Female Founders: Ursula Eysin of Red Swan On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
Don’t become your own slave master: When I founded my own business in 2015, I became my own worst boss, a real slave master, until I learned to develop healthy boundaries and take a rest. As a business owner, of course, you COULD work 24/7 as there is always something to do, but that will kill you. Definitely.
As a part of our series about “Why We Need More Women Founders”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ursula Eysin.
Ursula Eysin is a Vienna-based Creative Strategist and Founder of Red Swan that helps individuals, companies, and other organizations to turn uncertainty into a competitive advantage with future scenario thinking methods. Master in Sinology, Political Science, Economy, and Advanced Studies in Public Relations Ursula uses her knowledge to share information on future scenarios, technology, business, and the human factor and helps her clients become wildly successful by diving deep into their subconscious minds.
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?
It looks as if I started my career in a completely different area, but in fact, everything comes together beautifully in my business now . I used to work as a production manager, moderator, and presenter in theater, opera, and film before I became a technology consultant and communication professional. As a sinologist, I am fluent in Mandarin and several other languages. My broad knowledge and experience enable me to not only develop various future scenarios and new business ideas, but also create the right story, vision, and action steps around them.
In my business, Red Swan, I focus on the strategic future process of “scenario thinking”,the creation of creative concepts, innovation, technology transfer, business development, and strategic communication. I had the great opportunity to learn the scenario method from one of the best: former chief strategist with Royal Dutch Shell, Karl Rose. During the past 11 years, I conducted future scenario projects for a variety of ministries, companies and business associations. Besides that, I am an Expert Evaluator with the European Commission (Startup Accelerator), mentor various Austrian and international startups, give lectures at several universities, and write the monthly column “Code Red” for the Austrian technology magazine E-Media.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?
In 2014, right after I quit my job and in the preparation phase for my own business, Red Swan, I traveled to China for the first time in a long time for a conference. At that event, the keynote speaker was the Israeli Nobel Laureate (2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his discovery of quasicrystals), who at that time was also a presidential candidate in Israel. People were lining up to take selfies with him. Not me. I consider this a dehumanization of well-known personalities. But then he suddenly stood in front of me and I asked, “And who are you?” I was startled. “Do you mean that as a philosophical question?” I uttered. “No, not as a philosophical question. Give me your business card.” I didn’t have one! So he said, “Here is my business card; write me an email.” I did, but I didn’t expect an answer. I was wrong. A month later, I received a message from him: “Is Salzburg far from Vienna?” I am giving a lecture there, and if it is not too far for you, we could meet. Salzburg is not far from Vienna, and we had a very interesting conversation, which should be the beginning of a wonderful friendship and business partnership.
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?
It wasn’t my funniest mistake, but definitely, the biggest one that I learned a lot from. Prior to launching my own company, Red Swan, in 2015, I assisted a former colleague in the development of another company beginning in 2011. He poached me from PWC at the time, and when he asked me to help him build the business, I said, “You know, I have strong entrepreneurial thinking, which means I want to own shares in the business I help build. He said: “Yes, of course. Now I have already founded the company as my company, but in two years I will give you your shares. “ Of course, after two years, he couldn’t remember that. We then discussed it for another year before I decided to turn my back on him and start my own business. I was then told several times that this was a typical woman’s mistake. A man would never have agreed to transfer the shares later but would have demanded immediate delivery. It was only recently that I found out that he has sold the company for a whole bunch of money. Guess how much I did see of that money? Zero. My learnings: I didn’t fall for that kind of future faking again and developed a healthy distrust at the beginning of each business partnership.
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 brother Johannes, He is a great sparring partner, and though he frequently says, “I didn’t do anything,” he was the one who helped me shape my business the most. He was also the one who came up with the beautiful name “Red Swan.”We often walk around downtown Vienna for hours and just talk. In the process, we also always discover new things. Whether it’s a nice new pub, great architecture or small winding paths that we had never noticed before. And on these paths, new project ideas and visions often emerge.
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 talk a lot with other women who tell me: “I could never do what you do. I couldn’t take the risk and the constant uncertainty of owning a business.” I need a secure job. “ I think safety thinking and risk aversion are the issues that often keep women from starting their own business. To that, I would say: the biggest risk is not taking a risk at all. I like to quote Jim Morrison in this context: “No one here gets out alive.” That may sound a bit morbid, but it’s also very comforting. What are we waiting for? For death to arrive safely? We are not here to live life safely. Taking risks is part of life. And there are no safe jobs anyway. Especially in times like these. It’s just a big illusion that people like to believe in. But they are fooling themselves.
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?
Paradoxically, you have to help people to feel safer to be able to take risks and to understand that the biggest risk is to not take risks at all. This starts in childhood. Children who feel safe with their primary caregivers develop healthy autonomy. They are ready to venture out to conquer the world. We have to start in this early phase at the very root of the problem. And we have to abolish the punishment-reward-system in education, school, and socialization. This system makes people so risk-averse. They want to avoid punishment and be perceived as good at all costs. That hinders creativity, experiments, and taking risks. It is hindering innovation and the development of new businesses.
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?
It is always good to have mixed teams. Female and malefactors are both enriching businesses and organizations in general if they play beautifully together.
What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a founder? Can you explain what you mean?
Many new founders tell me they want to found their own business because they want to be their own boss and “just do what THEY want” Well, that’s not the reality of owning a business. There are obstacles to overcome every single day and there are a lot of things interfering in your business. Things like tax, regulation, etc. And of course, your clients are your bosses now. :).
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 think that’s a myth I used to believe in, too. I learned that not everyone is feeling well as an entrepreneur. Some people are just very good in leading teams, or being part of a team. Everyone provides valuable contributions, but you have to allow them to find the specific role they can thrive in. Entrepreneurs have to be risk-takers and are willing to take on a lot of responsibility. That’s not for everyone. And that’s ok.
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.)
- Don’t become your own slave master: When I founded my own business in 2015, I became my own worst boss, a real slave master, until I learned to develop healthy boundaries and take a rest. As a business owner, of course, you COULD work 24/7 as there is always something to do, but that will kill you. Definitely.
- There will be obstacles to overcome every single day. And that’s exactly how it is supposed to be, nothing went wrong.
- Unsolicited advice has much more to do with the advice-giver than with you. When I started my business I still believed that we should always be open to criticism. It is interesting HOW many people, especially men, feel that they should give you unsolicited advice especially if you are a female founder. Then, one day, there was this guy who told me: “One thing I would like to tell you is that your overwhelming enthusiasm and passion will not take you very far.” Well, I thought to myself, that’s EXACTLY my biggest strength which opened me all kinds of doors worldwide and on all levels. I realized that he actually was jealous of a trait he didn’t possess himself and tried to raise himself up at my expense. That kind of thing happens a lot. I took unsolicited advice and criticism with a grain of salt ever since.
- You are nothing without a good, trustworthy, and reliable team. This was something I knew very well, yet, it was not easy to find that team and this kind of business partner for myself. Until I became very clear about my own driving forces in business, developed future scenarios for my business partnerships, and used them as a checklist for finding the right business partners and employees. With great success. I know have people I can really rely on who support my business 100%.
- Better communication = better (business) relationships = better life and more successful business. As a communication professional it came as a surprise to me how many people are so very bad at interpersonal communication. Especially in the communication sector. Connecting to people and communicating in a way that makes you recognize what your clients, employées, and business partners really want and need comes so naturally to me, that I didn’t consider it a valuable asset. In my own business, I learned that that’s actually the secret of my success. It makes me co-create an endless number of opportunities and new projects with new and also with existing clients.
How have you used your success to make the world a better place?
I try to make the world a better place with what I do every single day. How? The most important thing for me in every meeting, in every project, in every interaction is deep human connection. If this is established, it was a good meeting, etc., and low and behold, the money, the business success, etc. just comes all by itself. And better relationships with other human beings are the way we can change the world for the better one step at a time.
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 think the biggest problem right now is that human relationships are in a deep crisis. I try to change that every single day in my life and in my business by becoming aware of my own patterns and triggers and integrating them. And by deeply connecting to other people. To listen to them, to feel into them, to really see them. That’s how we create trust and better relationships.
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, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.
The former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss. His book “Never Split the Difference” is the best book on interpersonal communication I’ve ever read, and his master class and videos are priceless! His often counterintuitive approach to negotiations and communication in general works every single time. I use it every day with great success. I use it every day with great success. With his methodology, I gained many clients and new projects.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this
Female Founders: Ursula Eysin of Red Swan 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.