Category: Featured

Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech: Roja Boina of Evernorth On The 5 Leadership Lessons She Learned From Her Experience

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Know yourself first : Always know yourself first. Know your skills, strengths, passions , triggers and try to understand your own value and what you bring to the table. By doing this reflection it helps to build better relationships, do more purposeful work and helps you to accomplish great things.

As a part of my series about “Lessons From Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Roja Boina.

Roja Boina is a Software Engineering senior Advisor .She is Originally from India and has come to the US to pursue her masters in computer science. She is a data enthusiast and as an Engineering Senior Advisor for a Health Care Domain, she has skill-set to provide data-driven solutions to business users .She takes pride in her get-it-done with a high-quality product spirit. She loves defining requirements, designing, developing, testing, and delivering backend applications. She likes to communicate data through Visualizations.She is very passionate about being a Women in Tech Advocate and being a part of WIT communities. Apart from her 9–5 she loves to volunteer for non-profits and mentor the fellow women in stem.She believes in a growth mindset.

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

Growing up in a small town in India, I had no idea how my career would unfold. I studied computer science as an undergraduate. I easily secured employment post-graduation in an independent testing company in Hyderabad, one of India’s technology hubs. However, the role was largely process oriented and mundane. I had always sought a challenge both academically and professionally and decided to apply to graduate schools in the United States.

Thanks to my strong undergraduate academic performance, I was easily able to secure admissions in several competitive universities, and decided to complete my Masters in Computer Science at the University of New Haven with support from a generous scholarship.

Data carriers were on a rise and being an immigrant I thought entering into a growing industry like this is more likely to open doors for many new opportunities. Hence after graduating , I have joined a healthcare giant as a consultant. While working there, I have recognized my passion for working and solving the problems with data. I have been able to combine my strong foundation in computer science and my passion for working with and solving problems through data.

By working in the healthcare domain on various projects, I have gained knowledge on developing BI solutions and data-driven insights into decision making. I also improved my teamwork and communication skills by interacting with stakeholders from cross-functional teams to understand and analyze technical and functional requirements, dependencies, and potential roadblocks. I am now confident in communicating ideas and solutions with both technical and non-technical audiences through my strong storytelling capabilities.

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

I have initially worked as a consultant(Tableau Developer) when I started my career. I am glad that in the last 4 years, people have identified my willingness to learn , grow and have given me incredible opportunities to work on some of the leading technologies . During this time I have recognized that working with the smartest brains is the easiest , fastest way to learn things and I am glad to have got the opportunity to work along with a few of the smartest people.. After three years of working through various tools , technologies and gaining domain knowledge I was hired as Software Engineering Senior Advisor which has opened doors for me to grow further in my career.

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?

None of us should be satisfied with the status quo regarding the gender pay gap that exists within STEM. Women earn 82 cents for every dollar a man makes and one in four women are considering leaving their workforce or downshifting their careers during the pandemic.

We all have a part in this to make the change happen. At a personal level, women shouldn’t be accountable for the majority of the unpaid household labor, child care and family responsibilities. There must be an equal division of work at home.

At the corporate level it’s important to not only hire the women but also retain them by providing flexible work options, providing educational and job-training opportunities and also promoting the right talent . Often women are praised for the sacrifices they make for their families , rather we should build solutions so that women can choose not only the career but also the life they want without having to sacrifice on their personal lives and time.

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?

According to a Harvard business review the standard for parenting is different for both men and women and it is the most devastating effect for promotion . It’s almost like re-climbing the corporate ladder when you return from maternity leave. Often a woman will never know if she isn’t promoted because of the parenting bias.

The intense difficulty of a work schedule that is not compatible with men or women would lead to women leaving the workspace all together. Though it is a bias & workplace inflexibility it leads to this decision of her unwillingness or inability to do the job.

To resolve this , we should reconsider what we are willing to allow the workspace to demand from employees. As individuals , families push back against the overwork that will pave for others to follow .

Also there must be an equal responsibility and sharing of the work when it comes to parenting and household responsibilities.

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

People skills are not as important as technical skills: people skills are equally important as technical skills.Communication, curiosity, critical thinking are equally important as technical skills.Part of this problem stems from the fact that soft skills are harder to measure than technical skills.

It’s easier to determine if someone can build an app than if they can navigate organizational politics. In the first case, there is a tangible product. In the second, the outcome is intangible, changeable, and depends on many factors.

People think you should be only mentored by women within the stem, but it’s equally important to have both men and women as mentors as it helps to see the different perspectives and to grow relationships that will accelerate your career.

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.)

Know yourself first : Always know yourself first. Know your skills, strengths, passions , triggers and try to understand your own value and what you bring to the table. By doing this reflection it helps to build better relationships, do more purposeful work and helps you to accomplish great things.

Network is net worth : find both mentors and sponsors in your career. It is so crucial to have people not only to guide you but also who can advocate for you and say your name in a room full of opportunities. It is important to spend time building meaningful connections throughout your career as it helps with career advancement opportunities, strategy and introduces you to important people within and outside of the company.

Have a strong purpose and identify what success means to you : Most of us tend to do well on the days we feel good, but for one to keep going forward despite the situation, circumstances and adversities, it is important to have a strong sense of purpose and Everyone’s definition of success looks different in their career, identify what it means to you, so you can start taking action to bring that success into your life.

Advocate for yourself : Because most times people do not know what you want, be it a raise , promotion or working on a different technology completely. Ask for what you want, it is important to communicate.The best way to get what you want is to ask for it.

It’s not about the goals themselves : Reaching any goal is only a small part of the reward but the person you ‘ve become along the way is the greatest reward.

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

Communicating the vision and strategy to the team clearly — It’s important for you to not only understand the vision, but also be clearly able to communicate and explain the vision you hold to others so they can understand and work on it.

Adapt to the challenges put in front of you: There’s no denying that change is uncomfortable but if you’re not willing to at least try to navigate the uncharted territory that’s ahead of you, you’re more likely to be left behind.

Stop believing your mistakes are setbacks — start seeing them as necessary steps for growth : Mistakes are proof that you are trying , they are proof that you’re taking action towards something challenging . This kind of mindset work is so important when you are looking to advance in your career.

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?

Definitely my family, from the place where I come from and I grew up even at this age and time people still consider it’s important for girls to get married early and you aren’t considered settled unless you are married. I am extremely thankful that my family has prioritized my education and when I thought of moving to the US to pursue masters they have agreed to it.

There are so many people that have directly influenced me throughout my career, it’s difficult to choose just one person. I am so grateful to everyone that has taken a chance on me, saw my value. Being an immigrant it’s really challenging to navigate your career without the right sponsors and mentors. I am thankful for all my mentors and sponsors in my career.

Also last but not the least I am thankful for myself too, for showing up on the days when it was not easy and pushing myself to do the work when it was not easy.

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

I am “paying it forward” . I have amazing mentors, sponsors in my career who helped me navigate to where I am today.

I am very passionate about being a Women in Tech Advocate and being a part of WIT communities. I actively participate in mentoring , volunteering activities and pay it forward by sharing the knowledge that I have been shared with.

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. 🙂

Lately I have been reading a lot of books on psychology and neuroscience . I sure would love to have a movement that would help build habits that drive results, help people stay focused and allow them to do deep work without getting distracted ( in a world where it’s so easy to get distracted ).

Also,If I haven’t received a decent scholarship I am unsure if I would have pursued my Masters.Education is something that must be easily accessible to each and every single person . I always wish quality education- graduate, undergraduate degrees from reputed universities are available for free of cost and one need not worry about paying debt .

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

It’s more of a statement rather than a quote that I tell to myself — “In a world where you can be anything, be and stay true to yourself” . Culturally there are so many things that I have learnt growing up.It needed a lot of work and energy to unlearn some of them that wouldn’t serve me to grow as a person.

I constantly remind myself just because that’s how things have been for a long time doesn’t mean they are right or just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t mean you have to do it too.I apply it both to my career and personal life. Always have some alone time to reflect on what you want and what brings you peace and joy . It is utmost important to me.

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 🙂

Definitely Sheryl Sandberg . I have admired her work throughout the years andI love her quote “We need women at all levels, including the top, to change the dynamic ,reshape the conversation ,to make sure women’s voices are heard and heeded ,not overlooked and ignored”

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

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

Female Disruptors: Madeline McKinnon Of ‘Feels’ On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Better to have it not need it, than need it not have it: My mom has said this to me for as long as I can remember, usually in the context of bringing a jacket when I go out. But the principle applies everywhere. I’ve learned to come prepared, have a backup plan and expect things to not work out seamlessly. Our U.S. launch strategy at Feels has changed significantly since we first started, and as we progress, we’ve iterated and continue to build back up plans, because you never know when you’ll need it!

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

Madeline McKinnon is a co-founder and U.S. General Manager of Feels. Before joining the Gen Z dating app, she led user acquisition at Lover App, funded by Tinder’s founder Sean Rad among others, and The Action Network, a sports betting media company acquired for $240 million. Madeline studied Entrepreneurship and Innovation at The University of San Francisco before joining five startups on their growth and marketing teams. Based in NYC, Madeline is passionate about ethical social media usage, environmentalism and mentorship.

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’ve always been an athlete, and I think some of my best personality traits come from being on sports teams as a child. I went to college in San Francisco where I was able to intern at several tech startups and early on realized that building a business felt like play to me; it was scrappy, required wearing multiple hats, and being part of a team, similar to sports.

Actually, many aspects of startup culture mirror being on a sports team — from working to each other’s strengths, unearthing a fierce competitive drive, showing up as an empathetic team player and simultaneously as a leader. I fell in love with the startup world, but even more, the promise of a team that I could count on and lead.

I moved to New York after graduating and saw a friend become very successful in online advertising.

I told myself I want to do that.

I found a mentor, took a course online and started a position at an agency where I lead the media department. After a few years, I left the agency to run online app marketing and paid media affiliate business of a sports betting startup. After they were acquired, I ran the Growth Division for a UK-based sex-tech app before co-founding Feels in the US and developing our launch strategy.

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

We’ve been conditioned to believe that to find someone you are compatible with on a dating app, you must swipe right, judging them on their appearance alone. Who created this standard? Two men, 10 years ago. The way we use dating apps today is broken and dehumanizing. Feels vehemently rejects this norm and has completely transformed how we interact on dating apps.

On Feels, there’s no swiping — you scroll through a fully immersive video-first interface and react to another user’s content, similar to a social network. We’ve successfully integrated a key component that has been missing from the dating app experience: context to your connection. Profiles on Feels are playful and authentic, composed of videos, photos and personality-based questions. Inbound messages are also broken out into two categories: users who only reacted to your content and users who wrote you a personal message. Our focus is to facilitate true connection between two people, not inundate them with superficial conversations and matches.

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 was fired from one of my first internships at a well-known corporate retail and e-commerce brand. I spent the first 3 weeks at one of their brick-and-mortar stores to get a sense of their product line where I met and connected with several sales associates. They asked me to take some feedback back to the corporate headquarters, including the lack of Wi-Fi in the stores, 15-year-old computers and unrealistic sales goals.

When I finally started at the corporate office, the CEO welcomed the intern class and asked us all what we had learned from the previous weeks. I promptly stood up and gave the criticisms — yikes! Again that week, I spoke out at a meeting I had been invited to with C-level executives, criticizing an embellished narrative the company had adopted about sustainably sourcing their products.

I was quietly dismissed soon after. But this was a good learning experience I needed at that time in life. I learned to listen and evaluate a situation from multiple perspectives and people. I’ve actually integrated this principle into the Feels user tests I conduct, making sure to seek out people from different backgrounds to gain greater insight and feedback about the product.

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?

My mentors have all been my managers at some point in my career. I credit one for outlining the path of what I have built in the last two years; without him advocating and supporting me I wouldn’t be where I am today. During the pandemic we spent hours on video calls every day, him patiently walking me through new media and leadership strategy — providing gentle, constructive feedback and celebrating my wins. In a time when we were all physically isolated, I filled a void of loneliness through our friendship and grew professionally.

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?

Democracies are a great example of a structure that continue to be the most progressive and equitable form of government. In the U.S. this past year, and recently in Europe, we’ve seen standing democracies disrupted followed by civil unrest, civilian casualties and widespread fear. Though not perfect, a democratic government with decentralized power is one system that we should stand to preserve.

I always try to look at product and service innovation in a human-centered design framework, which allows me to sympathize with individuals outside of myself and weigh the pros/cons of industry disruption. One easy way to distill if an industry is ripe for disruption is to identify if there is a resounding pain point from its target audience. If there isn’t one company in the space addressing this concern, it’s time for things to change.

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

Don’t react emotionally: I used to dread yearly reviews where it’s inevitable you’ll receive good and bad feedback. It’s natural to be defensive with the bad, and it’s still a learning process for me to sit with critical feedback, but I’m working on listening more, digesting and looking at situations objectively.

You’re the sum of the 3 people you spend your time with: One way I take care of myself is surrounding myself with positive, motivating and inspiring people. I’m a firm believer in the universal theory of attraction, and when my friends are making moves, it seems we all ride that wave.

Better to have it not need it, than need it not have it: My mom has said this to me for as long as I can remember, usually in the context of bringing a jacket when I go out. But the principle applies everywhere. I’ve learned to come prepared, have a backup plan and expect things to not work out seamlessly. Our U.S. launch strategy at Feels has changed significantly since we first started, and as we progress, we’ve iterated and continue to build back up plans, because you never know when you’ll need it!

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

I’m really excited about some of the new features we’re launching on Feels this spring. No other dating app has explored the UX integrations we’re working on. Feels’ users will be able to connect with each other in a digital landscape that is fully immersive, playful and secure. You might be able to guess — we’re moving into the metaverse.

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

Being heard the first time, coming off too sharp or ‘bitchy’, finding women in similar positions, biological pressure to start a family.

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

I read “Sex At Dawn” for the first time several years ago which expanded my position on relationships greatly. I grew up in a traditional family with married parents and never questioned lifelong commitment or monogamy.

In “Sex At Dawn,” I learned that humans aren’t programmed biologically for monogamy, and the relationship norms we have today were inherited from Puritanistic thinking.

After reading this, I gained perspective and empathy for unconventional relationships, and allowed myself the grace to explore that. This has been transformative in how I approach connection, loyalty and the possibility of marriage.

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. 🙂

Our society has come a long way in destigmatizing mental health, but talking about personal mental health struggles with a significant other is still taboo and often awkward. I would love to see increased comfortability in dating today to be out and okay with having a mental illness, similar to coming out about one’s sexuality or gender preference. For many, it’s a part of their identity and something they deal with every day, so this should be a topic we embrace and normalize instead of shut out.

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

I come from Scottish descent, and on the McKinnon Clan crest is the quote “Fortune Favors the Bold’’ which feels like a gift from my ancestors. The motto pushes me to bet on myself, with the promise that great reward only follows great risk.

At Feels, we err on the side of nonconformity and being a leader in the online dating industry. We’re unapologetically bold — rejecting relationship/gender norms, labels and the swipe-and-match model. It’s a risky swing that we believe will improve dissatisfaction in online dating and facilitate fortuitous human connection.

How can our readers follow you online?

You can find me on Instagram at @madelinefromdenver or TikTok @themadelinemckinnon.

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

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Female Disruptors: Madeline McKinnon Of ‘Feels’ 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.

Women In Wellness: Anna Chokina of Cellular Goods On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

… Find what makes you tick: This might be bigger than a simple tweak, but I believe that the journey towards better wellbeing begins with people finding what they love and building their life around it. People that carve out time in life to do the things they like and are meaningful to them are happier and feel more fulfilled, especially if they’re lucky like me and find that their job is their passion too.

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Anna Chokina, CEO of Cellular Goods.

Anna Chokina is CEO of Cellular Goods, a UK-based wellness company that provides premium products based on lab-made cannabinoids, and has more than 20 years’ experience in senior level roles in the personal care and fast-moving consumer goods industries. Anna was previously Vice President of Global Colour Cosmetics, Global Face Care and Personal Care at Avon and, prior to that, she was General Manager of L’Oreal Paris for Russia. Her other previous senior roles included Marketing Director at PepsiCo Russia and Business Leader for Femcare and Healthcare products at Procter & Gamble in both the US and UK.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?

I have spent the last 20-plus years working across senior level marketing and executive management roles in the beauty and FMCG sectors.

I love what I do: marketing and business and my work has taken me all over the world; I was born in Russia and have since lived and worked in the US and the UK as well as my home country.

I have a passion for new challenges and for developing strategies to help brands grow and following this passion has taken me to exciting companies such as Avon where I was Vice President of Global Colour Cosmetics, Global Face Care and Personal Care; and also L’Oréal Paris where I was General Manager for Russia. I am now CEO of Cellular Goods, a UK-based wellness brand providing premium consumer products based on lab-made cannabinoids.

I’m a big believer in what cannabinoids have to offer in a wellness context and in the opportunity for a brand in this space that can offer high-quality and high-trust products. I’ve seen this firsthand: as part of my experience at Avon, I actually launched the company’s first-ever line of Cannabis Sativa based products for the personal care and skincare market. This experience introduced me to the world of cannabinoid consumer products and the many benefits they can offer.

My interest in wellness is longstanding. Over my career I’ve found that staying in touch with yourself and having a motivated and fulfilled team are vital factors when it comes to delivering meaningful results, and the bedrock of this is often individual wellness and wellbeing. In fact, it is because of the importance of wellness and maintaining a healthy work-life balance that I always try to make the most of my downtime by doing things that help me recharge. For example, I enjoy shopping solo and I always try to book time in my diary for Pilates and my regular retreat at the beauty salon. I also love travelling and, when possible, I try to book-in trips to remote places like Alaska and Patagonia as they help me recharge and give me energy that I can take back with me to function better in life.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?

Whilst working at Avon, I was tasked with overhauling one of the company’s brands. This was a difficult job as the brand’s sales had been declining and there was a lot of skepticism not just among the customers, but also internally that this could be done. To help address this, I teamed-up with colleagues from the company’s Research and Development (R&D) team to find an ingredient that would provide credibility to the refreshed brand’s positioning, messaging and packaging.

For several weeks we looked at ingredients used for skincare until I suggested a component the company came across accidentally while developing another product. The component looked promising, and we had a long-term patent on it, making it unique to the company. So, together with the R&D team, we decided to use science to further our understanding of this ingredient which, to our surprise, turned out to contain an amino acid capable of restoring up to seven years of collagen loss. From this point onwards, it was all hands on-deck until the final product was on the shelves.

Looking back, I would say this project was one of my biggest professional achievements. Not only did we turn around the brand from decline to growth and expanded the use of the ingredient to several product ranges, but this experience also taught me that when marketing and R&D work together from the onset, they can deliver excellent results. This is a lesson I’ve kept close throughout the years and the reason why as CEO of Cellular Goods, I’m committed to ensuring our scientists are working with suppliers and the marketing team at every stage of the product development process.

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

Throughout my career I’ve faced many difficult situations that have taught me some valuable lessons, with one of the most important ones being the value of a good working environment.

This did not happen right at the beginning of my career but took place as I began to become responsible for entire teams. As part of one of these teams, I had a direct report who was excellent at her job, but she had a difficult relationship with her colleagues, to the point that some members of the team told me that her attitude was creating a toxic working environment. Notwithstanding these complaints, I decided not to act immediately as the employee, despite the reports of her negative attitude, was over performing so I wanted to wait to see if things would settle down.

Six months later, I let the employee go and that’s when I noticed the change in my team. All my colleagues became less on-edge which helped improve their mental wellbeing and, to my surprise, they also started performing better. Now I’m keen to emphasize the importance of the work environment, take prompt action to address any factors that may be affecting the mental wellbeing of my team and dedicate more time to helping individual team members strike a balance.

Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?

At Cellular our focus on wellness is holistic, it’s about ensuring that people can look, feel and function better by taking a scientific approach to delivering products with one of the most exciting breakout ingredients of our times. Cannabinoid compounds are capable of reducing stress, regulating mood and even helping you get enough sleep. A wealth of anecdotal evidence and a growing basis of scientific studies have shown that cannabinoids can deliver a host of wellness benefits.

Our goal at Cellular Goods is to use these latest scientific findings, alongside our own research, to develop products that can help people take advantage of all the benefits of cannabinoids, including CBD and Cannabigerol (CBG). As part of these efforts, we recently launched the UK’s first CBG-powered skincare products that use the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of CBG to help people maintain a healthy skin and combat the damaging effects of UV-radiation and ‘inflammaging’. This skincare range is supported by scientific research we’ve conducted that bears out these properties.

As well as helping people look better, we’ve also focused on the latest in scientific research into the benefits of CBD to inform the launch of our ultra-pure lab-made CBD ingestibles to reduce stress and improve sleep, helping people feel better throughout the day.

All the CBD and CBG used in our products is lab-made to maintain purity, consistency and quality to a higher degree than can be achieved through traditional field grown cannabinoid production. Our use of lab-made cannabinoids is also helping to make a big impact on the world from an environmental standpoint because lab-made cannabinoids aren’t just purer, they’re greener too and by a huge margin. Lab-made production is the clear future in responsible cannabinoid production on several counts including more efficient land usage, the removal of the need for pesticides in production, and the significantly lower requirements for energy, water and heavy machinery in the production process. All of which also contribute to a much smaller CO2 footprint.

There’s still much more we can do to help improve people’s health and wellbeing which is why we’re committed to continue developing products that are not only environmentally friendly, but that also allow people to take advantage of all the benefits lab-made cannabinoids can offer.

Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.

Every person is different so while some of my top five recommendations may not work for everyone, I hope they can at least help some people with their wellbeing. My top five ‘lifestyle tweaks’ that have helped improve my mental and physical wellbeing by reducing stress and helping me maintain a better work-life balance are:

Find what makes you tick: This might be bigger than a simple tweak, but I believe that the journey towards better wellbeing begins with people finding what they love and building their life around it. People that carve out time in life to do the things they like and are meaningful to them are happier and feel more fulfilled, especially if they’re lucky like me and find that their job is their passion too.

Avoid bad company: Throughout the years I’ve learned that socialising with bad company brings nothing but trouble and stress, which is why it’s important that we try to stay away from bad influences and focus on getting closer to people that challenge and support us. At the end of the day, they’re the ones that will be there during the hard times and that will help us reach whatever goals we set ourselves.

Sleep well: From allowing the body to repair itself, through to enabling the brain to consolidate memories and process information, getting at least seven hours of ‘good quality’ sleep is key for people to improve their wellbeing. However, achieving good and uninterrupted sleep is easier said than done, especially after a long and stressful day. I personally find that, in addition to having a good nighttime routine, lowering my room temperature to 18–19°C and using CBD-based products, which research has demonstrated to help reduce stress and aid sleep, can help me sleep better.

Find the healthcare routine that works for you: While staying active is key for people’s mental and physical wellbeing, maintaining a regular workout routine can be difficult, especially for those of us who don’t enjoy traditional activities like running or going to the gym. This is what happened to me before I started doing Pilates and the reason why I recommend that, instead of committing to any workout plan, people find activities that are not only fun and good for their physical health, but that can also help them relax and recharge — it’s much easier to make a habit of something when you enjoy it.

Get a pet: As a proud dog owner, I can testify that having a pet can have a very positive impact on people’s wellbeing. A pet will not only require people to take it out for walks which can help them stay active, but it can also help reduce stress and, for those who live alone, keep them company!

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?

I would launch the ‘good quality sleep’ movement to raise awareness about the dangers of getting limited and poor-quality sleep while providing advice on habits and innovations designed to help people sleep better.

Getting a good night’s sleep is key for people’s mental and physical health. However, many people, especially parents and working mothers like me, often cut down on their uninterrupted sleep time as part of their efforts to balance their work and personal responsibilities.

While these efforts might work at the beginning, people that don’t get enough sleep will eventually become less productive and will be more prone to getting sick. So, to help people maintain and even improve their wellbeing, we should put sleep at the top of the conversation about healthy lifestyles.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

A career is a marathon, not a sprint: I started my career at 26, much later than some of my peers at the time, so I spent a lot of time worrying about whether I was progressing fast enough. After many years I worked my way up to senior marketing and management executive roles at Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, L’Oréal and Avon, culminating in my current role as CEO of Cellular Goods. Looking back, I wish someone would’ve told me earlier that my time would come and that I should just enjoy the journey.

Don’t obsess about career progression, lateral career moves can be good too: Some people are obsessed with moving up the career ladder as quickly as possible, but the reality is that lateral career moves can help people develop skills and build networks that they will need throughout their careers. Time spent looking for opportunities to develop a range of skills throughout your career is valuable and can be an accompaniment to progression.

If the company culture doesn’t fit, leave or you will burn out: After working at a company that wasn’t the right cultural fit for me, I learned that being in a situation like this affects people’s mental and physical wellbeing until they eventually burn out.

Look for stretching jobs: Sometimes we stay in roles where we’re not learning or being challenged because they’re easy or comfortable. Despite the challenge, I’ve consistently gotten most from stretching roles and opportunities, as those are the ones that forced me to learn new things and pushed my career forward.

Always be open to new possibilities, don’t just stick to the plan: Before embarking on a new personal and professional project, we usually make plans about how we will achieve our goals. I wish someone had told me earlier that while these plans sometimes go awry, the important thing is to be flexible and open to new ideas about how to reach the final goal.

Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?

If I had to choose one from this list, I would say mental health.

From the moment we wake up until (as is all too often) we put down our phones before going to sleep, we’re overwhelmed with information about work, politics, COVID and climate change, to name a few. Access to immediate information in the digital age has in a sense made us all more connected, however, it has also taken a toll on mental health for many by making people more anxious and stressed.

Poor mental health not only harms a person’s wellbeing, but it can also affect those around them and society as a whole. We must take care of ourselves by taking the time to disconnect and relax, helping protect both our own and other people’s mental health.

What is the best way our readers can follow you online?

The best way to follow me is on LinkedIn. I suggest that people interested in learning more about cannabinoids and our products also visit Cellular Goods’ website or follow us on Twitter.

Thank you for these fantastic insights!

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Women In Wellness: Anna Chokina of Cellular Goods On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help… 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: Jessica Sikora of 3ontessori On The 5 Leadership Lessons She Learned From Her Experience

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Be yourself — Authenticity is such an important trait that cannot be overlooked. I think owning who you are, not letting others dictate your path, and being proud of your story is so important. Your authenticity attracts the right people into your circle, and empowers you to continue moving forward in your career. You get to where you need to be through your authenticity.

As a part of my series about “Lessons From Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jessica Sikora.

Jessica Sikora is turning Montessori on its side at 3ontessori, as Co-founder and COO. By expanding access to Montessori education through curated boxed collections and monthly themed sensory activities that provide an all-in-one solution for at-home learning, the skills of our young budding leaders and future entrepreneurs can flourish.

She is also passionate about bringing Montessori education to those in low income and underrepresented communities because, in her eyes, every child has the chance to change the world.

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 grew up in a traditional Asian-American household, and as a first-generation American, I was expected to pursue a career in healthcare as a part of my parents’ “American Dream.” While I knew early on that I was very much creative-focused, finding a love of art and storytelling, I quickly suppressed that side of myself to do what I was expected. Because of that, I felt that I never had a chance in my childhood to explore my interests, skills, and passions — and it wasn’t until I moved out as a young adult at the age of 23, that I finally had a chance to “meet myself” for the first time. For the first time ever, I had the opportunity to explore my strengths and weaknesses, seek out learning opportunities in the topics that I truly loved. Between corporate careers, I took up a nannying job and fell in love with the curiosity and wonder in the little boy that I cared for. Eager to preserve his love of learning and foster his confidence, I discovered Montessori education and was instantly drawn to this child-led learning. Spending hours researching activities and scouring the Internet to order the right toys and tools, I realized the gap in the market and wanted to make bringing Montessori education easy for busy parents.

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

When I first stumbled across the company at its very early stages, I bombarded my now-cofounder and business partner, Christian, with endless emails with my thoughts about the company, sharing about my own experiences with learning and Montessori education, and ideas about the company roadmap and its possibilities. Eventually, after maybe about 2–3 months, he did give in and schedule a call with me to discuss it further and, the rest is history.

Looking back on it, I laugh and wonder what would have happened had Christian not seen my flood of emails as a sign of passion for the company. I think in many other cases, business owners would have been annoyed with my constant communications and blocked me — thankful that Christian gave me that chance to chat with him about the company and be a partner to this adventure.

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?

One of the funniest mistakes, looking back on it now, was that I was tasked during one of the interviews for my first full-time tech jobs to create a presentation about myself using technology. Eager to get the role, I thought up ways to present myself to the panel of interviewers and came up with the idea of creating a website about myself and my skills. It took me three days to create a site, and it came out to be a multi-page website. During the interview, I found our that the instructions meant to create a PowerPoint presentation… but I rolled with what I had anyway, and did my presentation. I ended up getting that job offer, though I meet only about half of the required skills listed on the job description!

When I later asked my hiring manager, who was one of the interviewers, why they had selected me for the role without a tech background, he said “You made a 12 page website when everyone else did a PowerPoint. I knew it meant you would always go above and beyond to be creative.”

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

3ontessori provides an all-in-one out-of-the-box solution for parents to bring Montessori into the home, as well as offers busy parents easy set-up for their children’s activities every month with our themed activity collections that integrate STEM learning with Montessori principles. We make it easy for families to integrate child-led learning into their daily lives. Passionate about helping those in underrepresented, low-income communities, we are also ensuring that we offer opportunities for all families to have access to our products and learning. Not only that, but the cherry on top is that we are the first Montessori company that is being rolled out by a direct descendent of Maria Montessori, as my co-founder Christian Montessori is her great, great grandson!

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

3ontessori has been my biggest project this year, but I continue to work on my nonprofit SUPERBANDS in parallel. Both projects have a spot near and dear to my heart, based on my own personal experiences and personal passions.

At 3ontessori, we have been working to not just roll out our curated boxed collections of Montessori tools to help age groups meet crucial developmental milestones, but as our next step, we have been working on our monthly sensory activity boxes. Coming from a creative background, I’ve been having a lot of fun with coming up with monthly themes and their matching activities.

At SUPERBANDS, I’ve been also playing around with setting up themed boxes too since the organization sends teen music fans care packages to promote positive mental health. That’s been fun since I always picture 13-year old Jessica and how much joy she would have had receiving a box like this — I love being able to do this for teens today.

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?

There have been so many wonderfully inspiring women in STEM who have carved out a path for many of us to follow, and even today, there are be milestones and achievements in STEM thanks to women which continues to inspire our future female leaders. I do think that the status quo has improved since years ago, but there is still a long way to go.

STEM careers are on the rise, but even presently, women only make up around 50% of the STEM workforce. We need to continue to encourage and empower girls to pursue their interests in the STEM field, and continue to offer programs and support for them to explore these interests and skills.

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?

Generally I think we are all still under the cloud of the gender norms from decades ago, and in a mentality that girls aren’t as likely to excel in STEM or tech as boys. Thus, they may feel less encouraged or supported — leading to the false impression that girls just aren’t as interested in STEM careers as boys are. I love that there are programs like GirlsWhoCode and different products like monthly subscription boxes to help foster these skills and interests, and build up our girls to ensure that they never once feel less-than.

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

A myth would be that women aren’t as skilled as men are in STEM or tech careers — that is certainly not the case. There are amazing women who have made huge breakthroughs in the field, and many more who are outshining their male counterparts. As we continue to empower more women to shine in their careers, and encourage girls to pursue careers in STEM and tech, we can slowly work to dispel this myth.

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.)

• Be yourself — Authenticity is such an important trait that cannot be overlooked. I think owning who you are, not letting others dictate your path, and being proud of your story is so important. Your authenticity attracts the right people into your circle, and empowers you to continue moving forward in your career. You get to where you need to be through your authenticity.
• Speak up — I struggled for years to tell those around me how I was feeling, when I was needing help. I needed to learn how to be my own best advocate and constantly have to remind myself that it isn’t selfish to speak up about my own wants and needs.
• It’s okay if you don’t know it all (you don’t have to) — I’ve always felt this immense pressure to prove myself and show others that I was ‘worthy’ of my role or career and, because of that, I would really beat myself up if I didn’t have the answers to something. This situations of not-knowing made me feel less-than. I’ve instead now, learned to be resourceful to find the answers I needed or ask for help, and be excited about learning along the way.
• Mistakes do not equal failure — I think every hiccup, or every pivot, should be thought of as a learning point, versus failure. I’ve had to learn to reframe my mind and allow myself to take risks, thinking of each step as an opportunity to get closer to my goal.
• It doesn’t matter what people think! — I’ve been guilty of this since childhood, and still working on it today (but getting better with it). I think the fear or worry about what others think about you can really hinder you from owning your own path, pursuing new endeavors, or taking chances. Silence the worries and ignore the critics, go do big things!

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

I personally am guilty of this, but I do think many women tend to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders, juggling so many things between work and home, and putting themselves on the back burner. You don’t have to say yes to everything and can set boundaries for yourself for the sake of your sanity. Prioritize your self-care and your mental health — “You can’t pour from an empty cup” has become a mantra that I try to keep in mind.

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

I think of all of the wonderful leaders I have had in my life, and the not-so-great ones, and firmly believe that those who have stood out to me are the ones who have really sat down and made the efforts to get to know me. The leaders who have welcomed the role of mentor, eager to build me up and guide me toward success in my career and my desired path. I try to do the same for those on my own team — giving them a chance to learn new skills that they have expressed interest in exploring, learning about their pets and their families, hearing about their weekend, sharing advice for their career journey, connecting them with those in my network who may be helpful. While it may not be possible for every team, I think keeping your door open and allowing opportunities for your team to connect with you and learn from you is crucial.

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?

I am grateful to say that I’ve had many mentors along the way who have inspired and encouraged me. I would say that I’m incredibly thankful to have had the support of one of my college professors, who not just was an educator in the STEM field but also became one of my college advisors. I shared with her so many thoughts about my career journey and she supported me every step of the way, between writing me recommendation letters to giving me advice on next steps to pursue to cheering me along for my accomplishments. I was even so thankful to have her hand me my diploma at graduation! We still keep in touch to this day and I would say that she was one of the most noteworthy mentors in my STEM career.

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

I think my journey of success continues to be a work in progress, but I think from what I’ve learned from my experiences in the workplace as well as my entrepreneurial endeavors, that I see solutions to problems and have the confidence to go for it. My hope is to take some of the problems I see in the world around me and to offer solutions, whether it was building my nonprofit SUPERBANDS based on my personal experience of feeling alone during my mental health struggles as a teen or through seeing gaps in the accessibility of Montessori education to build 3ontessori.

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’m actually hoping to do that through 3ontessori! If you look around at existing Montessori schools and their tuition prices, it is disheartening to think that there are so many children who are unable to learn these foundational principles simply due to financial reasons. By bringing Montessori education to as many children as possible –

regardless of socioeconomic status, location, or background — 3ontessori is shaping our future leaders, our budding entrepreneurs, our passionate philanthropists, and our unstoppable creatives of tomorrow. We are allowing the child to lead us, and in the work we are doing, we will help them build a pathway to their desired future… and that’s how you change the world.

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

“To have something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.” As a kid, I spent a lot of time staying quiet, fearful of what others might think of my ideas or think of me as a person. I realized in my early adult years, when I had my first business idea, that I couldn’t let myself just stay quiet anymore and had to learn to step outside of my comfort zone. As new chapters of my life have unfolded, and new milestones have blossomed, I have learned to be more comfortable with being uncomfortable. Looking at my greatest blessings and biggest accomplishments, I realize more and more that these all came from taking a leap of faith and trusting that everything will work out.

The quote is something I still reference to this day, in all aspects of my life beyond just business. When making a decision, I constantly think to myself: Is my fear greater than my desire to have this outcome?

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 have a private meal with the Jonas Brothers — no real professional reasoning here, just always been a fan since a teen and it was them who helped inspire my first business endeavor, my nonprofit… but I would say that maybe, in a work sense, to have their buy-in with the organization would definitely help it take off and really impact more people!

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

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Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech: Jessica Sikora of 3ontessori On The 5 Leadership Lessons She… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

… Abundance. It’s about being open. We get to be abundant with love and respect, generous and open. So, when something comes up, if our arms are open to receiving, we create possibilities instead of barriers. A flow. Moreover, the two of us, working together, create potential for success exponentially.

As a part of our series about lessons from Thriving Power Couples, I had the pleasure of interviewing Katia Ravé and Steve Hunt- Ravé Strategy Studio.

Katia Ravé, a French-born American entrepreneur, author of three books, and speaker, and Steve Hunt, a cybersecurity-executive-turned-executive-coach. Together they train entrepreneurs and professionals in leadership, speaking, the art of living the life you always wanted.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you two to your respective career paths?

Katia: I was the daughter of an entrepreneur power couple. They gave me the love of working on my own, being in control of my income. I also saw many people around me learning a trade, but not knowing how to run a business. When I saw heartbroken entrepreneurs who were amazing people with excellent craft, and beautiful abilities, but when I saw them struggle with asking for money, and running the business, that showed me I have a special gift. I know business. I know entrepreneurship. I a love supporting entrepreneurs.

Steve: Over many years as a corporate executive, advisor to governments, and industry analyst, I asked my colleagues what they loved about working with me. None of them said because I was so good at cybersecurity. They all said it was because I helped them get a budget approved, or get a promotion, or even improve their marriage. I learned I had a special gift of bringing out the authentic leader inside people. Now that I’m a coach, I get to support people every day.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you two got married?

Shortly after we got married, we faced a haunting reality: We both have a ton of baggage around our past relationships and money. We decided to “take ourselves on” and see each other and ourselves in the present — without the baggage — and to focus together on a vision for our marriage in the future. We crafted new language to identify when we were operating from old stories of our past, and when we were “stepping into the future.” One time, Steve was anxious about speaking at an event and was rehearsing constantly. He couldn’t sleep. Katia asked him what happened in the past to make him think he wasn’t ready to give this presentation. Steve relaxed and recalled a time as a child when he was scolded by a parent for being unprepared in school. We both realized that childhood memories relay like videos in our heads even as adults.

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?

Thinking we had to think alike. Steve is very analytical, and Katia has a big “just dive in” personality. One afternoon, Steve created a detailed outline for a video we were about to make, and Katia said it seemed sterile and that we should just press record and see what happens. Steve said “Oh, so instead of being clear, we should jump around and be happy.” We both stopped and laughed, realizing we had different personalities.

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

Katia is French and her voice is unique. But that’s not what really makes us stand out. Our company is built on a vision, a grand dream to empower thousands of people to live the life of their dreams. We run this company like it is our mission to be the wind beneath the wings of our clients as they fly toward their most exciting future.

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

This year after a long wait we launch Entrepreneur Academy Mastermind, a 12-month program to transport entrepreneurs to fuller, richer lives. Start-ups make their first six-figure income. Established companies head to seven- and eight-figures. The Academy is built around remote training plus quarterly retreats in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. And while that is our top project of the year, we are also excited to produce six additional trainings now completely available online, addressing every need of the entrepreneur, and every budget.

What advice would you give to other CEOs or founders to help their employees to thrive?

CEOs should be “star-makers,” empowering every member of the team to become the best leader they can be. Too often, company leaders look at their personnel as “employees” rather than teammates. Winning is never accidental. It takes a team of leaders — everyone seeking to improve continually — to win a championship.

How do you define “Leadership”?

Leadership is a fashionable word these days and cannot be overemphasized. Leadership shows up in time management, communication, problem-solving, giving and receiving feedback, authenticity, and enrolling others in a vision. Leadership, especially self-leadership, is the most important characteristic of a team member.

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?

Katia found a wonderful mentor in motivational speaker and bestselling author, Larry Winget. Larry has guided Katia to dig deep within and to find the powerful leader inside herself. With Larry’s mentorship, Katia wrote three books, spoke on international stages, and aimed for the stars. She brings the same vision and mentorship to each of her clients today.

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

We do a lot of volunteered work; we support with our leadership skills.

We also buy little libraries that we enjoy planting in different communities. We leave our marks that way with empowering others through reading.

We give back a lot, charities, food hunger, human trafficking.

What are the “5 Things You Need To Thrive As A Couple”? Please share a story or example for each.

Love. Working together can create strain, like the time when Steve took a day off when Katia thought there was important work to be done. We both remembered to approach each other with love and understanding. Steve felt respected and Katia knew that everything would get done.

Connection. Working together from home means that work leaks into breakfast and dinner conversations, and even comes into the bedroom. We make sure to block times on our calendar to unplug and focus on “just us.”

Faith. We set audacious goals. When we hit goals easily, we set bigger goals next time. On the other hand, when goals are illusive, like launching one of our programs that took a month longer than expected to fill with clients, we get to have faith that everything will work out in a fruitful way.

Unity. We are in this together. We bear the burdens together and we celebrate together.

Abundance. It’s about being open. We get to be abundant with love and respect, generous and open. So, when something comes up, if our arms are open to receiving, we create possibilities instead of barriers. A flow. Moreover, the two of us, working together, create potential for success exponentially.

You are people 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. 🙂

Entrepreneurs purchasing real estate. When both partners are entrepreneurs, banks are not lining up to give them loans for real estate. We help entrepreneurs to finance their dreams of owning a home, and we’d love to grow that into a movement.

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

100% is possible 100% of the time. This reminds us that our relationship, our marriage, our business all can create magic all the time. It is relevant because whenever we feel down, or disempowered we know that everything is in our power.

We are very blessed that 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 🙂

Ray Dalio, because we follow his leadership teaching and believe his is one of the prophets of our age, calling us all to stretch into the best versions of ourselves.

How can our readers follow your work online?

We invite everyone to follow our blogs and speaking at ravestrategystudio.com

Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.

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Lessons from a Thriving Power Couple, With Katia Ravé and Steve Hunt Of Ravé Strategy Studio was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Write down your accomplishments as a Truth anchor to come back to. When you see your Imposter Syndrome showing up, read that list and re-center yourself around what’s really True, vs. the false story it’s trying to tell you.

As a part of our series about how very accomplished leaders were able to succeed despite experiencing Imposter Syndrome, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ashley Reed.

For 18 years, Ashley Reed helped shape marketing initiatives for leading global brands, including Amazon, iHeartMedia, Audi, and the NBA. Although she built a successful career, she always felt like something was missing or off. She left corporate and pursued her own inner work, leading to a powerful awakening experience. Now, as an Inner Work Teacher and Coach, Ashley supports other high-performers on their awakening journeys, helping them re-find internal balance and true freedom.

Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’?

Thank you for having me, I’d love to.

I worked in corporate marketing for 18 years, mostly in sports and entertainment with organizations like the NBA and iHeartMedia, and then I finished my marketing career in tech with Amazon as their Head of Global Events for Amazon Advertising.

I built a lot of success, but I wasn’t happy. I always felt like something was missing or off, and I had this ongoing craving for freedom.

So, in 2016, I started looking at ways I could create financial stability so I could step away from my corporate career (at the time I directly correlated freedom to no longer working in corporate).

I learned about real estate and built a real estate investment and management business, I started learning about cryptocurrency and became an investor in the space, and then I was always intrigued by awareness and human potential work, so I also got my Coaching Certification and ended up organically working with clients as a High-Performance Coach.

And in November 2019, I hit my goals and gave Amazon my notice.

My last day was scheduled for January 2020, and I planned to turn my high-performance coaching into a full-time business. But, on December 31st, 2019, one week before my last day at Amazon, everything I had taken on for all of those years caught up to me.

I was hospitalized with a severe case of burnout called Rhabdomyolysis, and I almost died.

I was in the hospital for a week followed by a pretty intense recovery, and finally sitting still for the first time since I could remember, I could feel the overall extreme burnout. Not just physically, but also mentally and emotionally.

I paused on formally launching my high-performance coaching business, and a couple of months later I felt called to deeper inner work. Something I knew nothing about at the time.

And during what was arguably one of the most difficult years in history, the infamous 2020, I had the most powerful experience of my life.

I created space and turned all of my focus inward, and I moved very quickly and deeply through what I now know was an internal rebalancing and spiritual awakening. All while quarantining by myself in my New York City apartment.

It was like a factory reset for life. It brought me back to my true self and allowed me to see myself and everything around me for what it is, instead of through the lenses and limitations my ego had convinced me to adopt. And I finally experienced true freedom.

After moving through my awakening, I didn’t connect to high-performance coaching anymore. It felt too head-heavy.

I knew my new mission was to help other high-achievers wake up and re-find themselves, and in turn, find that true freedom they’ve also been searching for.

Can you share with us the most interesting story from your career? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘takeaways’ you learned from that?

I feel lucky to say there are so many, especially from my sports and entertainment days. I’ll leave the inner work aside for this one because that’s a different type of interesting 🙂

The first one that comes to mind is when I was leading the partnership between Michael Jackson’s Estate and Cirque du Soleil, as they were creating a temporary museum at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas to celebrate the new Michael/Cirque residency show.

I and the Creative Director on the project were in charge of working with Michael’s Estate to select pieces from his personal life and career that really showcased and celebrated who he was as a person and performer. We went through his personal storage for days selecting everything from living room furniture to iconic costumes. It was a bit surreal.

Others include being on the floor for Game 7 of the NBA Finals, going to the Grammys and Emmys, activating at the Dubai Polo Gold Cup, and being backstage at iHeartRadio Music events.

What I learned from all of these was to stay present. We move so quickly, especially in the world of high-performance. Our ego is always trying to get us to focus on the past or future, but it’s so important to remember to pause and celebrate and be thankful for the wins and cool moments and experiences while they’re happening.

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

We’re a little counterintuitive in the high-performance space, which I absolutely love.

I support high-achievers and high-performers on their inner work and awakening journeys. And I love that balance and dance between the two.

In the world of high-performance, we often feel like we have to choose between achieving and inner work or spirituality, but that’s not the case. We’re spiritual beings, but we’re living in a human body and a human world, and it’s OK to celebrate and embrace both.

It’s something I’m really passionate about because I’ve experienced, and still experience it, myself. That feeling of not fully belonging in either world.

I love how my work helps to bridge that divide.

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?

I had so many amazing mentors throughout my career, it’s challenging to call out one. But those that I found the most impactful all had one thing in common: They stayed human in their approach to business and managing their teams.

They challenged, pushed, and taught me how to be a high-achieving Marketer and Executive, but they also reminded me I’m human, and so is everyone I work with.

We all feel, have stress, have lives outside of work, and so much more. The mentors that I admired the most treated everyone around them with respect, compassion, and empathy, while still having high expectations and excelling in their roles.

I found that balance so impactful. It organically mirrored who I am and how I wanted to show up as a professional, so when I found mentors that were anchored in that side of themselves, it felt very refreshing and I naturally gravitated towards them.

Ok thank you for all that. Now let’s shift to the main focus of this interview. We would like to explore and flesh out the experience of Impostor Syndrome. How would you define Impostor Syndrome? What do people with Imposter Syndrome feel?

Imposter Syndrome is when you feel like a fraud and you’re irrationally doubting your abilities.

A common version of it is when you feel like you don’t deserve or aren’t qualified for your job or role (or the one above it, etc.). It’s very normal and common.

And it’s so easy for us to see it when it’s happening to other people. I’d see these uber-talented and qualified people suffering from Imposter Syndrome and would think to myself, “Why can’t they see how amazing they are?”

But it’s so hard to see how our own ego and limiting beliefs are showing up. If that script was flipped, I’m guessing they would’ve been thinking the same thing about me.

People with Imposter Syndrome feel small, like they’re not good enough, and like someone’s going to find out at any minute they don’t deserve to be where they are. It’s very draining to live with, because you always feel like you’re having to work extra hard to prove your worth, and to prove the success story about you that other people bought into (because your ego has you believing it’s not true).

What are the downsides of Impostor Syndrome? How can it limit people?

Imposter Syndrome is one of the ego’s favorite tools. It uses everything I described above to keep us small. To keep us from taking risks and making changes, and to keep us from growing and achieving.

Our ego’s main goal is to gain and maintain control as a means of “protecting” us, and the smaller it keeps us, the easier we are to control.

When we buy into our Imposter Syndrome, we might stay in the same role for a long time because we don’t feel we deserve a promotion, or not speak up in a meeting because we’re nervous our ideas aren’t good enough, or not go after a new job because we feel we aren’t qualified.

When in reality, we’re more than qualified and ready for all of the above. Our ego has just gotten us to buy into limiting beliefs and stories that make us see ourselves through a false lens.

All of this can dramatically impact and slow down your career.

How can the experience of Impostor Syndrome impact how one treats others?

I’ve seen the impact show up in a couple of different ways.

When you have Imposter Syndrome, because of the false view of yourself we touched on, you often idolize the people above you and/or feel not good enough when you’re in the room or communicating with them. This can create a more passive or submissive approach to how you work and to how you show up as a professional overall.

Another way it shows up is through talking down to people around or below you. The ego steps in and might belittle subordinates or junior people to help make the person with Imposter Syndrome feel bigger and better (all as a way of compensating for the insecurities they’re really feeling inside).

We would love to hear your story about your experience with Impostor Syndrome. Would you be able to share that with us?

Definitely, it was such an interesting journey.

Imposter Syndrome showed up for me in a big way throughout my career. That’s much easier to see now with the level of awareness I have, but I also had awareness around it at the time, my ego was just so strong, it wasn’t enough to release it.

My Imposter Syndrome had me worrying I was going to get “found out” in terms of not being as smart or qualified as everyone thought, it had me not speaking up as often as I should’ve, not trusting my ideas, not seeing the full value in my voice and work, and not asking for raises and promotions when I should’ve.

And it also had me doing a version of all of these things anyway because I still wanted to progress, but in such a draining and challenging way, because I was fighting my head and ego the entire time.

Did you ever shake the feeling off? If yes, what have you done to mitigate it or eliminate it?

I was able to navigate it during my corporate career using head tools that would quiet it enough to allow me to continue to achieve and succeed, which is what most people tell you to do.

But Imposter Syndrome is just a symptom of a deeper source, and mine was no different. To resolve or release it, you have to go to that source or limiting belief that’s driving it. So it wasn’t until I did my deeper inner work that I fully released it.

For me, it was creating awareness around and solving for the deep-seated limiting belief that I wasn’t good enough. It was a powerful one my ego had gotten me to adopt a long time ago as a way to keep me small, and one of the major symptoms it was creating was my Imposter Syndrome.

In your opinion, what are 5 steps that someone who is experiencing Impostor Syndrome can take to move forward despite feeling like an “Impostor”? Please share a story or an example for each.

The only way to truly release Imposter Syndrome is by doing the deeper inner work as I mentioned above. Once you create awareness around and solve for its source, the symptom, the Imposter Syndrome, will release on its own, because the source programming fueling it no longer exists. Anything else will, unfortunately, put you in a place of symptom chasing and managing.

That said, here are four other tips and tools you can use to help navigate those symptoms until you’re able to dive deeper:

1. Write down your accomplishments as a Truth anchor to come back to. When you see your Imposter Syndrome showing up, read that list and re-center yourself around what’s really True, vs. the false story it’s trying to tell you.
2. Close your eyes and center into a moment where you were experiencing success and let that energy and confidence fuel you. Really feel and embody the emotions that came with that experience. This does what we call an energy shift from catabolic to anabolic (from draining to energizing energy), which makes it harder for Imposter Syndrome to function.
3. Use visioning to envision how you want to (and are going to) show up in a situation that your Imposter Syndrome is creating doubt around. This can really powerful. That’s why so many professional athletes use visioning as a preparation mechanism. Envision yourself showing up confidently and successfully to the situation your Imposter Syndrome is making you feel nervous or intimidated by (and feel what it’s like to be in that moment). This not only shifts your energy, but it also makes it feel like you’ve already had the experience and it went exactly as you wanted, making it less intimidating to face in real life.
4. Watch, learn from, and mirror someone you admire that’s owning their confidence and power. How do they act, talk, speak up, etc. Learn from those actions and mirror them yourself when Imposter Syndrome shows up to help you navigate the false beliefs you’re experiencing.

I want to be clear that these are all band-aids. Imposter Syndrome will keep showing up in different ways until you release or change that source belief driving it, but these can at least help you navigate the symptoms you’re experiencing in the meantime.

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

Thank you. I’d have to say awareness. Everyone taking the time to pause and create the space to do their own inner work. To create awareness around their ego, to re-find themselves, and to live a more conscious life. That action has a ripple effect in the world. I’ve seen firsthand how the journey I’ve taken and the change I’ve perused have impacted other people. It’s like Gandhi’s famous quote, “If you want to change the world, start with yourself.”

We are blessed that some 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, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them 🙂

This is a fun one to think about. There are so many, but the first that comes to mind is Jay Shetty.

I love his work and story. He’s a former Monk that is now a Purpose Coach, Author, and Podcast Host. I admire his courage to turn his focus inward, and how he’s handled and navigated reintegration.

I think our paths will cross at some point with how similar our work is, but I’m sure he has so many interesting stories from his inner work journey. I’d love to get a chance to hear some of them over any meal 🙂

How can our readers follow you on social media?

They can find me at @ashleyreedofficial on Instagram, and /in/ashleyreedofficial on LinkedIn as well.

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

Thank you for having me!

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Ashley Reed: How To Thrive Despite Experiencing Impostor Syndrome was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Founders: Ali Grant of Be Social On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

An Interview With Candice Georgiadice

… Have an exit strategy. Whether that’s to sell, to partner, or maybe it’s to keep owning the company yourself… just have a plan of where you want to take your business and what that next level looks like. It will help you prioritize goals and maximize your efforts.

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

Ali Grant launched Be Social in 2012 as one of the first agencies with a hyper focus on executing influencer outreach and collaboration. Ali recognized the power of digital creators and built a business harnessing their influence. Today, Be Social is a leading digital communications agency specializing in influencer, media and experiences for brands and digital creators. With a dedicated focus on all things influencer, the company’s expertise spans across influencer marketing, media placements and experiences.

To further build on the mission to build brand awareness, Be Social has launched BrandEdit, a brand discovery platform. Be Social and Ali power the content creator app Createur alongside Tribe Dynamics. Ali is also a co-owner of organic craft hard seltzer, Ashland. The firm supports and is partnered with the Freedom & Fashion non-profit, which uses the arts of fashion and beauty to empower youth overcoming trafficking, homelessness, and other injustices.

Be Social was acquired by Dolphin Entertainment in 2020, putting the company alongside some of entertainment’s greatest, such as 42West and The Door.

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 originally thought I’d take a career in journalism, specifically broadcast journalism. I dreamt of being an entertainment reporter! After taking courses in public relations and social media in college, I quickly changed directions. The idea of helping amplify the voices of creatives through traditional and new media was exciting. From there, I did a few internships in the industry and really finally found my focus in the world of social media and influencer marketing.

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

Entrepreneurship with little to no experience is always an interesting ride. From mistakes to learnings and the ups and downs…I could name quite a few stories. To date, the most unique and interesting experience has been the acquisition of the company. It’s certainly a feat not every entrepreneur gets to experience, and the ride of that experience was truly unforgettable.

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?

In the beginning stages of starting my company, I quite literally did everything… from QuickBooks to payroll and janitorial services. I was juggling way too much with too little time. There were quite a few experiences where missing the fine details lead to some funny outcomes, such as mislabeling invoices or ordering vehicles for an on-site activation that were stick shift when no one knew how to drive them! These experiences, though inconvenient at the time, helped me grow as a leader. Understanding that everyone makes mistakes and that at the end of the day, we can learn and laugh about it is something that I carry with me as I run my business and guide my team. Giving people the agency to make mistakes is essential, and even better when it leads to a funny story.

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 late grandmother, Patricia. While she didn’t directly help me with my business affairs day to day, it was the invaluable lessons she taught me around being confident, savvy, and powerful.

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?

I think one of the major issues holding women back from becoming founders is a lack of resources. Luckily, there has been such a movement in female entrepreneurship and resources to support that growth! Even just 10 years ago when I started my company, there were far less tools and resources to empower my decisions. Of the many events, podcasts, books and newsletters on the topic, the one I find most valuable is Create & Cultivate, a media company we work with often that provides content, community, and curated events for ambitious 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?

Seek out and buy from female owned brands! While you’re at it, support female-operated companies. If you own or operate a company, hire women in executive leadership positions — and give them the training and support to succeed. As far as the government goes, it is critical to support women by increasing paid leave.

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?

We are savvy, powerful, smart, quick, understanding, helpful, and devoted — all important hugely important qualities in a founder!

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

Entrepreneurship will always be more than a 9 to 5. A founder never turns off and their business becomes quite all-encompassing.

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?

No. And some people can make a lot more money and have far more satisfaction having a “regular job.” Entrepreneurship does not always equate to success, and oftentimes there are more failures than wins. You have to have a thick skin and be “always on” — it’s much harder to shut off when your name is on the door and your employees are counting on you.

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.)

1. Get a mentor. I didn’t, and I regret it. Many people are too afraid to ask someone to be their mentor, but I think more often than not, experts want to share their personal experiences with others, and women especially
2. Learn the fundamentals of operating a business, including HR and accounting. It’s key you have an understanding, even from a high level, of what it takes to operate a business and employ staff.
3. Hire experts. When it comes to legalities, business formation, accounting process, and employment practices, hire experts who know what they’re doing so they can set you up for success.
4. Separate business and pleasure. Lines can get blurred, especially when you work in an industry that intersects with your personal life, but when your business consumes everything, you will eventually burn out.
5. Have an exit strategy. Whether that’s to sell, to partner, or maybe it’s to keep owning the company yourself… just have a plan of where you want to take your business and what that next level looks like. It will help you prioritize goals and maximize your efforts.

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

We’ve had such great success as a team and for our clients, so we’ve decided to give back by taking on a pro-bono client and non-profit partner, Freedom & Fashion. F&F is dedicated to using the arts of fashion and beauty to empower youth overcoming trafficking, homelessness, and other injustices.

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.

Mental health advocacy has been an area in which I’d like to dedicate more time and resources. Our emotional well-being is everything and we often lose sight of that in the hustle of life. Leaning into a movement that provides resources that support positive behavior, thinking and feelings would be rewarding.

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.

I’ve recently started following Adam Grant… not related. He’s an organizational psychologist at Wharton and I find his posts and content extremely helpful for anyone in a leadership position, or quite frankly, trying to navigate life!

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

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Female Founders: Ali Grant of Be Social On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Women In Wellness: Juliette Karaman On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadice

No phone in the morning. Instead of reaching for your phone first thing in the morning, reach for a journal and do a 5-minute brain dump. Automatic writing, getting all your thoughts and perhaps dreams out on paper helps you clear the clutter from your mind and looping in vindictive thoughts or limiting beliefs.

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Juliette Karaman.

Juliette Karaman is a coach, teacher, mentor, and writer on relationships, trauma, healing, sex, and intimacy. She specializes in how to move on from sexual trauma to rebuild an intimate relationship again, guiding her clients through carefully curated processes that restore trust and communication.

Merging her decade of conscious sexuality with the ability to hold deep space has her clients regain confidence in their bodies, psyche, and relationship to themselves. She also is a mother of 4, which, I believe adds a whole extra layer to her wisdom.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?

I’m a mentor, coach, and writer on relationships, trauma, healing, sex, and intimacy. I specialize in the reinvention of the most intimate relationship in life, the one you have with yourself.

It took hitting rock bottom

for me to start building this relationship to myself. I spent 9 months in and out of the hospital, doctors did not know what was wrong with me. Only when I got out of a toxic relationship did the healing journey back to self-love start. All the things the psyche had kept hidden and buried for over 20 years started to bubble up again to be processed. After delving deep into the psyche I turned to conscious sexuality to understand what was happening inside my body, where trauma was stuck and kept me repeating destructive behavior.

Today I am a sexual trauma and incest survivor helping others who’ve gone through it. I help people to move on from sexual trauma to rebuild an intimate relationship again, regaining confidence in themselves and their bodies again. Through years of therapy, personal development, and a massive toolkit, I have created carefully curated processes that restore trust and communication and ultimately unlock the door to pleasure.

Alongside helping couples regain intimate relationships again, I trained and mentored hundreds of other coaches and therapists over the past decade to up-level their skills. I’ve founded Feel Fully You and the Embodied Leadership Academy which leads entrepreneurs, therapists, and coaches through their trauma helps to realign their nervous systems and re-ignite their sensuality so they can lead their teams and clients.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?

I remember teaching a coaching program the week after my sister had passed away. I was nervous that I would not be able to get any words out when I got on stage. Of course, that is exactly what happened. I looked at the 120 coaches in training or so, and was silent, looking each of them in the eye as tears ran down my face, after having stated that my biggest fear was that I would not be able to relate to them. About 3 minutes passed, in which you could hear a pin drop. I received so much silent love from them all. The lesson I was meant to teach changed and it became about connection and how important it is to show authenticity and emotions as a leader.

Even now, 4 years on, I still have coaches tell me that this was one of the most impactful lessons they learned from that 6-month coaching program.

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

At the start of my career, I compared myself to so many other relationship therapists and coaches out there. Comparasitis I call it. All it does is highlight how different everyone is and that there is no ONE way of doing it the RIGHT way. I wanted to be authentic and learn everything there is to know about healing and helping people. The lesson is you don’t have to be the master in the room to help people. You will attract people who are going through what you have already gone through and you can help them with it. I do not regret getting a lot of different qualifications, because every client I work with is different and I have a lot of different tools to help her get the best results for her. There is NO ONE WAY of helping, be your authentic self and it will be the medicine that someone needs!

Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?

I help women and couples become emotionally intelligent, recognise their triggers and learn to respond to them, instead of following destructive reaction patterns. We bring dialogue and communication back to the table instead of allowing disconnect to create a rift between partner. Education about pleasure is the key. Trauma and how our nervous system “goes offline” is a massive piece of the puzzle. We often push emotions away instead of fully feeling them, for the fear of too much pain or emotional overwhelm. We hold on so tightly, to appear a certain way, we get stuck. Yet when we allow ourselves to FEEL (even if only for 90 seconds), the emotions, thoughts and body sensations move through. In Somatic Experiencing therapy they call this pendulation.

Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.

1. Slow down!

Life is for living! Schedule in conscious time for yourself. This may include the below exercise to set a timer 3 times a day and check-in with yourself.

2. No phone in the morning.

Instead of reaching for your phone first thing in the morning, reach for a journal and do a 5-minute brain dump. Automatic writing, getting all your thoughts and perhaps dreams out on paper helps you clear the clutter from your mind and looping in vindictive thoughts or limiting beliefs.

3. Schedule conscious time with your partner.

Agree on the time and date, organize child care, put your phone away and really connect. Agree not to speak about the kids, jobs or whatever stresses that are going on in your life. Do something out of the ordinary: i.e. if you usually go out to dinner, perhaps go kite flying or go-karting together. A good way to find out what you both might like is to write lists about the things you loved to do as kids and then share them with each other on your conscious together time. Schedule this at least once or twice a month!

4. Make a live list.

What are 20 achievable things that you want to experience over the next 12 months.

For example:

1- Girls dinner out

2-Buy myself flowers

3-Take a luscious bath with candlelight and bath salt

4-Go for a walk in nature by myself

5-Moonlight picnic in nature

6-Coffee in bed

7- Sky diving

8-Dance naked in the living room

9-Take a burlesque class

10- Learn a new language

11-Adult PJ dinner party

12-Book a weekend abroad with only your partner

The world is your oyster and just have fun with these. Every time you have done one, celebrate and tick them off the list. You are creating new neural pathways, and training your psyche to receive more!

5. Make gratitude a habit

At the dinner table, have everyone say 3 things they are grateful for that the day has brought them. Followed by 2 qualities they love about themselves. Yes, every day these need to be new ones!

If you have no family, this is a good one to do before bed at night and to write them in a journal, each day reading the list of gratitudes and qualities that have been written down before. Again this retrains the mind to see all the positive things in our lives and attract more of the same!

For example:

I am grateful for the storm yesterday and the electricity cut because it gave me time to take a bath and meditate.

I am grateful for the way you look at me first thing in the morning and reach out to stroke my shoulder, it has me feel loved and cherished.

I am grateful for the man in the blue BMW for cutting me off, it gave me a chance to work with being annoyed and had me slow down enough to see the beautiful buds on the trees that were starting to flower.

I love that I am kind.

I love that I am a good listener and people feel they can share their feelings with me and feel safe to open up.

I love that I love so deeply and let those around me know in no uncertain way that I love them.

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?

All our experiences can be broken down into 4 elements:

Images, thoughts, emotions and body sensations.

I wish everyone took a moment to set a timer 3 times a day for 90 seconds only and to FEEL: Notice your breath, without trying to change it or move it. Notice what thoughts are coming up and feel them. Notice if there are any images that come to mind. Feel them. Notice any emotions and body sensations that come up. Feel them. More content will come up and again feel the 4 elements: Image, Thought, Emotion, and Sensation. After doing this for 30 days, you will notice you have fewer looping thoughts and are so much more in touch with your body.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

1. Stop trying to please everyone, and take care of yourself first.

2. No is a full sentence! You don’t have to explain why you don’t want to do something.

3. Setting boundaries is important in ALL relationships, including your kids! It helps guide them to how to be with you and helps you be the best version of yourself.

4. Stay curious. You never know what is going on for others, judging others is so easy, yet showing empathy is so healing.

5. Use conscious communication to understand the other person. So often we listen, ready to interject with our answer or our opinion, not really understanding what has been communicated.

Even if you do not like or agree with the communication, a simple “thank you” will suffice and show that you have understood.

Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?

Although I think all are very important, mental health is massively important to me. Some of my family members have suffered from depression and I have had friends commit suicide because they saw no other way out. Suicide and depression is on the uptake in teenagers and young adults for the past 5 years. One of the students of the organization committed suicide and this had such an impact on me that I re-trained and became very trauma aware. I work with both the parents of suicide victims and young adults who have attempted to commit suicide. The pain I see is so real and by using different processes and techniques, so much of this can be alleviated and they can start living a somewhat normal life again. I think it is imperative for coaches and therapists to be able to spot when someone is depressed and possibly suicidal and to get the extra help needed to help them.

Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.

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Women In Wellness: Juliette Karaman On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Modern Fashion: David Abissidan of Lola Jeans On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today

An Interview With Candice Georgiadice

A Growth Mindset — There is always room for growth and improvement for any brand. Recognizing that is an important first step in seeing success within your organization. Never getting complacent or too comfortable is important, not only for you as a leader, but for your team as well.

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 David Abissidan.

David Abissidan began his journey in the fashion industry when he was just 14 years old. His father operated denim stores and David worked his way up from cleaning the floors and working customer service to later buying and merchandising. David began manufacturing his own designs in Canada, marketing the product himself to local stores. As Lola Jeans grew from Montreal and Toronto to Western Canada, David hired a sales team and focused on growing the business.

In recent years, David and the Lola Jeans team have made a commitment to create eco-friendly denim. Manufacturing has moved from China to Mexico in an effort to use recyclable materials in more innovative factories.

David is a firm believer that in entrepreneurship, there are no shortcuts. You have to do the groundwork yourself. Nobody will do it for you. Whether you’re in 1982, or 2022, it’s about relationships, calling people, getting in front of people. Making mistakes, building grit, and making it happen.

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”?

After a tumultuous journey in high school, I dropped out of school and started working full time at my Dad’s jeans store, Prestige Jeans. My Dad taught me the ropes of the trade but more importantly, I became versed in business ethics and strong moral principles, which continue to guide me every day.

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

I found my passion in fashion through my 10 + years working retail and decided to pursue my studies in fashion marketing at LaSalle College, in Montreal. In 2004, fresh out of fashion school and with barely any manufacturing know-how, I set up shop on top of my dad’s jeans store in Montreal and set out to craft women’s jeans. I didn’t know exactly what my creations would look like, but I had a good idea of what I hoped to create, a perfect pair of jeans for women of all shapes and sizes. In 2006, my brother Sam and I joined forces, and Lola Jeans was born.

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

When I started Lola Jeans back in 2006, I wasn’t really thinking about my impact on the environment. I was running around with a duffle bag full of samples, trying to follow my dream and build a fashion brand from the ground up. Ignoring (or trying to ignore) just how polluting our industry is.

We live in and love our jeans, but denim is a dirty business. A pair of jeans uses the same amount of water that one person drinks in 13 years, approximately 8000 liters. And it also contaminates it! So, how do we break this cycle and begin to repair the damage done?

In 2020, we acted! We brought back most of our production to North America. We built an ethical supply chain that creates Sustainable Denim for All Bodies. From responsibly sourced fabrics to ozone washing, and laser finishing, we have reduced our water consumption by 80%.

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?

Passion and Enthusiasm — If you want people to follow you, then you must lead with enthusiasm. As a leader, it’s your job not to tell, but to show those around you what enthusiasm and a true commitment to greatness look like daily. The best way to do this is to lead by example.

Don’t outsource the groundwork, grab a duffle bag, hit the road, and knock at doors. No one will do it like you do it. Once you’ve built distribution and once your customers are enthusiastic about the product and the company, then you can assign people to take over with the same passion and enthusiasm as you.

Endurance and Determination — You’ll have your wins, and you’ll have your losses, but through it all, you can’t lose your sense of confidence. You must believe in yourself and your business and persevere even when shit hits the fan. Moving swiftly and confidently, even if you’re not entirely certain of the direction because any direction is better than no direction.

Lola Jeans was greatly impacted by Covid, and to stay afloat, we had to make incredibly hard decisions. We chose to look at the current situation as an opportunity to press reset and reinvent ourselves. That was the silver lining of the pandemic.

Integrity and Fairness — Too many leaders lean on their titles as a crutch and don’t treat others with equity. They excuse their own behavior by saying, “I’m the founder. I’m the CEO. I’m the manager,” instead of earning people’s respect by acting and behaving appropriately. Integrity and fairness are about more than just doing the right thing. It’s about standing for something bigger than yourself and setting a precedent within your business.

My teammates know not to call me “The Boss”. I hate this title and don’t think I deserve this title. Without my colleagues’ know-how, without my teammates’ contribution, I would not be here today, Lola would not be here today.

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

Lola Jeans offers something truly unique and that is denim that is sustainably made and affordable. Not only that, but we are committed to providing a selection of quality basics for women of all sizes. It is our goal to make high-quality denim accessible for everyone. Ethically-made brands often come with a high price point and limited sizes. We are committed to changing that.

Internally, we have a very close-knit team. Everyone has their hands in everything, making for a great work environment.

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

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” -Walt Disney

When I first started Lola Jeans, I was on my own in a sense. I had my experience working in the denim and fashion industry, but no one was going to sell these jeans, except me. There are certain crossroads that all entrepreneurs face when they put their business model or idea to the test. For me, that came when I filled my car with denim samples and hit the road. I began knocking on the doors of businesses, showing them the product, and doing everything I could to gain a wholesale following. That is how Lola Jeans was built, with hard work, grit, and determination.

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?

As a whole, the fashion industry is becoming more and more interested in sustainability, for good reason. We are encouraged to see so many brands prioritize the environment. It is no secret that the fashion industry is a large contributor to global pollution. From the dyes used to unethical labor practices, it is time for a change; a change that many are actively making.

Clean manufacturing is becoming more accessible. It is by no means easy, and there is still much room for growth, but there are factories that are committed to helping brands create products that don’t pollute the environment. That is why we moved our production to Mexico.

Laser finishing is a technique that we use on our products that is sustainable in practice, creating less toxic waste. It is used to get that authentic finishing effect that we all crave from our vintage denim. The process allows the designer’s sketch to be directly transferred onto the jean using a laser. The dated alternative involves using chemicals like bleach and potassium permanganate, which is not only harmful to the environment when discharged as wastewater, but to the factory workers who handle these chemicals.

As the push to create a more sustainable industry continues full speed ahead, we are seeing better technology become available to help brands accomplish their sustainability goals.

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

Environmental responsibility is at the forefront of Lola’s creative vision. We know there is still a lot to learn and for us to accomplish, but the important thing is getting started. We are building an ethical supply chain that creates high-quality, low-impact, long-lasting, affordable denim. We have started at the source and aim to be as transparent as possible. From raw materials to innovative washing techniques, to the finished product — we have managed to cut our water consumption by 80% in the first year.

We are combining ethics and quality to revolt against the trends of fast fashion and irresponsible production. We are devoted to producing the highest quality denim with minimal environmental impact. As we grow, we continue to focus on progress and champion sustainability one step at a time. The denim we create is a testament to a higher standard you can expect from Lola Jeans.

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

Our signature stretch denim contains 80% recycled cotton, made from post-consumer waste and denim floor scraps. 18% Tencel, derived from sustainable wood sources and sustainably managed forests. Additionally, our Sustainable Denim fabric is Global Denim® certified, ensuring quality control that meets environmental standards. It’s eco-responsible and has a low carbon footprint.

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?

Fast fashion has become the norm for our generation. We have become accustomed to having new styles readily available each season. Simply throwing out clothes that don’t last has become normalized. It doesn’t take an environmentalist to know that this is problematic. At Lola Jeans, we don’t make disposable jeans. We make jeans that last and that can be passed on to your sister, cousin, friend, or even donated, but never discarded like fast fashion shmattas.

We use sustainable, recycled materials and manufacturing practices, but more than that, we create jeans that are going to carry you from season to season. Moving away from fast fashion requires that brands be committed to creating incredibly high-quality products that consumers aren’t going to want to put in the trash at any point in the product lifecycle. It’s about creating quality apparel to last a lifetime.

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.

Passion — If you aren’t passionate about what you are selling, there really is no point in selling it. Pursue your passion and results will follow. When you are truly exploring your passion and working hard to bring it to life, the result will be something you are truly proud to have grown.

Lola Jeans was built from humble beginnings and has grown to a great brand today. This could not have been achieved without the passion and dedication of my team and myself.

Grit — Whether we are talking about entrepreneurship or leading a successful fashion brand, hard work and grit are at the top of the list. The people in leadership have to put in the work. Good leaders can’t outsource everything. Leaders that inspire growth in an organization are constantly working hard alongside their team to see results.

Hard work has always been something I valued. From initially learning the fashion industry while working with my dad, nothing was handed to me aside from the opportunity to learn. I was constantly learning, growing, and developing a passion of my own. From a leadership perspective, your team will respect you that much more when you are setting a precedent for hard work and actually working hard alongside your team.

Willingness to Learn — A talking head is worthless. If you want to remain a leader of your market, and within your own company, it’s crucial that you keep a finger on the pulse of what’s happening, and stay on top of relevant facts, trends, and best practices. You must stay relevant and be innovative to propel your business forward. Often, what’s required is not “more hard work,” but a different approach altogether.

Many leaders at some point in their career will think that they know all there is to know. Good leaders who continue to see success are always learning new things and keeping tabs on how the industry changes because every industry does. In 2020, when we were faced with the pandemic, we really had to listen to what the industry was demanding of brands that wanted to stay relevant. More than that, we had to read what consumers really wanted. With an open mind and a commitment to doing what was right, we began moving our manufacturing to North America and sustainably manufacturing our product. That came from a willingness to learn and grow.

A Growth Mindset — There is always room for growth and improvement for any brand. Recognizing that is an important first step in seeing success within your organization. Never getting complacent or too comfortable is important, not only for you as a leader, but for your team as well.

When it comes to fashion, innovation is critical. At Lola, we never sit on our laurels. To remain relevant and to continue growing, we continuously put forth new styles, new ways of doing and continuously invest in new technologies.

We are combining ethics and quality to revolt against the trends of fast fashion and irresponsible production. We are devoted to producing the highest quality denim with minimal environmental impact. As we grow, we continue to focus on progress and champion sustainability one step at a time. The denim we create is a testament to a higher standard you can expect from Lola Jeans.

Integrity — Quality brands place a high value on ethics and integrity. Both in how they develop and design their products, but also in how they conduct business internally.

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

I think most of us were aware of the shortcomings of the apparel industry, but we often felt powerless to do anything about it. Lately, it has not been the case. Customers are asking about our environmental footprint and our manufacturing practices. This will force manufacturers such as ourselves to bring about change to remain relevant.

This trend has reached well beyond the small niche of those who traditionally positioned themselves as “green.” A large and growing number of manufacturers are realizing substantial financial and environmental benefits from sustainable business practices.

Today, sustainability is an important objective in our strategy and operations to increase growth, and these efforts are having a significant impact on our company’s competitiveness.

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. 🙂

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

I am against government handouts or parents’ handouts. It does not motivate nor incentivize people to contribute to society or to better their lives. On the opposite, it makes people dependent on their government. or their parents. The satisfaction of making it happen on your own is priceless. The gratification of feeding your family without relying on food stamps is invaluable.

If I could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, I’d try to rehabilitate, reintegrate the disadvantaged or the people that were deprived of a parent or a role model at home or at school. I would not teach them how to use a compass or to calculate fractions of Pi. I would instead train them to do something they love, something they would be proud to exhibit. The money will follow.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

I’m too vocal to be on social media. You can find me every night at my local shitty bar by the beach. Come chill with me 🙂

You can find our jeans and shop our product at lola-jeans.com.

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

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

Female Disruptors: Angelique Schouten of CLEVR On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry

An Interview With Candice Georgiadice

Follow your values — if you know what is really important to you, it can be your compass. Everyone’s northstar is different, and your compass can ensure that you guide towards it. Sometimes the decisions you have to make will be hard but remember ‘you only need 30 seconds of bravery throughout your life’ to get through the decision, as my mother always says.

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

Angelique Schouten has over a decade of experience in retail banking, insurance, asset management, and FinTech. She was responsible for running the first robo-investor in the Netherlands, and was part of the team that built the first bank in the cloud in the world, Ohpen, where the team created a SaaS Cloud Core Banking Engine. Besides that she is the cofounder of two start-ups, Cloudtract and Sportz Guru and has co-authored two bestselling books: the WealthTECH Book and Monkey Money Mind. Angelique currently serves as CEO of low-code and no-code Software-with-a-Service provider CLEVR.

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?

Angelique was born and raised in the south of the Netherlands and her parents always ran their own businesses. From importing Persian carpets from the middle east during the 70’s and 80’s to a cat & dog supply wholesale company. She was taught that if you want to have something, you have to work for it, quitting is never an option, and you learn by falling forward.

From a young age onwards, Angelique has been driven by strong beliefs: Belief in being able to achieve things if you work hard, belief that you can drive change and belief in proving it can be done. She has always been quite determined varying from making a decision at 10 years old to become a vegetarian to working her way to pay for university. She never believed in an impossible mission, and when she graduated, she saw a lot of her fellow students go to traineeships at FMCG companies like Ahold or Heineken. But Angelique was determined to make a difference within the one industry that requires the most change — financial services. Mission impossibles are possible for Angelique, such as helping one of the worst performing insurance companies in terms of customer centricity win the national customer contact center award, turning a stuffy paper-based private bank into a hip digital investment proposition, launching the first robo-investor completely online and in the cloud, building the first multi-tenant core banking platform in the cloud in the world and growing a startup from 0 to 6,000 B2B customers in no time with no marketing budget. She jumped in headfirst.

One of her most recent endeavors was her journey at the first bank in the cloud in the world; Ohpen. From the 80’s onwards, banks have been powered by billions of dollars of infrastructures and semi-failed IT projects delivered by numerous software vendors. Each bank has millions of USD invested in hardware, their own databases, and proprietary legacy software running on top of it. And that for every product setup– savings accounts, mortgages, investment, and current accounts… It was slow performing, lots of outages, hardly any innovation and changes took forever. Everybody just accepted that it was like this, and customers and regulators were very unhappy… The only happy people were the software vendors who were reselling implementations and bespoke software for each and every single product line and bank every single time.

The team of Ohpen, headed by Chris Zadeh, thought this should be undone. And in 2009, Ohpen was founded. Ohpen set out to build the first bank in the cloud in the world. Everything was in the AWS cloud: one core banking engine and one version of the platform supporting all banks, asset managers, insurance companies. It took us 9 months just to get the approval from the regulator. The software was delivered as a product, in a SaaS-model 10 years later. Some largest Financial Services companies operate on this platform with close to $1 billion assets under management.

Since then, cloud technology and SaaS have disrupted the financial services industry with new entrants while existing software vendors are turning their business models upside down. This was the start of a revolution. But most importantly: better products and services for customers.

Ohpen was built using high-code, or software developers writing individual lines of code. From scratch. The result: a high-quality software solution that could outperform any system and never went down (we had an SLA of 100%).

The world’s transition to sustainable digital success where IT becomes the enabler of business owners. By doing so, they placed the power back into the hands of pioneers where the motto is, ‘If you can imagine it, we can make it real’.

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

There is another silent revolution, happening in plain sight. The revolution of low-code and no-code (LCNC). LCNC is like using Lego blocks to build your software applications. It is not about writing individual lines of code, but a visual way of building software using a low code platform. We use Mendix, for example, a Dutch company that was acquired by Siemens for over 600 million euros. Just like with cloud computing, Analysts predict an enormous growth in LCNC. Let me give you a real-life example of what I mean.

One of CLEVR’s customers is the City of Rotterdam, with one of the finest skylines of the Netherlands. When the pandemic hit, city officials had many challenges. One these challenges was that they it was difficult during the pandemic to fulfill their council activities anymore where citizens would go to City Hall to register a newborn or marriage. They approached CLEVR for help and together, we created the Digital Desk, an application where citizens use their mobile phone, tablet or desktop to connect to a city worker. It handles government identification, document exchange both ways, payments, chat, FAQ and integrations with other systems. The launching proposition was created in only 8 weeks (where traditional software coding would require months, if not a full year) Over 12.000 video calls, 80 teams with over 400 city workers use it with a customer satisfaction of 8 out of 10.

But let’s say we have 200 consultants working1,500 hours per year. That is 300.000 hours per year. But there are over 350 municipalities in the Netherlands. And a whole lot more in our other target markets. And there are only 15.000 Mendix developers worldwide, of which 7.500 are certified. We cannot run a similar project at even 5% of these towns with 200 developers. So, we asked ourselves, is there a smart, savvy, social and sustainable way? Just imagine the potential if we offered the Digital Desk as a standard product to other municipalities which is driven by fast, reliable and secure LCNC.

At CLEVR we have over 400 customers in 18 countries. Within every single project, we have created standard components: templates, workflows, connectors, app services and full solutions. But as you can see there are plenty of opportunities to create standard components which we help bring to the market in order to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable digital success. Our expert services help with solutions, tooling, support and with the academy we ensure companies can DIY afterwards. All driven by LCNC and Mendix.

A silent revolution happening in plain sight. Just like Cloud did over the past 10 years, LCNC is next. And at CLEVR we shape the LCNC world with our standard components, delivered as a Software with a Service.

Low-code as a concept is taking over, especially during the pandemic and tech talent shortage, when a great need for digital transformation occurred without the means to support it. However, many low code platforms are selling a false promise — that is, citizen developers alone cannot fully digitize their business. This idea that LCNC is not the end-all be-all alone for enterprises that need it disrupts the hype surrounding citizen developers, the idea that most of these platforms promote.

CLEVR’s focus on Software WITH a Service (as opposed to SaaS) supports the idea that experts are needed to supply the knowledge, experience and creative thinking required to take full advantage of the benefits and value of low-code/no-code tools. I believe in building a business based on a strong foundation of values where sustainability and social are at the core.

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 have to admit that I was a little nervous when the moment came for me to interview the godfather of the Modern Portfolio Theory, Professor Dr. Harry Markowitz. He had been so kind to agree that I would interview him for the book that my colleague Chris Zadeh and I wrote about the psychology behind our irrational behavior when it comes to money matters (Monkey Money Mind). We had to make sure we could capture some of his insights and convert it into a valuable contribution to our book.

It was not just me in the interview, but also several colleagues. Carla Martinez (who set up the interview) and Sicco Brakema (who introduced us to Dr. Markowitz), shared the same hint of nervousness for this interview. It is not every day that you get to talk to someone with impressive credentials:

Economist

Recipient of the John van Neumann Theory Prize

Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences

Professor of Finance at the Rady School of Management

Pioneer in Modern Portfolio Theory

And the list goes on…

Dr. Markowitz must have noticed this as he started by casually talking about a previous trip to the Netherlands and before we knew it, he uttered, several perfectly pronounced Dutch words such as “rijsttafel” came our way which made us a bit more at ease.

In the movie, “Mary Poppins Returns,” which stars Emily Blunt as the title character (which she nails), taking care as a nanny of the new generation Banks children, Meryl Streep plays Mary’s eccentric cousin Topsy “a woman who can fix anything”. When Mary visits her cousin with the Banks children, she realizes that it is the second Wednesday of the month. A day dreaded by Topsy as her world literally turns upside down and she is not able to fix anything.

The legendary Mary Poppins stresses that if you change your perspective everything looks better.

Of course, Mary is correct and as the Banks children, Mary and Topsy stand on their head, the world looks much better from that angle. Something that is upside down, is fixed. Turning the second Wednesday of the month into the favourite day for cousin Topsy.

It’s all about changing your perspective.

During the first 45 minutes of the interview, I struggled to ensure that I could convert the experience and knowledge of the brilliant mind of Dr. Markowitz into advice and stories that non-Nobel prize winners could relate to. Giving it my all to keep up with his 91 years of (life) experience and him debating numerous topics he is passionate about:

Critical line algorithm, portfolio theory, sparse matrix methods, simulation language programming (SIMSCRIPT including the Buddy memory allocation method), capital asset pricing model, etc.

As time was ticking, I dreaded more and more that I would fail to take this unique opportunity and convert it into something that I could use for the book which has a more practical and personal approach combined with a touch of research. My excitement about this interview was slowly turning into fear that I would screw it up by not being able to capture a practical lesson learned or piece of advice from Dr. Markowitz who brilliantly debates the most complicated economic theories and models.

So, I was frantically thinking about how I could change my approach to one of the smartest economists in the world so that he would share a piece of advice that would relate to the general public and was in line with the practical direction of our book. But I realized during the interview that this is not something he might generally talk about a lot as everybody probably also assumes he talks about his research and really wants to hear the insights from the godfather of Modern Portfolio Theory in real life (as did I).

Then it hit me: I have to change my own perspective. I should not be discussing his achievements as an economist.

I was talking to a highly intelligent man, and I was trying to get something highly intelligent from this interview. But I realized that I had to adjust my perspective and ask a far simpler question that did not relate to what he would typically talk about:

“What advice would you give a 12-year-old when he or she first received pocket money or money for chores like washing a car or mowing a lawn?

Super simple.

That was it, and I felt the interview turning…Like Aunt Topsy. Dr. Markowitz turned from sharing brilliant, yet very complicated economic explanations, to sharing a deeply personal story with an exceptional piece of advice. A story everyone could relate to and could potentially be inspired by as it did me at that moment. It triggered me, challenged me and made me decide to change certain assumptions I had made for a part of our book, hopefully making it better (I’ll let you be the judge of that when it is published). By changing my perspective, it turned the interview for the better.

Mary Poppins did it again: she came to the rescue and put a smile on my face.

What can the financial services industry and FinTech community learn from Mary Poppins?

After this interview, I realised that I should project this experience more on my daily business, the industry I work in and the people around me. I feel that we have to change our perspective more often.

But the question is: how do we keep making it better?

The answer to me is simple: keep changing our perspectives. You and me, not our professional sides but us as consumers and customers. We are all customers. And a customer is only helped if he grasps what we’re talking about and experiences the benefits (make ’em happy).

My lesson from this unique experience was that when we translate brilliance into simplicity, so all the knowledge, inventions, strategies, theories, jargon we have and change our perspective, we can achieve what we were looking for. For me, it resulted in a valuable piece of information that we can share and hopefully make a difference. So, drop the jargon and think benefits if you want to relate to your customer. Not once, but continuously.

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 believe everyone can be a role model in their own way and have an impact. So, I’ve learned a lot from the people around me. From Chris Zadeh at Ohpen for his relentless focus. From Conny Dorrestijn how she makes a true connection with people around her. From my mom’s incredible drive to learn and work, who actually came up with the name of our company, CLEVR, and from Esther Vis with whom I work. She has shown tremendous leadership in the diversity and sustainability discussions we have had with our team. I also tend to learn a lot from people who embrace what makes them unique.

One example is Manon van der Lely, who coached me during my early career when I was climbing the career ladder at a large international financial institution. She challenged me to really look at who I was in my core and what drives me. What are your core values? Your compass that guides you and the decisions you make? During a 6-month period we had extensive conversations and I ended up writing down what my 3 core values were: ambitious, caring and brave-hearted. II felt liberated speaking these values out loud. In fact, they became my compass.

When I was at a crossroad at the company, about to be promoted to an amazing role — I quit. In the elevator. I had been thinking about it for a long time but mapping my decision on my core values allowed me to find a company where I was closer to the fire and have a direct impact. The HR department warned me that I was throwing away my career, that I did not see the opportunity before me. However, it was one of the key decisions in my life, driven by my core values, so I felt I could trust my instinct. Manon guided me towards my own core, and these values still guide me today.

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?

To be honest the word, “disruption” has become a bit of a hype word and I prefer to focus more on having an impact as every person, every business, every organization can have an impact. Whether it is a big or small impact, all incremental changes combined will create a movement.

Can you share 2 of the best words of advice you’ve gotten along your journey? Please give a story or example for each.

Do more with less –

When I worked at Ohpen, the world’s first core banking platform completely in the cloud — I went to the UK to set up the company there. For this we needed to obtain our license from the UK regulator. That lasted just over 6 months; a record for British standards. We approached this not as techies, but really as bankers, with a super-tight business plan and by showing what control mechanisms we had. Thorough, but fast — that builds trust, because you see fintech startups popping up everywhere and storming the market without getting everything in order. Banks outsource to us, so we are subject to the same strict requirements. At the same time, we needed to sign new customers, but it was hard to convince Brits that outsourcing to a Dutch company is the way to go. We have therefore done something unusual. After we received the permit in January, we were in a state of jubilation. But London is quite a gray city in the winter. People prefer to go home as soon as possible. What is good Dutch, I wondered. I decided to send the bosses of our top 50 prospects a bunch of tulips, with a handwritten note saying: we are ready, and we are going to give more color to this industry and the country. Our second multi-million customer in England came from a bouquet of tulips of 13.50 pounds.’ This shows that you do not always need big sales teams or marketing budgets, something that is unique, distinct and to the point will get you a long way.

Follow your values — if you know what is really important to you, it can be your compass. Everyone’s northstar is different, and your compass can ensure that you guide towards it. Sometimes the decisions you have to make will be hard but remember ‘you only need 30 seconds of bravery throughout your life’ to get through the decision, as my mother always says.

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

Scaling our LCNC business internationally driven by an infinite goal to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable digital success. To truly make an impact, we need to work together as an ecosystem. Be smart, savvy, social and sustainable to create a lasting impact. Low-code and no-code platforms like Mendix, help us accelerate organizations transformation into more long-term, future-proof and impactful organizations. The entire ecosystem can contribute, from platforms, to customers, their customers, tech companies, educators.

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

Handling bias, especially if you have a vision and are focused on achieving this.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/fab-40s-journey-diversity-finding-out-fitting-all-angelique-schouten/

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

Besides paddle boarding with my dog, kickboxing or Yin Yoga, reading helps me become better. Books ranging from sports, to special forces or business books. I could not pick just one book, but some of my favourite are: “Losing My Virginity” by Richard Branson, Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg, Seal Team Six by Howard (see below), I am Zlatan by Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Legacy by James Kerr.

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. 🙂

Consider sustainability an investment in ourselves and the world. Consider it the new real estate investment and as a business you should look into it and determine what you can do (everyone can contribute and hopefully will).

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

“Life is not about fitting in, it is about standing out.”

Sometimes in the beginning of your career, you are walking the path you’re expected to walk. I have always been an outlier: very tall, loved playing outdoors and climbing trees. I did not feel at home within one group of friends, instead, I was comfortable in multiple groups. I liked computers and making things. When I started working both IT and commercial topics appealed equally to me and I found out that I sometimes perceived the world around me differently. When my career progressed, I embraced that I was an outlier. I became comfortable that being an outlier is a strength.

21 years ago, at the age of 21, I moved to the south of Egypt for my first managerial role. On day 1, one of the men in my team said, ‘I do not take orders from women’. He made a conscious decision to not be inclusive. It shocked me. But I made an effort to understand what it was to be inclusive of his point of view. And he did as well, after that first day. When I left Egypt, he was one of my most valued colleagues.

Without debating his standpoint or mine, I would like to quote Commander Spock from Star Trek (including a creative add on from yours truly):

“Infinite diversity in infinite combinations, symbolizing the elements that create truth, beauty, creativity and tangible results.”

Diversity and inclusion is important for me as a person and for the growth of this company. A diverse mix of voices leads to better discussions, decisions and outcomes for everyone.

It is important to have different perspectives in our company. To truly be a representation of the outside world. To challenge one’s own perspective. To learn, to grow and to exceed expectations. Of each other, of our clients, of their customers. It is all about having the right mentality. More diverse opinions, standing out and challenging, can create movements.

How can our readers follow you online?

LinkedIn / angeliqueschouten

Instagram / angelique4real

Twitter / angelique4real

CLEVR.com

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

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Female Disruptors: Angelique Schouten of CLEVR 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.