Female Founders: Chabeli De Sousa of Akalia On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
I love to see the overnight success stories and instant gratification needs out there. All myths, things take time and effort. If you are not willing to put the work in, don’t even try.
As a part of our series about “Why We Need More Women Founders”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Chabeli De Sousa.
Chabeli founded Akalia in 2019 with a purpose to also become a social movement. Akalia donates a portion of its proceeds to non-profit organizations in Venezuela. Chabeli graduated from the University of Miami and graduated with majors in economics, marketing and management.
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 didn’t study fashion or have a fashion background; however, I was always a merchant and grew up watching my family doing the same. At the age of 8, I thought selling Coca Cola to people at their house doorstep was a cool idea because it was summer and people were thirsty. After trying my chances with the marketing world and bank industry, I ended up doing fashion with a cause. And what a good idea it was.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?
The idea that you inspire people you don’t even know is simply amazing. I am not talking about egos here by the way! Sometimes on those days when you are not sure if you are doing everything right to get to the goal and everything seems a little off, someone may ask you how you got there and how you built something from scratch. I think that’s beautiful. Helping others fulfill their dreams from your experience and sharing what worked for you. I remember being in the middle of a shoot when another founder came to me and told me “ I’m so proud of you.” I started crying because sometimes you don’t even notice how far you are getting.
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 such a perfectionist that I didn’t talk about my business to anyone. I was ashamed that it was still (and is) a work in progress. And that’s a big mistake. Be proud of your work regardless of how much is left to do, you never know who is watching you.
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?
Sometimes I get stuck on small details, and I fear a lot. I would say both my dad and boyfriend encouraged me to remember fear is only four letters. Also, I love constructive criticism.
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?
Pretty simple: stereotypes. As a woman, it is very hard to explain to the world that you can handle many roles at the same time. Also, there is this false idea that you need to choose between one thing and another. There are no black and whites only. Take me as an example, I have always enjoyed being a merchant. If someone comes to me and puts me in a box and tells me that I will be baking banana bread all day from now on and devote myself to the kitchen and cleaning, I’d simply “die” out of sadness. I don’t enjoy that, I’d rather work and pay for someone that’s better than me to help me out. It’s very healthy for all individuals to stick to those small things that make them happy and set their soul on fire. Priorities change during every stage of your life. There will always be time for everything just in different proportions. Maybe you won’t be able to run 10k, work, and attend your daughter’s performance on the same day at the same proportions so you simply adjust the proportion. Long story short: be straightforward about who you are and what you want, ask questions, and establish limits. The same idea holding women back from founding companies is the same one holding back men from showing feelings and thinking they are less of a man if they change a diaper. It’s very illogical specifically when it comes to family, a shared responsibility.
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?
Yes, for me every change starts with society. A simple change would be to stop using the terms, “girl boss“ or “badass independent woman.” Think about it, you are asking for freedom and equality and you are already putting these female supremacy terms out there. We are all capable of running a business. It’s not rocket science if you really enjoy it and have consistency.
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?
If you like the highs and lows of having a business, then go all out. Follow your passion, the ones that won’t support you are not meant to be there.
What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a founder? Can you explain what you mean?
I love to see the overnight success stories and instant gratification needs out there. All myths, things take time and effort. If you are not willing to put the work in, don’t even try.
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?
I don’t think there is anything wrong with a regular job. If you like it and feel it gives you peace of mind, do it. If you are hungry enough to pursue different things, do it. Just please don’t think the paycheck will come if you don’t show up.
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.)
- Get a credit line (always needed).
- Don’t spend more than what you can afford.
- Take calculated risks but take them. It will set you apart.
- Don’t compare your business, focus on your customer.
- Make sure you know what your goals are. You won’t lack direction.
How have you used your success to make the world a better place?
I don’t think I already made it! However, I do help around 45 families in Venezuela by donating medical supplies and food. It’s my home country, there is also an emotional attachment there.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
I would try to make people feel comfortable about sharing their lows on their businesses. People think everything is perfect and compare your journey to others. I would make a “raw movement.“
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.
As cliche as it sounds I would love to speak with Carolina Herrera, a well-known fashion designer from Venezuela based in NYC.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
Female Founders: Chabeli De Sousa of Akalia 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.