This document profiles Jenny Lin, the COO and Board Director of CMIC, Inc. With over 25 years of experience in executive management and laboratory operations supporting drug research, Jenny has authored over 30 publications. As COO of CMIC, Jenny emphasizes that talent management is key to their success and that people are the most important asset of any business. CMIC delivers bioanalysis services for small molecules, large molecules, biomarkers and oligonucleotides in a flexible manner, ensuring high-quality data through diligent training and an excellent lab environment.

1. www.insightssuccess.comwwwwwwwww.insightssuccess.com.insightssuccess.com.insightssuccess.comwww.insightssuccess.comwww
JUNE-2019
VOL 6
ISSUE 5 The Most
Influential
Womento Watch in 2019

4. EDITOR’S DESK
Robotics: Simplifying and
Safeguarding the Human Life
EDITOR’S DESK
Robotics: Simplifying and
SafeguarSafeguarSaf ding the Human Lifeuman Lifeuman Lif
If there’s anything that gives me the credibility to
write for and about women, it is the exponential
amount of inspiration I receive from them on a
daily basis. I’ve been acquainted to, worked with,
been friends with and shared ambitions with a
considerable amount of women. Women who’ve
striven to make ends meet, women who’ve built their
dreams brick by brick, women who’ve always taken
the game to the next level, and women who’re
unhesitant to pull up their sleeves, tie up their hair and
say, “Let’s do this!” I’ve had the privilege of crossing
roads with all such significant women.
However, one thing that has both intrigued and
fascinated me every single time is that they never give
up. The level of determination, the unwavering
passion towards their professions, and the
unfathomable dedication they show to anything they
have at hand, is impeccable.
The most evident example to explain my sudden burst
of excitement and the relevance of the aforementioned
aspects is that of the women featured in this edition.
To read their stories, to understand their dreams and
ambitions, to acknowledge their contributions and to
exhibit all of this has been nothing short of an honor
for us at Insights Success.
Amongst this list of The Most Influential Women to
Watch in 2019, Jenny Lin, the COO of CMIC, Inc.
features as our cover story. With approximately 25
years of professional experience in executive/lab
EDITOR’S DESK
WHAT IT TAKES
TO BE AN
INSPIRATION

5. Abhishaj Sajeev
management, bioanalytical and analytical laboratory operations in support of drug research and discovery,
pre-clinical and clinical drug development and a plethora of other spheres of expertise, Jenny has acquired a
place in the list of exceptional women who’re making a difference in the business world.
Jenny has been a selected member for Global Bioanalysis Consortium (GBC), making recommendations for
global Bioanalysis harmonization. She serves as an editorial board member for peer reviewed journal and chair
for international conference. She has authored and co-authored more than 30 publications, white papers and
presentations. She is also the inventor of 7 issued US patents.
Jenny earned her BS in Analytical Chemistry at Peking University and her MS in Medicinal Chemistry at
University of Connecticut. Jenny is a member of the American Society of Mass Spectrometry (ASMS),
American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS), American Chemical Society (ACS), National
Association of Professional Woman (NAPW) and Global CRO Council (GCC).
The edition also features other influential and inspirational women who’ve contributed to the world and strive
every day to make it a better place.
Also, make sure to scroll through the CXO standpoints of some of the leading industry experts to have a brief
taste of the sector. Bon Appetite!
Abhishaj Sajeev

6. JENNY LINREDEFINING BENCHMARKS
IN THE WORLD OF BUSINESS
Cover Story
JANE ADSHEAD-GRANT
INSTILLING LEADERSHIP,
INSPIRING CHANGE
MARINA TOGNETTI
CONNECTING THE WORLD AND
MAKING IT A BETTER PLACE
VICTORIA LENNOX
LEADING A GLOBAL
TECHNOLOGY REVOLUTION
16
34
28
40
16
28
34
40
08
ALYSSA KIMURA
AN INCREDIBLE STORY OF
RISING BEYOND DISCRIMINATION

7. MAESTRO’S INSIGHTS
ASSERTIVE LEADERSHIP:
TIPS FOR MILLENNIAL
WOMEN IN BUSINESS
18
STELLAR’S VISION
SUCCESS IN THE
VENTURE WORLD
36
INTEGRATED APPROACH
HOW TO DO YOUR BEST
WORK WHEN YOU'RE NOT
ACTUALLY WORKING!
MAINTAINING A PERSONAL AND
PROFESSIONAL LIFE BALANCE
42
18
30
36
42
ARTICLE
IMPARTING WISDOM
SUCCESSFUL PERSONALITY TRAITS
TO LEARN FROM ELON MUSK
22
CXO
24
A LEADER’S TOUCHPOINT
PAYING IT FORWARD!
24
UNBIASED FUTURE
ESTABLISHING GENDER
EQUILIBRIUM
30

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June, 2019
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Research Analyst Eric Smith
Editor-in-Chief Pooja M. Bansal
Anish MillerSenior Editor
Executive Editor Stella Andrew
Joseph, SherinBusiness Development Executive
Managing Editor
Upama, Ryan
Jennifer WingetBusiness Development Manager
Abhishaj Sajeev
Contributing Editors
Art & Design Head Amol Kamble
Art & Design Assistant Mayur Koli
Visualiser David King
Paul BelinCo-designer
Art & Picture Editor Sapana Shinde
Marketing Manager Mary D’souza
Technical Consultants Amar, David, Robert
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Assistant Technical Head Pratiksha Patil
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10. Jenny Lin
COO & Board Director

11. “
“
Cover Story

12. ision, Courage, Integrity, Focus, and Humility are
Vthe founding stones of a business leader. These are
the words of someone who falls in line with what
we at Insights Success would undoubtedly designate as a
visionary. This is Jenny Lin, the Chief Operating Officer
and Board Director at CMIC, Inc. With approximately 25
years of professional experience in executive/lab
management, bioanalytical and analytical laboratory
operations in support of drug research and discovery,
pre-clinical and clinical drug development and a plethora of
other spheres of expertise, Jenny has acquired a place in the
list of exceptional women who’re making a difference in
the business world.
Jenny has been a selected member for Global Bioanalysis
Consortium (GBC), making recommendations for global
Bioanalysis harmonization. She serves as an editorial board
member for peer reviewed journal and chair for
international conference. She has authored and co-authored
more than 30 publications, white papers and presentations.
She is also the inventor of 7 issued US patents.
Jenny earned her BS in Analytical Chemistry at Peking
University and her MS in Medicinal Chemistry at
University of Connecticut. Jenny is a member of the
American Society of Mass Spectrometry (ASMS),
American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists
(AAPS), American Chemical Society (ACS), National
Association of Professional Woman (NAPW) and Global
CRO Council (GCC).
Ascending Zeniths of Success
When asked about her opinion on how the changes in
technology utilization, volatility of the market and talent
recognition, affect the overall development of any
business/organization Jenny asserts that, as ever rapid
technology innovation and as a service provider, a CRO
(Contract Research Organization) must be responsive and
‘ride ahead of the curve.’ For decades,
analytical/Bioanalytical testing has played a critical role at
multiple stages of drug development.
Pharmaceutical companies have to perform a
comprehensive battery of tests to ensure product quality,
safety, efficacy, purity and stability through qualitative and
quantitative characterization of their compounds. These
insights are vital in shaping and facilitating the long journey
from identifying drug targets and mechanisms, through
formulation development, manufacturing, preclinical and
clinical trials, and on to regulatory submission, market entry
and beyond.
With unrelenting pressure to enhance the speed, efficiency
and cost-effectiveness of drug discovery and development,
CRO companies need to be confident that their
analytical/Bioanalytical testing is not only tailored to these
translational goals, but fit for purpose, and delivers added
value in an environment in which scientific innovation,
commercial imperatives and unmet patient needs are
rapidly transforming the drug-development paradigm.

13. “Jenny states that talent management and talent
development are key elements of CMIC. Both
the terms are not just a simple human resource
key phrases, but a part of the business strategy
to stay committed to hire, engage, motivate
and develop the most talented and excellent
employees in the industry. “People always are
the most important assets of any business,”
Jenny emphasizes.
Sustaining Excellence
CMIC, Inc. delivers its Bioanalysis services in
four distinct areas—small and large molecule,
biomarkers, and oligonucleotides—in an agile
and flexible manner. The company has been
carrying along the heritage that it built in
Japan by including craftsmanship and spirit in
its business. Built in that way, it has ensured
that its talents are diligently trained, and every
system and detail would reciprocate into
high-quality data. The company has invested
energy and time to offer a top-notch lab
environment and work execution. While on
the small molecule side, CMIC delivers
accuracy and flexibility across multiple
platforms including LC-MS/MS, UHPLC-UV,
and UHPLC-FLDR just to name a few.
For large molecule, the company’s tool-box
contains the latest bioanalytical technologies
such MSD, ELISA, NGS and qPCR providing
versatility for a sponsor’s programs. For
Biomarkers, CMIC supports a range of
projects from exploratory research to fully
validated assays covering pre-clinical and
clinical studies. It routinely develops robust
in-house assays using vendor supplied high
quality antibodies which are either singleplex
or multiplex in design. It also supports various
studies for oligonucleotide-based drugs
including qualification, full method validation,
and GLP sample analysis studies. CMIC has
partnered with recognized global leaders in
RNA-targeted discoveries and have
successfully validated nearly 100 individual
leading compounds that steer CMIC, Inc.
ahead from the other competition in the
marketplace.
“

14. Jenny’s strategy of continually up-scaling CMIC’s market competency includes
constantly improving and gaining better understanding of sponsor’s needs, being
flexible and being sensitive to global market trends/demands, and being agile in
implementation. Jenny says that the pharmaceutical and biotechnology
industries are increasingly adopting novel, “one of the kind” and science-led
approaches to improve the efficiency of drug discovery and development.
Jenny is of the opinion that drug research and development parading is
switching from traditional small molecule therapeutics to others such as
Biologics, Oligonucleotides and Biomarkers. Novel strategies and technologies
are leading to considerable improvements
in the ability of non-clinical safety studies
and faster development cycle into human
clinical trials. “As CROs, we need to focus
on not only building solid talent pools, but
introduce new technologies and closely
monitor ever changing regulatory
requirements and in compliance with
global standards,” states Jenny.
Surpassing Challenges
According to Jenny, the most prominent
challenge for women in the business world
is balancing business and family life.
Jenny is of the belief that with dual
responsibilities to businesses and to
““

15. families, finding ways to devote time
to both can be challenging at times.
However, she does think that the
culture of work is shifting to allow
women more flexibility, which is a
welcoming change.
When it comes to encouraging women
to take up more of leadership
positions, Jenny emphasizes the
importance of never stop learning;
keep developing necessary knowledge
and skills; maintaining positive
attitudes and focus; Valuing team
success and preparing self (never a
believer of glass ceiling); not being
afraid to take on additional
responsibilities; and
Conscientiousness.
Beholding Prominence
In her advice to the aspiring and
already emerging influential leaders,
Jenny says, “Do not be afraid of being
stereotyped. There will always be
obstacles and failures, man or woman.
Believe in yourself. If you know that
you are doing the right thing, be
persistent. It is also critical to
understand big pictures, value team
success and be conscientiousness.”
Talking about her prospective future,
Jenny says, “You always grow when
the business grows.” Her primary
focus is still business. Her goals are to
support globalization of CMIC’s
business, making it more diverse and
robust, a place where the company’s
talents can enjoy and contribute, and a
leading Bioanalytical CRO that its
sponsors would fully trust and truly
like to partner with.
“
“

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18. We often idolize those, who are in a
position where being influential and
inspirational is evident. Seldom do we
comprehend or try to fathom the immense amount of
effort, sheer dedication, unwavering commitment and
a prolonged strife that person had to endure to reach
there.
When it comes to considering or acknowledging
women on such positions, why do the aforesaid
requirements become tenfold? Even though the
gender gap pertaining to pay and position is being
fought against, it still lies dormant and is evidently
becoming a hurdle for women with significant
potential.
To seek and bring into spotlight, such women
who’ve successfully overcome barriers of
biases, misogyny, baseless gender pay gaps
and many others, and have redefined
benchmarks in their respective work
spheres, is what this issue, The Most
Influential Women to Watch, 2019, aims
at.
In this endeavor, we came across a
plethora of women who’ve built
businesses from scratch and
shouldered the foundations of
organizations, and dedicated their
personal and professional lives to make
the world a better place. One amongst such profound
and prolific women is Jane Adshead-Grant, an
Executive Coach, a Facilitator, and a Speaker.
Jane’s journey began at 20 years of age after she left
secretarial college and entered the workplace. With
the caring leadership of Francesca, PA to the Chief
Executive of an International Investment Bank, Jane
learned what it took to be a professional, to care
about the people she worked for, and to care about the
work she did.
JaneJAdshead-Grant
The
Most
Influential
Women
to Watch
in 2019
|June 2019|
Instilling Leadership, Inspiring Change
Jane Adshead-Grant
Executive Coach,
Facilitator & Speaker
16

19. She was inspired to develop, to learn
more and to seek out opportunities, but
not in a way one would imagine. She left
her job after 3 years, rented out her flat
and bought a ticket to travel the world
and for the following 14 months,
travelled the world. She met some
amazing people, had some fun and
meaningful jobs, and learned loads. It
changed her life. It changed how she
connected with people. This experience
taught her about culture, difference,
appreciation, connection, hard work,
living out of one’s comfort zone,
resourcefulness and resilience.
After she became a mother of two
children, Jane set up her leadership
coaching practice and continued with her
journey. With the responsibility of her
motherhood on her shoulders, taking a
post graduate diploma in psychological
coaching and developing her business
meant that she had to make sacrifices.
She continually juggled priorities,
continued to learn from her mistakes and
continued to grow her skills and
experience.
Today, Jane is a Master Certified Coach
with the International Coach Federation;
one of just 4% at this level globally. She
was awarded ‘Best Executive Coach in
South East England in 2016 and 2017’.
“I am fortunate that my practice
continues to grow year on year where I
have the privilege of working with some
incredible clients; those who are keen to
develop people-centric leadership and
cultures to grow themselves and their
people to grow their business,” Jane
expresses.
Jane’s current and former clients work
within Deloitte, Columbia Threadneedle,
Rothschild, Unilabs, Bank of Montreal,
Punter Southall, KPMG, Charles Russel
Speechley, MunichRe and the 5th largest
Housing Group in the UK.
Redefining Leadership
Jane is of the opinion that the role and
responsibility of leadership is critical not
only for business but also for team
members, customers, and our
communities, in fact all stakeholders in
business.
“I believe as a leader it begins with you,
how you see and accept yourself,” states
Jane. She considers that without this
clarity one may be more susceptible to
being distracted, taken off course even,
and following routes that don’t fit with
where one wants to go and feel like their
confidence is being eroded.
“Understanding who you are as a leader
is to think about your values, your unique
capabilities, what you stand for, and
knowing why you do what you do is
critical,” adds Jane.
The vital attributes according to Jane that
make outstanding leaders, include their
capacity to care about all stakeholders,
have courage; willing to be vulnerable
and who seek to create value not just for
the business itself but for team members,
the community, the markets within which
they operate and the impact on the
environment.
Delivering Distinction
When it comes to working with clients,
as a coach, Jane’s approach is to generate
their own independent thinking to solve
their own issues and challenges and
create their own opportunities. In this
way, Jane believes that value is
self-generated, deep seated,
transformative and owned by her clients,
rather than being dependent upon her
ideas.
As a leadership facilitator, Jane helps
leaders, teams and organisations create
cultures that grow people and
performance in harmony. Where
individuals feel connected to the
organisational purpose, where teams
have a voice in how they work together
in service of their goals, where leaders
build trust and grow their team members
recognising both who they are and what
they do as human beings, rather than
solving their problems for them and
seeing them simply as a function.
Creating More Leaders
In her recommendation to the emerging
generation of leaders and influencers,
Jane says, “Invest in a mentor inside or
outside of your organisation and learn
from them. Observe the behaviours in
leaders who have the greatest positive
impact and witness how they are being
and what they are doing. What questions
do they ask? How do they listen? What
do they care about? What or who inspires
them? What legacy do they want to
create? And then, begin to develop your
own brand of leadership. One that is true
to you and one that is in alignment with
your values.”
A prominent question that Jane would
invite aspiring business women to think
about is, if they knew they couldn’t fail
what would they do now? She
encourages women to trust in their
unique qualities, capitalise on their
strengths and seek out others to who will
mitigate their less developed capabilities.
Jane believes that every day she learns
something for her own personal or
professional development. She envisions
her future together with her husband,
inspiring their two teenage daughters,
producing a second edition of her book
‘Are you Listening or Just Waiting to
Speak?’ and contributing more to her
local community.
Jane also envisions inspiring others to
develop cultures where everybody
matters through her coaching, in-person
and online training programs and open
workshops.
I imagine a world where we treat
each other with dignity, where we
listen first and give our attention, to
others and the present moment to
enjoy the best quality life.
“
”
|June 2019| 17

20. |June 2019|18
Co-founder

21. Has my journey always been easy? Far from it. A lot is
expected from an expat like me. Or from any woman in
business, for that matter. If we want to get promoted at
work, we need to appear assertive, confident, and even
dominant. We become chameleons and adjust our
behaviour, according to what the situation requires, as we
navigate our way from the war room to the board room.
How to Be an Assertive Leader
Below, I share some lessons I’ve learned along the way, to
help other young women navigate the different challenges
and demands that a leadership role requires. To be more
confident and decisive but also constructive and
empowering, incorporate these five habits into your daily
conversations and interactions, and learn how to fine-tune
your ability to adapt.
Listen for cues. To be a good leader, at times, you will
need to be a psychologist, a counsellor, an expert, a sister, a
mentor, a friend. At WeTeachMe, I have worked in sales
and in marketing. Both roles required me to master the art
of active listening and hone my ability to quickly read the
room. To be aware of what a customer or stakeholder is
thinking or feeling is crucial to building trust and rapport,
and helps foster the creation of long-term business
relationships.
Mind what you say, and also how you say it.
Assertiveness doesn’t mean being overbearing or abrasive.
Be direct and communicate respectfully so that the other
person can focus on what you’re saying, instead of how
you’re saying it. Getting the message across is half the
battle.
Women in business have come a long way since
Katharine Graham, the first female to lead a
Fortune 500 company, assumed the role of
Washington Post CEO back in 1972. Here in Australia,
women now comprise 42% of all employees and more than
30% of all business owner-managers. In the large Australian
corporations, the story is quite different; women hold the
reins at only 10% of today’s companies and 14 of our Top
200 firms.
The data suggest that it’s becoming more difficult for
women to make the jump from key executive to chief
executive. Macquarie Group founder Mark Johnson
believes it might take another 20 years for the scales to tip
again in our favour. It’s the story of many of today’s women
CEOs.
Being Chameleon-in-Chief
As a founder of the Australian company WeTeachMe, I
can’t say I agree with Mark. After all, today’s world and
business climate look nothing like they did 20 or 30 years
ago. I hope that my own story will inspire courage and pave
the way for others to create businesses that will create
value, especially for other women.
Before founding WeTeachMe, I had barely just arrived in
Australia from Greece, to complete my masters in global
media communications at The University of Melbourne. I
had no background in business, and some may say I had no
“business” entering into the arena of entrepreneurship. And
yet, through sheer grit and desire to pursue our passion for
education, my team and I grew WeTeachMe into the largest
school in Australia, with thousands of classes available and
even more learners enrolling every day.
|June 2019| 19
Maestro’s Insights

22. Express ideas from your own point of view.
Starting your sentences with “I” can spell a
world of difference. Instead of saying “you’re
not listening”, put it in your own words: “I
think what you’re saying is...” Rather than
instructing someone to “work this way” say
“I’d like your help with...” Convey your
feelings and let your empathy come through.
Learn how to say no. In the early years of
WeTeachMe, I wore multiple hats. Most
days, I took on more responsibility than was
physically possible. Because that’s what a
founder does; you go above and beyond the
call of duty. From cold calling one minute to
providing customer support the next, juggling
tasks requires flawless execution. As
WeTeachMe grew, I had to give up some of
my hats. This was not an easy lesson to learn!
Today, with a better understanding of the
value of focus, I pick three important things
to accomplish every day and then, delegate
the rest.
Maintain a professional demeanour. If
you’re entering into a negotiation, present
your case with confidence, without getting
argumentative or emotional. Create a win-
win situation for everyone, and they will see
you, not as an adversary, but as a partner.
Leadership That Inspires
Being in business is not always about cut-
throat competition, winning at everything,
and having it all; it’s also, if not more, about
creating personal connections and nurturing
the relationships that get us to where we are.
In and out of the workplace, we need to be
effective and diplomatic, not just goal-
oriented. Lead through trust and respect, not
through fear. Teach, don’t micromanage. And
never stop learning.
Leadership is about having the ability to
influence those around us, to rally everyone
around a shared vision, to inspire people, and
to get those who follow us excited to come to
work day after day.
Leadership means celebrating our victories.
But it’s also about forgiving ourselves for our
failures, because that is how we become
wiser and better. Failing is the best way to
learn, and a good leader never stops learning.
Photographer:NathalieSaruhashi
|June 2019|20

24. Legends never need an introduction. They tend to be
victorious despite of their uneventful histories. They
stick to captivating traits such as Discipline,
determination and self-belief which help them accomplish
wonders in the long run. One such example of an extra-
ordinary person is Elon Musk, a South African Business
Magnate, Investor and an engineer.
Musk is the founder, CEO, and chief architect of SpaceX;
Co-founder, CEO, and product designer of Tesla Inc.; and
Co-founder and CEO of Neuralink. As of February 2018, he
is the 53rd-richest person in the world and has a net worth
of $20.8 billion, which is far more than the net GDP of
Greece taken into consideration.
While each entrepreneur possesses a unique set of traits that
makes him/her successful, this Tech founder has a few traits
much different from any other ordinary CEO, which has
allowed him to build some of the world’s most respected
and innovative organizations. Musk once quoted, “When
something is important enough, you do it even if the odds
are not in your favor.”
Let’s have a look on these personality attributes and
characteristics that make him a contender for the most
innovative intellectual entrepreneur of the century alive.
Hard-work and Characteristic Work Ethics
Elon Musk is a hard-working innovator, working for about
100 hours a week, and has been productive since many
years. He may even be considered as the hardest working
employee of the company, setting standards for his
colleagues to follow and implement. Since the field of work
lies inside his radius of interests, he enjoys it to every
moment and bit when it comes to learning and execution.
Strong Risk Tolerance
Founding a start-up involves a great deal of uncertainty and
risk. A study found that after 10 years of being in business,
96 percent of the start-ups fail. Going by the statistics,
Musk must have faced the same odds against him, when he
had decided to leave an otherwise comfortable life to start a
risky and uncertain business venture.
For instance, Musk left his PhD program at Stanford
University to find a company called Zip2 with his brother in
the year 1995. Later, the company was sold to Compaq
computers, profiting Musk a bit over $20 million.
Following this, Musk once again took a great risk by
investing millions of dollars to found a company called
X.com, one of the world’s first online banks.
‘Always Be Learning’ Attitude
An astounding and less-known fact about Elon Musk is that
he is self-taught in programming and in many advanced
level subjects. He read and understood a variety of books,
which helped him gain endless and persistent knowledge
and understand diverse concepts.
The best piece of advice on learning and implementation is
to constantly think about how things could be done in a
better manner and question self to seek the answers.
|June 2019|22

25. Feedback Loop
It is of prime importance to recognize the present symbol or
otherwise ‘status quo’ in the market as an organization and
re-position accordingly. Musk solicits constant feedback of
the companies and executes ‘self-analysis.’ He induces
efforts and divergent strategies to improve customer
feedbacks and strives towards perfectionism.
For example, he seeks out his critics and tries to converse
with them. This habit of self-reflection at regular and
considerable periods is pivotal for any entrepreneur or
organization to succeed in the long run.
Tendency for Vertical Integration
Vertical integration is a strategy where an organization or a
firm acquires business operations within the same product
vertical. Both Tesla and SpaceX embrace this concept. For
example, Tesla not only produces electric cars; they also
generate public awareness about their cars via Tesla
showrooms across various countries. And SpaceX does not
only have the primary goal of rocket propulsions; they
develop their own rocket architecture as well.
Faith in Self and the Founding Team
Musk undoubtedly possesses a profound belief in his own
capabilities as well as the potential-seeking factor of its
founding team. He does not hesitate to gamble on large
scale unless he is genuinely aware of the expected end-
results.
It is equally essential to maintain clarity of doubt in any
large scale organization. Under his supervision, Musk
encourages in creating a positive and comprehensive
environment across his firms.
Preferring to Stand Out From the Crowd
Musk elects to bring up innovation at every level of his
understanding. He tends to impart theoretical knowledge at
the base level, applying changes and executing the same on
the practical level. He relies more on transitional aspects
such as research and development, thereby increasing the
probability of ground-breaking inventions.
Tesla Motors, a far headed firm headed by Elon Musk, is
anti-ordinary. Its compelling marketplace has become a
one-stop destination for potential buyers where they can
interact about product specifications. They also have video
testimonials that far outperform in the sales-dominated
industry.
There is no ambiguity that Musk, by far, has been a pillar of
inspiration for budding entrepreneurs and investors because
of his prolific and optimistic approach towards life
All these traits possessed by Musk, in some manner or the
other, coincide with most of your habits. The only thing that
stands as a potential barrier between these two is
identifying your strengths and working on them on a
continual basis. Go on, apply these traits into your daily
life, and you may become the next big CEO the world is in
need of today!
Imparting Wisdom
|June 2019| 23

26. |June 2019|24

27. ever do a deal with a bad person” quoting my idol
NWarren Buffett, is exactly the sentiment I have used
to ground my career, companies, teams and
personal relationships. Although my wealth or success
cannot measure up to Warren Buffett as yet, it has been a
great adventure over an aggressive 10 years since leaving
university. To be honest, my ambition far outweighs my
talent – yet, since the age of 7 I have been a go-getter,
overachiever and outright nerd. This attitude of abundant
success enabled by a steadfast work-ethic and tirelessly
creative mind, has provided for countless opportunities both
in South Africa and abroad in top firms. I have been very
fortunate to work with great teams, companies and leaders.
However, initially geared with a millennial expectation to
walk into a dream job. With my BCom and two Master
degrees (one from Stellenbosch University of South Africa
in Economics - Maritime and the second in Corporate
Finance & Law from Johann Wolfgang Goethe University),
I was surprised when, as many others, I started as a glorified
filing clerk and a small basic salary. I also took extreme
steps of courage to venture into a bank with no appointment
to see Human Resources after months of tedious online, no-
success job applications. This reality quickly brought me
back to humble ground whilst being a good reminder that
we all need to start somewhere, and work for it!
Be relentless
After earning my stripes and proving my excel modelling
capabilities in “not my job description” extra efforts, I was
promoted from mundane KYC (know you customer) client
services of HSBC bank to analyst, the role I had hoped I
would have secured initially. Thereafter I survived the
intense and challenging interview process of management
consultancy firms Mckinsey and Boston Consulting Group,
nearly failing the final case study at BCG due to pure
exhaustion of 18 hour banking days, finishing a thesis and
studying for CFA. Fortunately, partner Stefano Niavas had
compassion and gave me a second chance. Needless to say,
I then embarked on a journey of development, growth and
exploration as a consultant. I was fortunate enough to work
with leading teams, executives, brands in Africa and
Switzerland improving processes, unlocking savings and
“
|June 2019| 25
A Leader’s Touchpoint

28. was prevalent. It is estimated that ±30% of total transport
costs can be reduced by reducing empties with significant
environmental positive impact too. This mismatch in
demand for space and supply thereof burdened me, and I
decided to find a better solution. I started developing an
algorithm, similar to online dating, to better match cargo to
space moving in a direction. This algorithm paired with an
innovative platform-driven business model enabled by
digital was the creation of the EmptyTrips platform. Since
launching the enterprise orientated marketplace in April
2017, we have won numerous accolades, persuaded clients
to try new things, and systematically changed the way big
goliath companies think of innovation and technology.
Make a plan, and then have fun
To fund an idea was harder than I expected. I always say
that the economy of ideas is thriving, yet the currency of
execution is feeble. As such, we endeavored to prove we
had the execution capability, and not just a great idea. To
fund the journey, I relied on the one skill I trusted in,
strategy consulting. Being a creative that is deliverable
orientated often ensured that executives enjoyed working
with me on their goals, company strategy or even simply
independently sound-boarding. Seedpitch Innovation
Consultancy was created to fund Emptytrips through its
development phase until we could earn revenues to
“bootstrap”, grow and then attempt to raise venture capital.
VC is not a strategy, it is a tactic to growth after all.
To date Seedpitch has assisted executives across Mauritius,
Dubai, Saudi, Kenya, Tanzania, Switzerland and South
Africa to recalibrate growth strategies, and operational turn-
arounds. It has been daunting juggling two roles, but I have
fun doing it with such a winning feeling when I see a client
succeed off a practical but bold roadmap we developed
together.
Aspire to share
EmptyTrips foundation principle is filling spaces to places,
this is only possible by enterprise sharing of data (securely)
and asset capacity of course. Personally, the concept of the
sharing economy goes beyond that of the platform. I have
been so fortunate over the past 10 years to learn, grow,
travel, build, launch, fail and win. Teachings I willingly
share with those who ask for help. Sharing is caring, I can
only encourage all of us to “pay it forward”.
innovating business models. Although many question
the value consultants bring to companies, I have never
doubted the impact our projects brought to management
via enabling a clearer strategy and often enabling them
to shine as rockstars.
Check your own pulse
In 2016, after an emotional December of
disappointment and over-ambition, I resigned from
BCG and joined a niche strategy and investment firm
named Singular Group. At Singular, under the
mentorship of Lorenzo Tencati I was given immense
autonomy with the taste of entrepreneurship and a
health scare. Within 6 months I resigned to attempt to
launch a platform I believed could create purposeful
impact paired with profits in a legacy driven industry
calling out for disruption; logistics.
Be bold
During my consulting years and on many holidays, the
topic of inflated transport costs to absorb the empty haul
|June 2019|26

30. f it is a woman holding the torch
Iwhile leading you to glory, follow
her without a doubt; she knows
the path like the back of her hand.”
Have you seen the shooting digits over
the number of women who’ve entered
STEM throughout the past forty years?
Do you know how much of a
colossally positive effect that has had
on the global economy? Does the
biological strength-rational decision
making comparison barrier still exist at
your workplace? These questions do
create friction which may eventually
lead to debatable consequences, albeit
their evident occurrence.
But the most prominent question
remains. Have you come across
women who have built empires from
scratch on the foundations of passion,
acknowledgement, and grit? If not, we
at Insights Success would be more than
obliged to place the spotlight on
Marina Tognetti, the Founder of
mYngle and an avid tech entrepreneur.
Her passion for entrepreneurship was
conceived when working as consultant
on a project on internet strategy. That
is when she first saw the potential of
internet to disrupt industries and
forever change the way people buy, sell
and interact. “I had to be part of that!
That was the driver to start an
innovative company as mYngle, as I
knew I could make a real difference,
putting in practice all I had learned in
my career till then,” Marina expresses.
With mYngle she received a myriad of
international recognitions for her
contribution as a woman in technology.
While defining the attributes which a
true business leader should possess,
Marina asserts emphasis on having a
strong vision, to set the direction and
anticipate and navigate challenges,
which also means being able to think
out of the box.
Being able to adapt and change to keep
the business successful, considering
the speed of technological
advancement and a greater degree of
uncertainty in the world, must also be
the attributes of an influential leader. A
leader must be bold at taking
calculated risks while comprehending
the fact that great and unforeseen
opportunities come from taking risks.
An Experts Insight
When it comes to catching up with the
pace at which technological disruptions
occur, market volatility and the
acknowledgement of prompt talent
recognition, Marina has a foolproof
strategy for everything. She says that
being agile while catering to one’s
business operations is paramount.
Pertaining to this, mYngle has been
able to secure its position as one of the
leaders in its segment by being diligent
to build solid principles, work
processes, and a team that has the
capability and the will to change and
adapt according to its constantly
evolving surroundings.
Marina states that being agile requires
developing people that think and not
just do ‘jobs’, employees that are
entrepreneurs. In order to achieve that,
the organization must be able to
stimulate a culture of experimentation,
trial and error, allowing mistakes. She
is also of the opinion that evolution
and innovation cannot happen without
taking risks, and rarely without error
along the way.
Marina strongly believes that the key
to success is not constantly comparing
with competition, but aligning with
what customers want. Constant focus
on customers and their needs is one of
mYngle’s pillars and key strengths she
says and suggests that this is
particularly important when one is in
an industry like that of online
education, is in a transition or
evolution phase, where the primary
challenge is not competition but the
unfamiliarity or inexperience of
customers.
A Sensible Solution
Marina states that for women, the path
towards the top is not a straight line. It
is not a glass ceiling that blocks their
path just before the last step. It’s a
labyrinth. She believes that women get
lost somewhere along the way. “We
need to help women navigating
through the twists and turns, and give
them the confidence that they can do
it,” she expresses.
This requires mentors to guide them as
well as role models that are closer by,
changing the way a job gets evaluated
“
|June 2019|28

31. and cherishing a new style of leadership, that is more
feminine and more inclusive, says Marina. “A strong leader
is not that without faults, as we all have faults, but that
which is so self-confident to be able to show her
vulnerabilities without fearing that it could impact her
strength. I believe this can be the strength of a female
leader,” she adds.
Bequeathing the Keys of Excellence
In her advice to forthcoming generation of leaders and
entrepreneurs, Marina states, “First, do not be afraid of
taking risks. In order to grow, you have to step out of your
comfort zone. You can never make the path completely safe.
And you will never know unless you try.”
“Secondly, don’t always stick to the plan. Things might
evolve differently than you had initially anticipated, that is
not necessarily bad. Take advantage of it.”
“Last but not least, never give-up. If you don’t succeed at
first, try again (and keep on trying). If you believe you can
always find another way, there is (almost) nothing that you
cannot achieve,” she concludes.
The Voyage Continues
When asked about her future prospects with regards to her
personal growth as well as what’s in store for mYngle,
Marina says, “It is in my nature to want to constantly
improve, and it is in the nature of an entrepreneur to always
seek new opportunities or areas of development. The future
in leading mYngle will surely hold new challenges, as we
keep on innovating and being ahead of the market.”
For Marina personally, she says it will also be time for the
idealistic voice inside to speak, the voice that believes in
giving something back for a better world. “I walked this path
and learned a lot. That brought me in a privileged position,
where I can act and implement new ideas that can make a
difference. I can now use my skills to make the world just a
little bit better,” she adds.
‘‘
‘‘
|June 2019| 29
.

32. |June 2019|30

33. At the top
“It’s all about finding someone’s strengths. Women don’t
outperform men and vice versa. But I won’t deny that it
takes a lot of discipline to stay at the top as a woman,”
Ineke expresses. Just like men, women have a lot of
qualities that match perfectly with a leadership role. It’s
important that leadership comes from the heart. And you
need to have the intention to help others grow and make
them better through your role. I call it Servant Leadership.
If you want to make your company a success, you need to
be of service to the company and its people. This has
nothing to do with gender or background.
That’s why a quota for women at the top is completely
nonsense, according to me. All women who really want to
reach the top, will find a way to break through that glass
ceiling. No bias in the world will stop a woman on a
mission to reach that top position. But it’s wrong to think
that anyone with the right capabilities – man or woman –
can work anywhere they want. There should be a match
between your personality, the company’s values and its
culture. And sometimes it’s just a case of pure luck. Being
at the right place at the right time. If this match doesn’t
come naturally, it’s just not meant to be.
But if there is a perfect match between you as a leader and a
company, it’s the first positive step, in my opinion. It’s still
a lot of work. Having all that responsibility takes a lot out
of you. You shouldn’t be afraid to make choices, and that
also means saying no to certain activities in your personal
life.
I am a mother of two and am not home every day. My
husband and I have been able to make it work. I notice that
a lot of women still find it difficult. But you can’t run a
company part time. You need to dare to go full in. Those
doubts often appear during the initial job interview. Women
say “I want to be a director, but I still have children that I
need to bring to school. Is that possible?” As if there are no
male CEOs that bring their kids to school. The big
difference is that men don’t ask these kinds of questions.
They just do it!
Balance
It’s all about balance. Recently, I attended a forum on
female leadership, where I talked about my role as a CEO.
In the audience, were female students who were just about
to graduate. When the moderator asked which of them
wanted the same job as me, only three of the four hundred
students raised their hands. The moderator was shocked,
and asked the audience what was going on. “She works too
much”, was the answer. “And we also want to be able to go
to parties, exercise and have a social life.” That shocked me
a little. It’s not that I don’t do anything else besides work.
My downtime, social life and work activities are just one
big mix. It’s true that I’m constantly thinking about work.
But I also allow myself to go for a run in the morning or see
my hairdresser during the week. To me, it’s just one full
week in which I can do a lot.
Did I have this go-getter mentality as a child, since I
already knew I wanted to one day reach the top? I think so.
But, at the same time, all the things I hoped for as a child
didn’t come true. What I got is a lot better. I definitely don’t
regret the choices that I’ve made. I started a family, got
married, and am the CEO of a young and ambitious
company. I should therefore be the last person to decide
whether or not one should have a leadership position based
on a ‘home situation’. How you combine the two is up to
you. And yes, that takes a lot of discipline. But if you have
natural leadership qualities, I believe everything is going to
be alright.
The key to achieving this? As a female – or male – leader,
you need to learn to let go and prioritise. Just do your best
and focus on making things better for other people.
|June 2019| 31
Unbiased Future

36. Agood leader is an inclusive
one, they encourage trust
within an organization and its
team members, they allow feedback to
be a ritual rather than a process, and
courage others to be vulnerable, admit
their mistakes, learn from them and
they also actively listen. They are
transparent and encourage
contribution and co-creation from their
teams so that when work is getting
done, it’s being done with passion and
unity.
A Leader Born out of Discrimination
Yumi Alyssa Kimura, the CEO of
LEAD started her professional career
at the ripe age of 18, founding her own
translation business in Shanghai for
Japanese and Chinese customers. Her
journey towards success was a difficult
one. In her own words,
“I was then able to get involved in the
real estate business, eventually selling
a house for 4 million dollars in 2008,
earning enough commission to support
myself, I was able to attend an ivy
league school in Japan, graduating in
2013. This, however, wasn’t without
struggle. I would travel back and forth
on an overnight during my junior and
senior years at college, I worked full
time and commuted every week
between Tokyo and Osaka.”
She had to undergo many trials and
tribulations as an ambitious young
female in the male-dominated
corporate world of Japan and her
inspiring journey into entrepreneurship
in America. Growing up both in China
and Japan as the daughter of parents of
a Russian bloodline, Yumi was
regarded as a minority in her own
country.
She started her career as an M&A
consultant and later on became
corporate recruiter in Japan, but her
Yumi Alyssa Kimura
CEO
|June 2019|34
ALYSSA KIMURA
AN INCREDIBLE STORY OF
RISING BEYOND DISCRIMINATION

37. dream of setting and working in Japan
turned into a nightmare with the
manipulation of the higher authority.
Unfortunately, as an ambitious young
female in the very male-dominated
corporate world of Japan, there were
many barriers put in place to ensure
that success would remain an
unrealistic pursuit. Until an American
friend and mentor inspired her journey
into the world of entrepreneurship in
the United States, back in 2013.
It was an extremely taxing year and a
half. However, Yumi was able to
graduate without any debt and had a
head start on building a network in
Tokyo while she was still in college.
Being acquainted with business culture
while Yumi was still in school, aided in
starting a consulting business called
Spinnaker Partners (which worked
with venture capitalists and startups)
right after her graduation.
The Mission of LEAD
The mission of LEAD is to be a
platform that fosters employee
engagement through matching
employees with their co-workers for
better communication and career
growth, all whilst solving HR’s biggest
challenges: enhancing company culture
and retaining employees.
Yumi aims to be a role model and lead
the way for other women, and people
in general to have the same
opportunities that have been offered to
her through hard work and great
mentors.
The purpose and mission of LEAD go
hand in hand with this question.
Organizations must work harder to
nurture, develop and retain their talent,
thinking of their teams as more than
just human capital, taking into
consideration employee experience,
rewards and recognition, work life,
diversity and inclusion and ways to
develop through human, authentic
connections that encourage organic
mentor and coaching opportunities.
This practice, LEAD believes, will
teach its team members to be more
agile, resilient and dedicated, even
when weathering a storm, with
monumental change acumen, strategic
foresight, and hindsight.
Sustaining the Leading Position of
LEAD in Global Market
“Why do organizations like Google or
Costco do well? Because their
products are seamless. Word of mouth,
even in the day and age of social media
is powerful. Deliver on what you
promise, without monumental hiccups,
and that’s what LEAD aims to do, not
only deliver a solution but an intuitive
opportunity to work on employee
experience, development, engagement,
and diversity and inclusion problem
which is uniquely suited to their
individual organization.”
Yumi expresses her views on the secret
behind her sustainable business tactics.
“This solution will be amplified by
pushing our brand awareness and
social media profile by working with
credible influencers in our industry and
investing in a product that truly
delivers on its promise to buyers and
shareholders.” Further, she asserts.
The Vision of a Brighter Future
“Right now I’m dedicated to see LEAD
succeed by helping companies
transform HR related corporate
development at scale through
technologies”, states Yumi.
There are a lot of cognitive gaps
between different genders, age groups,
ethnic groups, and cultures. Being an
Asian, immigrant woman, building up
a company in the US and facing
countless obstacles by doing so, Yumi
hopes to have a real impact by
addressing exactly these challenges
with LEAD. By helping organizations
transform the way they engage and
retain employees the process and
journey of LEAD itself is an incredible
personal growth opportunity.
Advice for Emerging Women
Leaders
Confidence and self- assurance is the
key. Women are taught to be perfect
from a young age, so a lot of women
like to compare themselves to women,
especially those who are at the top of
their careers.
“Now whilst we should most definitely
be inspired by others who are doing
great things, I encourage everybody to
aim high, it’s important to remember
that a pyramid is built from the bottom.
We need leaders and role models at all
stages, not just at the top”, Yumi shares
her views with the upcoming women
leaders.
‘‘
‘‘
The
Most
Influential
Women
to Watch
in 2019
|June 2019| 35

38. As of 2017, 6% of the venture capitalists were
women and only 2.7% women owned businesses
received venture capital funding. Being a VC in
this startup economy, where 90% of startups fail, is a tough
job. However, it has noting to do with gender.
“Hi. I am Nin Desai. I head a crowdfunded technology
venture capital firm, NIN Ventures (or NIN.VC). We invest
in Series A & B rounds of disruptive technology
companies.”
While there are number of factors responsible for success in
the venture capital industry including timing and luck, top
of that list is a disruptive technology. A disruptive
technology is an innovation that changes the way an
existing industry functions and also helps create a new
market and value network, displacing an earlier technology
or a way of doing business.
E.g. 3D printing has been used for rapid prototyping and is
being applied in a number of industries today, including
|June 2019|36

39. manufacturing, automotive, consumer, aerospace, defense,
and especially healthcare. As the accuracy and materials
market have improved, the medical space shows great
potential for this technology. There are about 114,000
people currently on the organ recipient list in United States;
and only 34,770 transplants were performed in 2017. Every
10 minutes a new person is added to the waiting list and 20
people die every day because they cannot find a right organ.
What if 3D printing tissues can help save some of those
lives?
Every sector at some point is up for disruption. E.g. Ad
Tech. Over time as consumer behavior patterns changed,
Digital has now replaced Traditional Television. People are
now spending more time on their personal devices like
phone, tablets, & PCs. An average American spends about 3
hours everyday on their personal devices, and this is the
first time, the time spend on personal devices have
surpassed time spent watching Television, which is a big
change and opportunity for the Ad Tech Industry.
th
E.g. 4 Industrial Revolution. We stand on the brink of a
technological revolution that will fundamentally alter the
way we live, work, and relate to one another. In its scale,
scope, and complexity, the transformation will be unlike
anything humankind has experienced before. The First
Industrial Revolution used water and steam power to
mechanize production. The Second used electric power to
create mass production. The Third used electronics and
information technology to automate production. Now a
Fourth Industrial Revolution is building on the Third, the
digital revolution that has been occurring since the middle
of the last century. It is characterized by a fusion of
technologies that is blurring the lines between the 3D, 4D,
digital, other smart and biological spheres.
However, great ideas and technology needs to be backed by
a solid revenue model in order to attract customers as well
as attain profitability for the company to be an attractive
investment opportunity for a VC. E.g. our new initiative,
Total Capitalism. A startup needs an ecosystem to thrive
upon, thus it is very important for a company to understand
the market dynamics, its impact on their industry, product,
and also have a good understanding of the competitive
landscape in order to achieve long term success. A
disruptive technology needs to scale and a through analysis
helps gage those risk and rewards.
A CEO is the captain of the ship; and at NIN.VC we start
with an entrepreneur because entrepreneurs build
companies and not the other way around. Some of the
qualities VCs look for in an entrepreneur are ability to
dream big with ideas that scale, certain personality traits
and work ethics like being focused, disciplined, and hard
working. It’s important to have industry expertise and
knowledge or surround yourself with people that
compliment. However, flexibility and choices an
entrepreneur / the team makes determines the future of the
company. An amazing entrepreneur with a disruptive
technology, a solid revenue model, and good understanding
of the competitive landscape goes to vain, if the company
does not communicate effectively or has a good execution
strategy.
Venture Capitalists are known to invest in unicorns that
prove to be home run for their LPs and while there is no
secret recipe for success, hope this helps in understanding
the art and science behind each of that investment.
|June 2019| 37
Stellar’s Vision

42. Entrepreneurship as a skill is a complex entity which
encompasses a plethora of attributes one is needed to
exhibit. In its essence, this skill aids in broadening
business perspectives, enhancing communication skills and
induces a necessity for growth and self-development. An
evident and profound example of how this skill of
entrepreneurship shapes an individual and a number of other
aspects is that of Victoria Lennox, the President of Startup
Canada.
Victoria, an entrepreneur with a track record of architecting
and mobilizing networks, organizations, policy environments
and programming, has propelled Canada onto the global stage
asan‘InnovationNation’.
She has been one of Canada’s leading proponents of
entrepreneurship and innovation with deep relationships and
ties across academia, industry, government, media and the
grassroots startup community reaching every industry
vertical from Ai and Machine Learning to CleanTech and
FinTechacrossCanadaandtheWorld.
Being passionate about education and entrepreneurship to
foster peace, hope and prosperity,Victoria possesses principal
diplomacy and political acuity, creates and communicates a
compelling vision, and inspires higher levels of achievement
andimpactofindividualsandorganizationsalike.
Recently Victoria was recognized by the Hill Times as one of
Canada’s most influential lobbyists, giving a voice to Canada
entrepreneur sector, working with all parties and all levels of
government to help create the conditions for Canada to
competeandleadontheglobalstage.
With her ‘collaborate-by-default’ philosophy, her
commitment to ‘service before self’ and her enterprising
nature of empowering those around her and leading by
example, Victoria is one of Canada’s leading public figures in
entrepreneurship.
Withaward-winningenterprisesintheUKandCanada,
Victoria’s approach to economic development has earned her
praise from countries across the world looking to emulate the
models she has created.What set her apart from the crowd, are
not only her innovative ideas but her ability to match her
vision with commitments and hard work, in order to manifest
theminawaythatothershaveonlytried.
Victoria has been successful in mobilizing entrepreneurs,
private sector investment, and bringing the entire ecosystem
around the table to have a shared vision of building a more
entrepreneurialandinnovativenation.
ExemplifyingDistinction
Startup Canada harnesses Canada’s vibrant volunteer culture
and grassroots entrepreneurial spirit. It has put into practice
Brad Feld’s ‘Boulder Thesis’, wherein entrepreneurial
leaders, with a long-term and inclusive vision mobilize
regular events that connect the ecosystem. Startup Canada has
leveraged this model to help foster 50 Startup Communities to
form a Pan-Canadian network to unite the country’s
entrepreneurship community and give entrepreneurs a voice
todecision-makersingovernmentandindustry.
Today Startup Canada supports more than 250,000
entrepreneurs through its leading digital platforms, startup
communities, flagship events and programs to help
entrepreneurstostartandscalethrivingbusinesses.
ExclusiveServicesandProducts
As the leading digital platform for entrepreneurs, Startup
Canada runs Innovative online events that connect Canada’s
entrepreneurship community; including, the Startup Canada
Podcast with Rivers Corbett, the THRIVE Podcast for
Women Entrepreneurs with Komal Minhas, and aTwitter chat
called #StartupChats which trend regularly, bringing
entrepreneurshipintothedigitalnarrativeofournation.
Startup Canada also runs the Startup Canada Awards to
recognize excellence and outstanding achievement in
Canadian entrepreneurship and innovation. Through regional
celebrationstouringacrossCanada,StartupCanada
|June 2019|40

43. celebrates Canada’s leading innovators and
recognizesabroadrangeofentrepreneurs.
Each year, Startup Canada runs a flagship event
called Startup Canada Day on the Hill which
connects entrepreneurs with decision-makers to
ensure the regulatory environment for
entrepreneurs is not only conducive for their
growth but accelerates it. Startup Canada also
supports a vibrant network of startup
communities and rolls out national programs and
events through those communities to build
capacities to give Canada a leading edge;
including, the Canadian Export Challenge,
Startup Finance Bootcamps, digital literacy
programsandmuchmore.
AdvocatingDisruption
Victoria is of the opinion that the speed of
technological change is accelerating, and
organizations must adapt to keep up and remain
competitive. She believes that the rate of
technological change is tripping up large
organizations and evening the playing fields for
new disruptive entrants. She emphasizes that to
keep pace and to stay innovative, companies and
governments alike have the opportunity to work
alongside fast-moving startups to leverage their
creative potential to stay ahead of and drive
technologicalchange.
TheFutureRoadmap
Startup Canada is becoming Canada’s
entrepreneurship organization. Through focusing
on supporting a broad range of entrepreneurs to
become export-ready, financially resilient, adopt
technologies, and build out marketing and sales
strategies to scale, Startup Canada is building the
capacity of every entrepreneur, enterprise and
ecosystem to scale-up Canada’s entrepreneurial
economy.
‘ We are
entrepreneurs
working together to
build a Canada for
entrepreneurs
and give a voice to
the Canadian
startup community.
‘
Victoria Lennox
President & Co-founder
The
Most
Influential
Women
to Watch
in 2019
|June 2019| 41

44. In my role as chief evangeliser for OLIO – the
world’s only neighbour-to-neighbour food sharing
app – I speak about our work and journey at a lot
of events. And without fail I’m almost always asked
something along the lines of “How do you juggle
having a family with a start-up?” Whilst this is an
extremely valid question – and it touches on a topic
that’s very close to my heart, it really frustrates me
because I never hear the same question levelled at male
peers. As a result, this seemingly innocuous question is
laden with an enormous amount of gender bias,
generally to the exclusion of men. I would suggest that
if we want to achieve a fulfilled balanced life for all –
male and female – we have to ensure that we’re all
participating in this debate about work/life balance, and
that inclusivity needs to be the starting point.
Another challenge in this area is, funnily enough,
the gender bias experienced by men who choose to
be the “stay at home Dad”! Several years ago my
husband and I decided that given our respective
career paths and motivations in life, it made
sense for me to be the “bread winner” and for
him to look after our two kids and home,
whilst developing property in his remaining
time. This has given me the flexibility to
pursue the opportunities for OLIO with full
vigour, and has been absolutely invaluable in
terms of helping me to achieve a balanced
life. However, sadly, my husband
experiences more than the occasional
disparaging passing comment and has even
been asked “When are you going to get a
proper job?” Thankfully he has no self-
Tessa Clarke
Co-founder & CEO
OLIO
|June 2019|42

45. esteem issues, and thinks he has the best job in the world!
But I highly doubt that in this day and age anyone would
ever dare say this to a woman; and so why to a man? If
women are to be truly equal in the workplace – and to
achieve a balanced life, then we need to adjust our
perceptions of what it means to be a male in a modern
society, and accept that this will require men to taking on an
increasingly prominent role in the delivery of childcare –
which is to the benefit of all involved, not least the children!
Gender issues aside, I spend a considerable amount of
mental energy working towards achieving a ‘balanced life’.
I prefer the terminology of a ‘balanced life’ rather than
‘work/life balance’, because when you’re an entrepreneur
(and especially an entrepreneur working from home), the
two can become very mixed! And to suggest that ‘work’
and ‘life’ are the antithesis of one another surely isn’t what
we should aspire to. In the very early days of setting up
OLIO, it was pretty much impossible to lead a balanced life
because we had to achieve so much, in so little time, and
with virtually no resources. As we’ve grown the business
and the team however, both Saasha my Co-founder and I
have achieved a much more balanced life – which is
important, because the start-up journey is a series of
marathons, not a sprint, and so it’s essential to avoid
burnout. We find that working predominantly from home is
extremely helpful in achieving balance (5-10 hours per
week gained back through not having to commute!), and we
both carve out time during our working days to exercise. In
the early days we used to feel quite guilty about exercising
when we ‘should’ be working, but now we recognise that if
we’re to perform at our best then we need to be mentally
and physically fit and exercise is absolutely critical for this.
Plus, I find that I have many of my best insights and
inspirations for OLIO when working out, so it really is
killing two birds with one stone!
As well as working towards a balanced life for ourselves,
we’ve really baked this into the DNA of the company too.
And this has manifested itself in a couple of important
company policies. The first is our holiday policy – we have
no cap on the number of day’s holiday an employee can
take; however we do have a minimum and insist that
everybody has at least 20 days off. This is because we saw
research from other companies who had adopted a limitless
holidays policy, and it actually showed that the number of
days worked by employees increased, not decreased! We
also think it’s really important for the team to have a
collective break over the Christmas holidays so everyone
can really relax, confident in the knowledge that their email
inbox isn’t rapidly filling up! We also ensure that in every
employee’s induction, we talk about the importance of a
balanced life, and in our line manager training, we stress
that the line manager is responsible for working with their
direct reports to ensure that they are achieving a balanced
life. What this means is that on a day to day basis our team
chat will often show someone walking the dog at mid-day,
someone else with their kids at 3pm and others heading off
to swim or yoga. Each team member is responsible for
ensuring that their work is done, according to whatever
schedule best suits them, and as a result, we have an
incredibly motivated and productive team, the majority of
who say that working for OLIO is the best job they’ve ever
had! If you aren’t already talking about how you can
achieve a balanced life as individuals and as a company,
then I can highly recommend spending some time on it, as
the rewards will be enormous!
|June 2019| 43
Integrated Approach