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How to use 15 years of tech startup experience to build a tech startup | Caroline Cadwell on Women Disrupting Tech

Join me as I interview Caroline Cadwell to learn how she uses her 15 years of experience working for tech startups like Yelp and Wallapop to build Unpluq. Click the play button below to listen or find the 40th episode of Women Disrupting Tech via one of the links below the player.
How Caroline Cadwell Uses 15 Years of Tech Startup Experience to Build Unpluq | Ep. 40 – Women Disrupting Tech
You can also listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple, or Goodpods.
About Caroline Cadwell and Unpluq
Caroline Cadwell started her career in tech when she was only 15 years old. She got paid to remove malware from home computers, after placing an ad in a local bridge club newsletter.
After University, she joined Yelp when they had just found product-market fit. She did sales for four years and through their IPO before moving to Barcelona, where she worked with several different startups in executive roles. Nowadays, she is the CEO and co-founder of Unpluq. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.
Unpluq helps you go off your screen, and into your life. Their app and wireless keychain use existing technology to help you limit your screen time and change your habits. You can find more information on their website and download the app on your iPhone or Android device.
To follow their journey to startup fame, I invite you to follow them on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.
The Magic You Can Expect in this episode 🪄
How does experience in the startup ecosystem help you build a startup?
Caroline Cadwell is my guest as we discover how she uses her experiences as an early employee at Yelp in her role as CEO and co-founder at Unpluq. This Dutch startup uses technology to help you overcome your technology addiction.In this enlightening of Women Disrupting Tech, Caroline unveils:
- ❌ the shortcomings of conventional salary negotiation advice for women,
- 🙌🏻 how to compliment a female colleague without relying on gender stereotypes, and
- 🚀 how her experience in the startup ecosystem helps her to make Unpluq a success.
Since she worked for tech startups in both Silicon Valley and Europe, Caroline has a unique view of the strengths and weaknesses of both ecosystems when it comes to diversity in tech. On the podcast, she shares her experiences in both ecosystems: the good and the not-so-good.
What makes this episode unique 🦄?
I met Caroline through Jorn Rigter, her CTO, who suggested her as a guest. When chatting on LinkedIn, she shared so many insights that I had no trouble putting a list of questions together.
One memorable moment for me is when she mentions that she does not like it when men say that they “like working with women because <enter your favorite gender stereotype>.”
Now, I have to admit that I’ve used this “compliment” more than once in my life. So naturally, I was curious how she perceived that and, more importantly, what to say instead. Spoiler: you actually want to make it personal.
Later in the episode, Caroline mentions a Hidden Brain podcast episode titled “Is It Better to Know?” You can find it on Spotify and all the other major podcast platforms. If you want to learn more about salary negotiation advice, please listen to this podcast episode of The Financial Feminist with Karthyn Valentine.At the end of the episode, Caroline shares her management mantra that symbolizes how she looks at delegation as a management style: “Let me not prevent other people from being successful.”
Are you ready for some serious female founder inspo?What’s coming up?
I will interview a Dutch VC with 30% female founders in her portfolio this Friday. And like you, I want to find out how she has made that happen.
In the weeks after, I have an exciting episode planned on creating a safe space for your team. Since psychological safety is essential to promote diversity in tech, I look forward to recording it.
By the way, you can binge the entire inspiring archive of episodes with over 1,000 minutes of Women Disrupting Tech content I published since September 2022 on Spotify, Google, Apple, or Goodpods.
Feedback? Let me know!
When you’ve finished listening, 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 disrupting the tech world!
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Is the milestone-based startup funding system right for female founders? | Dirkjan Hupkes on Women Disrupting Tech

“Hi Dirkjan, (…) any inkling jumping out at you why there is such a funding gap for women-led startups?”
Silvia van Houten, Founder of GoodHout and now working at Polestar CapitalI got this question last week from Silvia van Houten. And I figured that since I’ve interviewed 38 women who are disrupting tech, I do have an inkling.
I decided to make a short podcast episode about this topic. My first solo podcast of just under 10 minutes.
Listen to episode 39 of Women Disrupting Tech to discover why I think that the milestone-based funding system is a reason for the funding gap.
Is the milestone-based startup funding system right for female founders? | Dirkjan Hupkes on Women Disrupting Tech – Women Disrupting Tech
You can also listen to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, and Goodpods.
About this Episode
The milestone-based system was developed to select winners in the software space that would dominate their market and, by doing so, generate a lot of money for investors.
In this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, I discuss three reasons that cause the milestone-based system to contribute to the funding gap.
- Women usually build businesses for impact that cannot necessarily be measured in terms of money.
- Women are more collaborative by nature and, therefore, the system may appeal less to them.
- Women solve women’s problems. As a result, the investors, mainly men, fail to see the business case and decide not to invest.
These points are discussed more in-depth in this 10-minute episode. I understand this is quite a complex topic, and that 10 minutes is way too short to catch all the nuances. So feel free to add context below after you’ve listened to the episode.
Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy?
I want to let you in on a little secret: I suffer from imposter syndrome. And, recording this episode came with an overload of it.
I had questions racing through my mind that drove me crazy:
- Is this the proper format?
- Is a solo not too boring?
- What if my audience does not like my answer?
- Did I mention having to talk for minutes without saying ‘uh’ (I wonder how all these hosts do this)?
So, to say that I had to think twice before publishing this episode and writing you this email would be an understatement.
But I did it anyway, and I invite you to listen to the result.
What’s coming up?
This Friday, I will be interviewing Caroline Cadwell, one of the early employees of Yelp, who is now a startup founder at Unpluq. And next week, I will be talking to a Dutch VC with 30% female founders in her portfolio.
By the way, you can binge the entire inspiring archive of episodes with over 1,000 minutes of Women Disrupting Tech content I published since September 2022 on Spotify, Google, Apple, or Goodpods.
Feedback? Let me know!
When you’ve finished listening, I’d love for you to share your thoughts and experiences about this topic and the episode in the comments. So, if there is any research I should read and take into account, or guests that you want me to interview, please let me know.
So please do not hesitate to contact me via LinkedIn or email if you have any positive or negative feedback.
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Training Holland’s Next Female Role Model in Tech | Núria Barceló i Peiró on Women Disrupting Tech

When you’re a regular visitor, you know how I feel about the importance of role models when it comes to inspiring women to go into tech.
That is why I’m especially proud and happy about this episode of Women Disrupting Tech with Núria Barceló i Peiró. She is one of the founding mothers and general manager of Role It Out, a Female Role Model agency for women in tech.
Join me to discover how her female role model agency, Role It Out, trains Holland’s Next Female Tech Role Model.
Hit the play button below to listen to episode 38 of the Women Disrupting Tech podcast.
Training Holland’s Next Female Role Model in Tech | Núria Barceló i Peiró on Women Disrupting Tech – Women Disrupting Tech
What You Can Expect In This Episode.
To find a female role model agency was already magical. Add to that my belief in the power of collaboration to change the status quo, and you understand why I’m incredibly proud to present you with this episode of Women Disrupting Tech.
Núria and I have an engaging conversation about- What women can do to become a good role model 👩🏼🔧 (spoiler: you don’t have to be young and beautiful).
- Why companies should create the right circumstances for women to act as role models 🙌.
- How Role It Out trains women to become Holland’s next female role model in tech 👩🏻🏫.
Núria also highlights that it is essential for role models to bridge the generational divide and reveals the positive impact that Role It Out is already making for both role models and the companies they work for.
What’s Magical About This Episode 🪄?
There are two things that I want to highlight.
First, Núria is quite outspoken, so she makes a point of telling her male colleagues that not everyone thinks like them. But she is also very aware that she has challenges with other aspects of diversity as she is not a minority. That is why she thinks bringing visibility to those aspects is crucial.
And I always find it magical to hear from my guests what should be done if we want to make this podcast obsolete by 2032. But just before we arrive at that question, when I ask Núria about her plans for the coming 10 years, she tells me that her goal is to make Role It Out obsolete.
So, I ask her what she thinks needs to happen to get there.About Núria and Role It Out
Núria Barceló i Peiró has worked her entire life in tech. For the past 9 years, she has been working at NXP in various capacities, all of them technical in nature.
In December 2021, she and 5 other people from NXP won the hackathon “Nimma Hacks” with their idea to start a female role model agency. That was the start of Role It Out, where she is the general manager. You can follow and connect with Núria on LinkedIn.
Role It Out trains women to be a role model for women in tech. With their 3-month Role Model Program, women get the knowledge and skills they need to inspire other women to go into the tech industry. To learn more about Role It Out, visit their website or follow them on LinkedIn or Instagram. And, if you’re a woman working in Tech and you want to be a role model for your company, contact Role It Out via email.Join the Women Disrupting Tech Community
Talking about email, if you want to receive an email when new episodes go on air, you should join the Women Disrupting Tech Community.
The purpose of the community is to build a movement for more diversity, equity, and inclusion in tech. A movement that helps to bring about the changes that are necessary to get better products, more profitable businesses, and happier people in tech.
As a member, you’ll have exclusive access to members-only events (both online and offline). Plus, you’ll be part of a group of like-minded people who change the status quo of unequal rewards for underrepresented groups by giving them a platform to shine and act as role models.
To join, simply enter your best email address below.
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“For me, being vocal is about being an ambassador for female entrepreneurs.” | Tessa de Flines on Women Disrupting Tech

Happy New Year! Welcome to a new episode full of women disrupting tech inspiration 🚀.
Join me as I speak to Tessa de Flines to explore why angel investing is about as close as you can get to making an impact as a woman.
How to be an ambassador for female entrepreneurs | Tessa de Flines on Women Disrupting Tech – Women Disrupting Tech
How to be an ambassador for female entrepreneurs 🪄
On this first episode of Women Disrupting Tech in 2024, Tessa guides us on an inspiring deep dive into the startup world.
We explore what makes scaling so challenging and how startup founders can deal with these challenges. Tessa helps us discover- What makes scaling a journey that is unique to every company 🚀
- How female founders can future-proof their businesses 🔮
- Why visibility is the key to making an impact as an investor and a founder 👀
Tessa also shares what she looks for as an angel investor in startups and her recipe for getting dealflow as an investor. Plus, around 34 minutes into the interview, she mentions a framework from McKinsey that helps frame difficult strategic discussions in the proper context.
What’s Magical About This Episode 🌟?
From pitching tips to advice on how to scale your company, this conversation covers it all. I found listening to all the wisdom Tessa shares with you really powerful. One pitching tip I want you to take advantage of is inserting breaks in your pitch after every couple of sentences. This gives the listening people the opportunity to take in the information and ask questions if they have. And it allows you to check if they’re still interested.
Another magical part of the podcast episode comes towards the end of the episode (around the 39-minute mark), as Tessa graciously shares her insights into three startup investments that hold a special place in her portfolio. And at least one could be familiar to you as I interviewed the founder back in the fifth episode of this podcast.
About Tessa de Flines
Tessa is passionate about helping (female) startup founders reach their full potential. To do that, she uses her business scaling knowledge, expertise, and visibility as an angel investor.
After working for large corporations like General Electric and ABN-AMRO in process improvement, strategy, and marketing roles, Tessa de Flines entered entrepreneurship and learned how much direct impact she could have.
It was through networking that she met her partners at Masters of Scale just before COVID hit. With Masters of Scale, she helps companies to future-proof their business.
And Tessa’s impact goes beyond. She is also an angel investor with Great Stuff Ventures and the chairperson of Female Ventures. Female Ventures is a non-profit that empowers women in their careers with knowledge, inspiration, and networking through events, a community, and a mentorship program. Tessa is also an active mentor for (female) startup founders and as a Fractional COO.
If you would like to learn more about Tessa and her work, you can connect with her via LinkedIn.
What’s coming up?
In the next episode of Women Disrupting Tech, I interview Núria Barceló Peiró. She is the general manager of a Female Role Model agency called RoleItOut.
And if you’re curious to learn how RoleItOut helps women develop themselves into the Next Female Role Model in tech, keep your eyes on your mailbox next Friday.
In the meantime, you can binge the entire inspiring archive of episodes with over 1,000 minutes of Women Disrupting Tech content I published last year on Spotify, Google, Apple, or Goodpods.
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 37 women about topics ranging from DEI in general to mental health and how to do chores like bookkeeping. 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. 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.
To join the Women Disrupting Tech Community, enter your best email address below.
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What’s in store for 2024?

As the year ends, I thought it was an excellent time to look back to the first full year of the Women Disrupting Tech podcast and provide a glimpse into what is in store for 2024.
Stats for 2023 (courtesy of Spotify)
Before we look ahead to the coming year, let’s explore what my first full year of podcasting has brought about.
- 30 episodes with over 1,000 minutes of podcast content published 💫
- Listened to by people in 16 different countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Bangladesh 🗺️
- In the top 5 podcasts of 64 listeners, #1 podcast for 19 fans 🙏🏻
What’s in store for 2024
Podcast-wise, I’ll continue to publish episodes every week. We’ll start the year with an episode about angel investing in female-founded startups. And I’ve found just the guide we need for that.
In January, we’ll also explore diversity in tech from the angle of an expat. And I’ll talk to the founder of another platform that promotes female role models in tech.
Besides that, 2024 will be the year of the first events with female founders. Behind the curtains, I’m working on an event where female founders can have a 1 on 1 meet-up with an investor over dinner. These dinners will be hosted in an inspiring atmosphere, so even if business is not working, there is still enough to talk about. More about that coming in the second quarter.
If you want to stay up to date, you can choose to visit this blog. But you can also become a Women Disrupting Tech Community member.
Join the Women Disrupting Tech Community
With the podcast and the blog, I provide a platform for women who are building successful (tech) startups to help inspire other women to take the leap.
But I want to build a movement for more diversity, equity, and inclusion in tech. A movement that helps to bring the changes necessary to get better products, more profitable businesses, and happier people in tech.
And you can join the movement by becoming a member of the Women Disrupting Tech community. As a member, you get an email every Friday morning with everything you need to know about the new episode of Women Disrupting Tech.
And you’ll have exclusive access to members-only events, like the dinners I mentioned above.
On top of that, you’ll be part of a network of like-minded people who change the status quo of unequal rewards for underrepresented groups in tech.
To join, simply enter your best email address below.
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“It’s crazy to think that we live in a country where we just accept that men and women are not paid equally” | Johanna Spiller on Women Disrupting Tech

Joanna Spiller does not expect Dutch women to follow the example that their Icelandic sisters set on 24 October: go on strike for a full day to demand equal pay for equal work. Even their prime minister joined in.
So what does she expect Dutch women to do? And more importantly, what does she do about the 13% gender pay gap?
Listen to the last episode of the podcast Women Disrupting Tech in 2023 to hear the answers. Just click the play button or follow one of the links below.
“It’s crazy to think that we live in a country where we just accept that men and women are not paid equally” | Johanna Spiller on Women Disrupting Tech – Women Disrupting Tech
Listen on Spotify, Apple or Goodpods
- Listen on Spotify.
- Listen on Apple podcast.
- Listen on Goodpods.
In this episode of Women Disrupting Tech
Join me as I interview Alyx co-founder and CEO Johanna Spiller to discover how we can solve the gender pay gap.
On this final episode of Women Disrupting Tech in 2023, Johanna reveals
- 🤯 what makes solving the gender pay gap so difficult,
- ✅ why the scarcity of women in tech makes for a win-win business case for women and their employers and
- 💶 how her startup Alyx fixes the gender pay gap.
She also highlights that having more diversity requires organizations to make a cultural shift that will not come from hiring just one woman.
What makes the episode magical?
Johanna is very transparent about her tech skills. She even tells me that when she took the assessment that Alyx employees take as part of the recruitment process, the result was that her own startup would not hire her as a developer.
It goes to show that you don’t need to have a tech background to work in tech.
But it gets better.
According to Johanna, changing a culture takes 3 generations of employees. If you consider that an employee generation lasts around 2-3 years, that would mean that my goal of making this podcast obsolete in 9 years is within reach.
That’s what I call magic💫.
About Johanna Spiller and Alyx
Johanna Spiller is a true champion of women in tech. But, like many of the guests on this podcast, Johanna found her way into tech by accident when someone around her suggested making an introduction for her at IBM. There she notices that even though the work is fabulous, she feels out of place because she does not have a tech background.
After a few years at the Big Blue, she decides to do something about the lack of women in tech.
With Alyx, she retrains women for jobs in tech. Alyx works with businesses and (semi) government institutions to create a more hospitable environment for women wanting to join tech.
For more information about Alyx and to schedule your coffee date, visit their website. You can also follow them on LinkedIn and Instagram.
You can read more about Johanna’s work with Alyx in two Dutch articles, one on MT/Sprout and one on channelconnect.nl. And feel free to connect with Johanna on LinkedIn.
And if you want to try if tech is something for you, you can try out these websites (no endorsement):
Join the Women Disrupting Tech Community
I never considered my podcast a learning opportunity for those who do not know where to start building a diverse organization. That is until Johanna explained on this episode that listening to podcasts like this is a great way to learn about a topic without exposing that you’re an absolute beginner.
If this is you, you want to allow yourself to listen and learn what the Women Disrupting Tech can teach you.
Now, when you’re learning, you want to ensure you get the maximum learning benefit, right? So, you want to make sure you get this information regularly.
That’s why I’ve got an offer for you: Become a Women Disrupting Tech community member.
As a member, you’ll be among the first to learn when new blogs and podcast episodes go online. So you can learn from the best, get inspired to build a more profitable business, and do what you know is best for all of us, absolutely for free🤗.
And best of all, no one will ever know you learned everything you need to know here. It will be our little secret🤫.
To join, simply enter your best email address below.
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Episode 35: The Value Proposition of Having More Women in IT and Digital with Joanna Pamphilis

Joanna Pamphilis believes there is a hidden talent in all of us. She didn’t know that she would have a career in tech until a female leader in computer engineering at her university persuaded her to take a class. This magically unlocked her talent for tech.
Join me as I interview her to discover her secret potion for a more inclusive culture in FinTech. Spoiler: it does not work in isolation.
The Value Proposition of Having More Women in IT and Digital | Joanna Pamphilis on Women Disrupting Tech – Women Disrupting Tech
The Magic You Can Expect In This Episode 🪄
In this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, Joanna is our guide as we explore diversity, equity, and inclusion in the world of Fintech.
She explains how you can build an inclusive culture in FinTech. Joanna has a secret potion 🧪 that consists of 4 key elements:
- Give people the authority to solve business problems and access to resources.
- Give people the information they need and the power to make decisions.
- Trust that they will do the best thing.
- And hold them accountable for the results.
And she emphasizes that building a diverse culture does not work when you’re operating in silos. So collaboration, also with men, is critical to getting to the finish line.
And, Joanna highlights that men play an essential role in supporting and promoting women in tech. In that sense, diversity is a two-way learning experience.
“Diversity is a two-way learning experience, not something you build in silos”
Joanna Pamphilis
What’s Magical About This Episode 🌟?
One of the most exciting parts of the interview is the story about how Joanna co-founded the Pink community within UniCredit. What started as an informal aperitivo during COVID is now a community where more than 300 people (including men) visit their events. And next year, the community will expand to other countries where UniCredit has offices.
It’s almost like building a startup.
Another magical moment comes when I ask Joanna who inspires her. At first, she mentions Melinda French Gates and Mary Barra for reasons you’ll discover when you listen to the episode. And because she does not meet these ladies daily (anyone in the community who does, let me know), she also gets inspiration from the women around her as they are the future leaders in tech.
How’s that for an inspirational leader in tech?
About Joanna
Joanna’s tech journey started at university when a female head of the computer engineering program inspired her to major in computer science. It gave her leadership experience as she helped to set up the computer sciences program.
After decades of working in Fintech, she builds bridges between tech and business departments at Unicredit. With the Pink Community, she champions women in IT and digital within Unicredit. In addition, she is a Global CIO Top 100 winner in 2023 from Hewlett Packard Enterprises and one of the FinTech Top 100 Women 2023 awarded by FinTech Magazine.
You can learn more about Joanna and connect with her on LinkedIn.
What’s coming up?
In the next episode of Women Disrupting Tech, I talk to a lady who doesn’t wait for others to take action when it comes to getting more women into tech and closing the gender pay gap. Because the women who work for Team Alyx get a tech education and a 13% bonus.
Want to know who that is? Well, the next episode will be out just in time for the long Christmas weekend. So you’ll have plenty of time to binge the 1,000 minutes of Women Disrupting Tech content that I published this year on Spotify, Google, Apple, or Goodpods.
Join the Women Disrupting Tech Community
Did you know that she was one of the first members of the Women Disrupting Tech community? So, she is actually one of your peers.
By joining, you can help build a movement for more diversity, equity, and inclusion in tech. A movement that helps to bring the changes necessary to get better products, more profitable businesses, and happier people in tech.
As a Women Disrupting Tech community member, you’ll be among the first to learn when new blogs and podcast episodes go online. Also, you’ll have exclusive access to members-only events (both online and offline).
Plus, you’ll help build a group of like-minded people who change the status quo of unequal rewards for underrepresented groups by giving them a platform to shine and act as role models.
To join, simply enter your best email address below.
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“I don’t think a tech career should suck for women” | Claudia Bruce-Quartey on Women Disrupting Tech

Imagine the possibilities of inspiring and motivating women in tech with the knowledge and insights you have gained during your own tech career.
If you want to learn how to do that, or just be inspired, you want to listen to the new episode of Women Disrupting Tech with Claudia Bruce-Quartey.
Simply click the play button below to discover how she helps women, particularly mothers, disrupt tech.
Why a tech career should not s*ck for women with Claudia Bruce-Quartey | Ep. 34 – Women Disrupting Tech
By the way, you can listen to this show on the following platforms
What magic can you expect in this episode?
In this episode, we explore the impact sponsors can have on women’s careers in tech and how women can utilize the opportunities that sponsors create the best.
Claudia helps us discover how women can take up their roles in the tech industry. During a powerful and inspiring conversation, we also talk about- Claudia’s motivation to break down the masculine and nerdy image of the tech industry.
- How women can show their leadership skills before getting an official title and
- How she empowers her daughter to see that being a minority doesn’t equal not being normal.
The episode is also loaded with practical career advancement tips on negotiating salaries and promotions, looking through a recruiter’s wishlist, and how to enable a sponsor to help you achieve your goals.
I don’t think a tech career should suck for women.
Claudia Bruce-Quartey.What makes this episode magical?
Just before the 30-minute mark, I ask her for tips on how to advocate for yourself. Claudia responds that you don’t need a title to be a thought leader. It’s a role that you need to grow into, so women better start early with that.
Another gem in this episode is her unique take on why women need to negotiate for their salary: Claudia argues that women have longer lives than men, but also more career interruptions. So, negotiating for salary and promotions is essential to empower your future self.
More about Claudia
Claudia Bruce-Quartey entered the tech industry by accident. In fact, during her study of political science, she tried to stay as far away as possible from anything techie or financial.
As a German-born Ghanaian, she has held different sales responsibilities in some of the fastest-growing software and hardware companies in the world, including Salesforce and Cisco. She currently works as a key account manager for RedHat, an open-source software company best known for its Linux operating system.
Claudia wants more women to work in tech and mothers to keep working in tech. That is why she is on a mission to make tech more hospitable for women. She coaches women, especially mothers, to reach peak performance in their careers.
You can connect with Claudia and learn more about her coaching via LinkedIn and her website. On her website, you can also buy the book “My Hair, My Choice,” which she wrote to inspire her daughter to shape her destiny.
Join the Women Disrupting Tech Community
With the podcast and the blog, I provide a platform for women who are building successful (tech) startups to help inspire other women to take the leap.
But I want to build a movement for more diversity, equity, and inclusion in tech. A movement that helps to bring the changes necessary to get better products, more profitable businesses, and happier people in tech.
And you can join the movement by becoming a member of the Women Disrupting Tech community. As a member, you’ll be among the first to learn when new blogs and podcast episodes go online. Also, you’ll have exclusive access to members-only events (both online and offline).
Plus, you’ll help build a group of like-minded people who change the status quo of unequal rewards for underrepresented groups by giving them a platform to shine and act as role models.
To join, simply enter your best email address below.
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De onverwachte impact van Plants as a Service | Rolien Wiersinga on Women Disrupting Tech

Kun je planten hergebruiken? Toen ik voor het eerst naar de website van Circular Green keek en las dat dit kon, dacht ik hoe dan?
Rolien Wiersinga biedt met haar bedrijf Circular Green Plants as a Service aan. Het is een circulaire manier om mensen een betere werkomgeving te geven en planten een langer leven. En het blijkt nog een andere onverwachte positieve social impact te hebben.
Welke dat is, onthullen we in deze aflevering.
De onverwachte impact van Plants as a Service | Rolien Wiersinga on Women Disrupting Tech – Women Disrupting Tech
In deze aflevering van Women Disrupting Tech
In aflevering 33 ontrafelen Rolien en ik de logistieke uitdagingen van circulair ondernemen en bespreken we waarom planten zo goed zijn voor onze mentale gezondheid.
Daarnaast vertelt Rolien
- Hoe zij bepaalt of haar dienstverlening echt duurzaam is.
- Waarom ze werkt met mensen die een afstand tot de arbeidsmarkt hebben.
- Waarom je als ondernemer je product of dienst samen met je eerste klant moet bouwen
En we onthullen hoe zelfs haar hydrokorrels een positieve sociale impact teweegbrengen.
Benieuwd naar die impact?
Over Rolien en Circular Green
Rolien Wiersinga’s reis in de wereld van Plants as a Service begint bij haar werk voor Flora Holland. Ze verbetert daar de efficiency van de logistieke processen rondom de veiling van planten. En ze begint zich af te vragen waarom we zoveel nieuwe bloemen en planten nodig hebben.
Bij Circular Green komen haar ervaring in vernieuwing en logistiek, en haar studie en onderzoek bij Wageningen University samen. Met duurzame planten helpt ze bedrijven en instellingen een groene en gezonde werkplekken te bieden voor hun medewerkers.
Denk je nou, “dit wil ik ook!”? Neem dan contact op met Rolien via email of LinkedIn. Wil je meer informatie over hoe ze jouw bedrijf of instelling kan helpen, kijk op de site van Circular Green.
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“Als je als vrouw onafhankelijk wilt zijn, dan moet je zeker voor techniek kiezen.” | Sanne Jongejan on Women Disrupting Tech

“Een slimme meid is op haar toekomst voorbereid”, was de slogan van een overheidscampagne die meisjes en jonge vrouwen moesten overtuigen om voor een opleiding en baan in de techniek te kiezen.
Fast forward naar 2023 als minder dan 5% van meisjes in het MBO voor een technische studie kiest.
Hoe komt dat? En vooral, hoe krijgen we daar verbetering in?
Daarover gaat de nieuwe aflevering van Women Disrupting Tech. Samen met Sanne Jongejan, directeur onderwijs van de sector Techniek en Technologie bij Curio duiken we in de rol die opvoeding en onderwijs spelen in de aanvoer van vrouwelijk tech talent.
“Als je als vrouw onafhankelijk wilt zijn, dan moet je zeker voor techniek kiezen.” | Sanne Jongejan on Women Disrupting Tech – Women Disrupting Tech
Waar gaan we het dan precies over hebben?
In een levendige aflevering hebben we het over zaken als:
🗣️ Hoe de andere, mannelijke, taal in de techniek ervoor zorgt dat meiden zich minder veilig kunnen voelen.
📜 Welke verouderde opvattingen over meisjes in techniek bij leraren en decanen, meiden op het verkeerde been zetten bij het maken van carrière keuzes.
🔎 Waarom een overschot aan leraressen in het basisonderwijs onbedoeld bijdraagt aan een verkeerde beeldvorming over techniek bij kinderen en moeders.
“Dat wat je niet weet, daar kun je het niet met elkaar over hebben.”
Sanne Jongejan on Women Disrupting TechInteressant, vertel me meer…
Maar we hebben het ook over wat Curio als onderwijsinstelling doet om voor een veilige omgeving te zorgen voor de meiden die wel voor de technische opleiding kiezen.
En ook nu weer komt het belang van meer rolmodellen aan bod. Rolmodellen die niet alleen de meiden overtuigen maar er ook voor zorgen dat moeders hun dochters kunnen vertellen waarom techniek echt iets voor hen is.
Luister nu naar de nieuwste Women Disrupting Tech podcast en ontdek hoe we samen de toekomst van vrouwelijk tech talent kunnen veranderen! Klik op de link om te luisteren.
Over Sanne Jongejan en Curio
Sanne Jongejan is de directeur Onderwijs van de sector Techniek en Technologie bij Curio. Ze brengt een schat aan ervaring in het onderwijs mee die ze opbouwde in meer dan 20 jaar in diverse onderwijs en managementposities bij Avans Hogeschool en als directeur van De Nassau in Breda. Je kunt meer over haar te weten komen en connecten via haar LinkedIn profiel.
Curio is de beroepsopleider van de regio West-Brabant. Zij hebben de opleidingen die vrouwen nodig hebben om in de techniek te kunnen werken. Meer informatie over vind je op hun website en op hun LinkedIn en Instagram profiel
En op 25 januari 2024 hebben ze een open dag, ook voor technische opleidingen. Je kunt je daarvoor vanaf vandaag vrijblijvend inschrijven. Dat is een mooie kans om erachter te komen welke bijdrage je dochter, vriendin, kleindochter, nichtje, zus aan een mooiere wereld kan leveren dankzij een technische opleiding.
Join the Women Disrupting Tech Community
With the podcast and the blog, I provide a platform for women who are building successful (tech) startups to help inspire other women to take the leap.
But I want to build a movement for more diversity, equity, and inclusion in tech. A movement that helps to bring the changes necessary to get better products, more profitable businesses, and happier people in tech.
And you can join the movement by becoming a member of the Women Disrupting Tech community. As a member, you’ll be among the first to learn when new blogs and podcast episodes go online. Also, you’ll have exclusive access to members-only events (both online and offline).
Plus, you’ll help build a group of like-minded people who change the status quo of unequal rewards for underrepresented groups by giving them a platform to shine and act as role models.
To join, simply enter your best email address below to join.
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