Every month we ask one individual in our network a few questions about their way into tech, their motivation and their lessons learned.
Tell us where you’re from!
I grew up in Switzerland in a region called Napf in canton Lucerne. After having lived for a couple of years in Toronto, Canada together with my husband we moved back 11 year ago to Switzerland. After that I completed a Master in Design Communication at Bern University of Applied Science and worked for a software company. At the end of 2015, me and two of my friends decided to start our own company.
What valuable advice did you get from your parents?
I was told to trust myself to find answers but also to take the responsibility which comes with my decisions.
How did you become interested in tech?
For my master thesis, I developed a digital platform concept for teaching History to school children. Along the way during this thesis, I got interested in the power of technology and the positive impact it can have on society and business.
What aspects of your work are you proudest of?
I enjoy working in a team set-up to achieve a common goal. I’m proud of instances where I have contributed to my team in finding solution to a challenging problem and energized team members to overcome hurdles.
What drives you at work?
A few aspects come to my mind:
- Coming up with new ideas and testing them
- Doing things better: Whether it’s optimizing processes or improving customer experience
- Learning and trying out new things and sharing it with my colleagues
What has been your toughest challenge you faced while working in tech?
I have experienced the power of interdisciplinary teams and at the same time the challenges which come with it, especially regarding communication: Many times it is hard to understand each other because the vocabularies used for the same things are different in each discipline. We lack a common vocabulary.
What advice would you give other women in tech?
My learnings so far are:
- Don’t aim for perfection; rather test with an 80% version with customers
- Focus is key: Pick 1 to 2 actions to work on vs. multiple topics
