Upasana Arora, CEO and Director of Yashoda Super Speciality Hospital, featured by Fortunes Time Magazine on cover of The Most Admired Women Leaders in Business, 2023
The Most Admired Women Leaders in Business, 2023.pdf
1. A Visionary Leaderin
Transforming Elder
Care and Health Plans
ARTICLE
Leading the National
Startup Ecosystem
Facilitator
www.fortunestime.com
Creating a Hospital of Excellence with a Heart
FORTUNES T IME
The Most Admired Women Leaders in Business, 2023
ARTICLE
December 2023
2.
3.
4. Innovative companies are being founded and expanded by women, who
also bring fresh perspectives and are upending entire industries. They are
creating great businesses and making a lasting impact on the industry by
applying their unique talents and expertise.
In the modern world, women's leadership has changed so drastically that
it is no longer evident to see the previous leadership approaches.
Businesses are emphasizing diverse leadership more because it can
produce future leaders and encourage a more creative and diversified
work environment. Not just in specific industries or professions, but
across the board in business, women are making strides. In a variety of
fields, such as marketing, technology, finance, and entrepreneurship,
women are thriving. In domains that have traditionally been dominated by
men, they are excelling and shattering glass ceilings and boundaries.
Women are creating compelling advertising campaigns, building brand
strategies, and profoundly and realistically interacting with consumers.
Their deep understanding of consumer behavior makes them essential for
fostering brand development and market expansion. Fortunes Time's latest
edition “The Most Admired Women Leaders in Business, 2023” has
featured success stories of renowned woman executives from across the
world whose expertise in leadership is echoing globally. The cover has
Ms. Upasana Arora who serves as the CEO and Director of Yashoda
Super Speciality Hospital in Ghaziabad, NCR. She is dedicated to
providing high-quality healthcare to her community and has implemented
a pricing structure aimed at offering affordable care without
compromising on advanced technology. Upasana is responsible for
overseeing the hospital's administration and strategic growth. She believes
in continuous education and has pursued various programs, including the
Quality Leadership Program from Harvard Medical School and
management programs from IIM Ahmedabad. Upasana has a strong
commitment to patient safety and privacy, regularly reviewing these
aspects during hospital rounds. She maintains an open-door policy,
welcoming all staff and clinical colleagues to meet with her, regardless of
their role or designation.
Also, while you flip through the pages, don't forget to read the articles
created by our in-house editorial staff and industry experts.
EDITOR’S NOTE
Leading the Today's
Business World
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Reprint rights remain solely with Fortunes Time.
Editor-in-Chief Elizabeth Graves
Managing Editor Vijay Khulpe
Executive Editor Dafny Meyer
Assistant Editor
Art & Design Director Charles Lee
Business Development Manager Tracy Miller
Business Development Executive Robert Taylor
Associate Designer Sarah Jones
Digital Marketing Manager Laura Wright
Sales Manager Albert Hill
Marketing Manager Stacey Flores
Technical Specialist Jennifer Thomas
Circulation Manager Carol Green
DECEMBER 2023
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Tony Anderson
Head of Design Department Sanket Zirpe
7. 16
Ami Feller
20
Cindy Watson
24
Dawn Maroney
30
Dr. Nadine
Hachach-Haram
34
Louise Hampton
38
Roberta Perry
44
Roberta
Rudokiene
48
Sharvette Mitchell
52
Simone Clow
CONTENT PAGE
CONTENT PAGE
11. Upasana Arora serves as the CEO and
Director of Yashoda Super Speciality
Hospital in Ghaziabad, NCR. She is dedicated
to providing high-quality healthcare to her
community and has implemented a pricing
structure aimed at offering affordable care
without compromising on advanced
technology. Upasana is responsible for
overseeing the hospital's administration and
strategic growth. She believes in continuous
education and has pursued various
programs, including the Quality Leadership
Program from Harvard Medical School and
management programs from IIM
Ahmedabad. Upasana has a strong
commitment to patient safety and privacy,
regularly reviewing these aspects during
hospital rounds. She maintains an open-door
policy, welcoming all staff and clinical
colleagues to meet with her, regardless of
their role or designation.
Upasana's leadership is guided by values
such as personal care, respect for all,
creating a homely atmosphere for both
patients and staff, and fostering open
communication. She actively participates in
meetings and continuing education events
within her organization and finalizes policies
and procedures before implementation.
Ms.
Fortunestime.com | 11
12. Balanced Approach to Leadership
Upasana believes that having a
single leader with a well-defined
philosophy that permeates
throughout the organisation can
create a unified and centralized
approach to organizational
management. This approach helps
improve control and enhances the
execution of work since there is
clarity about the roles and
responsibilities of different staff
members, leading to smoother
achievement of objectives. However,
Upasana also values the importance
of developing leaders within their
respective domains to effectively
manage and lead specific areas of
the organization. This dual
approach, combining centralized
guidance and empowered domain
leaders, contributes to a well-
rounded and effective management
structure.
Wisdom for Emerging Leaders
Upasana's advice for someone
entering a leadership position for
the first time centers on self-belief
and leading by example. She
emphasizes the importance of
believing in oneself and working
diligently to accomplish goals. In her
view, actions are more impactful
than words and are a reflection of
one's personality and leadership
qualities. Upasana advises new
leaders to lead by example, meaning
that they should be willing to do the
tasks and exhibit the behaviors they
expect from their team members.
This approach can inspire trust and
respect among the team and foster a
positive work environment.
The Organisation
The journey of Yashoda Super Speciality Hospitals began 33
years ago, following the unfortunate passing of Late Yashoda Ji,
who was Upasana's mother-in-law and diagnosed with cancer.
The family worked tirelessly to improve her health, but tragically,
she passed away. During her illness, the family faced the
challenge of having to travel to other cities like Mumbai for state-
of-the-art treatment since there was no such healthcare center in
Ghaziabad.
In response to this need, the family decided to establish a
healthcare facility in Ghaziabad to ensure that people, especially
those from disadvantaged backgrounds, wouldn't have to travel
far for advanced medical care. They started with a secondary care
hospital with 100 beds in 1990 and later expanded to 300 beds in
2000. Subsequently, a tertiary care hospital was established in
2006, followed by the opening of a quaternary care hospital in
2017. This journey reflects their commitment to providing
accessibleandadvancedhealthcaretothecommunity.
Yashoda Super Speciality Hospital's future plans include
establishing new centers, such as a 1200-bedded hospital,
Yashoda Medicity, in Indirapuram, Ghaziabad; a 300-bedded
Yashoda Super Speciality Hospital in Greater Noida, andYashoda
Medicentre in Meerut, UP and Karkardooma, East Delhi, India.
Additionally, the hospital group aims to set up offices focused on
medical tourism in Europe, the Middle East, and the USA to
provide quality healthcare at international standards to
populationsintheseregions.
Commitment to Accessible Healthcare and Social
Responsibility
Upasana's vision is to provide quality healthcare to those who
are often left at the end of the line, as well as to work selflessly
for the betterment of society. To achieve this vision, she has
undertaken various initiatives and projects. She has played a
crucial role in implementing the Ayushman Bharat program,
India's largest social insurance initiative, aimed at providing
accessible healthcare to all. Her hospital has been actively
involved in this initiative. She is working on the ambitious goal
of TB elimination in her district by adopting 5100 TB patients
as part of the Prime Minister's initiative, "Nikshya Mein Potion
ka Nishchay." This contributes to the National TB Elimination
program's target of eliminating TB in India by 2025.
Upasana serves as the Chairperson of the Special Olympics
Delhi Chapter. Through this role, she promotes the well-being
12 | December 2023
13. of individuals with special needs,
including the blind and mentally
challenged, by providing them with free
health check-ups and suitable office
spaces to work in. She is involved in
corporate social responsibility (CSR)
initiatives, including collaborating with
Olympus to set up mobile vans
equipped with endoscopic facilities in
the remote and rural areas. These vans
bring endoscopic services directly to
people, making healthcare more
accessible. She has adopted a girls'
residential school and various NGOs
working for the girl child. She provides
free health check-ups to the students
and supports their educational needs.
Additionally, she has adopted the
village of Masauta, in the periphery of
Ghaziabad district, where she oversees
healthcare requirements.
Upasana contributes to healthcare in
high-altitude areas of Uttarakhand by
providing ambulances and medical
equipment to the Swami Vivekanand
Health Mission Society, ensuring that
people in remote regions have access to
medical services. Through her
dedication and various initiatives,
Upasana is actively working to make
healthcare accessible and improve the
well-being of marginalized
communities in India.
Ethical Patient-Centric Care
Upasana's hospital provides a wide
range of healthcare services covering
various medical specialties and super
specialties, along with comprehensive
diagnostic and rehabilitative facilities,
all available within a single healthcare
facility. While their current focus in
quaternary care involves kidney
transplants, there are plans to expand
and offer liver transplant facilities in the
near future.
Fortunestime.com | 13
15. The hospital's core values are centered around delivering
healthcare with a patient-first approach. They prioritize
providing personalized care with a strong emphasis on
quality, aiming to achieve positive patient outcomes. This
patient-centric approach is how the hospital distinguishes
itselfinthehealthcareindustry.
An important aspect of their commitment to ethical
healthcare is their status as one of the few signatories of
the Ethical Principles in Health Care (EPiHC) in India.
They adhere to the ten operating principles outlined by
EPiHC:
Ÿ Respecting Laws and regulations
Ÿ Making a positive contribution to society
Ÿ Promoting high-quality standards
Ÿ Conducting business matters responsibly
Ÿ Respecting the environment
Ÿ Upholding patient rights
Ÿ Safeguarding information and using data responsibly
Ÿ Preventing discrimination, harassment, and bullying
Ÿ Protecting and empowering staff
Ÿ Supporting ethical practices and preventing harm
These principles guide the organisation in conducting its
healthcare operations with integrity, responsibility, and a
strong commitment to ethical practices, ensuring the
well-being of both patients and staff.
Making a Positive Impact in the Lives of Others
Upasana's perspective on success goes beyond monetary
achievements. She believes that true success lies in
making a positive impact in the lives of others,
especially in areas that matter most to them. This impact
can take various forms, such as creating job
opportunities for those in need or providing guidance to
individuals who are unsure about their goals. Upasana's
own challenging experiences in childhood have shaped
her desire to be the kind of supportive figure she needed
back then. Her definition of success is closely tied to the
satisfaction of seeing a patient at her hospital smile,
knowing that she has made a positive difference in their
life through healthcare and support.
Vision for Sustainable Healthcare
Upasana holds a strong belief in the importance of
focusing on processes rather than individual heroics
within the healthcare industry. She recognizes that
individuals may change over time, but well-established
systems and processes have the potential to endure and
provide consistency and reliability in healthcare delivery.
This perspective emphasizes the significance of building
robust, sustainable, and efficient healthcare systems that
prioritize patient care and safety over individual efforts.
Building a Hub of Innovation and Compassionate
Care
Upasana is committed to making her hospital the best in
terms of facilities and technologies, with a strong
emphasis on continuous innovation. She also places a
high priority on creating a patient-friendly environment
where patients feel as comfortable as they do in their
own homes. Her vision is for Yashoda Hospital to be a
place where patients are happy to seek medical care and
consider it their second home when they are unwell.
In addition to prioritizing patient satisfaction, Upasana
also strives to create an employee-friendly workplace.
She wants her employees to feel a sense of joy when
they come to work, fostering a positive and supportive
work environment for all staff members. This
commitment to both patients and employees reflects her
dedication to overall well-being and excellence in
healthcare.
Fortunestime.com | 15
20. WATSON
CINDY
Exemplifying Exceptional Representation,
Exclusively in Union-Side Labour and
Employment Law across Canada
Cindy Watson, the founder and managing partner of
Watson Labour Law and a graduate of the renowned
Osgoode Hall, is an experienced and recognized attorney
who has specialized in social justice for the past 30 years.
Cindy is a sought-after corporate trainer and speaker
who works to bridge the gap between men and women
in order to improve productivity, communication, and
gender prejudice.
Cindy is committed to breaking down barriers, achieving
wage fairness, and putting an end to discrimination. She
has a demonstrated track record of empowering,
fighting for, and pushing individuals to be the greatest
versions of themselves.
She is a well-known international speaker, author, and
consultant who is recognized for her enthusiasm,
devotion, and ability to inspire.
20 | December 2023
22. Below are highlights of the interview
conducted between Fortunes Time and
Cindy Watson:
Describe who you are as a person,
inside and outside of the workplace.
I've always been passionate and driven
about issues I care about. Growing up
in a blue-collar family (in a low-rent
apartment complex with a father who
worked shift work in a paper mill
factory), I felt called to protect the
rights of workers. It was always
instilled in me from a young age that
everyone deserves to be treated with
dignity and respect in the workplace
and beyond. That is a life-long
philosophy I have embraced and
brought to my law practice, zealously
representing trade unions and the rights
of their members.
Describe your background and what
did you do before you started/joined
the company?
Coming from a blue-collar
background, my parents didn't have the
resources to afford a post-secondary
education for me. So, I worked almost
full-time hours waitressing throughout
the school year for my high school,
university, and law school experiences
to earn the money to fund my
education. In the summers, I sought out
relevant work experience, doing an
internship in the Students Training in
Industrial Relations program, working
at employment agencies (both private
and public), and working with a trade
union.
Tell us about the inception of the
company. How did it all start?
I went to law school knowing I wanted
to practice trade union labor law. I
articled at the Labour Relations Board,
and after my call to the bar, I took a
position at a boutique labour law firm.
I was offered a partnership after only 3
years, but while I loved the practice, I
knew I didn't want to do it there.
Everyone thought I was having an
early midlife crisis when I turned it
down and opted to put out my own
shingle. I wanted a firm that was
mission-driven and ideologically
committed to protecting and enhancing
rights for workers and unions.
With the naiveté that comes from
youth, I had no doubt that it would
succeed. In hindsight, I had no equity,
no assurance of clients, no business
plan, or any of the typical minimum
requirements for a business start-up,
but my unshakable confidence in the
power of my mission allowed me to
forge a path to kickstart my own
boutique labor law firm, which quickly
grew (both in size and reputation). We
became known for our passionate
advocacy on behalf of our clients, and
I'm proud to say that reputation
continues.
What has made you successful?
What do you value?
I've always prided myself and our firm
on our core values of integrity, passion,
drive, commitment, and excellence.
That winning combination delivers
consistent, superior results. We believe
in what we do and the important value
it brings, not only to our clients but the
broader community as we advocate for
enhanced rights for workers on a
global level.
Because we are mission-driven, we
aren't motivated by the money. We
pride ourselves on our ability to effect
superior settlements, knowing when
and how to avoid litigation to secure
creative best outcomes and when to
litigate.
Which are the major services of the
company and how do they the
company to get ahead in the
competition? What value-added
services does the company provide?
We offer the full range of services to
our trade union clients, including (but
not limited to):
Representation before all labour
tribunals and at all levels of court
Ÿ Grievance & arbitration advocacy
Ÿ Labour Board advocacy
Ÿ Workers compensation matters
Ÿ Disability benefits
Ÿ Equity work
Ÿ Human Rights advocacy
Ÿ Legislative and political lobbying
Ÿ Training & Education programming
We stand out from the competition
given our passionate commitment to
the cause which is reflected in our
advocacy and in our ability to secure
better outcomes without litigation
where appropriate. We tirelessly seek
the best possible results for our clients.
We do so utilizing what we call the Art
of Feminine Negotiation, where we
bring rapport-building, empathy,
flexibility, intuition and trust-building
to the table so our clients get more
creative outcomes with better
relationships, greater buy-in and
longer-lasting agreements.
We think outside the box, looking for
unexamined options for enhanced
solutions. This cooperative versus
competitive approach consistently
yields better experiences and outcomes
for our clients. Having said that, where
necessary we are known for our
exceptional advocacy, where we leave
no stone unturned.
We care about our clients and their
issues. We don't treat them like
numbers.
Unlike most law firms, we also think
proactively, seeking to anticipate issues
and redressing them before they
22 | December 2023
23. become conflicts or problems. Our
proactive (vs reactive) approach is
unique in the practice of law and
saves our clients much time,
money, angst and relationships.
Give us your opinion on; do
organizations rely heavily on
individual heroics or team
processes?
Team is key in life generally, in
business organizations, and
particularly for trade unions and
service providers for unions.
Unions are based on a philosophy
of solidarity—stronger together.
Individual heroics do not serve the
greater good. Building an engaged,
dedicated, passionate team is key to
success. Studies show that diversity
in thinking allows for more creative
outcomes and better results (not to
mention improved productivity and
efficiency).
Teamwork and the brainstorming it
affords will increase the output of
any organization (both in terms of
quantitative productivity, but
perhaps more importantly, in terms
of more refined, creative,
distinctive, move-the-dial end
results).
This holds true generally, and we
see it as particularly important for
our law firm. Unions secure their
strength in numbers. Unions that
rely on individual heroics don't
survive. The law firms that serve
trade unions need to similarly
embrace and foster team
environments to deliver the best
possible service, advice, and
results.
What are your responsibilities as the Founder/CEO of the company?
What is the happiest part of your daily routine?
I'm proud to have built our thriving practice over the last 30 years. We've
built a reputation for our passion, integrity, and results. I'm still integrally
involved in the building of our team and ensuring that our culture continues
to reflect our core values. Hiring our best team is a key part of that process,
as is fostering relationships with our long-time clients and building on client
development for the future.
I'm lucky to still be passionate about representing trade unions. I love the
advocacy, and I particularly love the exceptional training and education we
offer. Engaging directly with members, stewards and front-line union reps
feeds me – the energy flows both ways as we inspire each other in carrying
forward the important work that needs to be done.
What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position
for the first time?
Listen. Really listen. Bring empathy to the table, truly seeking to understand
and meet the needs of others (both within and outside your organization).
The benefits of this approach cannot be overstated. Never seek to exert
power over others, but rather, always strive to achieve power with those you
engage with.
Fortunestime.com | 23
24. A Visionary Leader in Transforming
Elder Care and Health Plans
24 | December 2023
26. Validation &
Aspiration
V
Dawn observes that competitors
within the industry are adopting
Alignment Health Plan's approach,
which she finds exciting as it
validates the company's direction.
The overarching aim is to
progressively revolutionize
healthcare, impacting one patient
at a time. Dawn's personal goal is to
play a role in driving this
transformation, making
improvements in senior care
throughout the United States.
26 | December 2023
27. As the average life expectancy
increases, as do the number and
proportion of older people in most
developed and developing countries,
a central question is whether this
population aging will be
accompanied by sustained or
improved health, an improving
quality of life, and adequate social
and economic resources.
Adults over the age of 65 will
account for 20% of the US
population by 2050. The fiscal and
policy ramifications of this
demographic transformation are two
of the most significant difficulties
that federal and state governments
confront today. Our healthcare
system, its financing sources, and
American families will face
significant strain as our population
ages. A lack of personal savings for
long-term care, combined with a
fragmented and institutionally
dependent delivery system, will
endanger the health and quality of
life of aging Americans. To handle
the various chronic illnesses
prevalent in this vulnerable
population, our healthcare personnel
will need to be retooled.
Dawn Maroney is considered not just
as an industry specialist, but also as a
pioneer in preparing health care firms
for success in the hard Medicare,
Medicaid, and disadvantaged sectors.
Dawn Maroney is the President of
Markets at Alignment Health, a tech-
driven firm that promotes a new
approach to elder care through its
Medicare Advantage services. She is
also the CEO of Alignment Health
Plan.
Dawn is now in charge of Alignment
Health Plan, where she oversees
many areas of the health plan.
Fortunestime.com | 27
31. Dr. Nadine
Hachach-Haram
Dr. Nadine
Hachach-Haram
Dr. Nadine Hachach-Haram, FRCS (Plast), BEM, is a
Consultant Plastic Surgeon at Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS
Foundation Trust and the Head of Clinical Innovation.The NHS
clinical entrepreneur founded Proximie in 2015 with the goal
of saving lives by disseminating the world's finest clinical
practice. She relied on her surgical expertise as well as her
love for innovation and teaching.
As part of the 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours, Dr. Nadine was
awarded the British Empire Medal for her pioneering
achievements in the disciplines of surgery and medicine. She
also undertakes a number of roles to help advance surgery,
including council member of the Royal College of Surgeons'
Future of Surgery Commission, council member of the British
Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons
(BAPRAS), Innovation UK, and council member of the Royal
Society of Medicine plastic surgery section.
Fortunestime.com | 31
32. Below are highlights of the interview
conducted between Fortunes Time and
Dr Nadine Hachach-Haram:
Describe who you are as a person,
inside and outside of the workplace.
I think I am a very driven person who
is passionate about innovation in
healthcare. Proximie was born out of a
need, and my ambition as a surgeon
was to find a solution and scale it using
technology. In my experience,
disruption in healthcare has many
challenges, but I can say with
experience that if it is really solving a
problem, then adoption can be swift
and decisive. I think having that drive
to create a sustainable solution for
creating better access to safe surgery
has really come to define me as a
person.
Describe your background and what
did you do before you started the
company?
I grew up in post-war Lebanon in the
early 1990s, which was undoubtedly a
formative period in my life. It shaped
my career, not just as a surgeon but
also as the founder of Proximie. Seeing
the human impact conflict exacted on
my homeland had a profound influence
at a very young age. At that point, I
started to get interested in the ability to
help patients and to look for
opportunities.
I spent 10 years working on global
health initiatives around the world as a
trainee surgeon. During that period, I
definitely found myself feeling like I
simply wasn't doing enough. When I
looked at the Lancet Commission that
revealed five billion people in the
world lack access to safe surgery, I
realized that we were only scratching
the surface. I realized that it was really
about building scalable, sustainable
models of support and delivery, so I
started to look at technology, and the
idea for Proximie was born.
32 | December 2023
35. Louise
Hampton
Chiropractic graduate from the University of South Wales,
Louise Hampton is the owner of Attend2Health. She looked at
many health care careers before deciding she wanted to be a
chiropractor. She was intrigued with the outcomes of
chiropractic care and, in certain cases, the quickness with
which patients would begin to feel better.
Prior to relocating her practice to Buntingford she first
started seeing patients in Birmingham and opening a
chiropractic office there. She states, "Attend2Health is my
second clinic, closer to home and with my husband Dominic."
She has been awarded a Fellowship of the British Chiropractic
Association (BCA) for the work she has done on the BCA
council and is a trustee of the Chiropractic Research Council.
Fortunestime.com | 35
37. Below are highlights of the interview
conducted between Fortunes Time and
Louise Hampton:
Describe who you are as a person,
inside and outside of the workplace.
Louise Hampton is a chiropractor and
owner of Attend2Health. I am
th
celebrating our 15 anniversary this
month, which I am incredibly proud of.
In that time, the clinic has grown so
much. 15 years ago, I started by
renting a shop at the top of
Buntingford High Street. It was
October 2007, just before the 2008
recession. Times were hard, but the
business got through it. My main goal
has always been to do the best I can for
my patients. Over the years, the clinic
has grown and taken on more staff. We
now have a practice manager and five
receptionists, as well as all the
practitioners. Louise is proud to be a
fellow of the British Chiropractic
Association (BCA) after sitting on the
BCA council for a number of years.
Louise has also just become a trustee
of the Chiropractic Research Council.
As well as treating patients, Louise is
keen to help the local community by
sponsoring local sports teams such as
the Buntingford Cricket Club and the
Buntingford Bowls Club. She also
likes to raise money for charity and
this year she raised money for the
Buntingford Food Bank.
Attend2health has also won a number
of awards over the years, including
WhatClinic Service Awards for the past
3 years. Best Business Woman in
Health and Wellbeing in 2019 and Best
Fortunestime.com | 37
40. Roberta Perry started ScrubzBody
Skin Care when her own skin was
suffering, and she figured out a way to
make it feel and look better. She
recalls, "After sharing it with my late
sister, Michelle, she suggested I sell it
to others. It was a way to share my
sugar scrub creation and the concept
of pampering oneself with others, and
also get the chance to work with my
late sister. It really began when I was so
chapped on my elbow that when I
scratched it, it bled. All over the papers
I was working with at a meeting. I was
so embarrassed. I left the meeting and
headed to a skin care store, where the
manager introduced me to a scrub. I
liked it but didn't love it, so I searched
out another. And then another. And
then another still. After a while, Roberta
decided to make some herself, using
only the things that made the great
scrubs great and eliminating all the
things that made an OK scrub just OK.
That was in 2006, and she has grown
the business and enjoyed the ride
ever since.
Fortunestime.com | 40
41. Below are highlights of the interview conducted
between World's Leaders and Roberta Perry:
Describe who you are as a person, inside and
outside of the workplace.
I like to think of myself as a positive, happy with
her fate in life, forward-thinking person. It
doesn't mean I haven't had my share of sh*t,
most especially losing my sister, business
partner, and best friend, Michelle, but I am
grateful for everything I have and really embrace
what life has to offer. I love exploring new places
and eating new foods. I have always been OK
with trying and failing and trying again. I am also
a wife, a mom of 3 grown adults, a mother-in-law,
a grandmom of 3 incredible boys, a daughter, a
sister a friend, and a mentor.
Describe your background and what did you do
before you started/joined the company?
My background after college was graphic design,
so I did that for five years in NYC before having
my first son and starting my freelance design
company. Along the way, I started selling
telecommunications when the industry was
exploding and honing my sales and customer
service techniques. I was the marketing director
of a failed start-up in Texas, but the 2 years
involved in that gave me the chance to learn
about web design and trademarks, dealing with
the public, and free publicity. I really believe that
every job and position I have had prior has been
a stepping stone to my business.
What has made you successful? What do you
value?
I have said this before and I will say it again:
money is necessary to keep my business alive,
well, and thriving. However, my greatest success
is the relationships I have been lucky enough to
develop with my business associates and my
customers. I have the greatest people
surrounding me, and that is my biggest joy and
business accomplishment. I got to start this
business with my late sister, and I get to work
with my childhood bestie. I get to sell other
products in my shop that were made by great
friends whom I found through my larger
business group. These are the things I value
most.
41 | December 2023
42.
43.
44. Roberta
Rudokien
Leading the National Startup
Ecosystem Facilitator
"Don't be afraid to fail, be ready to pivot and
change. Don't think that you know the best.
Make each step after evaluating the needs of
your potential customers," says Roberta
Rudokienė. She works as the Manager of
Startup Lithuania, a national startup
ecosystem facilitator that connects fast-
growing businesses, venture capital funds,
accelerators, startup-friendly enterprises,
and the government.
44 | December 2023
46. Below are the highlights of the
interview conducted between the
Fortunes Time and Roberta
Rudokienė.
Brief our audience about your
journey as a business leader. What
challenges did you have to face to
get where you are today?
My journey as a business leader was
really interesting and challenging: I
worked in managing positions in
different sectors: I managed the
Baltic Retail department in a big
furniture manufacturing company,
was responsible for sales and
marketing in the first universal arena
in Lithuania, then moved to the
public sector, and for almost four
years now, I've been managing
Startup Lithuania, a national startup
ecosystem facilitator, which aims to
create the most favourable conditions
for Lithuanian startups' creation,
development, and growth. Changing
sectors and working in different
spheres is always challenging at the
beginning, but also very interesting.
And that's driving me.
Describe Startup Lithuania's
offerings that address the needs of
your customers.
Startup Lithuania aims to be a one
stop shop for current and future
startups in Lithuania, we organise
different events and workshops,
administer an online pre-acceleration
program, "Startup Guide", which is
designed for early-stage startups and
potential developers of
innovatiprogrammenesses, and give
free consultations to current and
future startup founders. We also
administrate the Startup Visa
Lithuania program and help foreign
startup founders from non-EU
countries to relocate to Lithuania and
develop their innovative businesses
here.
As a facilitator of the ecosystem, we
aim to know all the startups in
Lithuania, how they are doing, how
many investments are attracted, what
help they need from the government,
or what changes in the laws should
be made to make Lithuania a perfect
place for startups.
Enlighten us on how you have
made an impact in this industry
through your expertise in the
industry?
When I started to work at Startup
Lithuania, my main goal was to
collect information about all
Lithuanian startups and to know their
needs better. Not by guessing and
making predictions, but from startups
themselves. Therefore, together with
my team, we made big efforts to
„catch" and register all Lithuanian
startups. The result: the number of
startups in our database rose from
380 in 2017 to 1000 in 2020. We also
started to conduct representative
surveys of Lithuanian startups each
year in order to know them better and
what challenges they face.
We also decided that the Lithuanian
startup ecosystem needs a separate
international event specifically
designated for startups and started to
organise the Startup Fair event,
which attracts a lot of attention from
startups and investors every year.
(Until 2017, this event was a part of
another tech conference).
When we saw that our audience,
potential, and early-stage startup
founders, were asking the same
questions again and again, we
initiated a free online pre-
acceleration course, "Startup Guide"
– which I'm very proud of. The
46 | December 2023
47. Lithuanian startup ecosystem is
really booming and thriving at the
moment, and I hope that all the steps
that Startup Lithuania took
contributed at least to a small part of
this success.
What are the challenges you and
your team at Startup Lithuania
come across in your day-to-day
operations?
Sometimes things can't get done so
easily and smoothly as we would
like. Especially that we're a
governmental agency with some
strict procedures. But this doesn't
stop my team from striving to reach
the best possible results and
implement everything that we wish.
We are constantly trying to get to
know Lithuanian startups and help
them when the opportunity arises.
What people, what books, what life
factors have influenced and
impacted you?
I can't distinguish specific people or
books that influenced and impacted
me. I believe that all the jobs I did
and all the people I've met in my
career have had some influence. I'm
always striving to do my job as well
as I can. And the work at Startup
Lithuania does seem very meaningful
to me, since I feel that I can make a
difference.
Describe in detail the values and
the work culture that drive Startup
Lithuania.
We are a small but very enthusiastic
team that wants to make an impact.
We are driven by the possibility of
helping startup founders start,
develop and grow their innovative
businesses. The main values in our
organisation are professionalism,
cooperation, and the success of
Lithuania.
Our team members are independent
and proactive, and being in a small
team makes it easier for us to get
involved in each other's activities,
create and suggest better services to
our startups.
Where do you envision yourself to
be in the long run and what are
your future goals for Startup
Lithuania?
I don't like to make big plans for the
future, but to grab the opportunities
that I meet on the way. So it's hard to
say where I see myself in the long
run. As for Startup Lithuania, I have
big visions for it. I hope that Startup
Lithuania will expand in terms of the
team and services and will be able to
offer Lithuanian startups financial
support and more designated
services. I also want to grow our
partnerships and to have a wider
network of partners all over the
world in order to be able to help
Lithuanian startups to enter different
markets and conquer the world.
Fortunestime.com | 47
