What challenges have you faced as a woman in tech?
The market configuration is now quite difficult. It took me a lot of strength and support from my mentors, investors, and partners to understand that everything is fine with us. It was just the timing. Some things you could focus on a few years ago no longer worked. You can only rely on your strong team, vision, and intuition.
If I had met some of the mentors I have now a bit earlier along the way, many of the mistakes made this year could have been avoided. But mistakes are the only sure way to learn.
Fundraising is even more difficult for a woman without previous loud exits in such a market configuration. That’s why women obtained just 1.8% of all VC money in 2022.
Investors perceive that a woman raising children will only be able to devote as much time to the project as needed. It’s scary that women have a more challenging time withstanding marathons. And a startup is a long game. You can only slightly remove the shadow of mistrust by continuing to run daily, trying repeatedly to knock on different doors. One of my teachers once gave me an analogy with a Duracell battery. So that when everyone has stopped running, you run at the same speed without breaking the rhythm.
What advice would you give to other women interested in a tech career?
Keep going, be strong and patient. Ask for help and try to learn about your specific domain constantly. Meditate. Regularly. Find any practices that work for you. Mental health is the key in this game. And it has to be a regular thing. Like a shower you take every day but for your mind and spirit.
What are your thoughts on the future of women in tech?
It’s going to bloom, raising more and more funds as more women come to it. The world nowadays needs empathy and heart, which women are good at.
What is your favorite part of working in tech?
Team creating. I adore working with professionals. It doesn’t matter to me what field they’re in. I’ll seek the best hairdresser, massage therapist, machine learning engineer, or content creator. And it’s not always the most expensive. It’s the one who’s in love with what they do.
What are your career goals?
Natalia Vodianova has five unicorns out of 25 startups. She said Soula would be her next. We are devoted to making this happen.
What are your thoughts on diversity and inclusion in the tech industry?
It’s getting better, let’s be fair. It really is. The only thing I would love to change is that it would come from the hearts, not regulations. Though it takes time, regulations will hopefully work on this bigger goal for a while, and slowly-slowly, it will start coming directly from people’s intentions.
What are you most passionate about?
The magic of this world. I see this life as an extraordinary experience, and it’s fascinating.