am excited to see where the journey that I started with publishing “Great Networking” will take me.

I am massively passionate about writing and speaking on the development of social skills in a work environment, the importance of connecting with others, and honouring your authentic self whilst challenging yourself to build the kind of relationships that can transform careers, and lives. I know that these topics are much in demand now more than ever, and different generations are keen to learn about the best ways of connecting with each other.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by ‘women disruptors’ that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

I am not going to be original here, but speaking as a working mum, the real challenge is the mental load that many women continue to face. Somehow, we fancy ourselves as home goddesses in the house and business wolves at work. We strive to deliver on so many levels, regularly feeling inadequate, often ridden with guilt and occasionally (a bit too occasionally sometimes!) — on a verge of a breakdown. To solve this conundrum, we need to be prepared to communicate our needs, to share the load and seek the solution that does not solely involve bearing more load on our shoulders. And doing so will make us better at being more creative and effective positive disruptors.

Do you have a book/podcast/talk that’s had a deep impact on your thinking? Can you share a story with us?

My go-to book when it comes to social skills is Dale Carnegie’s “How to make friends and influence people”. It may be written in a somewhat archaic language, but the sentiment at the heart of the book is very strong. We all have the need to be appreciated and understood — and once we understand this deeply, we reset our communication with people.

Aha, what a great question! I would love for the training in modern-day networking and connections-making to be a standard in the workplace. Social skills are a critical element of a person’s professional development, and we cannot leave this to chance or a personal aptitude. I am also growing very mindful of the importance of learning inter-generational networking, and I would love to be at the forefront of developing this discourse.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

I have grown to realise that one of the best predictors of life’s success — meaning happy life rather than swimming in luxury! — is one’s social skills. This is especially relevant for parents to realize when they’re making a judgement on what to concentrate more on — the extracurricular coding classes vs a team sport, for example. In my view, the focus on developing the ability to deal with people, to find common grounds and be at ease in different circles is never a wasted focus. The more I worked on these skills, the more successful, and happier, I became — both, professionally and personally. I think in this day and age of technological progress everywhere, it is critical to remember that, above all and always, we have survived and thrived as species because of our social skills first and foremost.

How can our readers follow you online?

Please follow me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisa-grafton-993b3b2/ and on Instagram at great.networking. There are many exciting things happening right now, and I would love the readers to become part of this journey.

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

Female Disruptors: Alisa Grafton of De Pinna Notaries On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Modern Fashion: Shannon Scott of Community Made On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful…

Modern Fashion: Shannon Scott of Community Made On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today

An Interview With Candice Georgiadice

The first thing you need, which drives everything else that the business is going to do, is what we refer to as the “Brand House.” This is your founding principle, or your mission, and the pillars that you are building upon. You need to define your mission and the five to seven things that your company absolutely has to vet every single time they take on a project. For us, one is “people and planet before profits, and profits will naturally come.”

Many in the fashion industry have been making huge pivots in their business models. Many have turned away from the fast fashion trend. Many have been focusing on fashion that also makes a social impact. Many have turned to sustainable and ethical sourcing. Many have turned to hi tech manufacturing. Many have turned to subscription models. What are the other trends that we will see in the fashion industry? What does it take to lead a successful fashion brand today?

In our series called, “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today” we are talking to successful leaders of fashion brands who can talk about the Future of Fashion and the 5 things it takes to lead a successful fashion brand in our “new normal.”

As a part of this series I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Shannon Scott. Shannon is the president and founder of COMUNITYmade, a unique brand of handcrafted, premium sneakers locally manufactured in the vibrant Arts District of downtown Los Angeles. Each pair of shoes purchased allows COMUNITYmade to donate up to 20% to the charity of the buyer’s choice, with the intention of empowering them to be happy, successful contributors to their community. Her extensive career has included many different facets of marketing, including brand strategy, advertising, and merchandising for footwear and apparel.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood “backstory”?

I was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and moved to Northern California when I was around five years old. I eventually moved back to Utah and went to college there, graduating from Utah State University. I got a degree in Computer Science, which has nothing to do with what I’m doing right now, but I did minor in business so my education actually did find its way into my career. After college, I moved back to California. In general, I have been on the West Coast for the majority of my life.

Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?

After college, I moved to Southern California and started working at Honda International, where I learned a lot about overseas importing and exporting, which led me to a job at the running shoe company ASICS. While there, I learned pretty much every facet of the business. I worked in multiple departments, including apparel and footwear, and got to play a role in everything from product planning to marketing. I got to see firsthand how products were built and how to get the word out about those products.

The marketing department ended up being where I spent the bulk of my 26 years with ASICS, eventually serving as head of Marketing for all of the Americas. I met my husband Sean, who is the cofounder of COMUNITYmade, when we both worked at ASICS. He also had a career in footwear, including working for Nike, Vans, and TOMS, where he was on the founding team. So I guess we’re that geeky footwear couple

Working at bigger companies and seeing how they operate, we were exposed to a lot of really great things that were going on. In the back of our heads, however, we were always thinking, “Well, what if we improved on this part of it?” For Sean, in particular, his focus was on improving the way that the products were produced. He spent a lot of time at factories in Asia, where he got to see some great operations as well as some not-so-savory things, like human rights violations and abuses to the planet.

Eventually, all of this led us to start evaluating the way that the carbon footprint has been evolving as a result of shipping products all over the world to get to consumers. It was concerning to us, so we really set out to find a different way to produce things closer to where the customers are. That led to COMUNITYmade.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

The most interesting part of our day-to-day business is meeting all of the people in the Arts District, which is where our showroom and headquarters are located. It’s a really unique part of Los Angeles that at one point used to be all factories. After we shipped all of that machinery and institutional knowledge and the capacity overseas, all the artists moved into the open factories, creating this extremely creative vibrant artist community. Now, manufacturing is slowly starting to come back to that area, but that artist vibe is still alive and well. We meet some really, really interesting people who are artists, performers, or designers creating their own lines. They make the area so special.

You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

The first one is opening myself up to new challenges. Every two to three years during the course of my career, I was learning a different part of the business. As a result, I find it hard to be content when continuing on the same path. I would challenge myself to learn how the shoes were made or how the apparel was made. I was always really putting myself out there whether I knew anything about a topic or not. Being willing to learn and not getting set on any one particular path is always a good trait to have regardless of your career.

Another one would be always betting on yourself. There’s nobody that I would bet on more now than myself or my husband when it comes to determination and grit. You need to always be telling yourself that you can do it. That is super important.

Finally, there is the willingness to be constantly challenging the norms. For example, the footwear business has traditionally been very male dominated. It’s changing a little bit, but back when I started it was maybe only 10 percent female with no women in leadership positions. In my mind, I knew that the future could be different. In the industry now, 99 percent of all footwork production is done overseas, but it doesn’t have to be that way. We are challenging that norm and kind of bucking the system. Honestly, I always love it when somebody tells me that I can’t do something because that’s for sure what I’m going to do.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

COMUNITYmade is the 1 percent in the footwear industry that is actively onshoring right now. We’re producing hyper-local to where the customers are. Our quality also makes us stand out, of course, but being manufactured in the US really differentiates us because that’s not the case with a lot of other brands. That being said, a lot of other brands are recognizing the value of onshoring, especially with the supply chain breakdowns that we’ve had over the last two years. People are starting to see that a move to onshoring is inevitable for a bunch of different reasons.

Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story of how that was relevant to you in your life?

I always see the glass as half-full, meaning that I always look at the positives. I always see the opportunity. Having come from a big company, where you have a staff of 30 and a budget of $50 million, then transitioning to where you have 0.01 percent of that is humbling. To thrive, you need to see the opportunities versus all the things that could go wrong. It really is essential when you are a small business owner, because there are so many things that can go wrong. Seeing the opportunities helps you to overcome the challenges.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Do you see any fascinating developments emerging over the next few years in the fashion industry that you are excited about? Can you tell us about that?

Yes, and in many ways it is already happening. I’m excited about fashion brands across the board being held accountable for how they are producing goods. This includes transparency in their labor practices, transparency in pricing, and transparency in sustainability efforts.

It’s just table stakes. It’s not a cute selling point anymore for a brand to be sustainable and ethical.

These issues are at the core of our founding principles. We want to be the gold standard for ethically- and sustainably-produced goods. Other brands right now are having a lot of trouble in this area. They’re getting called out and consumers are listening. Consumers are actively seeking out brands that are pro-planet or pro-people. Like I said, it’s no longer just a cute thing to include. It’s table stakes. You have to be accountable.

Can you share how your brand is helping to bring goodness to the world?

I believe this really starts at the local community level, which is a belief that we have baked into our name — COMUNITYmade. We focus on building stronger communities, which starts with the manufacturing communities. We’re helping support the local economy by supplying jobs, training people, and actively seeking suppliers that can provide hyper-local supply chains, which for us means less transportation, less impact on the environment, and smaller carbon footprints.

I also play an active role in our business community by sitting on the local Business Development Board, which helps to connect all the other businesses in our area. COMUNITYmade works with a giving platform that connects us with three local giving partners in the Los Angeles area. By partnering with them to support the arts, education, and ending homelessness, we are working on a daily basis to make the community stronger. All of this helps our business to really have a positive impact on the community, versus just coming in and using the community for our own personal profit.

Can you share with our readers about the ethical standards you use when you choose where to source materials?

We vet each of our suppliers on their employment practices. We start with how they treat their employees. Are they paying fair living wages? Then, we look at how the goods are produced. We make sure, for example, that the source for our leathers is using a sustainable dying process and is not putting chromes into the waters. In general, we are extremely picky about the materials we use.

Over the years, we’ve learned what makes a great performing product and what makes a not-so-great performing product. So, our quality standards are very high, which in the end allows us to produce a premium product. It may cost a little bit more up front, but if you think about buying one quality product versus five non-quality products, you’re probably going to end up spending that same amount. And those five non-quality products are probably going to end up in the landfill because they’re breaking down or they’re not performing. That is not good for the planet. Our standard is to choose well and make it last.

Fast fashion has an advantage, that it is affordable for most people, but it also has the drawback that it does not last very long and is therefore not very sustainable. What are your thoughts about this? How does your company address this question?

It’s interesting to me because, when you truly look at the cost of a low cost item, obviously the first thing you see is the price tag. But if you start peeling back at the price, you are going to find out that the product actually carries a much higher cost than what you’re paying. The low cost could be built on the backs of people that we are abusing — just flat out abusing their talent by not valuing what they’re contributing. That’s already a high cost. Then, you add the high cost of the damage to the planet. Products are ending up in the landfill after two to three years and sometimes after two to three wears. The planet deserves better than that. People deserve better than that. We need to understand that the low cost actually comes at a very high cost when you break it down.

Thank you for all that. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand”. Please share a story or example for each.

The first thing you need, which drives everything else that the business is going to do, is what we refer to as the “Brand House.” This is your founding principle, or your mission, and the pillars that you are building upon. You need to define your mission and the five to seven things that your company absolutely has to vet every single time they take on a project. For us, one is “people and planet before profits, and profits will naturally come.”

Second, the people that are involved in the business need to be inspired by the mission.

Third, your business process — the way that you operate on a day to day basis — needs to uphold all of the ideals that you include in your brand house.

Fourth, the product really needs to authentically be the output of all the things that are driving the company.

Fifth, especially for smaller businesses in fashion, you need to provide a product that people are inspired by. There are a million different fashion brands out there. What is the brand persona that you are presenting to the customer that is going to make them choose you over the other brands? You need a really strong position as far as your brand personality.

Every industry constantly evolves and seeks improvement. How do you think the fashion industry can improve itself? Can you give an example?

One way to improve is to reevaluate the processes that we have been working under for the past 30 years, which involves the idea that manufacturing happens far, far overseas. Imagine if someone came to you and said, “Here’s how this business is going to run: You’re going to invest a ton of money in development and machinery that’s going to be overseas. You’re going to give them designs and start developing 18 months out. You’re going to project a year and a half out what customers are going to want to wear, including what size they’re going to want to wear. You’re going to put it on a boat and have it take a month to get here and then get to the stores.” Nobody would say that’s a good business model, right? They would say that it’s crazy.

The best way to do it is to be closer to where the customers are, and to have smaller, leaner production runs where we’re not creating waste because we picked the wrong color or the wrong sizes, which require markdowns that affect the entire business overall. It’s an antiquated way of doing business. Moving forward, we feel like customization, made-to-order business, and lean production is the way of the future. Overseas mass production is just not sustainable.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

It’s manufacturing products closer to where the customers are. The movement for us right now is not about nationalistic, made-in-USA production; our growth plan envisions going to areas overseas where there were factories and labor, and using that to produce for that local market.

Part of this is acknowledging that each local market has different needs. Right now, our line is built off of the Southern California casual lifestyle. But if we go, for example, back East, there would be weatherproof boots or different things like that because each market has its own specific needs. That’s really where we’re heading.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

You can visit our website at www.comunitymade.com or find us on social @comunitymade. We encourage everybody to check us out.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me!

Modern Fashion: Shannon Scott of Community Made On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Founders: Sylvana Q Sinha of Praava Health On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed…

Female Founders: Sylvana Q Sinha of Praava Health On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

The traits to make you successful — patience, a bit of stubbornness, or “fortitude” — a lot of people possess these traits, but to be a founder you need to almost always exercise and display these. I would say you have to be comfortable demonstrating leadership qualities — whether that’s public speaking, delegating tasks, or delivering difficult news. You have to be comfortable with the discomfort of being the go-to for everything, even things you don’t feel you are an expert in. You’re still the leader.

As a part of our series about “Why We Need More Women Founders”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Sylvana Sinha.

Sylvana Q. Sinha is Founder, Chair, and CEO of Praava Health, a leading healthcare company focused on improving health outcomes and patient journeys in emerging markets, where 85% of the world lives but whose current systems typically prioritize profits over patients. Since launching in 2018, Praava has become Bangladesh’s fastest-growing consumer healthcare brand, and was designated a 2021 World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer, and 2020 Fast Company World Changing Idea and Developing World Technology. In addition to Sylvana’s decades of experience leading teams in international law, business, development, and government relations at major international law firms, management consulting firms, the World Bank, and think tanks in the Middle East and S. Asia, she is also a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a member of the World Economic Forum’s UHC2030 Private Sector Constituency, and served on Mount Sinai’s Arnold Institute of Global Health Task Force for Global Advantage.

My entry into healthcare was borne out of a desire to do impactful, creative work I could feel directly connected to. After working in law, globally and domestically, I had this yearning to create something and do something that made more of a direct difference.

I didn’t have a clear vision of what that could be until I took a trip to Bangladesh for a family wedding, and my mom ended up having an emergency appendectomy. I grew up in the United States and had visited Bangladesh many times, but this was my first up-close experience of the challenges of the healthcare system in the country — and a lot of what I witnessed was alarming. I should note that for this procedure, my mom was being treated in a VIP suite of one of the fanciest hospitals in the country. Despite that, her surgery was delayed, and then there were many complications after the surgery that could have been avoided. We ended up having to airlift her to Bangkok, where she had another surgery, and yet another one a year later in the United States. Having never observed the healthcare system in Bangladesh up close before, I was shocked by this level of quality.

It struck me that despite the tremendous progress I had personally observed in Bangladesh’s economy during my lifetime — one of the fastest growing economies in the world, with a huge growing middle class driving the growth — no amount of money could afford access to excellent quality healthcare. So every day, thousands of Bangladeshis, and every year billions of dollars, left the country to access better healthcare. So I thought to myself, maybe there’s something I can do. That’s how I decided to start Praava Health.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

Everything is interesting. I learn something new every single day. The most impactful moments are personal, when I hear from a patient that Praava has changed their lives, quite literally, because of the support we gave a dying parent, or that they had never imagined such healthcare could exist in Bangladesh — I never ever forget those moments. They keep me moving forward.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

My parents. They astound me. They immigrated to the United States from Bangladesh starting in 1964 and did everything in their power to prepare me and my siblings for the global stage — enabling us to attend the best schools, supporting our decisions, even if they didn’t understand them. Without having the tools to succeed, I wouldn’t have been able to establish an organization of this magnitude in another country. Because of the life my parents helped me to access, I had the particular opportunity to build a company that is innovating at the edges of healthcare globally, thanks to a team of leaders, advisors, and investors that I’ve collected from arguably the top global thinkers in healthcare and technology globally, all borne of the opportunities my parents made available to me.

On top of that, I think their decision to start a new life in the US as immigrants was extremely courageous — they charted the unknown, learned to succeed and make connections with people from all walks of life. That has given me the courage to do the same in Bangladesh — a country I have always been connected to on a personal level, but where I had never lived or worked before.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. According to this EY report, only about 20 percent of funded companies have women founders. This reflects great historical progress, but it also shows that more work still has to be done to empower women to create companies. In your opinion and experience what is currently holding back women from founding companies?

Structural inequality. There is a confluence of economic., health, educational structures working tirelessly to uphold a patriarchy that does not privilege women.

Can you help articulate a few things that can be done as individuals, as a society, or by the government, to help overcome those obstacles?

That’s complicated. I acknowledge this and the previous question as being necessary to ask and consider. But I think it’s complicated to ask women what can be done to overcome obstacles, to “empower” them to navigate and conquer a sexist system. That requires that I first familiarize myself with this system, learn its intricacies, and then make an informed and even more intricate plan to jump through its hoops with a lot of strategy, calculation — which is not something I find particularly positive and fulfilling. It’s also very draining and keeps me from directing my energy where it should go — to ensuring excellent healthcare for my company’s patients.

And then coming up with a solution, figuring out what “can be done” to ensure women and all people equal opportunity — having to articulate that feels like a bit of a distraction for me. I wonder what would happen if that question were directed to those creating and upholding systems that hold women back.

But in short, on a personal level, I navigate this system by remembering why I’m here. Our patients. And then I remember my worth.

This might be intuitive to you as a woman founder but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should become founders?

Without essentializing women, and saying women inherently possess these remarkable qualities, I will say, I think women founders have likely worked harder than men have to achieve what they do. We had fewer role models and perhaps less support from our families. And because we are undeterred, we often have unique insights that a more privileged business founder might not see.

Another advantage is that women represent 50% of the consumers in the world. When it comes to designing products and solutions, the importance of having women leaders to design solutions that serve this massive consumer category’s needs can’t be ignored. In my industry, healthcare, approximately 80% of household healthcare decisions are made by women, and 65% of health workers globally are women. Yet women account for only 13% of CEOs in health care, and nearly 70% of global health organizations have a man at the helm. This leadership gap creates an empathy gap: How are we to expect male leaders to build systems and invest in solutions that meet the unique health needs of women employees, health care workers, and patients? The consequences of this design flaw are disparities in health outcomes and poor access to health care for girls and women.We need women leadership to help correct this.

Finally, I can answer that question from a purely business perspective. In terms of revenue, startups founded and co-founded by women are significantly better financial investments. Data collected by First Round Capital, for example, found that the female-founder companies it had funded performed 63% better than the all-male founding teams it had funded. Adding even more credence, research from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation found that women-led teams generate a 35% higher return on investment than all-male teams.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a founder? Can you explain what you mean?

I think it’s a myth that pivoting or adjusting your original plan/vision is not optimal, or always a compromise (that does not favor you). Course correction is sometimes a blessing in disguise. What doesn’t work and turns into something else can leave you in a better place than when you started. I’ve had early ideas kind of fall apart but lead to the production of something extraordinary.

It is also a myth that you have to become an entrepreneur early in life. For me, coming to entrepreneurship later in life was a blessing. I brought with me a wealth of diverse experiences, and had worked in cities like Kabul and New York City under a vast range of challenging circumstances, so I became a bit more nimble in new and high pressure environments, which made me stronger and more confident.

I also met such a wide range of people along my career journey — this expands your view of the world and I think makes it easier to make decisions and connections. You are not as scared of the unknown — which is a huge benefit when you are starting out and taking such enormous risks, and asking people to believe in you.

Is everyone cut out to be a founder? In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful founder and what type of person should perhaps seek a “regular job” as an employee? Can you explain what you mean?

Definitely not! The traits to make you successful — patience, a bit of stubbornness, or “fortitude” — a lot of people possess these traits, but to be a founder you need to almost always exercise and display these. I would say you have to be comfortable demonstrating leadership qualities — whether that’s public speaking, delegating tasks, or delivering difficult news. You have to be comfortable with the discomfort of being the go-to for everything, even things you don’t feel you are an expert in. You’re still the leader.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

I wish someone told me:

That coming to entrepreneurship in my late 30s was not a bad thing — that I would have never had the inner resilience or patience required to build something great when I was younger
That being an entrepreneur shows you the worst and best of people — because you don’t have a big company or law firm behind you to protect your reputation, people will treat you exactly how they want, and sometimes it isn’t pretty. But sometimes it’s extraordinary — the personal and professional sacrifices people will make who believe in the magic and the impact of what you are building are overwhelming and inspiring and truly humbling.
That the old saying about challenges being opportunities in disguise is true; Covid came to Bangladesh less than two years after we started Praava Health. Bringing fundamental change to the health industry in the midst of a pandemic was certainly challenging. But as a result, we moved faster than I ever would have thought possible, and within weeks we were able to offer our patients — and partner with the government to provide — tele-health services significantly ahead of schedule.
That being an entrepreneur, while the hardest and most gut wrenching experience of my life — has also been one of my life’s greatest privileges. To come together with a group of people and create something out of nothing is an unparalleled human experience that makes you feel connected to others.
The fact that as female founders we are held to higher standards than our male counterparts, which makes us better leaders and sets our companies up for success on many levels.

How have you used your success to make the world a better place?

Across low and middle income countries, more people are dying due to lack of access to quality healthcare than lack of access to care alone. Every patient Praava serves with high quality healthcare is an impact. To date, we have served nearly 400,000 patients in Bangladesh, through doctors who are practicing protocolized medicine and spending real time with each patient, proper diagnoses facilitated by our in-house international standard lab (one of only 5 such high quality labs serving Bangladesh’s 170 million people), and through our guarantee of quality drugs in a country where up to 20% of the drugs in the market are counterfeit.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

I believe this movement already exists- the universal right to affordable, high quality healthcare for all.

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.

Bill & Melinda Gates have done tremendous work in global health, and I credit them with being part of the journey of countries like Bangladesh to entering middle income countries, based on their donations of vaccines and investments in primary care in rural settings. Now, countries like Bangladesh need private sector development in healthcare. I recently heard Bill Gates speak on multiple occasions regarding the need to invest in primary care and labs to prevent the next pandemic. I’m right here! Yet, there are no pockets of capital at the Gates Foundation or within the Gates’ private capital that are currently making direct investments in our space. I believe if I could get 15 minutes with Bill or Melinda Gates, I could capture their imaginations to join our journey.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

Female Founders: Sylvana Q Sinha of Praava Health On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Disruptors: Lauren Ross Of Lauren Ross Design On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your…

Female Disruptors: Lauren Ross Of Lauren Ross Design On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry

The first one is “Be Yourself”. We hear this phrase fairly often but I have grown to understood why it is crucial. Everyone has unique skill sets/abilities and if you are trying to be a different version of what your strengths are you will never experience your full potential and that unfortunately not only affects the quality of your life, but of those around you as well.

As a part of our series about women who are shaking things up in their industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Lauren Ross.

Lauren Ross Design is a global art and luxury lifestyle brand that blends contemporary design with the heartbeat of antiquities. The company was created to fill a need in the art and luxury goods industry. The process begins with a painting created by Lauren. The paintings are intricately designed to tell a story, and start intriguing conversations. Each piece is crafted with symbolism and esoteric meanings that can take time to unravel. The paintings are then used to design luxury lifestyle products. Every product has a story to be told, a history to be revealed. Lauren’s background is an immersion of art and luxury fashion. Her formative years growing up in the country side developed her passion and keen eye for creating art in all forms. She went on to study at some of the most elite fashion academies, the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC and Polimoda in Florence Italy. After traveling Italy and Europe for a year Lauren knew her calling was in the luxury space. She went on to work with Saks Fifth Avenue in NYC in Planning and Buying for over a decade with brands under LVMH and Kering. After years of creating strategies, financial plans and fine tuning her craft Lauren stepped away and started Lauren Ross Design. Her motto “Life is Art” stems from her truth that everything from paintings to luxury fashion, beauty, and home comes from art.

Well, I grew up in a rural part of New Jersey, but my parents would frequent New York City. I think that experiencing both worlds at a young age helped fuel my creativity. My mother, who is also a lover of fashion and design, was a subscriber of every major fashion magazine. I would spend hours flipping through the pages of those magazines at a very young age and I know that had a role in forming my perspective. I eventually then went off to study in NYC and Italy, afterwards working for the Saks Fifth Avenue corporate office for a decade. So, you could say my history is deeply rooted in fashion and art.

Can you tell our readers what it is about the work you’re doing that’s disruptive?

Absolutely, from a consumers perspective I have always loved art and fashion, and actually view them as the same. However I have never seen a brand blend them seamlessly together. I created Lauren Ross Design to fill a void and start something new and exciting in the luxury market. Our clients can come to us for unique art and luxury products that are all designed from art. Brand legacy is also of vital importance to me. I believe in high quality and pieces that can be a long term investment.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Yes, this is not a recent story, but I have a humorous one from back in college when I first moved to NYC. I was walking from the back of the cafeteria, where we just finished breakfast, to the front exit where you would drop off the tray etc. As soon as I made it to the front, I managed to slip on some type of liquid, flipped backwards and threw the tray and everything that was on it all over the floor. At the moment, I was horrified that it had happened in front of hundreds of new students. But, that moment taught me early on that anything can happen at any given moment and the best thing you can do is laugh, pick yourself back up, and keep moving.

We all need a little help along the journey. Who have been some of your mentors? Can you share a story about how they made an impact?

I have been fortunate to have many mentors over the years. But there is one moment I think your readers would appreciate. I received a card from someone who had accepted an opportunity that came their way to relocate and start a new exciting project. And in the card was a written quote by C.S. Lewis that read, “You are never too old to set another goal, or to dream a new dream.” That quote and moment in time has stayed with me for years, and can be applied to many situations.

That is a beautiful question, and because of its complexity we could discuss that concept for hours. So, let me share with you the best way I can put it in short form. Being disruptive is in essence trying to shock the system. Without shocking the system it can be very difficult to implement change within a short timeframe. With that said, yes, disruption could be good or the complete opposite. Unfortunately, good or bad, for some people is simply a matter of opinion. I think the important question to ask when being disruptive or shocking the system is what is the end goal and are you improving the lives of others. Lastly, the one thing that has truly withstood the test of time is found within nature. If a person or company is looking for ideas or strategies, nature is a good starting point.

Can you share 3 of the best words of advice you’ve gotten along your journey? Please give a story or example for each.

Yes, the first one is “Be Yourself”. We hear this phrase fairly often but I have grown to understood why it is crucial. Everyone has unique skill sets/abilities and if you are trying to be a different version of what your strengths are you will never experience your full potential and that unfortunately not only affects the quality of your life, but of those around you as well. The second is, “If you are doing what is true and authentic to you, don’t give up, it will happen”. Unfortunately many people give up on a dream or goal not knowing that if they had kept going it would have come to fruition. I know this is easier said than done, but sometimes that is the one thing someone needs to hear. And lastly, “You cannot reap a harvest without planting seeds”. My husband and I remind each other of this phrase many times to gain perspective. It does not matter what topic you are discussing, if you are not doing or ‘planting seeds’ to produce an expected outcome or ‘harvest’ it would be hard to imagine something working. So I like to say, plant good seeds without ceasing and you will produce a harvest.

We are sure you aren’t done. How are you going to shake things up next?

Well, I cannot announce details at this point, but we are fully expanding. Lauren Ross Design is becoming a full creative house, from fashion to art and film.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by ‘women disruptors’ that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

I would say the cohesive ability to come together and work towards a goal. This is changing, but we’re not there yet.

Do you have a book/podcast/talk that’s had a deep impact on your thinking? Can you share a story with us?

I absolutely love to read. Especially when it comes to topics on ancient history, religions and societies. In fact, most of the paintings I create are inspired by the topics I read and study. With that said, the story of Alice In Wonderland has made a lasting impression on me for years. The amount of metaphors and analogies that can be pulled and formed from the story are numerous. But I will leave you with this. The story highlights that not only do we need to pave our own path, but if we cannot imagine the world the differently, or how we would like to see it, it will be impossible to change our surroundings or develop new inventions. And that can only be achieved through a personal journey.

I am very passionate when it comes to the topic of providing food and clean water. There are many organizations that are setup to help fight hunger and provide clean water, but we clearly have a ways to go. I find it horrific that still today with all of the resources we have, there are still people without food and access to clean water. This is a topic we have been discussing internally and I would like to make an impact here.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

Well, for me this verse is an important daily reminder of how to view life and the lessons we encounter. In Genesis 1:3 it says, “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light”. I think this is a strong reminder that there is light and goodness surrounding us constantly. There is wisdom and life lessons to seek and understand on a daily basis, and inevitably we will find the truth, or light in the matter.

How can our readers follow you online?

They can find us on laurenrossdesign.com , as well as our profile name Lauren Ross Design on every major social media platform.

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

Female Disruptors: Lauren Ross Of Lauren Ross Design On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech: Elyse Stoltz Dickerson of Eosera On The 5 Leadership Lessons…

Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech: Elyse Stoltz Dickerson of Eosera On The 5 Leadership Lessons She Learned From Her Experience

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Stay curious: it’s easy to default into old habits, old processes, and old practices. Just because something is tradition doesn’t always mean it’s right. Looking at challenges through the lens of curiosity and a spirit of inquiry brings fresh ideas and often solves issues in a creative way.

As a part of our series about “Lessons From Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech”, we had the pleasure of interviewing Elyse Stoltz Dickerson.

Elyse Stoltz Dickerson is CEO and Co-Founder of Eosera, Inc., a female-led biotechnology company committed to developing innovative ear care products that can be found in 28,000 retailers across the US. Prior to Eosera, Dickerson served as the Global Director at biotech company Alcon, where she managed portfolios with annual revenues of $1.7 billion and drove product innovation and the commercialization of numerous technologies across the globe. Dickerson is the recipient of numerous industry awards, as well as for service and leadership, including being named one of the Top Women in Health, Wellness, and Beauty by Drug Store News in 2021; in 2020, PharmaVOICE named her one of their top 100 in entrepreneurship; Dallas Business Journal tapped her as Most Inspiring Leader; and Fort Worth Inc named her Top 400 Most Influential People, among many others.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I’ve worked in the biotech industry for over a decade, previously as the Global Director at eye care company Alcon, where I had the opportunity to drive the messaging, positioning, and development of several new and innovative products. There were two primary forces that ultimately led me to my current career path. After years of observing the cutthroat, impersonal way most people handle their business ventures, I wanted to create a new type of model where the individuals in question — the retailers, investors, employees, and customers — felt like their voices mattered and that their needs were put ahead of profit. And most importantly, I wanted to found a company that truly addressed the most significant healthcare needs that no one else was paying attention to. So my co-founder and I surveyed a handful of doctors, and we consistently heard the same answer: ear care. There weren’t enough effective at-home products available to tend to ear health, and those that did exist were outdated and ineffective. So we set off on a path to not only remodel the industry and create products that people could rely on, but also to educate the public on the importance of regularly tending to their ear care.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began at your company?

An unexpected and interesting byproduct of creating an ear care company is hearing about people’s most graphic earwax stories. Earwax impaction, removal, inflammation — I’ve even been shown photos out at social events. It never stops being strange, but at the same time, I’m honored that people trust me! Hopefully it means we’ve struck a chord with people and are targeting a medical issue that they can resonate with. I think it just goes to show what a prevalent condition this actually is, and how many more people would talk about it if the stigma and shame of earwax was removed.

It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Early on in my business, we made mistakes left and right. With one of our first batches of product we made, we soon realized we needed water-proof labels. No one had ever told me that and we didn’t think about it at the time — but of course now it makes sense. The labels were ruined with the liquid product, putting off the whole appearance of the brand. Now, all our labels are water-proof. The experience taught us to be very detail-oriented, even when it comes to the smallest and seemingly innocuous aspects of the business. We only had to learn that lesson once!

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

In addition to the fact that our company has a full line of ear care products that address several different ailments, from earwax impaction to pain to itch, I’m proud to say that our company has an excellent relationship with the surrounding community of Fort Worth, Texas. It’s really important to us to engage with the people who will actually be trying our products so that they understand the individuals behind the company and trust that we have their best interests at heart. There’s a local audiologist in the Fort Worth area who’s been very generous with recommending our products to her patients. She was treating a woman who had been suffering with a skin condition that often irritated her ears and gave her our Ear Itch MD to try. The patient reported that, out of all the products she had used over the years, this made the biggest difference by far, and she’s sworn by it ever since. We love hearing these stories of our products making a genuine difference in people’s lives, and it always reminds us of our mission and why I wanted to start Eosera in the first place.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

There’s a product we have coming up in the pipeline called Ear Clear MD, which is a device that helps people dry their ears after being exposed to water, as well as simultaneously clearing any excess earwax. It will be a rechargeable, electric device with two reusable swabbing tips, two reusable drying tips, and a USB charging cord. This development continues our efforts to introduce more technology into our product lines, which we hope will keep up with the increasing demand.

Ok super. Thank you for all that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. Are you currently satisfied with the status quo regarding women in STEM? What specific changes do you think are needed to change the status quo?

I believe, for the most part, we are going in the right direction. I choose to look at the positive aspects of the situation and see that we as women are better paid than the generations before us and have more opportunities and role models in leadership positions. On the other hand, I think being satisfied with the status quo is inherently complacent. I am a very competitive person — mostly with myself — and I am always striving to better myself and my business at every opportunity. To change the status quo, we need to be aware and acknowledge that there is one. Then, we simply need to be the change we wish to see. I’d love to see more women not being afraid to think outside the box, when it comes to science and technology, addressing problems that previously didn’t have solutions, and following what they’re passionate about, even if it seems quirky and unusual to the general population.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by women in STEM or Tech that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts? What would you suggest to address this?

Being paid the same as our male counterparts and receiving the same opportunities for career advancement are issues faced by women in STEM and Tech — especially for women of color. We need to be reevaluating how we compensate female employees and review the opportunities they’re put up for by management. This takes a concerted effort on the part of leadership to constantly be checking in to make sure we don’t slip back into traditional practices. Having more women in leadership will also beget further progress. Women and people of color generally want to see others from similar backgrounds succeed, so they’ll be more likely to give them the attention and recognition they deserve.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a woman in STEM or Tech. Can you explain what you mean?

One of the most prominent myths about women in STEM or tech is that it’s a primarily male dominated field. What I mean is that, even though men have been the most represented demographic in STEM, saying that they dominate the industry disregards the prominent women who have been making an impact in medicine, tech, and science for generations. The truth is that we’ve always been around, we just haven’t always received the same acknowledgement. Throughout history, there are so many examples of men taking credit for innovations that actually came from women. That’s changing little by little as more women step forward and claim a place for themselves in their respective fields.

What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in STEM or Tech” and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)

Stay curious: it’s easy to default into old habits, old processes, and old practices. Just because something is tradition doesn’t always mean it’s right. Looking at challenges through the lens of curiosity and a spirit of inquiry brings fresh ideas and often solves issues in a creative way.
Lean into the fear: working in STEM and Tech, I have found myself the only woman in the room more times than I can count. I have given many high-stakes presentations and pitches, and one thing I’ve learned is that leaning into the fear often gives you the healthy energy to drive you forward.
Learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others: There is no better teacher than failure. I have learned my most valuable lessons by failing, taking accountability, and trying again with new information. I’ve also taken learnings from other failures that I’ve watched to make sure I don’t do the same thing.
Always be prepared: early in my career, I was in a meeting where the presenter was ill-prepared and came off seemingly lacking expertise in their area. I watched the meeting unfold in an unsavory way and learned to always take the time to be prepared and understand the expectations.
Hold each other accountable: it’s important to make sure that you are holding your colleagues and employees up to the standard in which you have set. It’s okay to let someone know that they are not meeting expectations — hopefully, it’s a way for them to learn and rise to the occasion. At the same time, it’s also beneficial to praise and admire a team member when someone does something well.

What advice would you give to other women leaders to help their team to thrive?

My biggest piece of advice would be to lead with compassion and humanity. When your team members feel like you recognize them as a person rather than strictly an employee meant to help the company prosper, they’ll feel more connected to both one another and have a stronger determination for the cause. Another important tip is to be open minded about where ideas come from. No one person can have all of the answers, so it’s important to welcome inspiration from several different sources.

What advice would you give to other women leaders about the best way to manage a large team?

My advice would be to lean on other smart, dedicated people on your team. If you surround yourself with individuals who also want what’s best for the company, you shouldn’t have to put all of the hard decisions on your shoulders. On the other hand, trust your intuition and know that you have the expertise to lead your team and company in the right direction. If you know what you want for your business and have a strong sense of purpose, others will naturally trust your judgment and accept your status as a leader.

My mom was an incredible inspiration to me. She has owned her own business for over 30 years and is a perfect example of a strong woman who achieves her dreams with hard work and commitment to her craft. When I lost my corporate job 7 years ago and decided to start my own business, my mom was my biggest cheerleader and inspiration. Additionally, I am a firm believer that you can’t run a business alone. My business partner, Joe Griffin, has been instrumental in our success as a company, and has shown me that anyone can be a scientist if they’re curious enough.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

We try to find every possible opportunity to pay our success forward. Besides introducing a brand to a category that we truly felt was lacking prior, it’s important to us to engage with the community in ways that will make a real difference in people’s lives. In 2019, we donated $10,000 worth of product to Braden Baker, a young hearing activist based in Fort Worth who goes on trips around the world to supply people in need with hearing instruments. Towards the beginning of the pandemic, I hosted a feminine care drive to support local girls who needed products. Most importantly, I dedicate a lot of my time to helping mentor other women who are interested in entrepreneurship, advising them on many of the lessons I’ve learned along the way. I understand that my success wasn’t made in a vacuum, and that I very much owe it to those who have helped me to support others where I can.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

I am passionate about mentoring and empowering women to achieve their goals in STEM, Tech, and business. I would inspire a movement that educates and empowers women to be curious, tough, empathetic, strong leaders and fix the gender wage gap globally.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

My favorite life lesson is that you never stop learning. Running a business, I have found that something goes wrong every single day. Learning from my mistakes and blind spots has been instrumental in growing my business.

We are very blessed that very prominent leaders read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂

I would love to meet Michelle Obama. I think she is a wonderful inspiration and I learn so much from her candor and insight.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech: Elyse Stoltz Dickerson of Eosera On The 5 Leadership Lessons… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Disruptors: Jenny Wu of LACE On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Challenge the status quo — We live in a time where so much new technology and ideas are surrounding us. Sometimes it is far easier to follow what has been done before rather than disrupt it. Perhaps it is because of my architectural background that values design and problem solving, I was propelled to be critical of the status quo. This process has helped me build a brand that shares my ethics and values.

As a part of our series about women who are shaking things up in their industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jenny Wu.

Jenny Wu is the founder and CEO of LACE by Jenny Wu, a leading 3D printed jewelry brand specializing in fine statement and wedding pieces. In addition to LACE, Jenny is also the principal at the Los Angeles based, award winning architecture firm, Oyler Wu Collaborative. Her trailblazing multidisciplinary work has been widely recognized for its unique, experimental designs and groundbreaking approach to production.

Like many first-generation immigrants, I was instilled at an early age a clear understanding of what it takes to be successful. I had to study hard, go to an Ivy League school, then get a good job. Those were the steps I took growing up. After I graduated from Harvard with my master’s in architecture, I worked for several great architectural design offices working on beautiful, high-end projects, yet I didn’t feel totally satisfied. After several years in New York, my partner and I decided to move to Los Angeles because we were eager to start our own practice so that we can experiment with our own unconventional designs. We designed and built artistic installations out of unusual material such as rope, fabric, and steel. Much of our early career in Los Angeles was about figuring out how to realize our own work by fabricating the projects ourselves. This close relationship between design and construction has fundamentally helped me rethink and challenge the status quo.

Can you tell our readers what it is about the work you’re doing that’s disruptive?

I started my architectural firm, Oyler Wu Collaborative in 2006 with my partner, Dwayne Oyler. Eager to test our ideas, and impatient in our desire to see the effects of our work, we transformed small projects with modest budgets into a testing ground for our ideas. For the first 5 years of our practice, our work consists largely (although not entirely) of projects that we have built physically ourselves. This way of practice completely disrupts the traditional role of the architect who typically designs and produces drawings for a contractor to build. As a young practice, it allowed us to build a portfolio of experimental design projects that would otherwise not happen. Eight years ago, when I started my second company, LACE, I took lessons learned from my first company and applied it towards how I set up my second company. I wanted to reconsider how products are being manufactured and avoid the incredible waste that traditional manufacturing creates. When I started my jewelry brand, LACE, I decided to use 3D printing as the main production method for the entire collection. At that time, very few companies were using 3D printing to produce end products but mainly for prototypes and samples. I worked with the top 3D printing companies globally in producing my designs which was a tremendous challenge since most of these technologies have not been used for jewelry before. After a year of experimentation, we were able to produce our first collection Fall of 2014. We have discovered that this production process has allowed us to completely change the business model of a very traditional jewelry industry. We were able to produce pieces based on demand and not bound to a large minimum order. We are also able to constantly improve on our designs and introduce new materials that have never been used in jewelry. Ultimately, we are making high design more accessible and sustainable to consumers.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I still remember the time when I tried to “print” my first necklace. The latch of the necklace had to also be 3D printed in the same material. We probably redesign and print the latch at least 100 times since it would be either too tight which would be difficult to take off or too loose which would make it difficult to stay on. I wore one of my prototypes to an event and remembered the embarrassment of my necklace falling off when a friend greeted me with a hug that unlatched the necklace. I learned that it was important to test your own work extensively and learn from your mistakes. Sometimes I think it would’ve been so much easier to source hardware from China but once I see the mysterious, unique quality of the final piece, it makes it all worth it.

Can you share 3 of the best words of advice you’ve gotten along your journey? Please give a story or example for each.

Do what you love — I have built a career in architecture and design working on projects that I believe in. Despite how challenging it is at times, I wake up every day being excited about the work I’m doing, and it has made the hard work worthwhile.

Challenge the status quo — We live in a time where so much new technology and ideas are surrounding us. Sometimes it is far easier to follow what has been done before rather than disrupt it. Perhaps it is because of my architectural background that values design and problem solving, I was propelled to be critical of the status quo. This process has helped me build a brand that shares my ethics and values.

Find allyship — In the past 10 years, I have made amazing connections and collaborated with so many incredible people. Opportunities have only happened when I build genuine relationships with others. This is probably the best aspect of being an entrepreneur!

We are sure you aren’t done. How are you going to shake things up next?

We launched a couple of years ago our first engagement ring collection. The bridal jewelry industry is typically an industry that was off limits to small brands due to high inventory and production costs. Engagement ring designs are often based on what is most expedient and cost effective, leaving very little room for Intricate details and unique profiles. Because we can craft elaborate details in the computer digitally as well as “print to order” by demand, our small boutique brand is able to grow organically and deliver unique statement pieces. We are also able to make small edits to our designs to fit our customer’s requirements. I think it’s a very exciting time to shake up the bridal industry and create pieces customers really love.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by ‘women disruptors’ that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

In 2021, women make up only 13% of the entire additive manufacturing (3D printing) industry. This is an incredibly low representation for women in a fast-growing industry. When I first started, it was difficult to find allyship since there were so few women in leadership positions. This tide is shifting, as many amazing women in this industry are actively building a strong community of women to support each other.

How can our readers follow you online?

https://www.instagram.com/lace_jennywu/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/oylerwu/

https://www.tiktok.com/@lace_jennywu

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

Female Disruptors: Jenny Wu of LACE On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Founders: Barbara Zabawa of Pursesuitz Pocketwear On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and…

Female Founders: Barbara Zabawa of Pursesuitz Pocketwear On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

I would like women to realize that they are not wedded to social norms, like having to carry a purse or giving up their last name during marriage. I want more women to question the status quo and to seek alternatives so that they can feel more independent and free.

As a part of our series about “Why We Need More Women Founders”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Barbara Zabawa, the founder of Pursesuitz Pocketwear, an innovative line of stylish tank tops that offers a versatile, comfortable solution to the lack of functional pockets in clothing for women. Zabawa was inspired to create Pursesuitz Pocketwear to empower women to venture out with confidence knowing their essential items are secure, but still accessible.

I am an attorney by trade. I have my own law firm that specializes in health and wellness law. Years ago one of my cases made its way up to the US Supreme Court. It was my first time stepping into the Supreme Court in Washington DC, and so I didn’t know what to expect. All the lawyers on my legal team met the morning of our oral argument at a law firm on K Street. We were told to leave our bags at the law office as bags were not permitted inside the Supreme Court hearing room. When we all arrived at the Supreme Court security checkpoint (two female lawyers and the rest male), the male attorneys sailed right through but when security asked me to show my identification, I was empty handed. My ID was in my purse, which was back at the law office. At that moment, I realized that had my suit had functional pockets, I would have been able to breeze right through security like my male colleagues, who always have functional pockets in their clothing. I vowed to change this someday. I started Pursesuitz, LLC (because your “suit” should be your “purse”) in January 2020 with the aim to help women venture out with security and confidence by offering clothing with functional pockets, or as I have trademarked, “Pocketwear.”

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

I think one of the most interesting stories is when I first started, I hired a consultant to moderate some focus groups of professional women. COVID19 made these focus groups more challenging as most could not occur in person, which means that the attendees couldn’t feel or try on the prototype Pocketwear. Nevertheless, we held virtual focus groups of these women and asked for their feedback about the initial prototypes, which consisted of the Pocketwear Tank Top and a stylish blouse to wear over the top of the tank. To my surprise, a number of the women in these professional groups were not looking to give up their purse in a professional setting. They liked the idea of the tank top with functional pockets, but more for travel and venturing out. It was from these focus groups that I decided to pivot and focus solely on the Pocketwear Tank Top.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Recently I was at a travel trade show exhibiting my Pocketwear Tank Tops. A producer of a YouTube travel channel asked to film me talking about my product. I obliged, but the whole video shoot was unscripted. As a result, we had a lot of retakes. During the final retake, everyone was getting tired and we were all hoping this would be the last time we’d have to record the video. I felt like my monologue was going well, but then my nose started to run like Niagra Falls. I didn’t want to stop filming though, so I tried to discretely wipe my nose as though I was doing an excited gesture about my tank top. When I watch the video, I can see the exact moment when I was trying desperately to stop my nose from running, but I think most people won’t notice (I hope).

My husband, Branden Zimmerman, who knows how to sew. I am a lawyer, and I have zero sewing skill. All I had when I started Pursesuitz was an idea. I had no proof that it would actually work. So, I asked my husband to sew a prototype based on a very crude drawing I sketched on a legal pad. He did, and I was happy to learn that my idea just might work. My husband has been my biggest cheerleader since, and I am forever grateful for his encouragement and support.

I think the idea of founding a company is daunting, and there is an assumption that doing so means trying to juggle a lot of other responsibilities, such as family, errands and other life goals. Women as a group already juggle a lot, whether they work full time or not. The prospect of having to juggle even more probably discourages a lot of women from even trying to pursue entrepreneurship. There are also very few resources that provide a roadmap on how to start a new venture. I tried to change that with my book The Tug: Finding Purpose and Joy through Entrepreneurship, available on Amazon.

Can you help articulate a few things that can be done as individuals, as a society, or by the government, to help overcome those obstacles?

I think offering more affordable and better childcare and eldercare options is critical, as women are often tasked with the bulk of these duties and those duties are exhausting. Relieving women of some of the worry that goes with caring for children and elderly parents can free up energy and time for more women to start ventures. Also, women who have started ventures need to embrace being a role model and help other women see a pathway to entrepreneurship.

This might be intuitive to you as a woman founder but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should become founders?

Despite the perception described in my previous answers about entrepreneurship being demanding, it does offer freedom in ways that regular jobs cannot. A lot of women yearn for creativity, control and freedom. Entrepreneurship can give women those opportunities which can be infectious to those in her innermost circle, such as her children, parents, and significant other. Most of all, people, including women, crave purpose. Entrepreneurship offers a way to find and tailor your purpose so you can live life with joy and leave a lasting legacy.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a founder? Can you explain what you mean?

I think Silicon Valley and tech startups, which are dominated by male founders, leave this impression that entrepreneurship is for the young, especially young males. They can take big risks because they have less to lose. If a founder starts a company before they have a mortgage, kids, and other financial obligations and health concerns, they can take bigger risks and spend countless hours working toward their goal. But that is not the only path to successful entrepreneurship. Becoming the next Apple, Facebook, or Google is not the only definition of success. Contrary to popular belief, founders can move at their own pace and can define success in their own way. Success may only mean that you are making a difference in the lives of others, something that can’t be measured in dollars, and can be done on a very part-time basis.

I think founders are generally restless and always looking to do more. There are plenty of people who long for down time on a regular basis. Their job is a means to pay the bills, and their true joy in life comes from their avocations, not their vocation. Founders strive to find purpose and meaning in their vocation, and entrepreneurship gives them the creative space to do just that.

Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

1. You control your timeline.

2. You control how, when and if you want to raise money.

3. You control the definition of success.

4. You have the right to pivot.

5. You have to know your customer, but it may take a while before you really understand who they are.

How have you used your success to make the world a better place?

The women who have purchased the Pursesuitz Pocketwear Tank Top have told me the product is liberating and has become a staple in their wardrobe. My product empowers women to venture out with security and confidence because they know their essential items are safe from pickpockets, but still accessible. My product is helping women pursue different adventures with less worry and more enjoyment, which fills me with joy.

If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

I would like women to realize that they are not wedded to social norms, like having to carry a purse or giving up their last name during marriage. I want more women to question the status quo and to seek alternatives so that they can feel more independent and free.

I am a sucker for rags to riches and underdog stories. Those stories represent the very definition of everyday miracles, but with very hard work, faith and tenacity to make those miracles happen. As an entrepreneur, it can be hard sometimes to maintain that tenacity and faith. As a result, I would love to meet someone like Oprah Winfrey or Sylvester Stallone, people who, to me, have some of the best underdog stories of all time.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

Female Founders: Barbara Zabawa of Pursesuitz Pocketwear On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Inspirational Women Leaders Of Tech: Ford Motor Company’s Sondra Sutton Phung On The Five Things…

Inspirational Women Leaders Of Tech: Ford Motor Company’s Sondra Sutton Phung On The Five Things You Need To Know In Order To Create A Very Successful Tech Company

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Decisiveness. This is probably the most sought-after trait in a large organization as leaders in large companies can sometimes make “decisions by committee.” Leaders who make decisive decisions are valued by the team that supports them. The team can then accept that decision and act upon it. The team should still assess the pros and cons of an issue…that absolutely must be done. However, after assessments have been made, exuding a clear and confident position sets good leaders apart from good managers.

As a part of my series about “Lessons From Inspirational Women Leaders in Tech”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Sondra Sutton Phung.

Sondra Sutton Phung led a team that delivered over $1B of profit for Ford Motor Company’s iconic SUV portfolio. Recently named Marketing General Manager for Electric Vehicles, she leveraged her STEM & HBCU education to create her transformational, data-driven marketing approach. Her perspective impacts millions in the Automotive Tech Industry. Sutton Phung is reducing the learning curve and sharing how leaders can accelerate their results. To learn more follow Sondra on Linkedin.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

Thank you so much for having me as your guest. My career path started with necessity and transformed into a wonderful set of experiences. The necessity was me realizing that an academic scholarship was the only way I could afford to go to college. Securing an academic STEM scholarship allowed me to obtain my bachelor’s and master’s degrees with zero debt.

While in my last year of graduate school, Ford offered me an opportunity to join their two-year rotational program. I said yes in the Fall of 1996 and started the following summer of 1997. Twenty-five years later, I am still enjoying the journey.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began at your company? The most interesting story? Let me think about that.

Let me think about that. I guess it would have to be how I was offered an international service assignment in Japan after two years at the company. I had no idea what to expect work-wise or culturally, but I was willing to take the leap of faith. In Japan, I experienced earthquakes for the first time….one LITERALLY woke me from my sleep. Nothing quite like an “earthquake wake-up” to make you realize that you aren’t in Michigan anymore.

I don’t think I’ve ever shared this, but when I was in my second year at Ford, I was assigned the task of securing a vehicle for a drive event. I’d only been on the job a few weeks, so I was not really clear about the process, but what I heard was, “Don needs the vehicle to be there at 8 am.” So I reached out to Don a few days in advance and said he already had transportation. He meant he has his car…not the car I was supposed to secure for the drive event! Epic fail on my part. My boss was livid. I learned a valuable lesson: never be afraid to ask questions to clarify an assignment.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

Ford has a 119-year history of selling amazing products around the globe and is one of the most recognized brands in the world. You will often hear the term “Ford Family” used to describe its people. That term is so accurate. The people I have engaged with over the past 25 years have, in many cases, become my family; we have shared successes together and have been there for one another whenever help was needed.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Yes! I recently joined Ford’s Model e organization as the Marketing General Manager for the Mustang Mach-E brand. Nothing more exciting than a Mustang-inspired SUV powered by electricity! Being at the forefront of Ford’s electric revolution is beyond exciting… it’s game-changing!

What excites me right now is seeing the growing diversity in STEM. We have more women and more minorities deciding to pursue STEM careers. With diverse representation comes more varied perspectives, leading to better business outcomes.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by women in STEM or Tech that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts? What would you suggest to address this?

I believe the challenges for women in STEM resemble the challenges for women in other careers. That is:

Confidence. We tend to second guess our abilities in STEM fields. We are just as capable as men, but we have to believe it.
Advocacy. Secure an advocate….very different from a mentor. These people will need to believe in you enough to break down barriers that will inevitably exist in a large corporation.
Wage Gap. This one is personal for me. Women, especially black women, have always faced pay gaps to their male counterparts. I have had pay adjustments twice in my career because I identified gaps in my pay versus men doing the same work. My advice is to know your worth and not be afraid to ask for it.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a woman in STEM or Tech. Can you explain what you mean?

The biggest myth is that “we just aren’t good at STEM subjects.” I have loved math and critical thinking all my life. My degrees are in mathematics, and I have taught math at community colleges. I firmly believe we have to tell our girls they can achieve anything….early and often. I practice this with my elementary school daughter now. She is willing to try anything, making me proud to be her mom.

What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in STEM or Tech?”

An effective leader is expected to have a laundry list of traits. However, the five qualities that I have appreciated most over my 25-year career are:

Accountability. A good leader takes full responsibility for their team’s performance, whether positive or negative. When outcomes are positive, good leaders take the time to appreciate the team members who helped make it possible. When negative, that same leader takes the time to reflect on what they and the team could/should have done better and provides feedback on those learnings in a constructive way that keeps the team motivated.
Adaptability. Being able to change plans and objectives at any time is key. No leader expected to have to deal with a pandemic for 2+ years, but the leaders that adapted quickly and learned how to thrive in a virtual environment are the ones who are winning. Taking on (whenever possible) a flexible approach from the start should always be a goal but when that is not possible, being able to problem-solve in real-time is critical. At Ford, we recently announced an organizational split of our EV and ICE-focused business units. This was a bold move by Ford..two distinct businesses working together to combine start-up speed with unbridled innovation.
Decisiveness. This is probably the most sought-after trait in a large organization as leaders in large companies can sometimes make “decisions by committee.” Leaders who make decisive decisions are valued by the team that supports them. The team can then accept that decision and act upon it. The team should still assess the pros and cons of an issue…that absolutely must be done. However, after assessments have been made, exuding a clear and confident position sets good leaders apart from good managers.
Great Communicator. Being able to deliver clear, concise, and tactful communications is a crucial leadership skill. Teams “lean in” to people who provide valuable information, ask for feedback, ask intelligent questions, and (as noted above) are decisive in what they want/need from an interaction.
Empathy — Empathetic leaders can understand the needs of others, inclusive of being aware of their feelings and thoughts. In a market where unemployment is at an all-time low and resignations at an all-time high, this trait becomes even more valuable in helping to retain talent. I recently saw a stat in Forbes that notes how 50% of people with empathetic leaders felt their workplace was more inclusive and that 76% of people were more engaged. When people feel engaged, included, and understood, they stay longer and deliver better results.

What advice would you give to other women leaders to help their team to thrive?

I have found that successful teams tend to all have the following characteristics:

They have clear goals and plans
They have leaders that are accountable and decisive
They collaborate effectively
They resolve conflicts constructively
They each have a clearly defined role to play
They celebrate each other and the team’s success

What advice would you give to other women leaders about the best way to manage a large team?

1. Build relationships with the people you manage. Employees are more productive for managers they like.

2. Set clear goals and objectives, ensuring everyone understands the deliverable.

3. Empower your team to make decisions. Every decision can’t wait for your approval.

4. Ensure your team (at every level) has the resources they need to do the job.

5. Celebrate and reward a job well done.

6. Manage conflicts quickly and effectively

This answer is an easy one. Lawrence (Larry) H. Collins was the first person at Ford to truly advocate for me. When I applied for my first supervisor role, I was put on a “perform first plan.” I got the job but was given it at a salary grade lower than the actual position. Larry pulled me aside and said, “Look, I am about to throw so much work at you that you won’t be able to breathe….BUT in 6 months, I will go back to the same team that would not promote you to supervisor and tell them to make it right.” He was a man of his word, and I will be forever thankful for his advocacy for me.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

Paying it forward by helping those who did not have the advantage of a “roadmap to success.” For me, that means supporting 1st generation college students. I did not have the benefit of parents who worked in corporate America. I did not have a college-educated close family member. Every step of the way, I made the best choice I could, which sometimes meant I was not making the “best choice.” Now I mentor 1st Generation college students through our Ford First Gen program, an innovative new program aimed at improving graduation rates among first-generation college students. My goal is to help them stay motivated to complete college and help them feel prepared to enter the workforce confidently. Once they reach Ford or another employer, I also help them by being a mentor and advocate as they navigate a corporate environment for the first time. As I can attest to personally, this program can have generational impacts on a family, and I want to pay it forward to as many 1st Gen students as possible.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?

You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂 When I think of movements, I always think about basic needs that so many people are struggling to maintain: healthcare, food, shelter, and access to education. So for me, that would mean inspiring others to give back to those less fortunate. As Muhammad Ali once said, “Service to others is the rent we pay for our room here on earth.”

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

Whenever I am feeling at my lowest, I think about my alma mater’s school motto: “Find a Way or Make One.” A simple and powerful message reminds me that; no matter how difficult the task, anything is achievable.

Well, if they see this and agree to lunch, I’ll happily do 3 more interviews with your team anytime you want. I adore smart, talented women who know their worth. Because of this, I would have to say Anita Hill. She was so brave to live in her truth in 1991, despite the horrible way she was treated at the time. I am happy that a woman as smart and talented as she is was able to weather the storm and become an ICON for women’s rights.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

Inspirational Women Leaders Of Tech: Ford Motor Company’s Sondra Sutton Phung On The Five Things… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Olga Bondareva of ModumUp: How to Use LinkedIn To Dramatically Improve Your Business

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Content and Interaction — Obviously, there are more complicated segments where the competition is high, for example, the major companies, whom everyone wants to make their client. To target them successfully, I advise my clients to work on their expert image on LinkedIn. You can do that by creating valuable content and then interacting with people through personal messaging. Content works, a lot of leads come from content. But if you are just a content creator, it doesn’t work either. It’s a social network, not a blog. Interaction is very important. You should communicate with people: like, comment, respond to comments to your own posts. That is, you have to be in constant conversation.

As part of my series of interviews about “How to Use LinkedIn To Dramatically Improve Your Business”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Olga Bondareva, Co-Founder and CEO at ModumUp.

While studying at the university, Olga was a participant of the Microsoft Student Partners program and served as a Microsoft tech evangelist among the students. After completing her studies, she started working at Microsoft as a Digital Marketing Specialist and quickly progressed to the position of the Social Media Marketing Lead in Central and Eastern Europe. At Microsoft, she was responsible for the company’s social media presence in Central and Eastern Europe, digital projects, Social Selling, and Employee Advocacy programs. After leaving Microsoft, she became the Co-Founder and CEO at ModumUp, the agency with 33 clients and ARR around $1M, which specializes in personal branding and social selling for B2B lead generation. Olga runs a team of 44 people who are industry experts and enthusiasts of social selling. Olga’s ambition is to build a global expansion ecosystem with several diverse agencies and coaching schools, helping her clients to expand to the MENA, APAC, and LATAM markets. Olga’s favorite writer is Philip K. Dick. Among her favorite nonfiction books is Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I studied to become a psychologist, and while studying I started a social media account with a couple of other students that was dedicated to psychology memes. It was mainly focused on different stereotypes around psychologists. Our posts began to spread virally, because this was in 2011, and there weren’t many projects like this back then. We started to gain followers, and I became more interested and invested my time and efforts in the project. My knowledge of social media proved to be very helpful when I became Microsoft’s evangelist among the students and then shortly after the university decided to start my career as their digital marketing specialist. I began working with a target audience that consisted of software developers, IT pros, and startups. Then I got a promotion and started to oversee their SMM and special projects for Central and Eastern Europe. It was at that time that I learned about Employee Advocacy and Social Selling. Employee Advocacy is when a brand helps its employees to develop their social media pages so that they write more about the company’s news and products. Social Selling is more connected to sales — it’s when you use social media to find new clients and partners. I started to work closely with Microsoft’s Sales Department and account managers. When I went on maternity leave, I realized that even though I really like Microsoft, I need to create something of my own. I announced the creation of my agency ModumUp on my social media pages. By that time, I had already grown an audience of entrepreneurs, senior executives, and marketing specialists, and I had a lot of followers interested in my expertise. So when I posted about ModumUp, I had more than a hundred responses from potential clients. I was a bit shocked by the volume of responses, and started to build my agency. At the beginning, we worked with more diverse projects — for example, we offered social media marketing. But it didn’t take long till we began to focus exclusively on social selling. It was way more interesting for us because you could see the results immediately (in the form of new leads and new clients). It was also more popular with our clients, at least in the b2b sector. My agency has already been operating for 4 years (since 2018), and we have very ambitious plans: to scale it, to transform it into an ecosystem for international expansion with other partners, agencies, organizations, to be able to help our clients in a more complex way.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career?

There are “secret advocates” who recommend my agency to potential clients. These new clients come to me and say, “I’ve been told your services are great, but I won’t tell you who told me so.” And this has happened several times. Who are these people? Are they different people or the same one? Why do they hide their identity? It’s funny, but I haven’t found the answer to these questions yet.

Another interesting fact: the very first employee in my agency started working with me before the agency was even launched. I’ve been developing an Instagram account about my two cats back then, just for fun, but with an idea that someday in the future I may find a way to monetize it. And I was looking for a freelancer to help manage this cat account for a small salary. So my future first employee came forward, and I started to teach her SMM. We grew this account together up to 50K subscribers. And then when I started my agency, I realized I must involve her, because she’s very responsible, very cool, and she’s a fast learner. I also contacted another candidate for this cat Instagram page (I didn’t choose her then). They are both my partners now. It turns out this little cat project gave me the opportunity to find the coolest, most reliable people. They’ve grown so much over the last four years that they’re now our key experts in social selling. They are the engine of the agency.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I can share a few, some of them may not be funny per se, but I found them very insightful.

I was very uncomfortable charging for my services at first. It was difficult for me to name the price and sell our services. How did I cope with that? I just started doing it. I think my corporate career helped me a lot, because I understood how much the agencies’ work costs. And at Microsoft, we’ve worked with agencies that aren’t cheap. I knew roughly the price level, which enabled me to avoid offering my services at low prices.
Our service range was too wide. If we talk about clients, the mistake was to offer a fairly wide list of services, such as SMM, content marketing, and launching special projects. Some things I managed to complete successfully on the basis of my expertise, and some things were executed with the help of my partners’ expertise. But later I realized that the fast and stable work processes and stable quality can only be provided if you focus on something specific, on a certain type of service. And so we did. This focus gave me an opportunity to deepen my team’s expertise. We became one of the best experts in a very specific market niche.
No recurring revenue. At first, we were doing a lot of project work, which didn’t provide stable monthly revenue. Right now we are using a subscription model for almost all our projects, and it provides us with recurring revenue. I find it to be more predictable and overall better for business.
Hiring “experts in everything.” At first, I thought it would be better to hire versatile people who could do analytics, write content, communicate with clients, etc. But in fact, it doesn’t work that way. People are different and they fit different roles. Also, different people work well with different clients. There were a lot of mistakes in that area, too. But a lot of insights as well. We discovered that when a client and a team member are not a great fit in terms of work pace and character, and it feels like it’s better to give up this project altogether, changing an account manager just makes everything fine.
Public speaking. When I started the agency, people began asking me to speak at various conferences. And at one of the first conferences, I was really nervous — I was used to giving speeches as a Microsoft representative, but this time I was the founder of my own agency. At one point, I just realized that I can’t do it anymore, my voice and hands started to tremble. I just stood up in the middle of the conference and said, “All right, let’s take a break.” I put my hands up, sighed, and everyone laughed. I made a joke about being too nervous. And everyone became even more supportive of me because they saw a real person behind the entrepreneurial facade, a person who is genuinely nervous and wants to perform well. And that conference gave me new clients and partners with whom we’ve been working together for several years.

Which social media platform have you found to be most effective to use to increase business revenues? Can you share a story from your experience?

It was definitely LinkedIn. I can say that LinkedIn helped me to launch ModumUp, because I was gathering relevant audience there and was regularly posting content prior to that. And when I announced that I was launching my agency, a lot of people came to me.

We also experimented with our customers and independently with such specific websites as Quora, Reddit, etc. But they always give a vaguer result. We didn’t see a direct impact on business, so we got out of it.

We use Twitter with some clients too. Twitter is a good platform for quick interaction and networking, but not for lead generation.

Professional groups on Facebook are important as well. They are very helpful. I sometimes announce our events and articles there, and it brings us new and interesting contacts.

Let’s talk about LinkedIn specifically, now. Can you share 5 ways to leverage LinkedIn to dramatically improve your business? Please share a story or example for each.

Profile design — It’s important that your profile doesn’t look like a profile of some bot or spammer, meaning it should not be empty and should look as human as possible. There are a lot of bots on LinkedIn, a lot of spam, a lot of automation, and it’s important to prove that you’re a real person. There are very cool features that can help with this:

– LinkedIn “cover story” — a video greeting that you can record for your audience. It happens all the time that a person who clicks on this kind of profile immediately experiences the “wow” effect because the profile photo moves. When we add “cover story” to our clients’ profiles, we see that the views start to grow immediately. And that means that people really want to see the real person, how they talk, what their facial expressions are, and what they look like.

– LinkedIn “audio clips”

This feature was originally invented to record the correct pronunciation of a person’s name, because it is such an international network and sometimes it is not clear how to do it. But now a lot of people use “audio clips” in order to briefly tell something about themselves. It also makes a profile page livelier, because it is such an indicator that there’s a friendly person behind it.

– LinkedIn “featured”

This feature helps to fill the profile with meaningful content and useful materials that can be attached: videos, links, pdfs. If they are “featured,” they can be accessed quickly. So a person who goes to your profile can get to know you, read your useful materials, and maybe learn something new.

– LinkedIn “creator mode”

This is a mode for content creators on LinkedIn, which also helps you to show your content, to move it to the first screen on your profile page. You can showcase the subjects of your expertise. “Creator mode” helps the audience that visits your profile to see your posts before anything else.

2. Personal messaging — Although many experts advise you to focus on building your personal brand, the main way to get new clients on LinkedIn is through personal messaging. Some people say that when messaging potential clients, you shouldn’t immediately sell, or spam, or actively pitch, but we have found that direct approach works best on most markets in terms of the result (the number of leads and appointed calls). It’s better to get to the point quickly and to find out whether your proposal is relevant to their current objectives or not. This way we get more leads. Why is this happening? LinkedIn is more of a business social network, and people understand why they are here. They understand that this is a platform for business networking, customer search, and other business opportunities. People are actually very happy that we save them time by not prolonging this communication. They understand from the get-go that something will be sold to them at the end of the conversation. And as we found from practice, the longer we stretch the conversation out, the faster they fall off and start to ignore you. They’re just not comfortable with you wasting their time.

3. Follow Up — What’s important is that on LinkedIn the most popular reaction to a message is to ignore you. It doesn’t necessarily mean that people are not interested in your proposal, it’s that they are so overloaded with different tasks, deeds, messages on LinkedIn — all this information noise. Because of this, they very often miss your message or simply don’t want to grasp the essence of it. That’s why follow-ups are essential. They act as a reminder. There are different kinds of follow-ups: with additional materials or details, with new ideas, or just with a smiley face. But the point is that follow-ups work very well, they help either to stimulate the conversation or to revive it if a person stopped answering. And it’s only thanks to follow-ups that you can actually arrange a call or a meeting. If you just send one message and forget about it, it’s not an effective way to sell your services on LinkedIn. There are lots of people who could answer you and could become your clients, with a little bit of persistence.

4. Content and Interaction — Obviously, there are more complicated segments where the competition is high, for example, the major companies, whom everyone wants to make their client. To target them successfully, I advise my clients to work on their expert image on LinkedIn. You can do that by creating valuable content and then interacting with people through personal messaging. Content works, a lot of leads come from content. But if you are just a content creator, it doesn’t work either. It’s a social network, not a blog. Interaction is very important. You should communicate with people: like, comment, respond to comments to your own posts. That is, you have to be in constant conversation.

5. LinkedIn events — On LinkedIn, there is an option of scheduling events and quickly inviting your connections. You can send out up to 1,000 invitations per week. The event may be a small webinar or a livestream, or you can schedule a larger conference. In any case, an event will give you an opportunity to show your expertise. Whenever there is live communication, trust is built way faster compared to a situation when your potential clients read your message or posts. Event organizing is a big trust booster, so it’s important to do it. For example, my agency has organized a conference recently. We were sending connection requests to people who would most likely find this conference relevant to their objectives and their business. Our conference’s target audience is people who are responsible for scaling businesses to new regions and who are looking for market entry cases, specifics of different markets, sales scripts, etc. So here’s a step-by-step process: we organize an event, invite our target audience, build up the trust, and afterwards we delicately pitch them with ideas specific to them.

Because of the position that you are in, you are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

It would be dedicated to the idea of ownership. My top priority in life is my job and my professional development. For me, the main thing is the focus on the result and quality. And I believe that even if you work as an employee in a corporation (as I have done at Microsoft), you should always treat it as your business.

When I worked at Microsoft, we always had this notion of “every activity has an ‘owner’.” You were not just a project manager, but a project owner. And I really like this notion of ownership, because it helps you treat every task as your own. Whether you do it for the company or for your own clients, you have to do everything with maximum efficiency. In fact, this applies to everyday life, too: when we perceive ourselves as owners in our lives, we take the lead and begin to change things.

Some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂

The most inspirational person for me is Irvin D. Yalom. He is a renowned American psychotherapist who specializes in existential psychology (life and death, meaning of life). This is very inspiring to me because the meaning of life is something that I always think about. Irvin D. Yalom has written many books on how to deal with the fear of death, and how this experience of dealing with death changes a person. Actually, it makes one better, because you overcome your fears, start to rethink your life, and start doing what’s important to you. You begin to live in the moment, not postpone your life for later. You realize any day can be your last. And to me, these ideas are very important. I try to think more about the fact that my life is finite and it helps me find the life’s meaning. Irvin D. Yalom is the person who got me thinking about it with his books and his speeches. I’d like to have a cup of tea with him and talk about things.

Thank you so much for these great insights. This was very enlightening!

Olga Bondareva of ModumUp: How to Use LinkedIn To Dramatically Improve Your Business was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.