LEADERSHIP
BURNOUT: WHY WOMEN EXPERIENCE IT MORE THAN MEN, 6 WAYS TO BEAT AND PREVENT IT AS AN ENTREPRENEUR
ENTREPRENEURS SELF-CARE GUIDE
EVERY SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR FOLLOWS THESE FIVE SELF-CARE HABITS
IT ENTERPRISES
THE COST OF ALIENATING DIGITAL TALENT COULD BE A MAJOR CONCERN FOR CFOS
Top Recognized Women Entrepreneurs to Follow in 2022
A Persistent and Passionate Leader
TThe modern period of the twenty-first century and the modernizing era have begun. We might witness advancements in society, networking, communication, and technology in this era of perpetual change. According to statistics, women make up 60.7% more of the workforce than men do internationally, which is essential for company leadership. On average, women evaluate their leadership skills higher than men do. Women in the twenty-first century are reshaping the world in a way that honors their femininity.
Today’s businesswomen demonstrate how women’s empowerment transcends trendy ideas and inspires others to achieve their full potential. Women are launching their own enterprises at a higher rate than ever before; internationally, the number of female entrepreneurs increases by more than 10% annually. With their innovative and distinctive ideas, women have transformed businesses and earned a reputation for excellence. In addition to putting themselves in a strong position, they
have motivated many other women to join the movement.
In this edition of Top Recognized Women Entrepreneurs to follow in 2022, enlisted women entrepreneurs selected for their creativity and leadership abilities. They are changing organizations’ scenarios in businesses, representing their spirit of enthusiasm and visions, and building excellent enterprises with her inspirational leadership skills. It is interesting to know the story behind every potential leader that motivated Outlook Magazine to shortlist Recognized Women Entrepreneurs to follow in 2022.
We hope all of our readers will find inspiration in the articles and tales of this issue and be motivated to go beyond success. Do turn each and every page to learn the key to the success of these motivating women leaders.
Managing Editor Zoey Taylor
Maria P. Villablanca
Maria Villablanca has dedicated more than half of her life to creating actionable and insightful content for various industries. Today, she’s the Co-founder & CEO of Future Insights Network, a fast-growing network of over 130,000 Manufacturing and Supply Chain leaders she built with her business partner, Andrew Brown. As the driving force behind eliminating the hype and noise of Supply Chain transformation, Future Insights Network is recognized as one of the leading sources of cutting-edge content for the Supply Chain and Manufacturing industries. Maria’s passion for uncovering the best stories and case studies on the Transform Talks podcast, the Transform Thoughts newsletter, and across the extensive portfolio of events they run at Future Insights Network is often celebrated by the global Supply Chain community she serves.
Below are highlights of the interview:
Maria P. Villablanca, Co-founder & CEO of Future Insights Network, Maria was born in Chile, raised in the United States, and worked in South America, North America, Europe, and the UK, and she has had multiple roles across various industries. She has worked up to breaking glass ceilings and now enjoys running a business that fosters young and diverse talent.
The idea for this business was born out of wanting to improve what already existed. Indeed, the thought that it could be done better ignited Maria and Andrew’s decision to set up Future Insights Network. Maria had organized,
been a part of, and attended many conferences in this space and felt they all started to look like each other, despite offering some value. “My aim with my business partner was to take these good things and get rid of the rest. The mission at the outset was to help Supply Chain leaders navigate the complexity of digital transformation by rising above the noise and hype and connecting them with the people that could help bring clarity to this complex topic,” says Maria.
Her education, though something Maria is grateful for, has been a small part of who she is. She always likes to say that she learned more about entrepreneurship and business in her first year of university than in her entire education. That’s not to say that university degrees and higher education are not valuable; they are tremendously so. However, the work, getting her hands dirty, and being on the ground have proven significantly more valuable to her.
Maria’s biggest hurdle was getting potential customers to take a chance on them. However, being passionate, confident, and convincing helped them to secure clients, which later allowed them to grow. “I’m grateful for their confidence in us at the start and the risk they took. It was my job to ensure we over-delivered on our promises to them,” states Maria.
“The most influential element in my life is failure. Growing up, I had a lot of plans and a clearly defined path I was going on. A series of unfortunate events conspired to take me on a different path, and I am grateful that I saw these as opportunities to grow and succeed and not as something to bring me down,” she adds.
“I’ve been very privileged to have many opportunities in my life. However, I have also experienced a great deal of failure and setbacks that have stood in the way of my plans. Ultimately, these failures have accelerated my growth, given me the biggest lessons, and provided me with opportunities to thrive.”
Maria’s primary focus is creating a business that delivers value to its customers, employees, industry, and shareholders; one must always remember what is crucial. Too many people focus exclusively on making money or gaining power rather than on the value they bring to people; consequently, they fail. “As a female entrepreneur, I must also get value for my personal growth, family, and work/life balance,” states Maria. “Women have a lot on their plates with both home and work lives, and one mustn’t sacrifice
the other. I would describe myself as passionate, driven, outgoing but empathetic and my worst critic,” she adds.
Maria’s persistent pursuit of growth and failure has been a big part of her success. She learns as much as possible to grow as an entrepreneur. “My work-life balance is tremendously important to me. As someone who has suffered from a mine-stroke, I ensure I keep my stress levels in check. Although I thrive in high-pressure environments, I believe it is imperative to set boundaries. When I sign off for the evening or weekend, I truly sign off and ensure my team does too. Work/life balance doesn’t come naturally to me, and I have to work hard to get as much balance as possible.”
Future Insights Network was born (2018) out of Maria’s desire to help Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and Business Operations executives navigate the complexity of digital transformation. They believe there is a great deal of noise, hype, and confusion in this space, and they wanted to connect executives directly with the people who could help them gain actionable insight.
Future Insights Network currently has a network of over 130,000 executives worldwide. It provides actionable and digestible content via the Supply Chain transformation podcast: Transform Talks, its extensive portfolio of digital and in-person events, and its supply chain on-demand learning channel: Supply Chain TV+. They continue to grow and create new products and services that help bring clarity to Supply Chain and Manufacturing executives.
For Maria, the most important characteristics needed to succeed as a woman in business or as an entrepreneur are
“perseverance and thick skin.” “For several reasons, the odds are usually stacked against you, and you have to work harder, wiser, and with more tenacity than your male counterparts,” she says.
“In some instances, failure upon failure and challenge upon challenge is what awaits you. However, failure can pave the way to success if seen as a learning opportunity. Women entrepreneurs’ most pressing challenge is finding people to support and back them. You must look for that because it makes the journey easier.”
When we asked her for advice on becoming a successful entrepreneur, she said, “I would say to stick with it, persevere, and find mentors and allies. The journey is tough and more challenging still if it’s lonely. Look for examples around you and network as much as possible to find like-minded people. Also, don't let anyone tell you it can’t be done, especially if you believe that your product or service can improve people’s lives.”
Maria Villablanca looks forward to continuing to be the driving force behind Future Insights Network’s mission to empower Supply Chain leaders and their teams to benchmark, upskill and build a better future for their company and the wider industry.
“I hope the company will continue to deliver value to our customers, employees, shareholders, and the industry but that we do so with more products and services and on a bigger scale. I hope to create this change by listening closely to those around me and seeing where we can continue to support them,” she states.
Head over to www.futureinsights.org to find out more about Maria Villablanca and The Future Insights Network.
Dr. Djamila Amimer
Founder & CEO
Dr. Djamila Amimer, Founder & CEO of Mind Senses Global, aims to help businesses and organizations apply Artificial Intelligence (AI) and unlock its full potential. She is an experienced business leader and an entrepreneur with a broad range of experiences across AI, machine learning, commercial deals, business strategy, energy, supply chain, shipping & trading, business resilience, and climate change.
What is her story?
Dr. Djamila’s first attempt at applying mathematics to solve real business problems was when she studied Operations Research. She studied a comprehensive range of theories, including optimization techniques, which led Dr. Djamila into the field of artificial intelligence, where she researched fuzzy logic, genetic algorithms, and artificial neural networks for her Ph.D. thesis.
Then Dr. Djamila worked in the energy sector for about 20 years, where she held several roles, including commercial and strategic roles, where she applied her skills to solve business problems in upstream, downstream, shipping & trading, and supply chains.
In 2018, Dr. Djamila transitioned to entrepreneurship and founded Mind Senses Global. Where her goal is to
help businesses apply artificial intelligence. One key enabler throughout her career journey was the ability to learn quickly and adapt to change.
Dr. Djamila’s idea of taking AI to the next level
“My love for mathematics and problem-solving got me where I am today. At a young age, my parents instilled in me the importance of education and encouraged me to pursue my passion for applied maths. My fascination with personal development and leadership skills has been pivotal in making my transition to entrepreneurship,” says Dr. Djamila.
In addition to wanting to serve others, she recognized a market need, which led to the idea. With the lack of AI talents and capabilities, many companies have struggled to apply AI; in fact, many AI projects still need more AI talent and a robust strategy. “My idea was to use my academic AI background and business experience to help businesses and organizations apply AI and take the business to the next level,” asserts Dr. Djamila.
According to Dr. Djamila, “when I transitioned from the corporate world to entrepreneurship, I had to change my mindset, learn to take on several hats and
responsibilities, and expand my network. Building your own brand is the biggest hurdle; when you are used to working for top FTSE companies, you take for granted the amount of time and effort needed to build a brand. I am grateful to my mentors who helped me navigate the transition.”
Mind Senses Global ltd is a boutique Artificial Intelligence management consultancy with a mission to help businesses apply AI. The company offers several services, including AI education, AI strategy, AI tools, and AI investment.
The company offers AI masterclasses and workshops to business leaders to showcase how AI can add value to businesses across different economies and sectors and raise their awareness of AI challenges and opportunities. AI Strategy service is a valuable offer for businesses that want to use AI but need help knowing where to start or which AI projects to undertake. For example, if a client is from banking, Mind Senses Global will conduct a deep dive on AI in financial services and show them how AI is being used in their sector and how they rank compared to their competitors in terms of the use of AI. They will also look at their data, infrastructure, and business strategy; based on that, the company will recommend AI opportunities to gain a competitive advantage and develop an AI road map. The map represents a
blueprint AI journey, which includes the starting point, the end goal, and how to get there, together with the milestones along the journey.
“I am passionate about AI education. My primary purpose is to make AI accessible to everyone. Many companies need more AI talents and knowledge, particularly small to medium size organizations,” says Dr. Djamila.
The company also has the techy skills to build AI tools. However, Dr. Djamila is a great believer in not reinventing the wheel. Depending on the client’s business problem, they look into the market to see if existing tools could be used. They will only build AI tools from scratch if they know for sure that there is nothing out there that meets requirements.
AI Investments service benefits investors and VCs wanting to invest in AI companies and startups but need advice on AI trends or help with conducting due diligence. The current AI hype makes it difficult to know whether the claims are true or false.
For women entrepreneurs, the challenges are even bigger as they will need to work harder than their male counterparts to cut through the bias and stereotypes that exist in our societies. Several studies have shown that only a small proportion of venture capital funding goes to companies with at
least one female founder; the percentage is even smaller for women of color.
“I am honored to be recognized as an influential women entrepreneur and be ranked among AI’s top global thought leaders, but it is also a huge responsibility. The tech sector and the field of artificial intelligence are regarded as too white and too male, so I feel that it is my responsibility and those of my peers to act as role models for women and ethnic minorities,” says Dr. Djamila.
“I am a firm believer in giving back to the communities, so I spend a lot of my time acting as a mentor to several people through different channels, such as the Women in AI network and UCL Innovation and Enterprise Hatchery founders. Work-life balance is challenging, but it is all about priorities and values,” she continues.
For the first few years, Dr. Djamila was dedicated to building the company’s brand and securing clients. For the next few years, the focus is on growth and partnerships. The medium-term goals are to go beyond the AI management consultancy scope into building an ecosystem and a platform that gives rise to further AI products and solutions.
Dunja Vuckovic Innovation & Development Manager
am an optimist and am not afraid to change, learn new things, and start from scratch. Happy people make a better future, and I am not scared to be one of them,” says Dunja Vuckovic, Innovation and Development Manager at The NANA SV agency, who is an experienced coordinator with a demonstrated history of working in the media production industry. She is skilled in management, video production, strategic planning, film, and event management. Strong professional focused on organization and business development.
After finishing the faculty of Art in Belgrade for movie and television production, Dunja always knew that her carrier would be dynamic, that she would never settle for mediocrity, and that she wanted to be surrounded by a good and strong team that would push the boundaries one step further.
Therefore, one year later, Dunja enrolled in the Master studies Faculty of organizational sciences and became a master manager in project management. For eight years, Dunja organized and produced many projects such as movies, TV series, commercials, music videos, and short documentary movies. Moreover, she worked in the
production team on National television in Serbia for informative programs such as the news, morning program, and other day-to-day shows. But, after some time, that work started to take the best of her, it became too filled up with the constant adrenalin and stress, and it just wasn’t a sustainable way of living. Dunja knew, at that moment, that she needed to make the change.
“The moment that directed me to the career I have now was the moment when I realized that I have everything needed to create the career I want. I have a family business with an exceptional name and reputation, I have the knowledge and experience in the field of management and organization, and all I need to do, as the next step, is to combine the best of those features,” says Dunja.
Dunja grew up in a family where her mother is an entrepreneur and owns an agency for elderly home care. Dunja, after realizing that she needed something new in her career and to make her path, used her skills and her mother’s experience and created a unique working model and contribution to the innovations in the social services field. Dunja proposed her business agreement – she would start working in her family business and drive innovation and new partnerships, and she taught her how everything needs to flow and how to think and act like an entrepreneur.
Stress at work is nothing new, particularly for women who believe they must work harder than men to succeed. In addition, whether taking care of children or aging parents, they frequently bear the whole weight of familial obligations. Therefore, it is no surprise that women are twice as likely as males to suffer from severe stress and anxiety, according to the study.
Over the past few years, there has been an increase in burnout cases, which has led to the rise in voluntary resignations, an emphasis on "silent resigning," and a need for more work-life balance employment perks. By taking the required actions, entrepreneurial burnout can be avoided. Fortunately, there are a few strategies for preventing burnout and maintaining a reasonable, if not downright joyful, work life.
Healthy eating, getting enough sleep, and drinking enough water are among the first things put on hold when stressed. We continue to give our bodies the nutrition, exercise, and other essentials they require. Instead, we rush from one meeting or project to the next.
Our bodies eventually run out of energy, which causes productivity and focus on declining. At that point, we could start to feel the effects of burnout. These can appear physically, such as through cramps, inflammation, and stress headaches, or emotionally, such as impatience, exhaustion, and insomnia. We become trapped in a risky
loop that might worsen our health conditions and sap our willpower to change our lives.
Maintaining a regular schedule of staying hydrated, eating the right foods, exercising, and getting enough rest is crucial, even during the busiest periods. We must intentionally include these in our day and treat them as non-negotiable events since, when schedules are busy, it may seem impossible for them to happen.
2. Cut out pointless meetings.
Most individuals would concur that most meetings could be converted into emails, saving time, energy, and interruptions. Examine your schedule to determine where you may replace scheduled meetings with a brief summary email or a group working document to inform clients or co-workers of the status of a project.
If meetings are necessary, make sure to set an agenda in advance so that everyone can stay on task and get the job done. If meetings weren’t the default method of communication, imagine how much time might be saved and allocated to other tasks (or break time).
3. Set aside time.
Leaving much space on your calendar invites other people to fill it. Setting aside time for contact when you’re at your best can help you arrange your priorities. For instance, mark that time on your calendar as busy if you need some alone time in the morning to work on your to-do list.
Work when you’re most productive, and avoid forcing yourself to work when you’re not. Try to frontload your calendar with the most crucial tasks if you know that your concentration begins to wane after lunch. Additionally, try scheduling your day into production blocks instead of hour-by-hour, with each block devoted to reading emails, working on tasks, running errands, etc. Breaking up the day helps to reduce burnout by preventing multitasking and taking on too much.
4. Establish (and convey) boundaries.
Women naturally want to help others when they need it. Burnout won’t result from lending a helping hand, but it will only if you make time for yourself and receive something in return for your efforts. It’s simple to overextend oneself. Establish penalties when limits are breached and be explicit about expectations and boundaries.
Poor communication is typically linked to long-term annoyance. If you feel overworked, talk to your supervisor, a client, or even yourself to find out what may be changed to lessen stress. You can achieve this by turning off email notifications on your phone and avoiding checking your email after 5 PM. Or it could mean turning down more requests. Respect your boundaries and constantly evaluate what functions well for you, whatever it may be.
5. Take your time and pick your battles.
It can get tiresome very soon to complete every challenge at a level 10 energy-wise. Instead, look for areas where you may make concessions without feeling violated. Pay attention to the individuals and situations that make you feel stressed out. If you frequently clash with particular individuals or environments, it can be a clue that the circumstance is no more extended right for you.
While it’s simple to blame people for stress, there are instances when we must take responsibility for removing ourselves from unfavourable circumstances. Only you know what battles are important to you and what demand your attention. Additionally, leaving is sometimes the wisest course of action.
6. Get to know yourself and love yourself.
Excessive negativity, especially in how we behave toward or speak to ourselves, can also lead to burnout. Are you too hard on yourself when you make a mistake, or do you try to figure out what went wrong and how to avoid it in the future? Accountability is crucial, even if women are often their own harshest critics, which makes it harder for them to avoid feeling the strain of daily stress.
Give yourself a rest as well. Please don’t feel wrong about requiring time to yourself, whether it’s a lengthy lunch or a half-day, to indulge in something soothing. You may need a massage, a decadent meal, or simply a relaxed day at home with no one bugging you. Embrace self-love.
Women have many responsibilities, so we must be aware of our recharging needs. By striking a balance, we may avoid burnout and live our lives to the fullest in a healthy and long-lasting way.
Gal Helemski
Iam highly driven, and my goals are to build excellent technology that solves real challenges and encourage more women to pursue careers in tech to know it’s possible,” This motivational proverb best defines success as well, according to Gal Helemski, Co-founder, CTO & CPO of PlainID, at Tel Aviv, Israel.
As a member of the Israeli army, Gal began her career. Gal started as a developer and development trainer in the Israeli Defense Force’s prestigious Mamram computing unit in parallel to earning her Bachelor of Science degree in physics and computer science from Bar-Ilan University. During that time, she learned and loved solving tech challenges and teaching in that sector. After six years in the army, Gal joined Memco, one of Israel’s leading security startups. She chose to be in a customer-facing position and combine technology with customer engagement. When Memco was acquired, Gal joined CyberArk, combining technology leadership and a customer-facing position. Cybersecurity, identity, and access management were part of her career. Gal continued consulting and specializing in those areas up until she co-founded PlainID.
A career in technology has allowed Gal to combine her passion for technology with her interest in problem-solving, and her crucial moment was being a tech trainer. Training people requires you to simplify concepts, provide a way for others to understand what you want to teach them, and share knowledge and the approach to understanding. “This is something I love doing and am good at. So, it was a
direct path to positions that require training and bridging tech to its usage,” says Gal.
PlainID was co-founded by Gal Helemski and Oren Harel in Israel several years ago. At the time, Oren was the deputy CISO of the largest bank in Israel, and Gal consulted on Cyber security and IAM implementations. They came to understand there is a significant gap in the market, and that is around Authorization management and control. Existing solutions were too challenging to manage and couldn’t provide the necessary coverage. They decided to focus on simplifying Authorization management by leveraging policies that can express the business context of the Authorizations. Authorization policies dictate who can access digital assets, data, applications, services, etc. And by making that process more accessible, organizations and their data can be better protected from internal and external threats.
According to Gal, one of the fascinating stories is about our seed round. At the time, we were self-funded, and money was running out. We were looking for funding and got our first term sheet. It was so exciting, as the amount exceeded our expectations. So, we flew to Silicon Valley to complete the deal. However, something didn’t feel right. Oren, my co-founder, started saying we needed to drop this. We were in a situation where we needed more money, had already celebrated the term sheet with the team, and were stuck in
the airport with no refund options. We chose to drop the deal and changed direction to New York. There was another option there. We were to present to the IT team of one of the largest financial organizations. If we pass, we’ll get the term sheet. All weekend we prepared for the Monday meeting. And it was amazing. We presented to a group of 20 tech professionals on the 43rd floor of their building. When we landed back in Israel, the term sheet was there. Sometimes, you must follow your gut and be ready to make bold decisions.
PlainID: The Authorization Company
PlainID offers a centralized Authorization platform with distributed enforcement capabilities powered by policy-based access control (PBAC). The main objective is to take the difficulty out of Authorization and enable organizations to protect better their data, services, applications, and any digital asset.
The PlainID Authorization Platform offers advanced management capabilities, such as graphical policy-building interfaces, approval workflows, audit and reporting, investigation capabilities, and more. Additionally, the distributed enforcement is enhanced by our Authorizers™ layer, which provides ready-to-use integrations with leading technologies in the areas of Data, such as Snowflake, Denodo, and Google BigQuery. Microservice & APIs, such as Istio, Apigee, AWS API Management, and many more.
Their upcoming releases of the Authorization platform would continue to simplify the consolidation of management of Authorization policies into a single control plane. The platform has ready-to-use authorizers to connect easily with the existing technology stack. This is very exciting for them since they are taking Authorization another step forward to a higher level of management and
control, enabling organizations to implement identity-first security and zero-trust all the way through. It will result in higher security controls and much better visibility of who can address what and when which is the fundamental question of Authorization.
As PlainID’s Chief Product Officer, I’m proud to be in a leadership position for a company comprising more than 40% of women. Representation matters and I’m grateful that my work shows that it is possible to succeed as a woman in technology.
While integrating Women-in-Technology, Gal says, “there should be no difference between women and men entering entrepreneurship, so I advise everyone to understand what they like to do, where they shine and do their very best. Dare to try, focus, and excel. Specifically, for women, there is no difference between our abilities and men’s; we can do the same on their level. Understand this, and work from here to build your career path. We must dare more and should not be afraid of failing, which is part of the process of succeeding. We grow from a young age with barriers to trying because we can fail. Dare to remove those. I believe this to be the main challenge for the majority of women.”
“I believe the industry is growing to be more inclusive of women pursuing careers in technology, but more can be done. Unfortunately, women only make up 11% of the global cybersecurity industry, with less than 1% of them in C-suite leadership positions,” she continued.
“I believe that women entrepreneurs should speak more, demonstrate what is possible to be in a leadership role, and achieve work-life balance. I did so by stepping away while my children were young and taking less demanding positions. When I felt it could work for
my family and me, I chose to pursue what I always wanted and founded PlainID with Oren Harel, my co-founder,” she added.
PlainID will grow significantly in the coming two years as the market will continue to adopt the basics of identity first security and zero trust.
The last decade was owned by Authentication, now is the time for Authorization. The reason is digital transformation, migration to the cloud, and identity-first security initiatives, over the past few years. Organizations have been investing in identity and Authentication. Providing secure access was the key. The challenge now shifts toward Authorization - secure access to what? Authorizations’ role is connecting identities to digital assets, enabling the secured identity to access whatever the organization’s Authorization policies define.
This transformation drives a new paradigm known as “identity-first security,” which focuses on the integrity of the user identity as the core of an organization’s security strategy. This approach is designed to ensure that the individual is authorized as the “right user” throughout the user’s digital journey and granted the right level of access to the appropriate digital assets.
Whether accessed over the cloud or on-premises, identity-first security is now a prerequisite for zero-trust architecture.
“Personally, I see myself as a strong contributor to this growth, together with the excellent team we have at PlainID,” assures Gal.
Entrepreneurship has the potential to be thrilling, motivated by passion, profitable, and personally satisfying. Due to the numerous challenges each day provides, it can also be emotionally draining and exhausting. Without a strong emphasis on health and wellness, an entrepreneur’s perspective may tilt, making it more challenging to achieve their objectives. Entrepreneurs experience a heavier stress load than most people and are susceptible to becoming easily overwhelmed.
Prioritizing self-care can be a crucial component of successfully navigating the entrepreneurial waters, whether you’re running a brick-and-mortar business, offering a service to a constant stream of customers, or hosting a successful podcast.
Entrepreneurs frequently put more emphasis on working long hours than taking care of themselves. In the long run, self-care activities can increase productivity and make you feel more content in your chosen vocation.
Here are some excellent self-care routines to adopt as you manage your enterprise.
Give your body healthy food to eat. Fueling your body with good nutrition, relaxation, and exercise is the
first step to having the vigor and strength to manage a business. Self-employed persons frequently work through the night to make their goals come true. This tendency to overwork can cause you to eat whatever is nearby and make unhealthful dietary decisions. Focusing on a balanced diet will make a difference even if you’re not ready to give up late nights and long hours. A service that allows you to heat and eat meals or a meal delivery service that portions the materials of various meals may be solutions to these problems. Maintaining proper body hydration is crucial, so keep a jug of water nearby.
As we previously discussed, entrepreneurs are renowned for skipping sleep to develop ideas and start businesses. A regular night and sleep pattern will ultimately increase productivity, give the mind more room for creativity, and be good for your health.
According to the CDC, one-third of individuals do not get enough sleep each night. The typical adult should aim for 7 hours of sleep per night. Although getting rest seems like a no-brainer, many business owners find it challenging to unwind. Just one more email or being in “hustle mode” mentalities can
frequently mean that sleep is sacrificed. You can determine your required sleep if you establish a regular sleep cycle. Resting is simply allowing ourselves time to do nothing.
You could be tempted to take calls at all hours of the day, respond to emails immediately, and always be available when establishing your business, especially for your clients and team. Having no boundaries, however, might result in erratic sleeping patterns, exhaustion, and bad dietary decisions. Burnout shows up at your door the next thing you know.
The idea that you can do anything you want, create your own schedule, and have business flexibility is one that non-entrepreneurs hold dear. While there is some truth to it, companies and business owners make these firms meet the demands of their customers or find solutions to issues. The key to your success is ensuring that clients know your regular working hours and that you are “available for calls.” Mention always included response times in your email signature.
These self-care suggestions may have struck a chord with you because it is undeniable that business owners frequently overwork themselves. Make it a point to take short breaks whenever you can, even if it’s only to sit outside and take in the sunshine, even if you have to force yourself to stop working. The pattern serves as a recharge by preventing you from staring at a screen, thinking about a procedure, solving a problem, or using energy on a call.
Don’t forget to Outsource tasks when it’s essential.
Knowing when to say “no” and what tasks are better left to others is a significant component of practicing self-care. We can have preconceived notions about how things should be done and how they ought to turn
out. But the more you permit yourself to consider your zone, the more you’ll be able to contribute.
Self-definition cares constantly changing. It formerly brought images of bubble baths and cucumbers over the eyes. Today, however, self-care can refer to any activity that aids in refocusing, relaxing, and recharging. Yoga, meditation, exercise, creative endeavors, and even time spent with friends could fall under the category of self-care.
Although self-care has become a trendy topic lately, it does not diminish its importance, especially for entrepreneurs. A business’s development and expansion present severe challenges. The best people to take on that task are well-rested, well-fed, and focused on the value of well-being.
Nafsika Antypas is the writer, host, and executive producer of The Television Series, Plant-Based by Nafsika and the owner of the international vegan food brand, Nafsika’s Garden. Raised in Montreal, Canada, Antypas obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree from Concordia University and received several post-graduate certificates. She later received her health coach certification from the Health Coach Institute. In 2014, Nafsika founded a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, People Against Violence, to help victims of violence seek guidance and assistance with its 24-hour helpline, monitored by certified counselors.
But being a passionate vegan, Nafsika felt that the best way to help make the world more compassionate is to help people go vegan. So, in late 2015, Nafsika put together a unique show that, within six months, would become the first vegan lifestyle series ever to hit mainstream television (A&E), reaching 70 million households.
The TV series, Plant-Based by Nafsika focuses on a plant-based diet and vegan living, a concept Nafsika hoped would help change the world through food. This has not only sparked the interest of viewers around the globe but has “planted seeds” helping veganism become more mainstream, a goal Nafsika conveys in her motto, “If You Plant It, It Will Grow.”
In 2017, Nafsika became a certified Health and Lifestyle Coach, helping people make the “Plant-Based Switch” to
a healthier, more compassionate lifestyle. But there was one significant obstacle stopping people from going vegan, and that was giving up their beloved cheese. So, by late 2018, Nafsika founded the hottest new vegan “cheese” in town, Nafsika’s Garden, hitting significant retailers across Canada, followed by the U.S. in early 2020, and is now available in 13 countries.
Nafsika has also always taken pleasure in writing, whether for business or pleasure. She has appeared on numerous television and radio shows, contributed her writing, and been featured or interviewed by online magazines such as PETA, VegNews, EmpowHER, Insider, Health Digest, including LA Weekly and CEOWORLD Magazine and perhaps Food Navigator Asia. She is the author of upcoming books, “Ghosted MD,” “The Plant-Based Switch,” and others.
Having majored in English Literature, Nafsika could never go anywhere without a pen and paper. She knew it was time to publish her stories and ideas if she was going to make a difference in the world, which has always been her ultimate goal.
According to Nafsika, I distinctly remember asking God at 8 years old to show me what I needed to do to help make the world better. In 2014, I founded the non-profit charity People Against Violence Org. Then, eight years ago, I went vegan. It happened when I started watching a
documentary while nursing my newborn. By the show’s end, I said to myself, “My milk is for my babies; why would I steal another baby’s milk?” And I went vegan right then and there and hadn’t looked back. I decided I would help people go vegan. That was going to be a more practical way to help make the world a more compassionate place. So, I started a TV show about vegan living in the Fall of 2015, and 6 months later, it was airing to 70 million households across America. Then in 2019, I launched my vegan cheese brand so no one could say they couldn’t go vegan because of cheese.
“The amount of scam companies that exist is horrendous. And I had been scammed by supposed marketing companies and individuals. So, the beginning of my journey was a little bumpy. I had to put more trust in myself to get the job done. I’m slowly releasing some workloads to lead a more balanced lifestyle,” says Nafsika.
More Accessible
Nafsika Inc., on the food line side of things, Nafsika’s Garden offers, quite frankly, the best-tasting cheese alternatives with the same texture and melting properties as cheese. The company has also launched yogurts and spreads, with more innovative products on the way.
In the meantime, and in an effort to help even more people go vegan, Nafsika has launched an online course and app called, The Plant-Based Switch, where people can follow along with a weekly guide full of research, tips, daily menu plans, and loads of recipes to ensure they can make a smooth transition to a
plant-based, vegan lifestyle. “I also stress a lot about mental health and provide free consultations by certified mental health counselors. We’re looking to change your mind, body, and soul,” says Nafsika.
“It had everything to do with making the world a better place. And I took a practical approach. I produced and hosted a TV show to help teach people about a plant-based/vegan lifestyle (Plant-Based by Nafsika), I launched my vegan cheese line (Nafsika’s Garden), I founded my non-profit charity (People Against Violence Org.) and designed a personal safety app (uAlert app). After receiving my Health Coach certification, I started coaching people to go vegan (The Plant-Based Switch) and since I had obtained my B.A. Arts degree in English Literature, I began writing books and screenplays. (All during Covid!),” Asserts Nafsika.
“The main challenge is actually what we just talked about, balancing work and life. While it’s nice that we feel that we can do everything and anything, we need to learn to ask for help sometimes. Women tend to have a lot on their plates as it is. Add kids and family to the mix; it can be a lot. Personally, I’ve always wanted to be in control and do things on my own most of my life, but I’ve come to realize that it is not that necessary. It’s ok to ask for help,” says Nafsika.
Regarding work/life balance, Nafsika has always believed that your mental health is most important, even as a child. It’s ok to take a break if you need to. And it’s equally ok to “power work” when you are feeling
motivated. And when you have kids, please give them the attention they deserve because you can’t take back those lost years.
Women entrepreneurs have a variety of responsibilities
“I have the responsibility to be a good role model, and it’s essential to relay messages of positivity and gratitude, no matter what life throws your way. While everything happens for a reason, ultimately, you are in control of how you react to those obstacles and changes,” believes Nafsika.
“Gosh, I see many great things happening in two years, from expanding my product lines to publishing books and producing more TV shows. Everything I have accomplished so far was purely because I believed in myself and manifested it. As I say, “You’ve got to visualize your future and believe it. Then, nothing can stop you because, in your mind, it’s already happening,” assures Nafsika.
www.nafsikaantypas.com
www.theplantbasedswitch.com
CFOs must foster a sense of belonging among disgruntled employees to prevent them from quitting or moving on since empowering digital talent in finance roles is insufficient.
According to Gartner, Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) must foster a strong sense of community among digital talent employed in finance functions or risk losing them.
The priorities of those in core finance roles differ from those of digital talent, which Gartner defines as “individuals with the experiences and competencies required to drive digital finance transformation and operate in a digital environment.” As a result, they frequently feel alienated and are more likely to seek other jobs.
According to Marco Steecker, Director of Research at the Gartner Finance practice, “Finance functions can ill afford high rates of attrition in their digital skills, especially since many are on a journey towards autonomous finance.” “Finance directors will be able to limit churn by understanding that digital talent has various motivators,” says the author.
According to Gartner, digital finance talent needs to have their values and priorities reflected in finance’s digital strategy to help finance executives overcome the challenge. Employees must also make clear long-term prospects so that digital staff may envision their future roles inside the finance organization.
In 2023, CFOs will face the greatest challenge in finding digital talent
Given the high attrition rate of digital employees in finance,
Gartner predicts that finding talent will be the top difficulty for CFOs in 2023. Finance directors generally solve this by giving staff members the power, assurance, and tools necessary for digital finance professionals to overcome their frustrations. This strategy is known as “empowerment,” according to Gartner.
An empowerment plan, however, may only go so far, according to Gartner’s poll of 202 employees working in digital finance in May of this year. Instead, executives should consider how to foster a feeling of community among digital workers.
According to Steecker, financial leaders that work to give their digital talent a sense of empowerment frequently provide them with more managerial support and leeway to carry out new initiatives and digital projects. This does help digital talent feel less frustrated, but it can also make them feel cut off from the rest of the finance department.
Retention is significantly impacted when a digital finance employee goes from having a low to a high sense of empowerment, but moving beyond that seems to have a different effect since the positive impact of empowerment is counterbalanced by rising alienation.
According to Steecker, empowerment is crucial for retaining digital talent and maximizing their potential. “However, leaders should be mindful that after they have empowered their digital employees, they also need to watch out for and manage the likelihood that those employees may start to feel detached from the department as a whole.”
Sanja Kon
Chief Executive Officer
Sanja Kon, Chief Executive Officer of Utrust, was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia, in a country that, before the war, was about the peaceful coexistence of multiple religions and backgrounds. Her family was lucky enough to have moved to Italy a year before the war started, so she was in a very particular situation where Sanja was physically safe but still fully witnessing the devastating consequences of it on our extended family and friends.
People lost properties and money overnight and could not access their savings in a crisis when you have to escape a country to survive. Sanja feels this, and only some understand what it means, and these kinds of scars are difficult to heal. They don’t just affect you; they affect your entire family, your whole world. They also make you who you are, and this is Sanja’s backstory of being passionate about financial inclusion and working on solutions allowing people to control their money.
Sanja had the privilege of living in multiple countries, including Croatia, Italy, Denmark, the UK, the US, and Portugal, and she will never be able to define herself as belonging to one nationality. Sanja would go on to work in many different companies, seeking a good fit. Consulting, Telco, e-commerce, and traditional payments for years and in many countries.
As the head of the Italian Consumer strategy team at eBay Italy, Sanja had the opportunity of launching eBay in the Italian market, and that experience was for sure one of the most rewarding and entrepreneurial-like in her corporate life.
When she moved to the UK, Sanja had the opportunity to head the European Partnerships strategy at eBay, forming key global relationships to enhance the experience for eBay professional merchants. After many years in e-commerce and Telco, she
was offered to join PayPal as the head of Marketplaces and Large Enterprise Partnerships, and that was a natural step, as payments were always a fascinating area to her.
“The PayPal experience was what brought me to crypto. It gave me the opportunity to see the inefficiencies in the traditional payments space. It made me understand how much something we all take for granted, the simple ability to pay for goods or services, can become a roadblock,” says Sanja.
When Sanja joined PayPal as the Head of Payments for Marketplace platforms, she quickly realized how inefficient the traditional payment systems could be. Merchants and buyers were overcharged and had little transparency about the fees they paid. Cross-border payments were complicated to process, and international payments were prolonged.
At the time, she was already investing in cryptocurrency and had some general knowledge about blockchain. Sanja knew some projects were already experimenting with blockchain to increase payment efficiency.
Blockchain payments allow them to remove all the traditional intermediaries. Every person and institution exist to ensure money moves around securely and seamlessly, such as banks and credit card schemes. At some point, all of these things were necessary, of course.
“By ridding ourselves of these unnecessary steps, we are removing high costs, chargebacks, and fraud, all characterizing the traditional payments industry. I fell in love with using blockchain to solve traditional payment problems. I wanted to integrate this technology into PayPal’s product. That would prove to be a fruitless endeavor. I was too early in Europe, far from where these decisions are made. I wasn’t too late to change my path. In any case, the seed was planted in my mind to change how the world pays, with or without PayPal,” says Sanja.
“I analyzed many whitepapers, went through a bunch of interesting ideas being written at that time, and the Utrust one got my attention as it covered all the aspects I wanted to solve. These were kindred spirits. Then, I decided to leave my safe corporate career to pursue what can only be described as a dream. At the time, we didn’t even have a product, just an idea we wanted to pursue, and that was the beginning of my journey in Web3 payments,” Sanja added. “This was difficult, as only a few people left their corporate careers to move into blockchain. Today, this is different, and the situation is reversed. The most talented people in the business are moving from Web2 to Web3 as it becomes clear that we are the future,” she continues.
It is not hyperbolic to say that this will change the world
Sanja is an investor and advisor in the Web3 space. The next few years will be crucial for blockchain and cryptocurrency adoption across the globe. The potential to unlock value for everyone using the Internet in this industry is unparalleled. Instead of centralized platforms controlling the data, users will own the content they create. This reality is closer than they imagine. She worked in the corporate world for almost ten years before entering the Web3 space, and this allowed her to see the problems of traditional e-commerce and payments in real-world scenarios, affecting real people and real lives.
Lastly, as a woman in tech and a CEO of Web3, Sanja is involved and always interested in initiatives that promote gender diversity and education for women.
Utrust is the Stripe for cryptocurrency payments, bridging the gap between Web3 and Traditional Retail by allowing anyone, anywhere, to pay with cryptocurrency from any wallet, and allowing any merchant to choose whether they’re ready to get paid in crypto or whether they prefer to settle in fiat.
Today, as the CEO of Utrust, Sanja’s
primary mission is to increase cryptocurrency adoption among businesses and individuals. What drives her isn’t some fascination with crypto as an investment opportunity or as the next technically fascinating thing in tech (even though she understands why these things captivate people) but the awareness of how much fixing payments changes everything.
Fixing payments and making them as safe, fast, and cheap as possible is the single thing that will make the most significant difference for the greatest number of people. “What we’re doing at Utrust right now is building the technology that will turn payments into a source of income for merchants, as opposed to something that eats into their margins,” says Sanja.
Our mission at the outset was to provide the safest crypto payment solution to merchants and disrupt the traditional payment space by drastically reducing payment processing fees, eliminating chargebacks and fraud, and providing the best borderless payment solution.
Sanja’s journey from student to entrepreneur
Sanja completed her university degrees in Italy and Denmark, with a BA in Economics and Business Administration and a master’s degree in marketing management. At the same time, the university did give her an excellent mindset framework and allowed her to meet amazing people who are part of her inner circle today.
“What prepared me to be an entrepreneur was the skillset I have acquired with the experiences I had to go through in life, as well as an innate curiosity and willingness to disrupt the status quo I always had,” assures Sanja.
According to Sanja, she will never forget that, and she owes everything she has achieved to her mum and the immense love she dedicated to her.
Her grandmother and aunt were also very strong pillars in Sanj’s life. They both escaped the war as refugees in the 1990s,
and her grandmother always said that everything could be taken away from you except your brain, intelligence, and ability to pick yourself up and start again. That’s why Sanja firmly believes that she will always be able to handle any situation, no matter what life reserves for the future. It gives her great comfort to know that with such certainty.
Apart from her family, entering the coaching world has changed her life profoundly.
“From the moment I attended my first Tony Robbins event, my life was never the same again. I learned a lot about self-development, and I had the opportunity to meet many amazing people from all over the world who shared similar values, backgrounds, and desires as me. Every year, I will still attend at least one of Tony’s events because I love to be immersed in that energy, and I constantly challenge myself to achieve more, be more, and give more,” says Sanja.
As an influential woman entrepreneur, Sanja has many responsibilities
On top of her Chief Executive Officer role at Utrust, Sanja is a limited partner in a few VCs, advising/mentoring start-ups in her free time.
“I take up so many different challenges because discovering new businesses, meeting new entrepreneurs, and hearing about new ideas are the things that light up my day and help me become a better student of life Seeking new opportunities to learn, grow and improve myself every day are definitely that drives me. I want to serve causes that I believe in and get better at them,” says Sanja.
“I am, first and foremost, the CEO of my own life. I have the freedom and flexibility to allocate my own time in the best way for me. I make the time for family, friends, passions, and creativity, and I ensure all of that needs to be in harmony with work, not separated from it in tiny little sealed boxes,” Sanja added.
Anne Bahr Thompson Founder
Brand Consultancy
Anne Bahr Thompson founded Onesixtyfourth, a strategic and creative consultancy, in 2004 when she was living in London. Before it was de rigeur, she was focused on helping business leaders integrate purpose and social responsibility into their brands, corporate culture, and operations. In the wake of the global pandemic after spending some time at an INGO, the nature of Anne’s client engagements began to shift, and she recognized she could offer conscious leaders and brands more human, one-on-one guidance as an independent advisor and strategist. Today she operates as Anne Bahr Thompson (annebahrthompson.com).
A former executive director of strategy and planning and head of consulting at Interbrand, the world’s leading brand consultancy, Anne began her career at Grey Advertising. Before joining Interbrand, she spent several years in corporate and wholesale banking—in research, strategic planning, and product management first at Chemical Bank (now JPMorganChase) and later at Bankers Trust (now Deutsche Bank). To every client, regardless of sector or size, Anne brings a depth of knowledge and understanding that only comes from interacting with a lengthy list of the world’s most valuable organizations, including Aegon, Adidas, American Cancer Society, Citibank, Deloitte, Emerson, Hard Rock Cafe, IBM, ING, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Kingfisher, L’Oreal, Microsoft, Pearson, Pepsi, Save the Children, Scandanavian Airlines, Skanska, Stolichnaya, Thomasville, ThomsonReuters and UNICEF, among many others.
The direction for Anne’s career was set when she was in university. But not in the typical manner. Anne was a
biochemistry major in a molecular bio program who had made the Dean’s List (meaning Anne was academically ranked in the top percentage of students at the university). While many of the students in the program were collaborative, a number were highly competitive, with visions of getting into one of the top medical schools. With ambitions clouding judgment, one or two students began to behave unethically, sabotaging lab notes and more.
“As I was reflecting on why I was in the program and whether or not I really wanted to go into scientific research long-term, I came upon a book – Man Watching by Desmond Morris - in a friend’s room. And became fascinated by Morris’ study of human behavior. I discovered this book was for a course in the Communications program and decided to change my major,” Anne shares.
In addition to switching to Communication, Anne also expanded on her English courses and pursued comparative literature. The combination of these, her background in the scientific method, and eventually her MBA all influenced the longer-term direction of her career.
Anne was fortunate to have started Onesixtyfourth in 2004 with clients. A year on, she realized that they also had to develop a new business, which is hard when you’re focused on client work. Today, her hurdles center on breaking through the clutter – every agency and consultancy, regardless of size, is now in the same space she’s worked in for years.
“No one person has had the greatest influence on my personal growth or professional development. In many ways, the two have been intertwined. My parents and
maternal grandmother, who lived with us when I was growing up, set the foundations for how I view myself, my values, the things that matter most to me, and my ethos toward work,” says Anne.
“And I’ve been blessed by the people who have entered my life at the right moments; various friends; my husband and my son; my first and fourth-grade teachers; one of my professors in undergraduate; a manager at Grey Advertising; the head of research and product development in Middle Market at Chemical Bank; people on my team at BSMG (now WeberShandwick); some colleagues and people that reported to me at Interbrand; women I volunteer alongside; and numerous people I’ve met - and continue to meet - every day through my work and networking,” she continues.
An early pioneer of the purpose space, a Super Brands Branding Leader, a Trust Across America Top Thought Leader, and a GCPIT Global Woman in Leadership, Anne is the author of DO GOOD, which details her pioneering Me-to-We continuum of Brand Citizenship®.
Today, she is focused on shifting the consciousness of business, advising leaders on how to use purpose as a transformational tool, and supporting them in effectively integrating sustainability, citizenship, and ESG into brand development, communications, corporate culture, and operations. Concurrent with working with clients, speaking, and volunteering, she’s an Ambassador for Meaningful Business, a global community of leaders combining profit and purpose to help achieve the UN
Global Goals, an advisor to Overflow
PBC, an open talent platform for Independent Strategy Consultants, and collaborating with Berlin-base e-Mission to deliver interactive and engaging ESG SaaS training.
“I don’t identify myself as a woman entrepreneur. I resonate with being a change agent and a woman - sitting at the intersectionality of these two things. My focus is transforming the consciousness of business – and part of this is equity for women alongside other ‘minorities.’ I find it ironic that 50+% of the female population is a minority in the business world,” Anne maintains.
“What I offer my clients continues to evolve with the marketplace’s changing needs. Blending systems thinking and social consciousness, I support my clients as they integrate sustainability and active citizenship into purpose, brand development, culture, communications, and ESG. More specifically, my services include: Clarifying Purpose and Mapping a Purpose Journey; Developing Brand Strategy; Engaging People and Transforming Culture; Aligning Communications, Behaviors, and Impact with Purpose; Developing a Social Mission; Advancing ESG Strategy and Narrative,” assures Anne. “I do this through workshops, traditional consulting, and bespoke coaching arrangements,” she continues.
For Anne, the term work-life balance is a flawed term, positioning work as something outside her life. Anne’s
professional life is a part of her daily life–a critical aspect that brings her a sense of achievement and fulfillment. “A way to define and actualize who I am alongside my personal life. My professional and personal lives form a dance that, when in balance, flows seamlessly. Someone once advised me not to see balance as having to happen in every moment, over a single day or even a year – but over time, and this was the best guidance I could have ever received,” asserts Anne.
Anne believes each of us is on our own journey, and as such, there is no single characteristic everyone should possess. “The one thing I would say that everyone – whether female or male, an entrepreneur, working in a corporation, non-profit or as a civil servant - should always have is a dream. And if you lose hold of it, find a new one,” Anne affirms.
“See your pathway as a series of dreams, each of which brings you to your next step. None of us is the same person we were when we were 6, 15, or even 20 years old. For some people, dreams from childhood hold strong. Yet, for many others, goals evolve. As we experience the world and grow, we often are prepared to have an even bigger impact. Enjoy this journey!” expresses Anne.
