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Disrupting The Way Companies Collaborate On Large Datasets With Linksight CEO Martine van de Gaar | Show notes to episode 50 on Women Disrupting Tech
Should men take a female leadership course?
If you ask Martine van de Gaar, they should. We can keep telling women how much fun it is to work in tech, that it’s much more than just coding, that it’s really flexible, and that it’s great when you have kids. And all that is true.
But as a woman, you still need ‘balls’ to enter the tech domain. So, we need to change the mindset of the men as well.
How can we solve that puzzle, you ask? Well, listen to the 50th episode of Women Disrupting Tech. It’s all about puzzles, not just diversity. Hit the play button below to listen. Or scroll down to learn more about Martine and the episode.
How Linksight Disrupts The Way Companies Collaborate On Large Datasets With Martine van de Gaar | Ep. 50 – Women Disrupting Tech
The Magic You Can Expect in this Episode 🪄
Sharing large datasets between companies for research purposes has always required a magic potion. One that contains a central collection point, trust, encryption, and legal agreements.
But that is about to change. Because Linksight is disrupting the way companies share data and get insights from large combined datasets.
I wanted to learn how they do that. And thanks to Andy Lurling, I had a chance to interview Linksight CEO Martine van de Gaar.
In episode 50 of Women Disrupting Tech, Martine is our guide in the world of decentralized computing and large datasets. By listening, you’ll learn
🤝 How companies can share sensitive customer data without risking privacy violations
🔐 Why privacy by design means taking a different starting point in product design
🧠 What the strengths of having a diverse team are when it comes to building complex technological solutions.
So, whether you’re commuting, sipping coffee, or unwinding after a long day, tune in to the episode via the link below or search for “Women Disrupting Tech” in your favorite podcast player.
Two free ways to support the Women Disrupting Tech
If you like the Women Disrupting Tech podcast and you want to support the women on the podcast to make this podcast irrelevant by the end of 2032, there are two things you can do:
- Share the podcast with friends, family, and co-workers to give the women disrupting tech the platform they need to make it happen.
- Leave a review about the podcast with up to five stars on your favorite podcast platform. This will help me improve and help other people discover the podcast.
About Martine and Linksight
Martine van de Gaar is the Co-founder and CEO of Linksight. Before becoming the CEO of this TNO spin-off company, she worked as a project and program manager for TNO, Cap Gemini, Ahold, and Philips Lightning. Martine holds a Master’s degree in Management Economics and Consumer Studies from Wageningen University.
You can connect with Martine on LinkedIn. Simply send her a DM with your connection request.
Linksight helps data scientists of companies extract maximum insights and value from their data collaborations without revealing sensitive data. Their platform enables secure data sharing without the need for a central collection and processing party. You can learn more about their journey on their website and by following them on LinkedIn.
“Maybe men need to take women leadership training?”
Martine van de Gaar, CEO Linksight
What makes this episode magical🌟?
This is the 50th episode. That means that 50 women have a platform to inspire others. I’m grateful for all the help and support I’ve had. And making it to 50 is a bit of a magical moment by itself.
What is magical about the episode? Well, I always learned that you can recognize a true expert when they explain complex topics in an easy-to-understand way.
Martine does just that as she takes us on a journey into the world of multi-party computation (MPC). For example, she uses the analogy of a train that is stopping at different stations to collect fully encrypted data. The train track is built to ensure that data can be safely transported.
And when I asked her what needs to happen to make this podcast obsolete, Martine provides strategic advice for the podcast itself. Season 3 awaits, and Martine believes it’s essential to start bringing the message to men. As a male ally, I couldn’t agree more.
So, let Martine’s wisdom ignite your curiosity and empower you to solve the privacy puzzle of data sharing and diversity.
What’s coming up?
Next week, Alice Pavin will be my guest to discover the answer to the following question: “How do you balance feminine and masculine values in a tech startup ecosystem that men dominate?”
After that, I have eight more amazing women disrupting tech lined up for you before we take a turn into the male ally territory.
So stay tuned for some inspiring episodes in season three of Women Disrupting Tech! And if you want to be the first to know what is coming… there’s a button for you below.
Feedback? Let me know!
When you’ve finished listening to this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, let me know what you think.
Leave a comment below or send me a DM on LinkedIn.
And if you would like to suggest a guest that I absolutely must have on the podcast, send me an email. -
Arosha Brouwer on Building a Company with Grace and Empathy | Show Notes to Episode 49 of Women Disrupting Tech
What is the key to unlocking your startup’s full potential?
In episode 49 of Women Disrupting Tech, you get the answer from the always-inspiring Arosha Brouwer. Spoiler: it’s not about the money.
Recently, Quan announced that they secured new funding (bringing the total funding to $3m) and concluded an exciting new strategic partnership with the most significant occupational health and safety service provider in The Netherlands.
In this episode, Arosha returns to Women Disrupting Tech to share her insights, strategies, and experiences from her journey from startup to scale-up. This knowledge is invaluable whether you’re a female founder or a male ally.
When you’re ready for 45 minutes of female founder magic, click the play button below, or search for “Women Disrupting Tech” in your favorite podcast app to listen.
Building a Company With Grace and Empathy with Arosha Brouwer | Episode 49 of Women Disrupting Tech – Women Disrupting Tech
Two free ways to support the Women Disrupting Tech
If you like the Women Disrupting Tech podcast and you want to support the women on the podcast to make this podcast irrelevant by the end of 2032, there are two things you can do:
- Share the podcast with friends, family, and co-workers to give the women disrupting tech the platform they need to make it happen. Plus, you’ll help other women and male allies discover the podcast.
- Become a member of the Women Disrupting Tech Community. Members are the first to learn when new episodes and blogs come online, and you’ll get access to exclusive Women Disrupting Tech events.
About Arosha Brouwer and Quan
Arosha Brouwer was born in Sri Lanka and grew up in Australia. She is the CEO and co-founder of Quan. She and Lucy Howie founded the company in 2019, just before COVID-19. Prior to Quan, Arosha worked for large international companies like PwC, DSM, and TNT. As of 10 April, Arosha is also a lead mentor at the Dutch New Narrative Lab.
Quan is a B2B SaaS Software company that focuses on helping teams measure and proactively manage their well-being. In 2022, Quan was the first Dutch female-led startup to be accepted into a YCombinator program.
Quan recently concluded a strategic partnership with Dutch Occupational Health Care provider Zorg van de Zaak to ensure that 1 million employees in the Netherlands can identify mental health issues before they lead to employee burnout. You can learn more about it in this press release, where they also announce closing their bridge funding round.
You can learn more about how Quan can help your organization measure and proactively manage employee burnout on its website or by following it on LinkedIn.
Tip: Listen to episode 3 to learn more about Arosha’s and Quan’s journey.
The magic you can expect in this episode 🪄
After being my guest in episode 3 of Women Disrupting Tech, it’s safe to say that Arosha Brouwer has been very busy.
Over the past two years, Arosha grew her company while raising new funds and attracting additional customers.
But she also had to downscale the team to survive a funding crunch before concluding an exciting new partnership with The Netherlands’ largest occupational health provider.
And, in the end, Quan also managed to secure funding as part of a bridge round. How about that for a roller coaster ride?
To allow you to benefit from her experiences, and because it’s just a heck of a story, I asked her to come back on as a guest. And I can tell you, you won’t be disappointed.
Because, in this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, Arosha shares valuable insights:
🛠️ Her software’s role in supporting both customers and her team through tough times
🤝 A new partnership that taught her that entrepreneurship is also about building a network of people who can help you
👩💼 Being a founder and being a CEO of a scale-up come with totally different requirementsAnd she reveals the genius move that helped her company survive the challenging funding environment.
When you’re ready to listen to an absolute masterclass in personal growth as a female founder, tune into the episode on Apple, Goodpods, or Spotify.
You can also find the podcast by searching for “Women Disrupting Tech” in your favorite podcast player.
What makes this episode really magical?🌟
The episode is a masterclass in personal growth. We talk about building a company from startup to scale-up, attracting investors who are a good match for the company’s values, and having to let people go while you continue to build a great product.
When she shares her own experience about having to let people go, Arosha has some important advice: “There should be no black box to this.” She argues that being transparent about the reasoning kept the remaining team motivated because they saw the grace with which it happened. And it kept the leavers loyal to the point that they would want to work with Quan again.
As we recorded the podcast on International Women’s Day, I asked her what it meant to her. To Arosha, it is a day to recognize all the amazing women who have done something to, in spite of the conditions, make it easier for another woman. From the pioneers we all know to that Sri Lankan woman standing up against her family to say that her daughter deserves her education and she’s not going to marry young.
What’s coming up?
In episode 50 of Women Disrupting Tech, we’ll learn from Martine van de Gaar about the cryptographic magic of secure multi-party computation (MPC).
After that, Alice Pavin will be my guest to discover the answer to the following question: “How do you balance feminine and masculine values in a tech startup ecosystem that is dominated by men?”
So stay tuned for some great episodes!
Feedback? Let me know!
When you’ve finished listening to this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, Let me know by leaving a comment below or by sending me a DM on LinkedIn.
And if you would like to suggest a guest that I absolutely must have on the podcast, send me an email.
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How to Shine Without Selling as a Female Role Model in Tech with Charlotte Hoekstra | Show notes to episode 48
Join me as I interview Charlotte Hoekstra to discover the secret of celebrating your uniqueness as a female role model in tech.
In this episode, you’ll learn how to:
🔁 Change your perspective so you can best serve others while staying true to yourself.
🫱🏼🫲🏾 Connect with the people you work with in a way that is authentic to you
🚀 Help female role models as a male ally.
To listen to our enlightening conversation, hit the play button below, or find the podcast by searching for “Women Disrupting Tech” in your favorite podcast player.
How to Shine Without Selling as a Female Role Model in Tech with Charlotte Hoekstra | Episode 48 of Women Disrupting Tech – Women Disrupting Tech
About Charlotte Hoekstra
Charlotte Hoekstra is a certified career coach with a master’s degree in organizational psychology & change management. She helps people to present and advocate for themselves to get the career opportunities that fit their ambitions.
You can learn more about Charlotte’s background, workshops, and coaching on her website or by connecting with her on LinkedIn or Instagram.
The Magic You Can Expect in this Episode 🪄
Positioning yourself as a female role model in tech requires you to celebrate yourself and your work.
Now, if you’re like me and most of the guests on my podcast, Women Disrupting Tech, you hate having to “sell yourself.” It just feels unnatural.
So, I was wondering: How can female role models in tech increase their visibility and create the right opportunities without having to sell themselves? In other words, how can they shine without selling?
In this episode, Charlotte Hoekstra takes her own journey as a starting point to teach us that we should celebrate a woman’s uniqueness, personality, and what they bring to the table.
In an enlightening conversation, Charlotte openly shares her path as a magic recipe to authenticity, including
- embracing her femininity and discovering the power of confidence
- using the hero’s journey to discover if her values align with those of the people she works with
- finding how her uniqueness can contribute to other people’s goals
Plus, she shares why diversity in tech is not a zero-sum game (something I 100% agree with).
When you’re ready to listen and learn how to position yourself as a female role model in tech without selling yourself, tune in on Spotify using the button below or search for “Women Disrupting Tech” in your favorite podcast player.
What makes this episode magical🌟?
One of the steps to finding your uniqueness as a role model involves tuning into your feelings and identifying how experiences make you feel. Charlotte shares an example from her past: Her experiences as an intern in Ghana still make her smile. In fact, you can feel the smile beaming through your headset.
Another magical part is her story about when her father took her out to shop for clothing for her first job. He told her to embrace her femininity and larger-than-life personality. The result was that other people at her workplace started feeling empowered to wear clothes that they felt good in as well. How’s that for a role model?
And, toward the end of the episode, I ask her if she believes diversity in tech is a zero-sum game. The conversation that follows is definitely worth a listen.
What’s coming up?
Next week, I’ll be taking a small break from recording new episodes and re-releasing an old episode.
And, after that, I will be interviewing Kimberly Ofori to discuss the importance of financial literacy for women.
So stay tuned for some great episodes!
Did you know…
… that you can discover more incredible stories and learn from trailblazing women on Spotify, Google, Apple, or Goodpods. There, you can find the entire inspiring archive of episodes with over 1,000 minutes of Women Disrupting Tech content I have published since September 2022.
Feedback? Let me know!
When you’ve finished listening to this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, I’d love to hear your thoughts about this episode.
I would like to know if I should include my guest’s bio or if you’re OK with being sent to the show notes for more info.
So please do not hesitate to contact me via LinkedIn or email if you have any positive or negative feedback or if you would like to suggest a guest that I absolutely must have on the podcast.
With that, I wish you a magical day and a happy Easter (if you’re celebrating). And remember: keep being awesome!
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How to do Marketing in the Age of AI with Liana Hakobyan | Show notes for episode 47
As a startup founder (m/f/x), you’re always looking to improve your business. And you know that artificial intelligence (AI) can help you do that, particularly in marketing.
But how do you choose the right tools?
To find out, I had a conversation with Liana Hakobyan about using artificial intelligence for your business.
In episode 47 of Women Disrupting Tech, Liana is our guide as we discover how
🛍️ AI can help you personalize customer experience
🤔 to deal with privacy considerations
🛠️ to choose the right tools for your marketingWhen you’re ready to dive into the world of marketing in the age of AI, click the play button below.
How to do Marketing in the Age of Artificial Intelligence with Liana Hakobyan | Ep. 47 – Women Disrupting Tech
About Liana Hakobyan
Liana Hakobyan was born and raised in Armenia. Her journey into the world of artificial intelligence started when her parents gave her the biography of Steve Jobs as a New Year’s present.
She is a startup co-founder, a LinkedIn top voice on Content Marketing, a TEDx speaker, and currently the head of marketing at PATeam.
In addition, she is building her own consultancy, where she uses her background in data science and marketing to help companies use AI in their marketing.
You can connect with Liana and learn more about the exciting new chapter in her business life on LinkedIn.By the way, in case you’re wondering, we agreed to use an AI-optimized image of Liana for the artwork of this episode.
The Magic You Can Expect in this Episode 🪄
There are so many things you can do with AI nowadays. Just look at the capabilities of ChatGPT and MidJouney. And there is so much more. So it is easy to get lost in the possibilities.
In this episode, we discover
🤖 Why everyone needs to have a high-level understanding of AI
🎯 How gamification can help you to teach yourself AI (and other skills)
🛠️ What Liana’s favorite AI tools are.
In the end, this episode is an absolute treasure trove of practical AI advice for businesses, not limited to marketing.
When you’re ready to learn how to market in the age of artificial intelligence, click the button below to tune in to the episode on Spotify, Apple, or Goodpods.
What makes this episode magical🌟?
Like so many young people nowadays, Liana is a great storyteller. You’ll hear that when she talks about her first robot, taking inspiration from the biography of Steve Jobs and her parents, who pushed her to do well at mathematics and chess.
And, at the end of our conversation, Liana shares a heartwarming story about her grandparents, who grew up in the former Soviet Union. In great detail, she recites the stories of her grandmother, who felt really equal to men at her job in the factory that she worked at. Liana’s moral of the story: Embrace diversity by not emphasizing differences.
By the way, Liana is about to become a female founder. In fact, after our interview, she went straight to the Chamber of Commerce to start her own consultancy company (which had nothing to do with the episode, by the way). I probably don’t need to tell you that it has something to do with marketing in the age of AI😉.
What’s coming up?
Next week, Charlotte Hoekstra will help us discover how women can use their uniqueness to position themselves as role models without having to “sell” themselves.
Episode 49 is a unique one, too. Arosha Brouwer will tell us how Quan’s journey continued after she was my guest on episode 3. The episode will air on 5 April, and you do not want to miss it.
So stay tuned for some great episodes!
Did you know…
… that you can discover more incredible stories and learn from trailblazing women on Spotify, Google, Apple, or Goodpods. There, you can find the entire inspiring archive of episodes with over 1,000 minutes of Women Disrupting Tech content I have published since episode 1 aired in September 2022.
Feedback? Let me know!
When you’ve finished listening to this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, I’d love to hear your thoughts about this episode.
So please do not hesitate to contact me via LinkedIn or email if you have any positive or negative feedback or if you would like to suggest a guest that I absolutely must have on the podcast.
And with that, I wish you a magical day, and keep being awesome!
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Artificial Intelligence: the Catalyst for Gender Equality?| Show notes on Episode 46 with Maryam Miradi
Can artificial intelligence be the catalyst for gender equality? To discover the answer to this question, I had a conversation with Maryam Miradi.
Join us on episode 46 as our conversation covers many topics, including:
🤖 How Artificial Intelligence will impact our lives
🫱🏼🫲🏾 The crucial role of explainability when it comes to trust in AI
🙋🏻♀️ Why AI offers a unique opportunity to break gender barriers.Plus, she’ll explain how she uses her 20+ years of experience in AI to help data scientists build AI solutions that matter.
When you’re ready to learn if Artificial Intelligence can act as a catalyst for gender equality, tune in to the episode by clicking the play button below.
Is Artificial Intelligence the Catalyst for Gender Equality with Maryam Miradi | Ep. 46 – Women Disrupting Tech
About Maryam Miradi
Maryam Miradi holds a Ph.D. in artificial intelligence from Delft University. She has over 20 years of experience building artificial intelligence solutions and has worked for many Dutch organizations, including banks, the government, and energy companies.
Her work on predicting the maintenance of Dutch Highways and secondary roads won her international recognition and awards.
To discover more about Maryam’s important work, you can connect with her on LinkedIn.
About AI Solutions Mastery
Maryam is the VP & Chief AI Scientist of Profound Analytics, her own company.
She has carefully bundled her 20 years of knowledge and experience with building artificial intelligence solutions into her new AI training, AI Solutions Mastery.
When you’re ready to learn more, visit www.maryammiradi.com
The Magic You Can Expect in this Episode 🪄
Artificial intelligence (AI) holds a lot of promise for modern society. For instance, with AI, we can improve healthcare by detecting cancers sooner and more precisely than our doctors. We can also allow these doctors to have conversations with their patients without worrying about administrative tasks.
However, for AI to succeed, it is crucial that it is an inclusive technology. And, according to Maryam, the explainability of the data, the underlying models, and the outcomes are critical to its success.As we explore whether artificial intelligence can be a catalyst for gender equality, Maryam and I have a broad-ranging conversation on topics such as
- The power of diversity when building AI solutions 🌈
- The role of parents as the ultimate influencers that can encourage girls to choose a career in AI 👨👩👧👧
- Her mission of preventing that AI code ends up as digital garbage floating around in a cloud 🌫️
Plus, you’ll discover why ChatGPT is not the same as Artificial Intelligence😳.
When you’re ready to explore the world of artificial intelligence, click the button below to listen to the episode.
What makes this episode magical🌟?
I’m letting you in on a little secret: Part of the magic that I want to bring to my podcast is that guests can safely share their knowledge and experiences in a way that is easy to understand for you as a listener.
Reducing complex problems to simple words is a great way to help the women on the podcast be the experts that they are.
For complex topics like AI, this means that I have to balance my curiosity with a little bit of scripting. Especially if I’m interviewing a Ph.D. powerhouse in artificial intelligence.
However, in our 90+ minute pre-recording conversation, Maryam already had so much wisdom to share and an educated point of view about so many things related to women in tech that I knew that our conversation would be amazing, with or without a script.Therefore, I let my curiosity take over.
As a result, this episode contains an hour of AI wisdom woven with personal stories from Maryam’s remarkable journey. Are you ready to listen?
What’s coming up?
Next week, it is time for part two of the AI doubleheader. In episode 47, I’ll interview Liana Hakobyan, a female AI marketer. We’ll explore how we can use AI in marketing beyond the obvious ChatGPT and MidJourney examples.
On International Women’s Day, Interviewed Arosha Brouwer to learn about Quan’s journey after she was my guest on episode 3. The episode will air on 29 March, and you do not want to miss it.
So stay tuned for some great episodes!
Did you know…
… that you can discover more incredible stories and learn from trailblazing women on Spotify, Google, Apple, or Goodpods. There, you can find the entire inspiring archive of episodes with over 1,000 minutes of Women Disrupting Tech content I have published since September 2022.
Feedback? Let me know!
When you’ve finished listening to this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, I’d love to hear your thoughts about this episode.
Particular feedback I’m looking forward to this week is if you’d like me to explore the topic of Women in AI a bit more or if you want me to return the focus to female founders?
So please do not hesitate to contact me via LinkedIn or email if you have any positive or negative feedback or if you would like to suggest a guest that I absolutely must have on the podcast.
Do You Want to Be a Male Ally
How do you get started with diversity, equity, and inclusion in tech when you’re a man?
Let me give you a few suggestions, courtesy of ChatGPT:
📚 Educate yourself about the topic.
👂🏻 Listen to underrepresented people and amplify their voices.
💪🏼 Support inclusive practices like fair compensation.
🫱🏼🫲🏾 Collaborate with DEI organizations and advocate for DEI within your company.By listening, you’re already ticking two of these boxes. And maybe you’re ready to do more.
My own journey to being a male ally
About 18 months ago, I was in your shoes. So, I started a podcast to interview women working in tech. I wanted to learn why there are so few of them. This podcast is called Women Disrupting Tech.
Since I started, I’ve interviewed 44 women about topics ranging from founding a startup to managing intellectual property. My goal is to provide them with a platform so they can inspire other women to consider an education or a job in tech.
But my goal for 2024 is to have more men join the conversation as guests and members of the Women Disrupting Tech Community.
Why you want to join?
As a member, you’ll receive a free email every Friday. By reading it, you’ll learn something new about diversity in tech. Like how we can prevent the gender pay gap. Or how to start with DEI in a startup. The women I interview inspire you with their stories, help you understand their points of view, and advocate for them. Of course, I include links to the most recent podcast episode and the show notes for further reading and education.
So, it is an excellent way to start educating yourself. But reading the newsletter and listening to the podcast also ticks other boxes on the list. By sharing the articles, you can amplify their voices to other people in your network. With the wisdom these women share, you can support inclusive practices in your company.
Ultimately, that’s good for business and gets you karma points. All of that for free.
Are you ready to join?
When you’re ready to join the Women Disrupting Tech Community, enter your best email address below.
Bezig met verwerken …Gelukt! Je staat op de lijst.Er is een fout opgetreden en we konden je aanmelding niet verwerken. Laad de pagina opnieuw en probeer het opnieuw. -
“I can’t imagine doing anything outside of tech at this point”| Show notes on Episode 45 with Alexa Lane
Do you celebrate International Women’s Day? If you do, I wish you a Happy International Women’s Day.
Personally, I think every day is a good day to celebrate the women in our lives and the women in tech. So today’s episode is meant to celebrate yet another female role model for women in tech: Alexa Lane.
Join us on episode 45 as we travel the world of recruiting for tech startups and discover:
- Why she moved from doing sales in Silicon Valley to recruiting in Silicon Alley🗽
- How her mentors at SuccessFactors and Optimizely helped her build her career in tech 🚀
- How to build a recruiting playbook for your tech startup from scratch🌱
When you’re ready to dive in, tune in to the episode below.
How To Create a Recruiting Playbook For a Tech Startup From Scratch with Alexa Lane | Ep. 45 – Women Disrupting Tech
About Alexa Lane
Alexa Lane is the Head of Recruitment at Placements.io. As the daughter of a father who is a radio host and author and a mother who is a food and drug lawyer, she is not your typical tech prodigy.
Yet, one thing was pretty clear early on: Alexa Lane loved tech and the fast-paced tech ecosystem.
She’s spent almost all of her working life in tech, working at startups like Yelp, Optimizely, and Pendo before moving to Placements.io. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.About Placements.io
Placements.io is an AdTech startup with offices in New York, Denver, Seattle, London, Taipei, and Singapore.
It helps companies like Apple, Microsoft, and SalesForce manage all their online advertising in one place.
You can learn more about the company and any career opportunities they may have by visiting their website, careers page, or Glassdoor page and by following them on LinkedIn.
The Magic You Can Expect in this Episode 🪄
How do you do recruitment for a tech startup? After all, you have no large budget to work with. Nor a reputation that attracts talent on autopilot.
As with many things in the startup world, and in fact in life, having a plan is a great start. For recruiting, this means creating a recruiting playbook.
So, in this episode, Alexa Lane helps us create a recruiting playbook. Alexa is our guide on this startup recruitment adventure as we uncover:- Which skills new employees need to have to thrive in a fast-paced startup environment 🌱
- Why you should not rely on referrals if you want to build a diverse employee base 🌈
- How to balance an attractive base salary with enticing perks like hybrid work, healthcare, and equity. 💰
Plus, you’ll discover the pivotal role of mentors in shaping Alexa’s tech journey and how being a recruiter helps her as a working mom in tech.
When you’re ready to dive in, tune in to the episode by clicking the button below.
What makes this episode magical🌟?
Alexa’s mentors played a crucial role in shaping her career and helping her become the successful tech professional she is today. In fact, thanks to them, she can’t imagine doing anything outside of tech at this point in her career.
So, did her mentors help? Alexa shares that her first mentor, a manager at SuccessFactors, pushed her out of her comfort zone and persuaded her to move to New York. Mind you, she was working in the center of the tech startup world: Silicon Valley.
Her mentor at Optimizely taught her to negotiate well, both for herself and for her employers. As we’ve heard before, negotiating is a skill that is particularly valuable for women who want to grow in their careers.
When Alexa made the move from Silicon Valley to Silicon Alley, as the New York Startup Ecosystem is called, little did she know that it would also lead to a romantic encounter. It was there that she met her future husband.
Now, as a working mom in the tech industry, Alexa faces the challenge of balancing her career with parenting. She refers to this juggling act as “Scheduling Tetris.”Are you ready to listen to Alexa’s story?
What’s coming up?
On International Women’s Day, I’ll interview Arosha Brouwer to learn about Quan’s journey after she was my guest on episode 3. The episode will air on 15 March, and you do not want to miss it.
In the last two weeks of March, we have an AI doubleheader. First, a female professor of artificial intelligence will decode the road to AI for women. Then, I’ll interview a female AI marketer to discover how we can use AI in marketing beyond the obvious ChatGPT.
So stay tuned for some great episodes!
Did you know…
… that you can discover more incredible stories and learn from trailblazing women on Spotify, Google, Apple, or Goodpods. There, you can find the entire inspiring archive of episodes with over 1,000 minutes of Women Disrupting Tech content I have published since September 2022.
Feedback? Let me know!
When you’ve finished listening to this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, I’d love to hear your thoughts about this episode.
I’d especially like to know if I should include my guest’s bio or if you’re OK with being sent to the blog for more info.
So please do not hesitate to contact me via LinkedIn or email if you have any positive or negative feedback or if you would like to suggest a guest that I absolutely must have on the podcast.
Do You Want to Be a Male Ally
How do you get started with diversity, equity, and inclusion in tech when you’re a man?
Let me give you a few suggestions, courtesy of ChatGPT:
📚 Educate yourself about the topic.
👂🏻 Listen to underrepresented people and amplify their voices.
💪🏼 Support inclusive practices like fair compensation.
🫱🏼🫲🏾 Collaborate with DEI organizations and advocate for DEI within your company.By listening, you’re already ticking two of these boxes. And maybe you’re ready to do more.
My own journey to being a male ally
About 18 months ago, I was in your shoes. So, I started a podcast to interview women working in tech. I wanted to learn why there are so few of them. This podcast is called Women Disrupting Tech.
Since I started, I’ve interviewed 44 women about topics ranging from founding a startup to managing intellectual property. My goal is to provide them with a platform so they can inspire other women to consider an education or a job in tech.
But my goal for 2024 is to have more men join the conversation as guests and members of the Women Disrupting Tech Community.
Why you want to join?
As a member, you’ll receive a free email every Friday. By reading it, you’ll learn something new about diversity in tech. Like how we can prevent the gender pay gap. Or how to start with DEI in a startup. The women I interview inspire you with their stories, help you understand their points of view, and advocate for them. Of course, I include links to the most recent podcast episode and the show notes for further reading and education.
So, it is an excellent way to start educating yourself. But reading the newsletter and listening to the podcast also ticks other boxes on the list. By sharing the articles, you can amplify their voices to other people in your network. With the wisdom these women share, you can support inclusive practices in your company.
Ultimately, that’s good for business and gets you karma points. All of that for free.
Are you ready to join?
When you’re ready to join the Women Disrupting Tech Community, enter your best email address below.
Bezig met verwerken …Gelukt! Je staat op de lijst.Er is een fout opgetreden en we konden je aanmelding niet verwerken. Laad de pagina opnieuw en probeer het opnieuw. -
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: Fatoumata’s Journey From Doubts to Dishes | Episode 44 on Women Disrupting Tech
When you’re ready for some inspiration on how to overcome imposter syndrome and other hurdles that are put in your way as a female startup founder, today’s episode is for you.
Join me as I speak to Fatoumata Diallo to find out how she overcame imposter syndrome to build a community where global foodies can enjoy authentic, home-cooked dishes.
Listen to episode 44 of Women Disrupting Tech to learn
👣 What her first step was on her journey as a startup founder.
🌍 How one letter can make a difference when you want to become a global brand.
🪄Fatoumata’s magic recipe for more diversity in tech.Click the play button below to listen to her story.
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: Fatoumata Diallo's Journey From Doubts to Dishes | Ep. 44 – Women Disrupting Tech
The Magic You Can Expect in this Episode 🪄
Imposter syndrome: the voice in your head that tells you to wait for that “perfect moment.” Because you need more money, experience, or time.
Now, we know that “the perfect moment” does not exist. The lights are never going to turn green at the same time.
So the real question is, “How do you overcome that imposter syndrome?” And you’ll discover the answer in episode 44 of Women Disrupting Tech.
Let Fatoumata Diallo be an inspiring guide with her story about building Gamaal. In this episode, she’ll tell you how
🌟 she uses her doubts as stepping stones to progress.
🥘 Gamaal harnesses the power of homemade food to bridge cultural differences.
🌈 the quest for more diversity in tech is similar to the suffragette movement about a century ago.Plus, you’ll discover how leaving out one letter from a word can make a world of difference in being a globally recognizable brand.
About Fatoumata
Fatoumata is the founder of Gamaal. She was born in West Africa, raised in Brussels, and now lives in London. She has a Master’s degree in Public Administration, and prior to starting Gamaal, she worked with NGOs and large corporations in the UK and Belgium.
You can learn more about Leonie and connect with her on LinkedIn.About Gamaal
Gamaal is a platform that brings the rich world of home-cooked dishes to foodies. The app is not just another food delivery app. It’s a community of culinary and cultural lovers. You can learn more by visiting their website and following their culinary adventures on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and/or Twitter/X.
What makes this episode magical🌟?
If you’re a fan of great storytelling, you will now be disappointed. Because Fatoumata is a natural storyteller who knows how to captivate an audience.
An excellent example of this comes toward the end of the podcast when we get to the question of how to make the podcast obsolete.
She starts by drawing up a comparison with the suffragette movement of about a century ago. Then, she gives me her recipe for transforming today’s battle for more diversity into stories of motivation for future generations:
🙋🏾♀️ Having an abundance of role models
🌠 Being able to transcend stereotypes
📚 Having educational narratives
🤝 Actively supporting and empowering female founders.
What’s coming up?
On International Women’s Day, we’ll learn how to recruit for a tech startup. Spoiler: this episode includes a career change, too.
Afterward, Arosha Brouwer will return to the show to share Quan’s journey that followed after she was my guest on episode 3. It’s an episode you do not want to miss.
Do You Want to Be a Male Ally
How do you get started with diversity, equity, and inclusion in tech when you’re a man?
Let me give you a few suggestions, courtesy of ChatGPT:
📚 Educate yourself about the topic.
👂🏻 Listen to underrepresented people and amplify their voices.
💪🏼 Support inclusive practices like fair compensation.
🫱🏼🫲🏾 Collaborate with DEI organizations and advocate for DEI within your company.By listening, you’re already ticking two of these boxes. And maybe you’re ready to do more.
About 18 months ago, I was in your shoes. So, I started a podcast to interview women working in tech. I wanted to learn why there are so few of them. This podcast is called Women Disrupting Tech.
Since I started, I’ve interviewed 44 women about topics ranging from founding a startup to managing intellectual property. My goal is to provide them with a platform so they can inspire other women to consider an education or a job in tech.
But my goal for 2024 is to have more men join the conversation as guests and members of the Women Disrupting Tech Community.
As a member, you’ll receive a free email every Friday. By reading it, you’ll learn something new about diversity in tech. Like how we can prevent the gender pay gap. Or how to start with DEI in a startup. The women I interview inspire you with their stories, help you understand their points of view, and advocate for them. Of course, I include links to the most recent podcast episode and the show notes for further reading and education.
So, it is an excellent way to start educating yourself. But reading the newsletter and listening to the podcast also ticks other boxes on the list. Because you can amplify their voices to other people in your network by sharing the articles. And with the wisdom these women share, you can support inclusive practices in your company.
Ultimately, that’s good for business and gets you karma points. All of that for free.
When you’re ready to join the Women Disrupting Tech Community, enter your best email address below.
Working on it…Yes! You're now a memberWhoops! Black Magic is blocking access. Please reload the page and try again. -
How To Get Started as a Female Role Model in Tech | Episode 43 of Women Disrupting Tech
Join me as Leonie Wiggers-Frijters takes us on a captivating journey to becoming a female role model in Tech.
Listen to this episode to discover that
❤️ Love can make you choose a career in Tech.
👨👩👦 You can work part-time and still be a role model
🤷🏻♀️ Tech may be for you even if you have never considered it.Click the play button below to listen.
How to Get Started as a Female Role Model in Tech with Leonie Wiggers-Frijters | Ep. 43 – Women Disrupting Tech
About Leonie Wiggers-Frijters
Leonie Wiggers-Frijters is a software developer at Mosadex e-health. She studied chemistry and worked as a flight attendant before venturing into the world of IT. You can learn more about Leonie and connect with her on LinkedIn.
About Mosadex E-Health
Mosadex E-Health develops software solutions for pharmacies in The Netherlands. You can learn more about the company and find out any open positions they might have on their website or by following them on LinkedIn.
About Role It Out
In addition to her work at Mosadex, Leonie is a role model at Role It Out. To learn more about the Role It Out Program, visit their website and follow them on LinkedIn and Instagram.
The Magic You Can Expect in this Episode 🪄
Let’s face it: not everyone likes coding. But does that mean you can’t become a software developer?
Absolutely not!
Just ask Leonie Wiggers-Frijters, who went from hating coding during her studies to becoming a software developer at Mosadex e-health and a role model for Role It Out.
In episode 43 of Women Disrupting Tech, Leonie shares her remarkable journey and reveals:
❤️ That she never even considered a career in IT until her husband introduced her to the field.
💡 How vital trust is to bring out the best in her and her teammates.
🚀 How she uses being a role model to push herself out of her comfort zone.
And that’s not all!
Because even if you’re not interested in tech, you’ll want to hear the non-traditional career advice she could give her son.What makes this episode magical🌟?
We all want the best for the women in our lives, right?
So, let’s suppose that you know a woman who has never even considered a career in IT but who would be a perfect fit. Would you want her to find her calling?
If the answer is yes, this is the episode for that woman in your life. Because not too long ago, Leonie was that woman. In fact, she hated it. And now, she uses her magical IT powers to relieve pharmacies from their bureaucratic burdens.As a true role model, she describes the deliberate choices she makes to grow her career. Like a deliberate choice to start working full-time while the rest of her company was working 4 days a week. Or the deliberate choice to find out how it is to be interviewed on a podcast.
Plus, she has some well-thought-through advice for aspiring female role models.
What’s coming up?
Next week’s episode will feature an inspiring episode with a female founder of color who overcame some significant setbacks in her quest to harness the power of food to connect people and bridge cultural differences.
And in the week after that, we’ll learn what it means to do recruitment for tech startups. Spoiler: this episode includes a career change, too.
By the way, you can discover more incredible stories and learn from trailblazing women on Spotify, Google, Apple, or Goodpods. There you can find the entire inspiring archive of episodes with over 1,000 minutes of Women Disrupting Tech content I have published since September 2022.
Feedback? Let me know!
When you’ve finished listening to this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, I’d love to hear your thoughts about this episode.
So please do not hesitate to contact me via LinkedIn or email if you have any positive or negative feedback or if you would like to suggest a guest that I absolutely must have on the podcast.
-
How To Create a Safe Space in Your Team? | Elena Zhebel and Renske Melchers-Vermolen on Women Disrupting Tech
Join me as I learn from Elena Zhebel and Renske Melchers-Vermolen how to create a safe space in your team.
In this episode, these two female leaders teach us that
🧠 Contrary to popular belief, technical people can be good managers.
🌟 And women can lead just as well as men.
🤷🏻♀️ In fact, leadership knows no gender.
How to create a safe space in your team | Elena Zhebel and Renske Melchers-Vermolen on Women Disrupting Tech – Women Disrupting Tech
The Magic You Can Expect in this Episode 🪄
Did you know that women can teach men a lesson (or two) about creating a safe space in a team🤔?
That’s why we delve into the art of creating safe spaces within tech teams in episode 42 of Women Disrupting Tech.
Elena and Renske share invaluable strategies for fostering an inclusive and supportive environment. Here are three things that you’ll discover:- Crafting Safe Spaces: Elena and Renske reveal practical steps to establish trust, encourage open communication, and promote psychological safety within your team.
- Sustaining Safety: Learn how to maintain these safe spaces over time, ensuring that team members feel heard, respected, and empowered.
- Team Benefits: Explore why safe spaces benefit not only individual team members but also the collective performance and creativity of the entire team.
And that’s not all!
Toward the end of the episode, I get some surprise branding advice. Is it time to rename the podcast?What makes this episode magical🧙🏼♀️?
What struck me when I listened to the podcast was that both Elena and Renske seemed to feel really comfortable. And they were not afraid to show themselves. That is a good sign when you are recording a podcast about creating safe spaces, I’d say.
The result of the safe space in the podcast is a really open discussion about🧑💼 the difference between being a leader and being a manager,
👥 the importance of co-creation between managers and senior people in the team, and
⚖️ the need to constructively deal with conflict and poor performance.
So, if you’re a woman in tech or an aspiring male ally, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.
About Elena and Renske
Elena Zhebel is a senior product manager at Rabobank. She holds a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics. Before working in Finance, she worked in the oil and gas industry and founded her own company, EZNumeric. You can connect with Elena on LinkedIn.
Renske Melchers-Vermolen is a tech lead at Rabobank. Before working at Rabo, she worked at major companies like NUON (Vattenfall) and PwC. She has a Master’s Degree in Computer Science. You can connect with Renske on LinkedIn, too.About the Rabobank Women In Tech community
Both ladies are active members of the Women In Tech community at Rabobank, and I’d like to thank Marjolein Piek for her help in putting this episode together.
If you’d like to learn more about Rabobank or explore open positions, you can find them on the Rabobank website. Renske is currently recruiting for a medior business analyst.Coming up in the next episodes?
Next week’s episode will feature Leonie Wiggers – Frijters. She is one of the role models at Role It Out. In the episode, she shares her journey from studying chemistry and hating programming to becoming a software developer at a MedTech company.
After that, get ready for an inspiring episode with a female founder of color who overcame some significant setbacks in her quest to harness the power of food to connect people and bridge cultural differences.
By the way, you can binge-listen to the entire inspiring archive of episodes with over 1,000 minutes of Women Disrupting Tech content I have published since September 2022 on Spotify, Google, Apple, or Goodpods.
Feedback? Let me know!
I’d love to hear your thoughts about this episode and suggestions on how you create a safe space in your team.
So please do not hesitate to contact me via LinkedIn or email if you have any positive or negative feedback or if you would like to suggest a guest that I absolutely must have on the podcast.
Do You Want to Be a Male Ally
How do you get started with diversity, equity, and inclusion in tech when you’re a man?
Let me give you a few suggestions, courtesy of ChatGPT:
📚 Educate yourself about the topic.
👂🏻 Listen to underrepresented people and amplify their voices.
💪🏼 Support inclusive practices like fair compensation.
🫱🏼🫲🏾 Collaborate with DEI organizations and advocate for DEI within your company.Sounds easy? Maybe not…
About 18 months ago, I was struggling with this as well. So, I started a podcast to interview women working in tech. I wanted to learn why there are so few of them. This podcast is called Women Disrupting Tech.
Since I started, I’ve interviewed 41 women about topics ranging from DEI in general to mental health and how to take care of chores like bookkeeping. My goal is to provide a platform to them so they can inspire other women to consider an education or a job in tech.
But my goal for 2024 is to have more men join the conversation as guests and members of the Women Disrupting Tech Community.
As a member, you’ll receive a free email every Friday. By reading it, you’ll learn something new about diversity in tech. Like how we can prevent the gender pay gap. Or how to start with DEI in a startup. The women I interview inspire you with their stories, help you understand their points of view, and advocate for them. Of course, I include links to the most recent podcast episode and the show notes for further reading and education.
So, it is an excellent way to start educating yourself. But reading the newsletter and listening to the podcast also ticks other boxes on the list. Because you can amplify their voices to other people in your network by sharing the articles. And with the wisdom these women share, you can support inclusive practices in your company.
Ultimately, that’s good for business and gets you karma points. All of that for free.
To join the Women Disrupting Tech Community, enter your best email address below.
Bezig met verwerken …Great to have you!Sorry, something went wrong and you're not quite there yet. Please reload the page and try again. -
Using Curiosity to Find the Exceptional Impact of Exceptional People | Sabine Schoorl on Women Disrupting Tech
Join me as I interview Sabine Schoorl to learn how she uses her curiosity to uncover exceptional startup founders and investors to create exceptional impact.
Listen to the episode to discover how Sabine
- Challenges herself to keep learning 🤷🏻♀️
- Shares her recipe for successful female founders 👩🏻🔧
- Explains how a diverse ecosystem will attract better deal flow, the best talent, and the best investors 🫱🏼🫲🏾
To listen, click the play button below or search for “Women Disrupting Tech on Spotify, Apple, Goodpods, or on your favorite podcast player.
Using Curiosity to Find the Exceptional Impact of Exceptional People | Sabine Schoorl on Women Disrupting Tech – Women Disrupting Tech
The Magic You Can Expect in this Episode 🪄
When I would have only three words to describe his episode of Women Disrupting, these would be Exceptional, Curious, and Impact.
Because Sabine prides herself on being a learn-it-all investor. That requires curiosity and a continuous thirst to learn to ask better questions to get better answers.
As one of two women who are senior partners at LUMO Labs’ Rise Fund, her main objective is to help diverse teams of startup founders make an impact.
And, she wants to find exceptional people who use their diversity of thought and past experiences to build exceptional companies with exceptional impact.
Because Sabine says that modern leaders know that diversity isn’t a social responsibility. It’s the smart thing to do.
What makes this episode exceptional 🦄?
Sabine has an exceptional look at being the only woman in the room. When I ask her about her experiences with that in boardrooms and, later, as a startup founder, she tells me that she sees it as a positive differentiator.
She supports this with an anecdote from her first time at The Next Web Conference. She and her co-founder, Ingrid Tappin, had two cues lining up for their booth with interested people. When Sabine started looking around, she found they were the only female founders.
If you’re curious about how exceptional, curious people can make an impact, listen to episode 41 of Women Disrupting Tech with Sabine Schoorl; simply click the “Satisfy my curiosity!” button below.About Sabine Schoorl, The LUMO Rise Fund, and LUMO Labs
Sabine Schoorl is a female startup founder who became a startup scout and impact investor. She is a learn-it-all investor with an incurable inclination to match people with opportunities.
As one of the Diverse Leaders in Tech, she is a woman passionate about creating impact through diversity, equity, and inclusion. And, as you’ll hear, she has a different view on being the only woman in the room. Sabine invites you to connect on LinkedIn.About the LUMO Rise Fund
Sabine recently became a senior partner at the LUMO Rise Fund from LUMO Labs. LUMO Labs is an impact-driven multi-stage (pre-seed to series A) VC Fund. The fund invests in Europe and focuses on Emerging & Disruptive and deep-tech software technologies (AI, Data, Blockchain, IoT, Digital Security, and VR/AR.
They invest in ambitious purpose-driven companies that solve problems within at least four of the UN SDGs: Sustainable cities & Communities, Climate Action, Health & Wellbeing, and Quality Education.About LUMO Labs
LUMO Labs loves to work with founders and investors with diverse backgrounds, intersectional life and work experiences, LGBTQ+, and other exceptional traits. In November 2023, they won the Fe+Male Tech Heroes Corporate Inclusion Award because of how they embedded DEI in their investments and inside the company.
On their website, you can learn more about how LUMO Labs can help your startup or how you can invest in the LUMO Rise Fund. And I invite you to follow them on LinkedIn, where they have quite an active presence.What’s coming up?
Next Friday, I’ll re-release two early episodes of Women Disrupting Tech. I did not have an email list back then, so you might have missed them.
And stay tuned for some exceptional content that is coming up:
- An exciting episode on “Creating a safe space for your team”
- A series of podcasts with Female Role Models from Role It Out.
By the way, you can binge-listen to the entire inspiring archive of episodes with over 1,000 minutes of Women Disrupting Tech content I have published since September 2022 on Spotify, Google, Apple, or Goodpods.
Feedback? Let me know!
When you’ve finished listening to this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, I’d love to hear your thoughts about this episode.
So please do not hesitate to contact me via LinkedIn or email if you have any positive or negative feedback or if you would like to suggest a guest that I absolutely must have on the podcast.
Do You Want to Be a Male Ally
How do you get started with diversity, equity, and inclusion in tech when you’re a man?
Let me give you a few suggestions, courtesy of ChatGPT:
📚 Educate yourself about the topic.
👂🏻 Listen to underrepresented people and amplify their voices.
💪🏼 Support inclusive practices like fair compensation.
🫱🏼🫲🏾 Collaborate with DEI organizations and advocate for DEI within your company.Sounds easy? Maybe not…
About 18 months ago, I was struggling with this as well. So, I started a podcast to interview women working in tech. I wanted to learn why there are so few of them. This podcast is called Women Disrupting Tech.
Since I started, I’ve interviewed 41 women about topics ranging from DEI in general to mental health and how to take care of chores like bookkeeping. My goal is to provide a platform to them so they can inspire other women to consider an education or a job in tech.
But my goal for 2024 is to have more men join the conversation as guests and members of the Women Disrupting Tech Community.
As a member, you’ll receive a free email every Friday. By reading it, you’ll learn something new about diversity in tech. Like how we can prevent the gender pay gap. Or how to start with DEI in a startup. The women I interview inspire you with their stories, help you understand their points of view, and advocate for them. Of course, I include links to the most recent podcast episode and the show notes for further reading and education.
So, it is an excellent way to start educating yourself. But reading the newsletter and listening to the podcast also ticks other boxes on the list. Because you can amplify their voices to other people in your network by sharing the articles. And with the wisdom these women share, you can support inclusive practices in your company.
Ultimately, that’s good for business and gets you karma points. All of that for free.
To join the Women Disrupting Tech Community, enter your best email address below.
Bezig met verwerken …Gelukt! Je staat op de lijst.Er is een fout opgetreden en we konden je aanmelding niet verwerken. Laad de pagina opnieuw en probeer het opnieuw.And with that, I wish you an exceptional day, and keep being awesome!
Women Disrupting Tech | The Podcast
The Podcast Closing the Funding Gap for Women in Tech.
Women Disrupting Tech | The Podcast 