If you think that there is a secret sauce to being a successful entrepreneur then think again. The truth is that entrepreneurship is all about perseverance, determination, willpower, and tenacity. And this rings even more true as a woman working in tech, traditionally a male-dominated industry.
I often get asked about my experiences here and whether I feel I’ve faced more challenges being a female tech leader and how I’ve overcome them. From my personal experience, being a woman and an entrepreneur specialising in tech is not only rewarding, it is an important unexploited source of economic growth in almost all parts of the world.
As someone who has lived and worked in eight countries over the past 20 years, here are some of my biggest lessons learnt that have helped me to navigate the ever-changing business world.
Being a woman is your superpower
First and foremost, don’t expect to be held back because you are a woman. Expect to excel [because you are a woman] and if you are held back, adjust accordingly.
Embrace the unknown
As an entrepreneur, you need to be ready for uncertainty and be able to adapt to change quickly. Being flexible and agile is crucial. I never let my lack of experience undermine my confidence and most importantly, I am not afraid to seek help from those who have more expertise than me. Similarly, don’t assume that experts are infallible. They simply have more experience, but that doesn’t mean they have all the answers either.
Focus on the problem
Start with the problem and seek to identify and quantify it. Once I understood the pain points of my target market when I was launching Pemo, I was able to create solutions that genuinely addressed their needs (and not just their wants). By solving real problems – in this case around expense management – I not only created value but also gained a competitive advantage.
The feedback loop
I constantly seek feedback regularly and engage with customers and stakeholders to gather their valuable input. This feedback loop is essential for continuous improvement and refining my product based on real-world insights.
Furthermore, I always prioritise the customer experience, and naturally this needs to be the case, whatever the company you’re leading. My customers are at the epic-centre of everything that I do. I aim to deliver exceptional experiences, listen to my customer’s feedback, and constantly iterate to exceed their expectations.
It’s important to be in tune with your customer – their needs and wants are constantly changing, and so you have to be nimble and flexible enough to pivot when needed, and bold enough to make fast-decisions based on client feedback.
Network, network, network
Networking is a powerful tool that has opened many doors for me and has helped me to expand my knowledge base. By connecting with industry peers, mentors, and advisors, I received guidance, support and new opportunities for my business.
What’s also so important to realise is that other female entrepreneurs are not your competition, rather, I view their success as success for all women who are striving to be entrepreneurs. It means that progress is made towards equality. You also never know what kind of connection a fellow women entrepreneur could become; they could be a business partner, mentor or even an investor.
Use tech to boost results
Nowadays, the world is experiencing technological momentum more than ever before. Businesses that have a connection to the digital world have a higher success rate than those that do not invest in technology. As a woman in tech, I like to encourage other entrepreneurs to look into how tech can help a business to survive and capitalise on the evolving market trends. In my experience, it has helped to increase productivity significantly and has created a more efficient business model.
Timing is everything
One key aspect of the startup success that is often undermined is timing. Take a moment to ask yourself: “is my service or product really coming at the perfect time?”
Indeed, if you arrive too early or too late with your product or service, you may face challenges in gaining traction. I learnt this the hard way while trying to scale a fine art marketplace back in 2015 and had difficulty getting strategic partners and investors on board.
There was also a lack of interest or response from my target audience which made me realise that the problem I was trying to address wasn’t significant enough at the time and that people need more time to change their behaviour and adopt a new solution.
Embrace failure and become an eternal optimist
One thing you’ll undoubtedly encounter is failure, but embrace it as a learning opportunity. Mistakes and failures are bound to happen, but they can fuel growth and innovation. Over the past twelve years, I’ve started or grown multiple business ventures, and not all of them have been successful.
I have faced failures, disappointments, and shattered dreams. I have come to understand that entrepreneurship is a journey with ups and downs, far from being a smooth path. Over time, I have learned to embrace and celebrate the successes while staying calm during the setbacks.
Ultimately, being a female entrepreneur and business leader in tech shouldn’t be viewed as a hindrance, it’s an opportunity to thrive. Any set back that comes is an opportunity to adapt and move forward. Women play a unique role in tech by bringing something different to the table – with good business acumen, a solid idea and confidence and tenacity to see it through, the sky is the limit.