“If it is a woman holding the torch while 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 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.
