A lot of founders believe that scaling a business means getting better at everything: hiring, finance, fundraising, and operations.
But in episode 152 of Women Disrupting Tech, Izzy Sayers argues the opposite: scaling often starts when founders stop trying to do everything themselves.
Izzy leads the Emerging Giants team at KPMG Netherlands, where she helps startups with complex issues like tax, finance, risk, and international growth. Most founders don’t want to become experts in these areas unless it’s essential for their business. Izzy is not usually the founder herself; instead, she guides founders on where to focus their energy and when to bring in outside help.
This conversation stands out because it broadens what ‘expertise’ means in tech. Izzy’s “secret weapon” isn’t a technical degree. It’s her ability to ask good questions, connect different viewpoints, and build strong relationships.
Hit play below to listen to the full conversation. Or keep reading for practical takeaways, highlights, and trends from the episode.
Practical Takeaways for Founders
A key theme in this conversation is that scaling isn’t about doing more, but about knowing what only you should handle. Izzy sees founders navigate this shift all the time, especially as their companies grow and complexity increases.
Stop Treating Every Problem Like a Founder Problem
At the beginning, founders need to handle many different tasks. But Izzy says real growth happens when founders realize they do not need to give every problem their direct attention.
This is especially true for things like tax, finance, risk, or expanding internationally, where things can get complicated fast. Eventually, outsourcing these tasks isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s necessary to free up your time and energy for your product, customers, and team.
Ask Questions Earlier Than You Think You Should
Founders often try not to look inexperienced, especially in technical or financial settings where there’s pressure to always have the answer. Over time, that hesitation can become costly in both time and money.
Izzy does the opposite. She keeps asking questions, even after years at KPMG Netherlands. This mindset also shows why “safe spaces” are important. When people feel comfortable asking “obvious” questions, they tend to learn much faster.
Scaling Requires Different Kinds of Expertise
What’s interesting about Izzy’s view is that she isn’t the technical expert. Her strength is knowing how different types of expertise work together.
She describes her history degree as a “secret weapon” because it taught her to ask good questions, connect perspectives, and quickly understand complex issues. In tech, these skills are often undervalued compared to technical knowledge. But ecosystems also grow when people know how to connect founders, specialists, ideas, and opportunities at the right time.
Growth usually doesn’t happen because founders become experts on every topic they encounter. It happens when they become clearer about where they create the most value, and where other people can help move the company forward faster.
If you know a founder who’s trying to do it all alone, share this episode with them using the buttons below.
Or scroll down for magic moments.
Highlights and timestamps
| Time | Highlight |
|---|---|
| 00:00 | Introduction |
| 02:35 | Izzy Sayers: Journey into the Startup Ecosystem |
| 05:16 | The Value of a History Degree in Tech |
| 08:09 | Experiencing the Intensity of New York |
| 11:18 | Transitioning from TNW to KPMG |
| 13:58 | Overcoming Imposter Syndrome in a New Role |
| 16:07 | The Challenges Founders Face |
| 19:01 | Understanding Complexity in Startups |
| 21:35 | The Shift in Networking Dynamics |
| 24:24 | Strategies for Successful Event Attendance |
| 26:44 | The Power of Informal Networking for Women |
| 27:49 | Increasing Diversity in Investment |
| 29:11 | Breaking Barriers in Networking |
| 30:18 | Creating Inclusive Networking Events |
| 32:21 | Safe Spaces for Women in Business |
| 34:21 | Overcoming Imposter Syndrome |
| 36:07 | Encouraging Women to Share Their Stories |
| 39:58 | Navigating Motherhood and Entrepreneurship |
| 42:33 | Balancing Personal and Professional Life |
| 44:57 | Meaningful Connections in the Startup Ecosystem |
3 Magic Moments In The Episode
Three of the most interesting parts of this conversation are when Izzy Sayers talks about how people handle visibility, expertise, and connection in the startup ecosystem.
A History Degree Became a “Secret Weapon”
One of the best moments in the episode is when Izzy explains how her history degree unexpectedly prepared her for a career in tech. It didn’t give her technical skills, but it taught her to see different perspectives, ask better questions, and spot patterns quickly.
In the startup world, specialization is often valued. It was refreshing to hear someone highlight synthesis and curiosity as important skills too, especially in roles like program management, facilitation, and community building.
Networking Lost Some of Its Serendipity
Another highlight is Izzy’s observation that networking changed after COVID. Events became more transactional, focusing on immediate value, quick introductions, and ROI.
What gets lost in that process is serendipity. The unexpected conversations that introduce people to different industries, ideas, or perspectives. That shift matters more than you’d think, because ecosystems often grow through the connections people never planned to make.
Stepping Out of the Facilitator Shadow
Izzy also talks openly about spending much of her career in facilitator roles. Supporting founders, building communities and creating connections behind the scenes. Roles that shape ecosystems, but are often less visible than the founders themselves.
That gave the conversation an extra layer. This was her first podcast appearance. And in a conversation about expertise and visibility, there was something fitting about hearing someone who usually helps others step into the spotlight herself.
Tech ecosystems often celebrate the people who build companies. This conversation also reminds us that ecosystems are shaped by those who connect founders, create opportunities, and help others grow behind the scenes.
What was your favorite moment from the episode? Let me know in the comments, or scroll down for the quote from the episode, trends that emerge, and what’s coming up on the podcast next week.
The Quote from the Episode
“It’s always about having no shame about what you might think are stupid questions.” — Izzy Sayers
This quote quietly challenges a habit that exists across much of the startup ecosystem: the pressure to always appear informed, confident, and one step ahead.
Throughout the conversation, Izzy keeps coming back to curiosity instead. Asking questions. Admitting what you do not know yet. Creating environments where people feel comfortable learning out loud. Especially for female founders, that matters.
There can be pressure not to ask questions because people are afraid of looking inexperienced or becoming “the difficult one” in the room. But in technical or financial settings, not asking those questions early can become far more costly later.
3 Trends I’m Seeing Across Conversations
The more conversations I have on Women Disrupting Tech, the more I notice that some of the biggest changes in tech are not just about products or funding. They are about how people view expertise, visibility, and leadership.
Rethinking Imposter Syndrome
Many founders wait until they feel fully ready before taking action. Izzy challenges that idea by saying founders should feel “no shame” about asking questions early.
That reminded me of my conversation with Fatoumata Diallo, who talked about delaying her startup journey because she thought she needed more knowledge, experience, and money before she was ready. Both conversations highlight the same point: growth often starts when people stop waiting to feel fully qualified.
The Value of the Generalist
Another trend I’m seeing is that there is value in being a generalist in the startup ecosystem. That reminded me of episode 148 with Eliza Moore, where we talked about operators who bring structure and clarity to fast-moving companies.
Izzy’s story fits this pattern. Her history degree became a ‘secret weapon’ because it taught her to quickly understand new topics, spot patterns, and connect different perspectives.
Visibility Is Part of the Job
I also notice this across many conversations on the podcast: talented women often hesitate to fully step into the spotlight, especially in facilitator or ecosystem roles.
Izzy spent years helping founders grow behind the scenes. But visibility matters too. When people are not seen, they often miss out on opportunities, networks, and deal flow. In many ways, that is also the reason why Women Disrupting Tech exists in the first place.
All these trends show a broader shift in tech. Some of the most valuable people are those who connect ideas, ask better questions, and help others move forward.
🗣️ What patterns are you seeing across these conversations? I’d love to hear.
Coming Up On Women Disrupting Tech
What happens when a health app is designed to make you less dependent on the app itself?
In episode 153 of Women Disrupting Tech, Sabrina Nowicki from Cyclisity explains why her team rejected predictive fertility tracking in favor of education, body literacy, and agency. We talk about why most women are never properly taught how their hormones and cycles work, why even physicians often miss this training, and why Cyclisity chose privacy and slow, values-driven growth over growth-at-all-costs incentives.
In this clip, Sabrina explains why the goal of Cyclisity is not to tell women what their bodies are doing, but to help them understand it themselves. For the full conversation, use the subscribe button below to catch the full episode in your inbox on 21 May at 8:00 CET.
What I Want to Leave You With
This conversation is a reminder that successful careers in tech are not built in one specific way.
Startup ecosystems are often associated with founders, investors, and technical experts. But ecosystems also depend on facilitators, operators, and connectors. The people helping others navigate complexity, build relationships, and create opportunities behind the scenes.
Izzy Sayers’ journey shows that a career in tech does not need to follow a linear path or start with a technical degree. Skills like curiosity, community building, and connecting different perspectives are becoming increasingly valuable in fast-moving environments.
As startup ecosystems become more transactional, there is a challenge for founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders to stay intentional about building meaningful relationships and diverse networks that go beyond a quick exchange of business cards.
Listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.
About Izzy Sayers
Izzy Sayers has spent the last decade working across the Dutch startup ecosystem in a wide range of roles. She currently leads the Emerging Giants team at KPMG Netherlands, where she supports startups and scaleups with growth, operations, tax, finance, and international expansion.
Before joining KPMG, Izzy worked with several startups in Amsterdam, including one that participated in a Techstars cohort in New York. She later joined TNW, where she designed programs, managed partnerships, and helped organize large-scale events within the European tech ecosystem.
What makes Izzy’s story stand out is that she built her career as a self-described generalist. Her background in history, combined with her love for connecting people, helped her develop a way of working that bridges strategy, implementation, operations, and community building. Alongside her work in tech, she is also involved with TEDxAmsterdam 2026 as Production Co-Lead.
You can learn more about Izzy by connecting with her on LinkedIn.
About KPMG Emerging Giants
KPMG Emerging Giants is the startup and scaleup team within KPMG Netherlands. The team supports fast-growing companies with the fundamentals that become increasingly important as businesses scale, including tax, finance, operations, risk, and international expansion.
Over the years, KPMG Emerging Giants has worked closely with the Dutch startup ecosystem through partnerships, workshops, mentorship, and events. The team has supported companies such as Adyen, Booking.com, and Otrium during their growth journeys, and was also one of the founding partners of TNW Spaces alongside Google, ABN AMRO, and Booking.com.
Beyond advisory work, Emerging Giants is also active in ecosystem building through initiatives like the Dutch Startup Report and the annual Global Tech Innovator competition, which gives promising scaleups international visibility and access to investors, founders, and ecosystem leaders worldwide.
For more information, please check out the website and follow them on LinkedIn.
Listen to Episode 152 on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube
Why Female Founders Don’t Need to Know Everything to Scale with Izzy Sayers | Ep. 152 - Women Disrupting Tech
Events that Women Disrupting Tech Must-Attend
Some great events take place this spring. Below are three that you definitely want to check out. For a full overview of all events, including links to buy tickets, please check the events page.
Featured Event - Trek XIII - 23-30 May 2026
Trek is the program for founders and funders to learn from—and connect with—Silicon Valley, the epicenter of innovation and technological disruption.
Participating offers a unique insider perspective, lots of fun, and access to the investors behind Dutch successes like Mollie, FLYR, Weaviate, and HackerOne. Previous participants have raised funding in both the U.S. and the Netherlands, found inspiration, and made new friends.
Trek is an activity by DutchTechX, which spun out from DutchTechSF—the Dutch-American entrepreneurial community. Funded by Dutch-American founders, the initiative fosters collaboration between the U.S.
The next edition will take place from May 23–30, 2026. About five spots are still available. DM the organizer, Oliver Binkhorst, or click here for more information. FAQs are available here.
I've done a previous version of this program, and I can absolutely recommend that female founders who are thinking about taking their business to the US follow this program to understand the ecosystem and connect to investors and founders in the Valley.
Featured Event: Understanding Women's Health - 24 June 2026
Learn how hormone cycles or perimenopause impact your life, and discover more about conditions like PCOS or Endometriosis at the quarterly Understanding Women's Health Events hosted by Kasia Pokrop.
Women's health is a topic near and dear to my heart. Which is why I'm happy to support and attend the events that 3mbrace Health organizes at Equals every quarter.
Men are expressly invited to join. In fact, send me an email if you want to be a women's health pioneer. More info and tickets can be found here.
Diverse Leaders in Tech Events
If you like being in the know about what is happening in the DEI space, Diverse Leaders in Tech is the place to be.
Every last Thursday of the month, they have monthly in-person meetups for tech people, HR leaders and supporters of diversity to exchange insights, tackle challenges, and take action. It's a vibrant, safe space where diversity is celebrated.
You can find their events on the website. Joining your first event is free.
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