Genna Elvin

My takes on life from the perspective a female tech startup founder in the heart of Europe, but not from Europe. Here you find content based largely on the topics I am the most passionate about including: neuropsychology, female entrepreneurship, exercise...

[gennaelvin]

End of Year Reflections...

Last week we had an end of year reflection session in the office. Each member of the team presented three things to everyone: the most memorable of the event of the year, the hardest moment of the year and a lesson they had learnt that will change the way they do something in 2017... The occasion created a great level of cohesion within the team and provided us the founders with great insight.

The experience also made me think about not just one, but multiple things that I have experienced in 2016, not to mention all the lessons I will take with me into next year and the longer term future. In this blog I will share my top 5 lessons from my year for both work, but also on a more personal level. 

Lesson 1. It starts in your head

Earlier this year this quote hit me like a freight train... There I was, running on the treadmill in the early hours of a Monday morning, listening to an Audible lecture series on neuropsychology and the professor proclaimed:

Watch your thoughts, they become words; watch your words, they become actions; watch your actions, they become habits; watch your habits, they become character; watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.

I paused the treadmill, flagged that sentence and stood there for a minute staring out the window... I started to think about my character, what was important in my life and how it came to be that way. I thought about my (slight addiction) to the gym each morning, my hatred of being wrong, my drive for contributing to social and environmental change and also myself as a parent.

I reflected on all those times years and years ago when I hated the gym but forced myself to go. I thought about how I never gave a second thought to packing groceries in plastic bags. The university lectures when I was to scared of sounding stupid or wrong, and then lastly to the the times when I thought “what the hell are those parents doing taking their screaming 2 year old to a restaurant, who would ever have kids?!” I thought, holy crap, I have really changed! But how? What made me change my attitudes? The answer clearly lay in the above quote, starting with some type of “mental seed” be it someone calling me chubby or when I watched the devastating effects of plastic on the ocean and sea life. It was these “seeds” slowly sprouted into actions, then grew into habits, then before I knew I had a full forest of critical components that now made me, well.. me? 

But why was this a lesson this year? Well the freight train moment on the treadmill made me realise just how powerful my thoughts are, rather than seeing them as internal events that don’t really hold a lot of clout in the grand scheme of things, actually they can lead to significant change, both for the better but also for the worse. In response, I have learnt to respect and nurture my thoughts more and to foster those that can be benefit my future self, and try to nip the more negative ones in the bud a little earlier. 

Lesson 2. There is nothing more freeing than being yourself

Ok, so the first two lessons may be coming across like a little bit of a trip to the shrink, but I am not going to apologise for that. I have grown to understand that before we as humans can change anything in the outside world, we must first understand the internal world of ourselves. So the second lesson that I have learnt or rather “learnt to embrace” this year is not being afraid to be myself, not a fake version of who I want someone to think I am. The “take me or leave me kind of lesson.” 

One great example this year was the shame I have possessed for many years about my age and how that interacts with my role as a co-Founder. When I started Tadaweb at 22, I wouldn’t tell a soul how old I was, in fear that they would judge my competence. I can’t count the number of times people thought I was at least 30 (man, I need to invest in anti-wrinkle cream) but I preferred it that way. The thing was, I was already feeling hugely intimated being a woman, let a lone a young, foreign one at that. 

It has taken nearly 5 years to actually embrace the fact that I am younger than most, in fact I am nearly the youngest on my team. 2016 taught me that being young is actually something to be proud of, not ashamed. But it didn’t stop there. I have had a crazy life, I have traveled the world at a young age, done some crazy things and always pushed myself to try crazy challenges, like weight lifting or boxing, which has made me quite “a-typical” to the outside. When people ask me questions about myself or my work, I have learnt to answer honestly (most of the time anyway). For example, now when people ask me how I met my husband who comes from a country located directly on the other side of the world to where I am from, I tell them - “completely drunk in a night club on the other side of the world...” If they chose to judge me, they are most welcome, but if they do it just means they aren’t the type of company I wish to keep. I am unique, I am a little crazy and I am learning to be more honest about who I am, and you know what? It feels amazing and I have made some of the best friends, and business connections in my career, they actually respect my honest so much more than anything fake. Try it - I dare you!

Lesson 3. Diversity Rocks

Ok, ok, I will leave the stuff on a year of internal self discovery for another day and return to some more work related lessons. Number one of this front is definitely based on the importance of diversity, to go as far to say as diversity is critical. You can gather by the fact the Tadaweb team is made up of over 10 cultures... 

Sure, I had read the tech greats explain the importance of diversity, I had personally spoken with the Chief Diversity Officer at Facebook, but it was not until this year when I truly saw it work in the real world that I believed just how important it is. I have blogged about it before, so I am not going to write a novel on this point, but the thing is, by having multiple different traditions, ways of working, languages, beliefs, strategies and approaches all under one roof has improved not only our team, but our product, culture and customer acquisition like never before. Why? The different approaches from the team members brings a completely fresh and reflective way of doing things. It opens the eyes of many and makes them question the current system, reflect on the efficiency of their own strategy and improve if necessary. For example, some people express their ideas more vocally than others, some test far longer, some are more keen on innovating - this melting pot of technique and strategy is gold for building a well-rounded, growing company... not to mention the annual culture day that let’s all of the team try different dishes from all around the globe! Above all I am super grateful to learn from everyone and gain insight that I would never normally be able to get - like the concept of Hugge from Denmark, the regional dishes from the Lorraine, the traditions of the South of Italy at so on.

Lesson 4. The key way to drive social change is through education

This year more than ever before, I have been fortunate to work with kids and young adults on a number of occasions, from entrepreneurship lectures, to school programs and educational tech events. I have witnessed first hand the importance of educating the next generation and empowering them to understand that they are the future, and their potential to create change is unprecedented. 

My goal in all this work was to help direct the powerful minds of the next generation for social good and technological advancement. However, I was faced with a number of obstacles. One of which is etched into my memory... I was with a group of teenage girls in a classroom setting, I asked them what they wanted to do later and if they wanted to get into tech. Unfortunately, their replies were less than supportive of the idea. The young women explained that tech wasn’t cool for girls, it wasn’t girlie and it would mean they would end up working with a bunch of (smelly, geeky) guys... 

I thought best about how to reply to them. If I am honest... I could sympathise a little with their points, but I was determined to drive change. So I said “ok, let’s do a test, can everyone take out their smart phones?” They pulled them out hesitantly and I proceeded to get them to explain to me their favourite apps. One said Instagram, another Candy Crush and another mentioned Snapchat. I used their points to leverage the the idea that these applications are in fact technology, and above all, the largest groups of users of these apps are women and girls! I explained that they were actually in an amazing position to make the cooler, to innovate on them. After a half hour or so of brainstorming that started to really understand just how much they use and rely on technology each day, and in fact, it was kinda cool. By shifting their view on what “technology” actually meant, they finished the workshop with a new appreciation for tech, with one even going as far to say it was “really really cool.” That was a great day and taught me a lot of about the power of contextually relevant education. 

Lesson 5. First Stop. Then Reflect. Finally Act.

Ok... So I said that I would leave the “internal self discovery” lessons alone, but I could resist just one last one to finish off because it is so important...

I won’t deny it. Sometimes injustice, frustrating situations and general negative events (like losing at office ping pong, ask my team) can get me extremely frustrated. There are times when I see red and react far too quickly. However, this year I grown to understand that importance of just stopping, walking away for a few minutes and then returning with a clear head. 

I have broken this idea down into multiple practical steps to help me achieve this. Like if I get a really aggressive email, I still go ahead and write back an emotionally filled raging email, but I don’t send it, not straight away at least. I leave it in my drafts, go away for a bit then sit back down and often end up toning it down (significantly). I even impressed myself earlier this year while in a meeting here in Lux. Without naming names, a high level manager from a large bank was present in the same meeting as myself. At one point in the discussion, he turned to me and said “and you honey, what do you think?” At that very moment time froze, I was in a state of shock - did he really just call me “honey” I try and ask myself? What was I? His 8 year old daughter? Next minute a wave of rage overtook me, everything within me was screaming to say “honey, I am not a f*cken honey.” Then suddenly, a rational voice entered my mind and told me to take a chill pill, it explained that I needed to be clever about this because over reacting in defence would not serve my objectives...

I sat, looked at him directly and said “sure sugar plum, I think we need to do this because...” Everyone, well, almost everyone (the guy went as red as an over-ripe tomato) burst into laugher and I earned a new level of respect, no one would call me honey again, not at least in that meeting. Through stopping, “chilaxing” and reflecting on the best approach I shifted myself from the defence to the offence in just strategic one sentence. 

So there we have them, five of my take aways from yet another crazy year! 2016 has been a big year of personal growth, company growth and an attempt to find the golden mean. I have my goals set for next year, I am extremely driven and excited! On this note - peace out 2016 and me and the whole Tadaweb team, we want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

[gennaelvin]

Tadaweb Female in STEM Scholarship Awarded

As the female founder of a technology company I understand first hand just how few of us there are, not only as founders, but in the tech and upper management scene in general. At the same time I also know just how valuable we can be to our companies, and to the future of technology. Although my emphasis is usually placed on empowering those of us already within the sector to “lean in” and speak up, it is also important we advocate to disrupt the issue at it’s core - education. 

In response, earlier this year, Tadaweb created a scholarship at my old secondary school in New Zealand, Hauraki Plains College that was to provide a young, high achieving woman with a financial scholarship for tertiary studies in a STEM degree. The winner of the scholarship was Celine Pirie, an ambitious young woman that will be moving to Palmerston North to embark upon a Food Technology Degree. 

Celine was very excited to receive the Tadaweb scholarship, and upon asking her what drives her to study technology, she explained the following:

"I have lived on a dairy farm my whole life which has allowed me to see the importance of food to the world. Living on a farm I learn quickly that milk doesn’t actually come from a bottle, in fact it is a long process to get from the cow to the shop. It was this process on how milk could be turned into butter, cream and yoghurt that really lured me to the food technology degree. I also recently went on an exchange to China which really opened my eyes to food around the world and it's importance.”

Tadaweb intends to follow Celine through her studies and help her where possible to achieving her future dreams. On asking Celine where she hoped her studies would take her, she explained:

In the future I hope to work with Fonterra, and to one day own my own business in the food industry. The food Technology degree will really help me to reach my goals.

Tadaweb intends to continue to encourage and support not only blossoming young female techies, but also the future generations in general. As a company, we strongly believe that education and knowledge are crucial in increasing the number of women in technology, as well as working to make tomorrow a better place for the generations to follow. 

All the best Celine! We are very proud of you. 

[gennaelvin]

Hacks of a Founder Mum

If you find yourself in the position of being a full time working mum, be it out of necessity or choice, there are sacrifices that will need to take place, both at work and at home. (Don’t listen to anyone who tells you otherwise, because they are lying). In this blog I want to share a few my own personal “mum hacks” that have saved my sanity and let me exploit both sides of the work/life equation. 

School holidays. School holidays. School holidays... 

My son started school nearly a year ago. In Belgium, they start at just 2 and a half years old. Yes, I didn’t believe it first either, especially considering in my home country of New Zealand, they don’t start until 5.  I mean seriously, the poor kids have only just learnt not to eat their own poop, how do you expect them to learn the alphabet? Anyway, in going with the status quo, Jack’s first day was a joyous occasion, seeing him excitedly run into his new classroom, meet his teacher, all while wearing an oversized green dinosaur bag... I have to admit, I think both myself and my husband had to wipe away a wee tear as we said goodbye. 

After a few weeks however, I found myself wiping yet another tear away... Scrapped knee? School bully? End of year concert? No... Two words: school holidays. In one foul sweep the realisation hit me that gone were the days of all year round day care... In a state of panic I called other working mums and asked in horror “but, but what do you do?” “Holiday programs,” one said. “Grandparents,” said another. But for me, my son was only 3. A school holiday program was simple not appropriate and well... Jack’s Grandma lives only, gees, 17,870 km away!!!! The panic was soon replaced by something we appreciate a lot here at Tadaweb, a “hacker mindset.” If my son was going to be at home for the next few weeks, I would find a way to not only be there for him, but also get as much work done as possible - after all, startup life is not for the faint hearted. 

In doing so, I found a range of innovative hacks that let me experience the best of both worlds... 

1. IKEA - and not for the meatballs. 

Now most of us probably know that IKEA is one of the most child friendly shops in the world, complete with high chairs, mini trolleys, a playground (for 4 and above)... But what’s also included in this theme is a giant play pen boarded by a bench and chairs! “Oh great, so you can eat your lunch and watch you kids” - you ask? Ha, oh and much much more. Rather - in goes the child, out comes the laptop. Yes, Jack could play with other kids and funky toys 2 meters in front me and I could work for a good hour or so. God bless you IKEA. 

2. Create an office that rivals any day care

I have talked about our culture in other posts, as a founder, it’s something I am very proud of. Our office is home to a range of crazy things - from giant inflatable animals, to a ping pong table, compulsory nerf guns, scooters, a beach bar and an old school video game area to name a few. Each time I even mention that he could come to the office, his eyes light up. Jack loves our space, especially riding the scooter around and around the meeting room. There are enough distractions to more than just a little amused in an emergency school holiday situation. 

3. An egg timer that’s not just for eggs

As a working mum, I, like probably many of other mums constantly feel guilty for not spending enough time with my little man. However, I was relieved to discover that extensive research, notably a recent study published in the Journal of Marriage and Family has illustrated that sheer amount of time parents spend with their kids between the ages of 3 and 11 has virtually no relationship to how children turn out, and a minimal effect on adolescents. The finding includes children’s academic achievement, behaviour and emotional well-being. The study also found that building relationships and seizing quality moments of connection were the most important for both parent and child well-being. One woman I know taught me a hack she used to ensure she spent quality time with her kids - a 15 minute egg timer. Yes, it doesn’t sound like much, but by dedicating just 15 minute batches of quality (no phone, no laptop, no tv) time to my son where we can both be free to just enjoy each other’s company, he is much less likely to get frustrated when I have to work - making it a win/win situation for us both. 

4. The “cleaning” game - multi-tasking at it’s finest

This is one of my more evil mum hacks... Partly derived from a slight cleaning obsession, partly from my love of multi-tasking and time optimisation. One of my son’s favourite games is vacuuming, no it’s not child labour - really loves it I swear. Ingenious huh? Yes... I think so too. Even more evil (or brilliant) is that vacuuming for Jack is a reward. Something he has to “deserve doing.” On those long days at home when the kitchen table becomes your make shift desk, there is nothing more satisfying that seeing your three old not only having fun and being amused, but also cleaning the house! This plan was brilliant... until last week... when he asked for a coin for all his hard work... I think he’s catching on. 

5. The do whatever you gotta do hack

Ok, so it’s not really a hack. It’s more “desperate times call for desperate measures.” But as much as a hate to admit, I don’t cope well with my house being turned into toy land. Seeing a whole toy chest full of toys invading the lounge, dining room, kitchen and even bathroom get’s me a tad stressed, well even “1 2 3 breathe in breathe out, feel your feet on the ground” kinda stressed. However, if there is one thing that I have learnt it is that when there aren’t many options - you have to get creative and let go of any prejudices. One cold and raining, school holiday day I went as far as to put up a tent in the lounge.. Just so I could hide the fact I was still working on my laptop... Each time his little head popped out to say hello, a smash down of my laptop lid and look a denial invaded my face - but it could have been worse.. 

So all in all, I personally believe that the only way to manage the demands of work and family, particularly during challenging periods such as school holidays is to think outside the box in ensuring that both your child is content and occupied, while ensuring critical work doesn’t get put on the back burner. Do you have other awesome parenting hacks? Share them too! 

[gennaelvin]

Introducing “She Regrets Nothing” - A place where later is the new now

I am a massive advocate for female empowerment. Whether it be encouraging teenage girls to follow their dreams through my scholarship programme at my old high school in NZ, doing my annual lectures to the Masters of Entrepreneurship class in Lux or speaking in front of a crowd of passionate female leaders and techies in London, it is something that flows in my blood.  However, time and time again I have witnessed incredible women who lack belief in themselves, coupled with the clear absence of a safe environment where women are free to dream! In response, last week I officially launched She Regrets Nothing.  

In essence, She Regrets Nothing is platform for amazing woman who wish to empower each other to stop saying they will do something they really want to do or learn “later” and instead embark on the actionable steps needed to do it “now.” After all, leading behavioural psychology research strongly suggests that people are more like to do what they say they will if a) they announce it publicly and b) have other people supporting them in doing it. Behavioural Psychologist Elizabeth Lombardo wrote: When no one is around to say anything about an incomplete task it’s easy to push it to the next day and the next week, and so on. Putting the task out there for others to see, she says, helps motivate us to get it done so we don’t look bad to others. 

It is clear to see that a lot of women seek brining their goals to fruition and stop with the “to-do” list. In fact I meet them constantly in my daily life. And the fact that in just the one week since it’s been online, the Luxembourg based initiative of She Regrets Nothing has already organically attracted over 50 amazing women whom all share a common goal: “finally start doing the things they have always wanted to do, now, not later.”

But why did I start She Regrets Nothing and how does it differentiate itself from other women's’ networks?

There are a lot of amazing women’s networks out there, and I already belong to quite a few around Europe and the UK. However, She Regrets Nothing is a little different. We don’t focus on just work, we don’t focus on just lifestyle, family or wellbeing, instead we attempt to provide a safe and empowering environment where the multiple facets of life can resonate off each other to create powerful change. Essentially, we aim to combine the fire in our bellies with the knowledge in our heads with the dreams in our hearts to “get shit done.” She Regrets Nothing is targeted at (but not limited too) busy women who constantly use the excuse of “not having time” to put their passions and ambitions on the back burner. 

So what is my story?

Since being fortunate enough to become a mum nearly three and a half years ago and having run a technology company for nearly 5 years (and only being 27), I have been constantly striving to discover the so called “work life balance.” Unfortunately, in case you don’t know -  it doesn’t exist. By choosing to run company and a home at the same time, my days became long, my social life nearly non-existent and my pile of ironing started battling against Everest for world’s highest mountain...

As a result, for the first time in my life, I started to put the things that mattered to me, or the new things I wanted to learn, off. My ambitions out of work or home would be sent to the magical “tomorrow land” of dreams that seemed just a little too far out of reach for that moment in time. Then one night everything changed: a childhood friend of mine got hit by a car. In the blink of an eye her life as she knew it was over. My head flooded with an array of emotions, and disbelief that a friend my age was gone, just like that... That jolt was enough to wake me up to the fact we are not eternal and that too many old people lay on their death beds with heads full of “what ifs” and regrets. 

“You can’t always wait for the perfect time, sometimes you just need to jump”

Since that moment, I started trying to change my mentality, I started reading articles on how much regret can damage your psyche and learning to appreciate more the power of “now.” I read countless books on everything from “Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg to the “Neuroscience of Mindfulness” lecture series on Audible. I (re)started yoga and tried to appreciate the importance of everyday. I studied mindfulness (a challenging thing to do whilst being jumpted on by a three old)  and slowly but surely I removed the word “later” from my vocabulary. 

Now don’t get me wrong, unfortunately I didn’t have a magic wand that gave me more hours in the day (if only). Instead I incorporated a few different techniques into my daily life to try and get some “me time”: I learnt to say “no” more often for things that I knew would stretch me too thin. I started to rely a little more on my amazing husband to take over some of the home stuff. I started trying to prioritise more and stop my inner critic from telling me everything has to be done, immediately when in fact - booking a flight for a meeting in one month wasn’t necessarily a “complete by 6pm action item.” But above all, I started to get ever closer to that “tomorrow land.” I started to say “fuck it, I am going to do” so I started... And here’s is what I started dream of:

Get a tattoo (to see the full story, check out the blog article here)

Start boxing lessons

Learn how to make dumplings

Eat an oyster raw (I am a foodie, but even that one was rough)

Take my son swimming in the sea

Go on a girls weekend in another country

Go on holiday where the only thing we book is the flights and car, and just drive

Rediscover my inner creative side that I left behind in adolescence

Start a blog (well.. the fact you are reading this speaks for itself)

Get a babysitter and go on a date night to the movies (anyone with a toddler will feel this pain)

I have to admit, my husband thought I was a little crazy at first (and probably still does) and for some of the items my belly was bursting with butterflies and I sometimes felt truly pushed to my limits, but there is no better feeling in the world than actually achieving your dreams... One actionable goal at a time! You see, I started doing it NOW. Here’s the proof:

1. Tattoo - Check

2. Boxing - Check

3. Dumplings - Check

4. Eat a raw oyster (painfully) - Check

5. Take my Little Man swimming in the sea - Check

6. Girls Weekend Away - Check

7. Spontaneous Adventure Holiday - Check

8. Inner creative - Check

9. Blog - Check, duh..

10. The movies - Check (even if it was a stupid shark movie, beggars can’t be choosers)

Now, don’t be fooled, sure I have achieved a drop in the ocean of the things I want to do in this life, but I am still insanely busy, I still put too much off and I still don’t practise what I preach all the time. But here’s hoping that She Regrets Nothing will provide a platform for empowerment for many women, like me, who are ready to take the plunge into “now.” If you are living or working in Luxembourg, or even those who aren’t, please don’t hesitate to contact me and also join the Meetup! You deserve it to yourself to live a life without regrets! see you there!

[gennaelvin]

Into the Melting Pot

Why “natural” diversity is critical in creating a successful business.  

It’s Olympics time. I love Olympics time, especially gymnastics and weightlifting... Everyone loves gymnastics and weightlifting. But seeing all these different cultures interact got me reflecting on the concept of diversity. After all, in an all new low, research has revealed that Fortune 500 CEO’s are about as diverse as an ants nest... 91% are... White and males. Ninety flipping one percent!  It’s about now that I want to insert a little “gun emoji” but unfortunately Tumblr hasn’t yet enabled this functionality (I have recently become obsessed with this little characters’ unique abilities to express even the most complex of human emotion in just 12x12 pixels... Anyway, back to the blog.) This stat probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise, which is extremely unfortunate. I myself am hit in the face by this fact constantly, usually on an early morning flight to London where no one needs to worry about the emergency slide being ripped open by a high heel... Because the plane crashing is nearly more likely than women CEOs on the Fortune 500 list...

But before you think this is going to be a man bash, stop right there. In this post I am going to talk about “diversity” in it’s entirety, placing emphasis on culture. Not just men vs women or the colour of one’s skin, but rather, diversity as in people from completely different places, backgrounds, personalities, sexual orientations, years of birth, food allergies, preference of country music or favourite sporting brand... The chalk and cheese, oil and water type of company cultures.

I know the topic of diversity is gaining momentum. Large and small corporations alike are incentivised to hire diversely. But this is also the reasons I placed the world “natural” in the sub-heading. All too often companies have set “quotas” for which they have to fill. Quotas relating to the number of women to men ratio, or different cultural identities. I have spoke to a lot of great leaders who love the quota system, I however am not one of them (nor yet a great leader). I am an avid believer in hiring the right person for the role and the team culture. Not the right person for a narrow, fake KPI tick off list. I am also a believer that if you embrace the idea of diversity from day one, it will happen naturally. This point was re-enforced by Ekaterina Walter in an article in Forbes. 

“Successful companies are not the ones that build a business, then look at diversity as a nice-to-have attribute. Truly successful and innovative companies are those that build diverse teams when they are just starting out in their own apartment or their folks’ garage. Diversity is a mentality, not just strategic imperative.”

I am not saying it’s easy, but I strongly believe that integrating diversity into the mentality of the company from the outset is a key driver in ensuring a diverse team. Here at Tadaweb we have had over 11 different cultures and a growing number of women working in our team. To date we have been fortunate enough to have welcomed on board amazing people from:

Belgium

France 

Luxembourg

Italy

Denmark

Greece

America

India

New Zealand

England

Ireland

If you wander through our office you will find little pieces of culture hiding everywhere and the team are very proud of who they are and where they come from... except when they lose the world cup. 

This cultural diversity ensures we have the capacity to cater to nearly 10 languages (yes, in Luxembourg your are usually amazingly lucky and talented enough to be able to speak three or four languages!). This is great right? But how does diversity lead to tangible business success? Well, in a whole bunch of amazing ways. But life is short so I am not going to highlight them all. Instead I wanted to go through the top four that aren’t often discussed. 

1. Diversity Can Drive an Efficient “Middle Ground”

Mixing black and white makes grey...

One of the most interesting elements I have noticed in working with such a culturally diverse team is understanding that different backgrounds, and arguably cultures, approach work and challenges very differently. Some of the guys have been raised to be quite risk averse yet have an incredible regard for detail. Others from a different background are more keen to “hack something up,” test it, then fix it. The two opposing approaches can actually form a very all “encompassing approach” to product development. The true challenge is understanding how to unite the differences in a way that is productive. For example, for someone who is hesitant to deploy before testing for weeks, unites with someone eager to push then flesh out the problems in a test environment, uniting the two can create a fantastic equilibrium between being over-cautious and overzealous. 

2. Diversity is Beneficial for Targeting a Global Marketplace

Nothing beats being able to pass the phone to or greet a visitor at the door with a person whose mother tongue matches the important customer, lead or collaborator on the other end. People feel more secure speaking to someone who speaks their language (or their accent) and from our experience at Tadaweb, a much stronger, trusting relationships can be achieved. It also re-enforces the fact that you are a global, not a local company. 

3. Diversity is an Amazing Teacher and Builds a Great Bond

Did you know that in Italy you don’t eat lunch until 2.30pm? Did you know the indigenous people of New Zealand are called Maoris? Did you that a real Belgian fry is cooked twice? Did you know that Feta can only be called Feta if it is fabricated in Greece? Did you know that apparently the US is the most amazing country in the whole world (well... according our US guys anyway.. cough)

These are just a few of the random facts (and not so fact) you pick up working with a bunch of very different people. Think about it yourself. You are unique and surrounded by people eager to learn about you and where you come from. I personally wanted to teach my team about my culture a couple of years ago... So I dressed up as an indigenous person from my home country, NZ. I do have to admit, I probably scared my small children on my way to work than teach my team about my culture but it was a great way for us to unite together. Diversity brings with it a massive database of unknowns to explore. The conversations never run dry around our communal dining table and we are constantly sharing little nuggets of information that make up who we are. This brings with it an excellent opportunity to bond and become a strong team.

4. Diversity Improves Communication

“Sup ow, all G? Sweet as bro” “Coucou - ca va? oui ca va”- You get it right? Hmm.... maybe not. It’s kiwi and French slang for asking someone how they are, and replying with they are good. With having so many languages being spoken in the office, sometimes we have to the common language of English or French to communicate. This provides an excellent opportunity for the team to consolidate their multiple languages. But above all, the team have to adapt to explaining things in multiple different ways, sometimes more slowly, other times from a different approach and sometimes using a range of different examples. 

Next. 

So what’s next? My next big challenge as the co-founder of a tech company is increasing even more the presence of women in my team. To date we are fortunate enough to a few already, and there are many more in the hiring pipeline. The current women on our team form management, organisational and developer roles, not the traditional positions women find themselves in. A fact for which I am very proud. And yes, even girls can kick ass at building IKEA furniture. 

To sum up. If you are in the process of building a killer team hire someone who is perfect for the role at hand, but also has the capacity to bring a new level of diversity. It will bring a level of knowledge, understanding, communication and outlook that is impossible to achieve if you stick to an ants nest. 

[gennaelvin]

The Offsite Day and the Importance of Novelty

Here at Tada, we try and do a few offsite days per year, be it at a golf course, a barbecue at mine, brasserie or a scavenger hunt around the city. Last week was the first of this year with the Tada team spending a day in an ancient Belgian Abbey called Orval. Spiritual enlightenment you ask? Well, not as such, but rather enlightenment of a different kind and a clear demonstration in the power of novelty. 

The morning kicked off with a bus arriving full of a bright eyed, Tada swag wearing team members. Most of them had never been to Orval, so this in itself was a novel experience. The team stood in awe as they looked over to a massive old Abbey, that is not only famous for it’s architecture, but also for the fact that it makes exceptional (globally recognised) beer and cheese - hey I had to get the team to there some how! As much as I could rave on about how awesome the beer and cheese are and how even I could become a monk if I got to work here (see below) I want to use this post to emphasise the importance of taking teams to new environments and providing them with novel situations. 

From a neuroscience perspective, novelty is probably one of the most powerful signals in determining what we pay attention to in the world. In fact, researchers have found that novelty causes a number of brain systems to become activated; in particular the dopamine system. This system, residing deep within the brain stem, sends the neurotransmitter dopamine to locations across the brain. Traditionally researchers believed dopamine’s role to be that of a “feel-good” neurotransmitter (because drugs that create euphoria, such as cocaine or meth cause an increase of dopamine in particular parts of the brain). However, researchers are now understanding that the dopamine system is likely to be more like that of a “gimme more” neurotransmitter. Focus and drive - what more could you ask for in preparation for a comprehensive quarterly update right? 

Because after all, as our company grows and grows team leader presentations are becoming ever more important. The days of each member of the team standing up for a few minutes each morning and explaining what they are working on are becoming a thing the past. As flat as we attempt to be I believe there is a place for group leaders to keep the teams on track and act as glue between the different teams. Once the excited bunch settled down into a fully equipped conference room you could sense a fresh energy in the air. The team were absolutely buzzing and for me as a founder, I couldn’t be more excited in fact I was truly inspired by our team. 

As the morning went on, I sat down and watched in awe as each of my team leaders stood up and proudly presented how far their projects had evolved since the beginning, what they were currently working on and where they were going, each with their own amazing touch of humor and personalisation. The team was engrossed in each presentation and the only thing I can compare the situation to was a bustling, passionate football locker room where the coach was explaining a strategy to an enthusiastic, tight knit team. It was clear that the novel setting and change of status quo was a significant facilitator in driving the team in the same direction. Once the presentations had finished and we all had an amazing overview of where we were as a company and where we were going it was time to try some of that amazing beer and cheese... oh and then visit the abbey to see these clever monks in action. 

By taking the team out of their day-to-day context when discussing and presenting on important aspects of company strategy, it was clear to see that team were significantly motivated to learn, share and pay attention. The promise of reward in the form the form of amazing lunch and visit of the Abbey (where they could buy beer and cheese) also conveyed a strong “thank you” message, contributing to camaraderie and loyalty within the team.  So next time an important time arises in your company, be it an annual or quarterly update, a strategy announcement of a just an event to say “thanks” - think about doing it in a place that no one has experienced before. As a founder or team member in general, novelty (and dopamine) is your friend, just try to avoid the use of crack to stimulate it...

**and thanks to the Tada team for the photos, I hope you don’t mind the fact I stole them for this post.

[gennaelvin]

The Rise of the “Corporate Jungle Gym “

A time when the Corporate Ladder simple doesn’t fit

How many of your meetings kick off like this: “How about we get everyone to quickly introduce themselves?” For which people reply with a long list elite universities and corporate positions. How many times do you scroll down a LinkedIn profile when hiring for an open position to see what degree or role someone has and how it fits with the position? How often do you hear people name drop the “MBA” bomb at networking events? Well, if you are anything like me, A LOT. However, the people that do this seem to be forgetting that we are entering a new age of career progression. After recently finishing Sheryl Sandberg’s thought provoking book, Lean In, it is clear to see that the corporate ladder is being displaced by “corporate jungle gym” as we enter the rise of millennials. The traditional mentality of striving for one sole life long career that is achievable through one clear path is a thing of the past. 

This is great right? It is no longer a time when your education, qualification (or lack of) directly correlates with the position you can bring the most value to. In fact, from my own personal experience of interviewing and hiring talent, it is clear to see who is “book smart,” who is “experience smart” oh and who is “mum smart.” Don’t get me wrong, I am not throwing a university level education under the bus, I am myself am an eternal learner and have a higher education, however I believe when hiring it is important to understand that the perfect position-profile match should not be based fully on qualification or history. But the proof is in the pudding right? Let me share with your my career journey, as well as a couple of stories from the team here at Tada to re-enforce this “jungle gym career notion.” 

After finishing high school, I decided that before I would start my tertiary studies, I first needed to see the bigger picture - so I travelled to Europe via Asia at 17. Alone. Having never left my country before in my life, and only ever been on an airplane once before... I must say it was a shock. If I was in search of a new experience, I definitely got it and in doing so gained an invaluable view of the world and how it works. On my return back to NZ I was a different person. I kicked off two Bachelor Degrees at the same time - Law and Psychology. My theory was that law would teach me about the world and how humans should act, and psychology would teach me about people and why they react... 

During my studies, I worked part-time, after all tertiary education in New Zealand is super expensive and well, I like doing a lot of stuff at the same time. During my first year I was a surf lifesaver, a position that taught me how to develop a strong eye for detail, react in stressful situation oh... and also get a good sun tan. In my second year of studies I was a swimming teacher, at a busy city pool. Working with kids taught me valuable lessons in patience and learning to explain things differently. After the pool, I then I got a job as an admin assistant at a busy physiotherapist, this role teaching to me the importance of organisation, but also providing me with insight on how to build  a small business.  The last job during my studies (my studies were long) was co-founding a startup, Sunmana. Sunmana was a project funded by the US Government to bring solar energy to the remote, impoverished Marshall Islands. It was here where I first got bit by the startup bug. I was thrown into a whirlwind position of knowing nothing, and learning everything - and quick. 

Upon my graduation reality suddenly hit me like a ton of bricks. “Ok Genna” I thought, with a deep breath... “your CV resembles a first year dorm room - a complete shambled mess of Baywatch meets Unicef, combined with a dose of Judge Judy and a pinch of Dr Phil...” Who on earth would hire me, and above all what I would I do?  After a few weird interviews in multiple areas, and an array of bizarre confusing “no” responses such as “you are too qualified for this job, we are worried you will get bored” or “It’s clear you can multi-task, but we need more strength in this area.” Miraculously after a few weeks, I was able to find an entry level job for the New Zealand Government, from where I was lucky enough to have a boss who believed in me and my ability and who promoted me four times in the space of a year. Before I knew it was heading a team on very special projects in the area of counter proliferation... Oh great... So now Baywatch,  Unicef, Dr Phil, Judge Judy meets the Spooks. Having by this time met my (now) Belgian husband, we decided that if things weren’t complicated enough, it would be a fun idea to move to other side of the world. 

Baywatch,  Unicef, Dr Phil, Judge Judy meets the Spooks just went International...

Before leaving to Europe, I knew the playing field would be tough... My husband already had a first class Masters Degree in Artificial Intelligence and Computer Security... I knew a Masters Education would prove a necessity. After weeks of preparing a lengthy application to a leading Brussels International School (a University of Kent initiative), I was over the moon to find out a few weeks before leaving, I had been accepted into the International Conflict and Global Security Masters Program. The career jungle gym was in full swing by this time with many, including myself, still unsure as to what I really wanted to do in my life. All I knew was that I wanted to work on a project that truly mattered to the world (I know I know it sounds cliché Miss Universe don’t gag too much), something that created positive change be it in the field of neuropsychology for which is a massive passion of mine, or international relations.  

After kicking off and inspiring first semester of Advanced Conflict Analysis focusing on the unfolding Arab Spring uprising and the rise of the Twitter Revolution, I got a part-time job for a political consultancy company right across the street from the European Parliament. I can’t say it the best job I have ever had... In fact, being a young, foreign woman in a male dominated political setting opened my eyes for the first time to work place sexism, and the battles women face in corporate settings. Despite this, I am grateful for this insight for which serves as a motivator in my efforts of promoting women today. Anyway - that is for another day. 

During this time, my mornings were spent on campus, my afternoons were spent at work and evenings were spent helping start was is now known as Tadaweb. Before I knew it, I was spending more time on Tada than work or school. Eventually, we decided it was the right time to incorporate as a company. It was a big day. The original plan was for me work for Tada in the early mornings and evenings, while working a full time job at an American company based Luxembourg. After successfully negotiating a good contract, I got a phone call the day before I was to start to say that I needed a "special visa.” At that point, I accepted fate and decided to take the plunge into financial insecurity by joining together with co-Founder to start Tadaweb full time.... 

Starting a company was a crazy ride and to this day I truly believe that having a crazy “Baywatch meets Unicef, combined with a dose of Judge Judy and a pinch of Dr Phil” aka a “jungle gym CV” has much better equipped me for success than any MBA could have. Working multiple, practical jobs through out my studies taught me how to value money, how to focus on what matters, to be resourceful and very flexible. While at the same time, having a diverse higher education that focuses on how humans interact with the world, what makes them tick and how they are driven ensures I can build a company that makes people want to strive; coupled of course with a legal, internationally focused side of how the world works has been highly valuable to the company. 

To sum up, next time you are looking to hire someone, don’t judge fully on their CV or university education. Understand what makes them tick, talk to them about where they want to go and what drives them. Even here at Tada, two of our team leaders entered into the company in completely different positions to where they are now. Their drive, resourcefulness and passion led them to their new roles, for which they are rockstars in... In the words of legendary Dr. Suess:

[gennaelvin]

What Leaders Can Learn From a Guy Called Maslow...

If you can’t tell by now, I love nothing more than learning how humans (and animals for that matter) interact with each other and their environments, getting a sense for what makes them tick or understanding why things goes wrong. Something I cannot get enough of is Behavioural Economics and I strongly advocate for everyone in the business world to dedicate a little bit of time to exploring the topic. Behavioural Economics, despite being a relatively new field in the scheme of things, brings a new dimension of understanding to why people undertake certain actions, encompassing the critical element of human nature that so often lacks in traditional Economics Theory. In this post I want to focus on the concept of “self-actualisation” aka being the best you can be. In response, I will take a deep dive into Marlow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and how it can play a huge roll in motivating team members to be effective and happy at work. At each step I will take you through real life examples of what I am trying to do with our team in order to embrace the concept. 

So before we get cracking, let me quickly introduce you to this guy: Abraham Maslow. Maslow is arguably one the most positive psychologists to ever exist, having lead the “positive psychology movement” where by he argued that humans innately seek to reach their full potential, as long as their basic needs are met. This is where his pyramid comes in, illustrating the needs of humans in order to reach the top goal of “self actualisation.” This theory was first presented in 1943 in a paper called “A Theory of Human Motivation” in Psychological Review and is still widely referred to today. 

Level 1. Physiological – The basic things we need to live (and no, as surprising as this may be, WIFI is not one of them)

Breathing, drinking, sleeping, having sex and using the bathroom… you get the picture. These are base elements of living and should not be hard for you as an employer to cater to (well… most of them). One obvious way is ensuring your team have a fair salary that ensures they can purchase food, have a good bed to sleep in and fresh air to breathe. Here at Tadaweb, and as illustrated in a previous post, we provide quite a lot of food to our employees including: lunch vouchers everyday, fresh baking, team lunches and bio fruit box that gets delivered each week. Quite frankly, happy tummies make happy teams. 

Level 2. Safety - Feeling secure, safe and appreciated

So let’s face it. “Security” (financial at least) and “startups” rarely go together hand in hand. With such a high percentage of startups failing, 90% according to Forbes… it’s not wonder. But don’t think this makes achieving this second layer impossible for young companies. In times of uncertainty there is nothing more imperative than solid, trustworthy and safe leadership. The types of leaders that can track and manage a dwindling bank balance coupled with an increasing burn rate, while at the same time remaining strong, positive and appropriately honest in the presence of their employees. Having leaders that build a sense of safety is crucial in ticking off the second layer, and here at Tadaweb we place a large effort on ensuring the team feel safe and appreciated. 

Level 3. Belonging – Ensuring everyone feels apart of the team

One of the things I care about the most when building my company is culture. Creating a happy and successful team culture no easy task, in fact it’s a very tricky balancing act. For us especially, on hand we have very serious customers who trust us to deliver very important products, on the other hand we are a team of young, crazy, yet highly talented people who like to have fun. Finding the middle ground is important and once achieved can be a massive part of making everyone feel part of the same journey. One way achieve this, is our team building days which happen through out the year. Be it exploring a brewery and learning how beer is made, or running through the streets on a halloween scavenger hunt, there are a number of small things that can be done to ensure the team are secure. Another thing we have done recently is order “team swag.” Sporting psychology has taught us a lot about how sport can unite people, in multiple ways, including the wearing of a common uniform. So go try it. 

Level 4. Esteem – Feeling supported and recognised

Research has shown that recognition means more when it comes from your coworkers. Giving employees the power to set their own challenges, and corresponding solutions can be an extremely empowering experience. What I have found time and time again is that when you work with the right people, freedom can be hugely beneficial for positive results. Micro-management on the other hand is the enemy of building esteem. Here at Tada the team are given a lot of freedom to push their own boundaries and are there to witness the positives when the pull it off. Embracing the notion of each team have their own projects is great in ensuring praise is given accordingly when they pull of something crazy cool. When something super awesome happens, we celebrate it, and celebrate it well. 

Level 5. Self Actualisation – “What a man can be, he must be” Maslow

Reaching self-actualisation is no easy task, in order to get this final layer, Maslow emphasised that the previous layers need to be mastered and I would add, “continually fostered”.  However, once ‘self-actualisation’ is reached, anything you set your drive towards is possible. You are not limited by worrying about food, housing, loneliness or lack of self-esteem, you are in fighting mode, reading to rip apart your challenges. It is an ideal situation and once you have a team in this mode, there is no stopping you. No challenge is to big. I think reaching this step is also helped by being surrounded by “motivators” to get there. Here at Tada, we constantly emphasise the notion of “nothing is impossible.” We are driven by the quote “qui ne tente rien, n’a rien” (which translates to, if you don’t try you won’t know) and you will hear the world “confiant” (confident) used by team through out the day. It is here when we can build the technology we know we are capable of and get the deals we have always dreamed of. 

So I know what you are thinking, this sounds all a bit “clinical” - the whole multi-layer approach to fundamentally becoming the “kick ass you.” But don’t get bogged down in layers too much. What Maslow’s theory simply illustrates is that in order to become free enough to reach your potential, you have to first ensure the other details are taken care of. As leaders we need to constantly strive to make our teams be their best selves, ensuring the Hierarchy of needs is sorted will make that a whole bunch easier. 

[gennaelvin]

Failure is not a tick in the box.

I cannot count the number of events I have been to where successful entrepreneurs and business leaders have took the stage to share their experiences on starting and running a business.  Don’t get me wrong, I am a massive advocate for sharing stories, both good and bad, for the purposes of helping out others’ to learn and progress quicker with less avoidable mistakes. But the thing is... After nearly five years of hearing entrepreneurs share their lessons, I was recently presented with a situation that made me think hard. This situation made me strongly question some of the common concepts being portrayed to our budding young entrepreneurs... 

Too many concepts are being thrown around without context and when information lacks context it is impossible to really understand the full story. Just look below, if you don’t know the context of this photo - what would you think?

It was the third talk into a full day conference. I was sitting in a bustling conference hall next to a young guy about to launch his own startup. He was diligently jotting down takeaways in his note pad. He was that “information sponge” that I was just a couple of years prior and arguably still am. He was listening attentively then stopped, and wrote this...  “TO SUCEED, MUST FAIL”

Seeing those words scribbled down in a check list fashion evoked a strange felling inside of me. It sent me back to just recently when I had discussed the concept of “embracing failure” in both lecture to a Masters Entrepreneurship Class, as well as an interview for a startup magazine. WHAT HAD I DONE?

Hands down, failure is one of the most important lessons in human behaviour, be it for teaching our human predecessors to stop putting their hands in a burning flame, or teaching a toddler that a square peg does not fit in a round hole for the purposes of working out that fire burns and round pegs go in round holes. However, from my experience, too many people in positions of influence are using the word “failure” far too frivolously. Worst of all, they are tossing around the notion of failure without any context.

I wanted to write on this topic in an attempt to get speakers, writers and influencers in general, to seriously consider the ramifications of their words on the next generation of entrepreneurs. We need to add context instead of just tossing around over-riding concepts. Failure is the best teacher, but it’s a pitstop not a destination. Each time we as entrepreneurs try to make something work, there is a chance we will fail. From that failure, or arguably the quick response to that failure, we are then empower to iterate and to make it better. Let’s stop preaching the power of failure and instead start telling more highly contextual stories about our failures, how they happened, what we learnt from them, above all how we reacted to them in order to improve. Because after all, failure should not be on a check list. 

[gennaelvin]

That time in Berlin...

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

Last week I was in Berlin to attend the launch party of the latest issue of The Hundert which featured 100 Successful Female Startup Founders from all around Europe, for which I was fortunate enough to be one of. 

So as awesome as that is, it’s not what I am going to post about here. Instead I want to take you on my spontaneous adventure of getting my first tattoo, because after all, I think the best part of being human is being spontaneously random every now and then. 

It started with a 4.30am wakeup and an early morning drive to the airport, something I find myself doing all too often. I was so excited to be visiting Berlin for the first time, despite having been in Europe nearly 6 years now, it was still a place I had not yet been. After all, for me there is nothing more exciting than “getting lost” in a new environment, where everything is new and you are left to just “explore.”

After finding a good dose of inspiration on the short flight over, I landed in Berlin buzzing. It was a sunny day, I had my note pad full with plans to take over the world and I was eager to meet the fellow female entrepreneurs that had also featured in the Hundert issue. 

The morning was fun, Berlin was beautiful and I could work and conference call from a cute little cafe in the sunshine: bliss. We joked on the call about how crazy it was that four people, all sitting different countries (Berlin, Belfast, London and Luxembourg) could interact in real time. God Bless Skype.  

2pm rolled around. The call was done, I was hungry and decided to Yelp a funky vegetarian café. I found a place that looked AMAZING. The food came with the utmost of reviews and the atmosphere was supposedly the definition of Berlin cafe chic... The only problem was... It was about a 35 min walk away. I didn’t care and set off with my Google Map. I was in constant communication with my team back at the office, sharing things I knew they would appreciate, such as roads named after “beer” and a barbecue man that actually wore a barbecue... YES, WORE A BARBECUE... (I posted a photo because I knew you would not believe me).

Ok... So when I finally arrived there was no café to be seen. Nothing. It was my first official Yelp fail. Sad times. I continued to walk in hope, then it happened. I saw a tattoo parlour with a giant sign “walk-ins welcome today.” It wasn’t that grungy tattoo parlour that you see in the back streets of large cities... It looked clean, modern and reputable. I walked past it, trying to look in the window, while trying to avoid the people know I was looking - you know that awkward situation - they know you know you are looking, but they pretend that you aren’t just as much as you pretend you aren’t - and to be fair, I was dressed in my “power blazer.” I guess I didn’t really look like the type to be contemplating a tattoo that day, oh how looks can be deceiving...

That first rush of excitement of the possibility of getting my first tattoo was soon swept away by anxiety. “What would my husband say,” “Would I regret it?” “DO I really want a tattoo?.” All different emotions were twirling inside me, excitement, fear, exhilaration and “bad-ass-ness (is that a word, or even an emotion?).” I thought, well conditions are perfect, it’s now or never. In fact, it was one of the moments that arise from time to time when you truly believe you will regret not doing it, more than you will regret doing it and if there is one thing I have learnt to embrace more and more over the years is “going with that gut feeling.” So I walked in...

Yes... the power suit wearing, english speaking, solo female walked into the tattoo joint in the middle of Berlin. AND IT WAS AWESOME. I asked with a small voice if it was possible to get a tattoo - he said “sure, when you are looking to make an appointment?” - I hesitated for a second then said... “Ummm, does now suit?” He was a little surprised, but then a little smile crept in and he replied... “Is it your first one?” - I gulped and said “yep...” He said - how about in 30 minutes. I SAID SURE. A streak of terror hit once again on walking out of the shop and my rational brain kicked in flinging me with questions such as “did you read the reviews of this place?” “have you got your design ready.” I decided to go for a coffee and do some research.. 

The coffee turned into a double vodka, with lime and soda. I needed a dose of liquid courage. I opened up my laptop with shaking hands, hoping desperately to find good reviews... I found them... BUT THEY WERE MOSTLY IN GERMAN. Crap, I thought. I don’t have time for this. Hello Google Translate. Copy/paste... I start reading the translation which started out somewhere along the lines of “patchy colour work, bad alignment” - my heart skipped a beat, what the f*ck was I doing? I continued reading - “all corrected to perfection by this amazing tattoo artist” - PHEW. I kept reading review after review - amazing, brilliant, Berlin’s best tattoos. I felt reassured and went about drawing the message that I had wanted as a tattoo for years - “Mind over Matter” (because after all, anything you can believe you can achieve, you will).

The longest half an hour of my life finally comes to an end. I find myself back in the tattoo parlour, surrounded by different types of people: one guy covered from head to toe in tats, another lady in mid forties getting a wrist tattoo dedicated to a special life event, a young honey moon couple enquiring about couples tattoos. It was about then the that anxiety Gods came to play yet again. I started to really doubt my choice, but there was no going back... Well there probably was, but I didn’t want to back out, it’s just not my style. So I waited for another horrendously long 20 minutes... 

As each minute ticked along I doubted my decision even more... 

Then it happened. Cindy... the lady that was about to permanently change me for the rest of my life called my name.. I walked in, acting cool, when in fact I was anything but. She placed a stencil version on my skin and checked I was happy with it. I looked at it quickly and nodded quickly, but it was more like that glassy eyed look, looking without looking. In fact, she could have shown me a heart with I love mum and I would have nodded anyway. I just wanted it done. The bzzzzzzz of the tattoo thingy (that’s the official word) started and it wasn’t as painful as I thought. After about 30 minutes.. IT WAS DONE... 

And you know what... I couldn’t be more happy. Having a statement that I live my life by permanently integrated into who I am is powerful. And my husband thinks it’s pretty cool too.. So to sum up the story - if your gut says go for it, and you think you will regret missing the opportunity rather than going for it, I say do what makes you happy. 

- signed, a now “badass tattoo woman”

Oh and PS. Mum - if you have some how managed to find this blog, I got a tattoo :p

[gennaelvin]

Very proud of the Hundert magazine for choosing to dedicate a complete issue to highlighting the Female Startup Founders of Europe and it’s great to be one of them.  

[gennaelvin]

Amen. 

[gennaelvin]

The Message Behind the Muffin

So ask anyone at Tadaweb and they will tell you one reason they love Monday (or Tuesday, or Wednesday or Thursday or even Friday) mornings is because when they get through the door they will be greeted by fresh baking, waiting for them on the communal table. That baking comes from my oven. Yes, since the beginning of the Tadaweb journey I have made it my mission to bake every week for my team (including the week my son was born). It’s safe to say I know each member of my team’s favourite recipes. 

“You bake a cake, the guys eat it.” Simple situation right? Well. The one thing that I have actually learnt the most after years of baking for an awesome, growing team is that the situation is actually a little more deep.  Baking, particularly as the company Founder represents a number of implicit values. Let me explain...

Number 1. Giving Thanks

For me personally, from as young as I can remember, baking has always been a way to thank people, particularly growing up in New Zealand. If the neighbours helped out, a teacher was kind or someone needed a “thanks,” mum baked for them. Baking for Tadaweb has always been a way for me as a Founder to say “thanks” to my team for all the hard work they do. 

Number 2. Investment of Time 

Baking is quite a large investment of time. In fact, I generally spend a good three hours or so baking on Sundays, plus a few more hours during the week if they team are really hungry. By being able to show your team that you are willing to sacrifice a few hours every week, particularly on the weekend, in order to make their day a little happier definitely brings a level of empathy to the office. 

Number 3. Sharing of Food

Baking is definitely a two way street: I love baking equally as much as they love eating. Because I am a foodie, I have grown to appreciate how special and “bonding” the experience of eating together is. Let’s face it, some of the earliest human social interactions were based around sharing food. This is why one of the first purchases for the new Tada office was a communal dining table and there is nothing more great than seeing a table full of guys who like sharing each others’ company, reflecting on what they are eating, telling jokes and enjoying the moment. Baking unites the team in one more way. 

Number 4. No Need to Wander

It was never the intention, but a nice bi-product of having food “constantly available” in the office let’s the team keep focused on what they are trying to achieve. There is nothing worse than working on an empty stomach and having to leave the office to find a snack can cut concentration. A big jar full of cookies, a box of fruit or a healthy loaf at their disposal is a great way to get projects done and dusted.

So all in all, our unique baking offering at Tadaweb is filled with benefits, from showing my gratitude as a founder, to keeping away the hunger pains, baking has been a key part of the Tadaweb company culture. Just wish me luck when we hit the 100 employee mark... I might need to hire an CBO (Chief Baking Officer).

[gennaelvin]

Be it sweating or presenting, we are all social animals: the Gym vs the Office

I love analysing human behaviour, I love exercising and I love running a company, so it’s really no surprise that I am writing this post.  I won’t lie, my insights are probably the result of slightly over-analytical, sleep deprived take on human life that has emerged as a result of far too much time running on a rotating matt, while people watching... But despite this, it has to be said that time and time again our environments, stimuli and triggers change, but we as “social animals” continue, over and over again to act int the same ways and form the same hierarchies.... In this post I will be focusing on the cross overs between gym and business settings, both of which are surprisingly similar in a number of ways. 

It’s the new year. Honestly speaking, I hate the new year at the gym. I know, I am being cynical, but after witnessing more than eight “gym new years” I am allowed to be. Picture this: a giant room of sweating, grunting people, air that is contaminated by smell of new lycra and fresh running shoes and a lack of hot water in the showers.  Don’t get me wrong, I love nothing more than seeing people turn to fitness... (Just don’t wait until January 1st, and don’t do it all at the same time, and don’t do it in my gym) Ok, ok, I am ranting, I apologise, let’s get into the group dynamics and take a look at the two eco-systems. 

Walking into a gym (anywhere around the world) is like walking into a corporate office, there are just less clothes and more sweat (or not, depending on what happens in your office..) There is a CEO, sales people, dedicated employees, not-so dedicated employees, employees that have been in the business too long but are afraid of change, pretenders and there are true innovators. It may not appear that way at first, but over the years I have learnt how to spot them. Let’s take a look, one group at a time. 

Let’s kick off with the CEO. You will find the gym CEO in the weights room. He will be wearing a jersey, because gone are the days when he actually has to show his muscles. Now, everyone just “knows they are there” and know they are big. You do not mess with the gym CEO, just as you don’t mess with the company CEO. If he wants the squat rack, he gets the squat rack. If he wants the 30kg dumbbell, you give the guy the 30kg dumbbell. But at the same time, the gym CEO is someone he will wander behind the aspiring CEO’s and give a few tips here and there, maybe something like don’t bend your back there or encouraging you to change your grip. He is someone highly respected, but also understands the importance of teaching others (just don’t mess with him).

These “others” that he teaches are who I see as the “trusted employees.” They are people who turn up everyday and who don’t only do their hours, but they work until the finish what needs to get done. They seek new challenges and they are driven by their determination. Their currency is not a pay cheque, but gains. These people spend time researching their strategy and have a thirst for knowledge, in the gym, it is how to get a better physique or higher level of fitness, it the business world it is to solve a work challenge or be more efficient. Either way, they are people that are trusted and make a real impact on their environment. It’s these guys you a)want to look to for advice and b)want to hire. 

Next stop is the cardio section, full of treadmills, elliptical trainers, rowing machines etc. Here you will find the “constant employees.” These are the type of employees who don’t really enjoy what they do, but do it because they are scared of change, or scared of not doing it. Everyday you will find these employees on the same machines, doing the same thing for the same amount of time. If you ask them why they do it, they will say “because they always have" or because “it’s all the know.” Despite these employees being slightly dangerous in their ability to restrict innovation or keep an “unchallenging” status quo, they at least turn up, every single day and they can be sure to get the base minimum achieved. The challenge that needs to be set for this group is an attempt to to rekindle their passion and eagerness to learn. 

That’s where the personal trainers come into the mix (my favourite episode to watch at the gym). Personal trainers are the Sales People of the corporate world. They can sometimes be very...  “persistent” (kind word, for freak’n annoying) if left to their own devices, however if chosen well, have a unique ability to convert people into doing desired actions. In both the business world and gym world, these desired actions are the same: a) convince people to part with their cash and b) convince people to try something new, be it a product, service or new exercise regime. Gym “Sales People” work hard to identify the weak link, maybe an unsure “constant employee” attempting to understand how a machine works, or maybe a first timer ready for change. Whoever it is, once the target has been identified, the gym sales person” goes to work. They kick things off with a “free trial” which goes somewhere along the lines of this - “oh hey, I saw you weren’t too sure how to use this machine, let me show you.” Next they move further along the sales cycle and until they come up with the sales proposition that resonates with the client: “how about some one to one training so you can get that body of your dreams?” Deal closed. 

Up next are they “pretender employees.” They may take the form of an intern, or a full time employee.  Don’t bother looking for them in the main gym, because they aren’t there. In fact, they don’t even turn up at the gym to exercise. Rather, you will more often than note find them in the changing rooms, usually in front of the mirror and often in pairs. They may look the part, decked out in the latest Nike trainers, killer gym gear and the latest devices but that is just for the look. The pretender employees don’t really know what hard work is or are highly unmotivated to achieve real results. They are more proud of the fact they are there, and of course must take a few dozen selfies to inundate social media with because after all “if you don’t get a selfie, did you really do it?” Pretender employees are the most dangerous, particularly on the business side of things and even more so for a young company. This group is great at draining company resources with little in return. 

So next time you are in the gym, take  look around. Identify the people you want to follow in order to obtain your objectives, such as the dedicated employees or the CEO, and ignore the ones that aren’t going to where you want to go, like the Cardio queens or pretender employees. 

[gennaelvin]

I really appreciated this video. Firstly, it is one of the hardest lessons of a running a technology company: keep things simple. There is nothing harder than “killing off” features, but Steve Jobs explains why. He also goes through the importance of marketing, and how to do it right. Nike doesn’t compare their shoes to Reebok, based on how good they perform - they show amazing sports people wearing them. 

[gennaelvin]

Introducing the new Tadaweb... an inside look

The time had arrived. As a growing and maturing company we knew we needed to reflect that in our visual identity. Unfortunately, the old TaDaweb logo was simply too "old school." The mustard yellow,

Here I share the “inside” story of my company’s recent rebrand. I believe providing transparency into decision making, particularly for areas that are visibly available to the outside world is important for brand building. 

[gennaelvin]

International Women’s Day got me reflecting...

So, here’s me. A female founder that started a company in the middle of Europe, despite not even being born in the Northern hemisphere or possessing an MBA, not to mention being only 23 on incorporation day. As you can see, I’m not your typical European company founder. I don’t think there actually is one. But International Women’s Day this year got me thinking about my journey as an a-typical entrepreneur, especially just how far I have come and how much I have learnt purely by been thrown in the deep end.

But before I explain in a little more detail, let me take you on our startup journey. When we started TaDaweb in Luxembourg those four plus years ago, we were extremely naïve, albeit super ambitious.  We were driven by the fact that we were introducing an unprecedented technology to the world that was not only welcomed, but respected.

At the time I thought that because I had read the Lean Startup, wrote pages of “verbal diarrhoea” in the form of 50 page business plans, populated endless Excel spreadsheets on “estimated” revenue models and completed a Business Model Canvas with “hopefullys” rather than “certains” - that we were ready to take over the world. Despite this nativity and lack of experience, we weren’t all wrong. In addition the guesswork, myself and my co-Founder were driven by goals from day 1.  Not not just any goals however, we were driven by tangible, measurable goals that we could see and experience. From raising our investment rounds and ensuring our technology developed they way we envisioned, to building the team and culture we knew we needed. We lived our future, ticking off the boxes one by one.

In addition to having vision there have been so many other lessons I have learn’t so far, that by sharing, might hopefully help and inspire new founders to be great, quicker with less avoidable mistakes. After all, the other day I was walking through Shoreditch, in London. It is clear we are currently in a generation where startups are “cool.” Every hipster (nothing against hipsters, promise) and their dog (usually pugs) are working for them. They seem to be magical places where life is all about beards, parties, “user experience” and moustache wax. Great right? The stark reality of starting a company, pre-funding at least, is somewhat less attractive. It’s tough, bloody tough. So it’s no wonder that the risk of failure is high, up to 90% according to Forbes. As I have matured, I have learnt to respect failure as a vital component of evolution. After all, if everyone were to succeed, society would risk being littered with below par products and technologies that could cause considerable damage. The key to staying in the 10% is not denying but embracing failure quickly and intelligently. From my experience denying failure is one of the biggest mistakes a founder can make. Often this happens because we are stubborn, we have too much belief in our own abilities or we are being falsely supported by people too weak to tell us the truth i.e. our mums or friends.  If this mindset is not switched early on, failure might just risk dragging a startup beyond a point of no return... 

The thing is, early on as a founder you are likely to only have limited resources available to you: A small amount of cash, an employee if you are lucky, and not a lot of time.  At this stage it has never been more important than finding your secret sauce aka “product-market-fit” before your runway, well... runs out.  But what’s often forgotten is that once the fit is there, you as the founder need to do everything to ensure it can then scale, and often at pace. This may seem obvious, but I personally have certainly had my fair share of “why the hell did I do that” moments and finding our product market fit was an arduous, not obvious process. But why? The thing was that everyone, including each investor, had a different opinion on how our technology was best used. Each actor convinced us their idea was best. It slowed things down hugely. It was not until we as founders went with our gut and applied our technology to the market we knew needed it the most, a market that used our technology as a painkiller instead of a vitamin, we could truly grow.  But it’s not all negative, it is super important to build a strong network of advisors, the most important thing is finding the balance between your irreplaceable know how of your own business vs experienced outsiders. It’s not an easy balance.

But, me being me... a female, I also wanted touch on a couple of gender specific points to hopefully encourage you lovely ladies out there.  I’m not going to deny it, I am the first to agree that being a female in the tech world is not always easy. However I do strongly believe, particularly from my experience, that if you as a female entrepreneur, you have a drive, hunger, know-how and great execution you have the potential to gain more respect than your male counterparts, across multiple facets of the technology, investment and business worlds. After all, “companies with higher female participation at a board level exhibit higher returns and payout ratios” according to Credit Suisse Research, aka females on management boards are excellent news for investors and in my personal experience, once you get through the initial frustration of working fives times harder than your male counterparts, the respect you will earn will be 10 fold. So as female entrepreneurs it can be extremely frustrating initially. I will never forget walking into countless boardrooms, stepping on many stages and starting conversations at countless networking events, only to be looked at with condescending eyes. Initially I dreaded it, now each time it happens I take that as a massive opportunity to smash that person out of the water. There is nothing more exhilarating than flipping a situation like that on it’s head, trust me and try it.  

Lastly, as female founders it’s important to understand that there are some (cough, many, cough) things that we as women do better than men. I’m not being arrogant here, but there’s no denying we have certain “attributes” embedded within us. Evolution has ensured we are “nurturers,” often highly perceptive to body language, and how people feel. This ability is invaluable in investor or customer meetings. Next, we are often very organised, resourceful and dedicated. We ensure things run smoothly and in a logical way. Lastly, we are often highly creative, not saying that many males aren’t either, but it is often easier for us to exploit this flare to make something unique, be it a company story or decorating an office. It is up to us to capitalise on these unique strengths when building a company.  I have a few of these characteristics and I am extremely grateful I chose to embrace, rather than suppress them. A key priority for me at TaDaweb is ensuring we have a rock solid team and company culture. Our office is a happy, positive, fun and crazily awesome place to work and I deeply care for each and every member of our growing team. We have ping pong, scooters, nerf guns, a bar, fresh baking every day, paid lunches, company cars oh.. and a giant gorilla called Bob. As a result, our team are driven by the ethos of “work hard, play hard” and they feel like they belong. This not only ensures we are solid and united, but it also that the people who work with us are happy and doing something they love. This reflects significantly in the product we build.

So all in all. I am no Sheryl Sandberg or Marissa Mayer yet, anyway. But I believe that embracing failure and learning quickly during the early days of your startup, coupled with having females present across multiple levels of your business will prove highly beneficial for your company. Use your strengths, don’t hide them and go and show those investors and customers how important you are to business.