Factors Influencing Organizational Success

Flo Health is the world's first femtech unicorn (yay) but it's also founded and funded by men (hmm) It's great that women's health is gaining more recognition, given the vast inequality in funding, research, and focus... BUT It also exposes a huge problem with the startup ecosystem. → Just 2% of global VC funding goes to women (WEF) → Women's presence on pitches is *neutral at best* and becomes negative when women don't embody typically female traits (Harvard) → Investors prefer pitches presented by men - when presented with two identical pitches, 68% funded the startup pitched by a man and 31% funded the exact same startup pitched by a woman (Harvard) → 83% of investment committees have no female members (British Business Bank) Women are discriminated against at all stages of the investment process. → Women are asked more negative questions around risk and worst-case scenarios, whereas men are asked about opportunity and opportunity (Harvard) → Women have to fight against preconceptions, we are judged more frequently, and held to higher standards (Yale) Ultimately, people with the most privilege raise the most money, and I count myself in that bucket as I am a white, privately educated female. → Just 0.5% of funding goes to black founders (WEF) → 79% of VC Seed funding for diverse founders (which is a tiny amount) goes to white women (BBG Ventures) There is SO much inequality in the startup world, and it's talked about but never taken seriously. Instead, female founders are assumed to be running businesses that aren't VC-backable, or that there just aren't enough of us. This is an uncomfortable topic, but the only way we can improve this system is to educate people about the huge inequality that exists in a sector awash with bonkers amounts of capital. Flexa #Startups #Fundraising #Inequality

I asked a nonprofit CEO one question that made her go silent for 30 seconds. The organization: $8M budget. Beautiful mission. 80+ employees helping families in crisis. The question: "If you accomplish everything in your strategic plan, will these families still need you in 5 years?" Her answer broke my heart: "Well... yes. They'd still need our services." That's when I realized the uncomfortable truth: Most nonprofits accidentally design themselves to be permanent. Think about it: → We measure meals served, not families achieving food security → We count shelter beds filled, not people permanently housed → We track program attendance, not life transformation Success = more people receiving a service Failure = running out of clients I watched this Executive Director's face change as she realized what I was getting at. "So you're saying we should measure how many people graduate OUT of needing us?" Exactly. The nonprofits creating real change? They're designing themselves out of business. While they provide essential day-to-day supports, they're doing everything they can to ensure their services won't be needed in the future. The rest are running programs that meet immediate needs but may unintentionally sustain systems of dependence. Here's the test: If your organization executed its programs perfectly, would the problem you're solving disappear? If not, you might be treating symptoms instead of causes. I get it - people need meals today, housing today. Those services matter deeply. But without addressing root causes, we risk creating well-intentioned cycles of dependence. And that's why our sector struggles to break cycles of generational poverty. Uncomfortable truth? Sometimes.

How we talk about DEI is important. How we do the work of DEI, to actually achieve #diversity, #equity, and #inclusion, is far more important. As we head into 2025, I'm hearing a lot of buzz from well-meaning practitioners looking for ways they can rebrand the DEI status quo of one-off trainings, zero-budget lunch and learns, and volunteer burnout-inducing cultural celebrations so that they can continue with their workplace's business as usual under a new name. There is no rebrand in the world that can save ineffective practices. Long before this latest wave of backlash, practitioners leading this work have pushed for organizational DEI to become more accountable, measurable, and impactful. We've all seen organizations with rampant discrimination in promotion and hiring, with broadly inaccessible facilities, websites, products, and services, with toxic workplace cultures lacking respect, value, or safety for those in them, and with leadership teams leading with neither trust or transparency...boasting about their underfunded, poorly-attended, and undersupported DEI events to show their "commitment" to this work. If that's the status quo you're trying to save, forget about it. 🎯 Effective DEI work in 2024 was rigorous, measurable, and principled. It sought to identify problems before (not after) prescribing solutions, with the goal of improving diversity, equity, and inclusion outcomes. 💥 That same work in 2025 will look like strategic human-centered interventions with pre- and post-measurement to identify progress—or lack thereof—toward removing barriers to thriving in the workplace. 🎯 Effective DEI work in 2024 was systems-focused, not stopping at individual-level solutions like coaching or training, to root out systemic biases enabling homogeneity, inequity, and exclusion at scale. 💥 That same work in 2025 will look like organizational development and change management, to ensure that policies, processes, and practices across every workplace are enabling everyone to succeed. 🎯 Effective DEI work in 2024 was rooted in the collective, drawing on allyship between different identity groups to lend our collective power, influence, and resources to each other's causes. 💥 That same work in 2025 will look like coalition-building and organizing for mutual benefit, building trust between people from differing backgrounds to push for a better status quo that benefits everyone. When we give into fear and go on the defensive, we risk losing the creative edge we need to imagine a world better than the one we're familiar with. 2025 might be a hard year for DEI, yes. But the good, hard work behind it isn't going anywhere, not if practitioners stay focused on the impact we're working to achieve and continue honing our craft. Stay sharp, folks.

I was a mediocre product manager for the first  5 years Today, I am a product leader I've created products used by tens of millions of users Products have generated 100s of millions in revenue These are the 20 learnings that transformed my career 1. You are 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗘𝗢 of the product. You do not have authority. People don't fear you. 2. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 is critical to DO EARLY in your career. 3. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 is the single most critical skill for success. Invest in learning communication from Day 1. 4. Often, you will 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼. Don't stress. Accept: "I don't know" Then try your best to find the answer 5. 𝗙𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 does not make them right. Don't be intimidated. Build confidence, learn about your product and business 6. Don't commit to anything 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗛𝗬 7. When you stop making progress, 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 8. 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗬𝗘𝗦 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲. Say YES when you mean it. Otherwise, say NO. But explain the reason. 9. When needed, 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘇𝗼𝗻𝗲. Great things happen outside the comfort zone. 10. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀. Don't get demotivated. Instead, learn about business, users, and product. 11. Don't wait for feedback to 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀. Instead, identify where you lack, then improve. 12. 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗯. Don't avoid them. Instead, build relationships, focus on larger goals, and not people. 13. Often, you will have to 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. Collect evidence, make the best decision, and learn from it 14. 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘆. Be relentless with it. Treat it like you treat money: spend wisely, invest, not waste it, don't abuse it.     15. 𝗕𝗲 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱. Stay on top of what is happening, use the knowledge to make better decisions 16. Focus on 𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗦 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗣𝗨𝗧𝗦. Do tasks that drive outcomes. Help others do the same. 17. You will 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴. Because you fear making critical decisions. There is no perfect decision. To make good decisions, seek evidence, help and expertise     18. Your 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 often. Stay true to larger goals. Any changes that support larger goals are usually good.     19. It is difficult to 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 while communicating. Learn your stakeholders' communication preferences. Use that to make your message better 20. Getting 𝗯𝘂𝘆-𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵. Invest in nurturing the PM-engineer relation. Be transparent, share context, and open to their opinions. -- What are your biggest learnings as a PM?

As head of our product organization at Chase, I often think about how and what we’re delivering to customers, but I recently reflected on the vital role of product managers. While some may view it as merely administrative, in my opinion this couldn't be further from the truth. Product managers are the driving force behind strategy and exceptional experiences, whether for external customers or internal users. Our role demands a deep connection to both the product and its users. Three essential qualities we all have: Customer Obsession: Go beyond empathy by diving into data and insights to understand user behavior, pain points, and opportunities. Decisions should be data-driven, ensuring the product evolves with user needs. Strategic Leadership: Product managers must define and drive the product vision, setting strategies that align with company goals. This involves fostering alignment across cross-functional teams and building strong relationships with stakeholders to ensure everyone is working toward a shared vision. Accountability: Own the outcomes, whether good or bad. Exceptional product managers embrace challenges, learn from mistakes, and continuously iterate to improve. They step into gray areas, connecting the dots to drive cohesive and successful outcomes. This role is strategic and high-impact, requiring us to lead with intention, push boundaries, and always advocate for the user. #productmanagers #productdevelopment

The venture-capital world has a serial-entrepreneur problem, and it is gendered. New National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) research comparing male and female co-founders of the same startups reveals disparities that cannot be explained by founder quality or ambition: → Women make up only 4% of founders with 3+ startups (vs 13.3% of all VC-backed founders) → After a startup failure women are 22.5% less likely to secure venture-capital backing for their next venture → Female serial entrepreneurs raise 53.3% less capital after failures and 24.6% less after successes → Men receive larger deals for founding experience regardless of outcomes. Women are penalized for failures and barely rewarded for successes → When an unrelated women-founded startup fails, it hurts funding prospects for all female founders. However, successes do not create positive spillovers.

Less than 2% of venture capital goes to women. Two percent. And if you’re a woman of colour, the number gets even smaller. I’ve seen it firsthand. When I started fundraising for indē wild, I walked into rooms where no one looked like me. Where I was questioned more, doubted more, and had to prove myself in ways my male counterparts didn’t. I came prepared with numbers, a solid business, a brand that already had a community behind it, and still, the skepticism was there. And yet, research proves that when women-led businesses get funded, they don’t just succeed. They outperform. According to Boston Consulting Group (BCG), women-founded companies generate more than twice as much revenue per dollar invested as those led by men. Forbes research shows that startups backed by First Round Capital performed 63% better when they had a female founder. Women-led businesses have also proven to be more resilient during economic downturns and foster higher employee engagement. Women aren’t lacking ideas or drive or results. We’re lacking access. That’s the part that needs to change. Funding shouldn’t be about who looks the part or who fits a certain mold, it should be about vision, strategy, and impact. Women don’t need more confidence. We need capital. And it’s time for investors to realize that betting on women isn’t just the right thing to do…it’s the smart thing to do. If you've been through this, I see you. If you're in a position to change this, I hope you do. #womeninbusiness #vc

Nobody’s talking about this enough. → 79% of CEOs say talent strategy is their #1 priority (PwC, 2024). → But 70% of executive hires still fail within 18 months — not because of capability — but because of cultural misalignment, unmet expectations, or unclear onboarding (Harvard Business Review). As an executive search partner, I see this disconnect every day. Companies hire for what someone has done. But success is driven by what someone can do here, now, in this culture, with this team. That’s a very different filter. Especially in FMCG & Consumer Goods — where transformation is happening at warp speed. The old rules no longer apply: → A 20-year career in a global brand doesn’t guarantee success in a PE-backed hypergrowth environment. → A brilliant marketing leader in Europe may struggle with the speed and autonomy expected in the U.S. → Leaders who thrived in a product-first organization might crumble in a culture that prizes operational excellence. This is why the future of Executive Search isn’t about bigger talent pools. It’s about sharper talent insight. It’s about questions like: → Can this leader scale ambiguity? → Can they operate without perfect infrastructure? → Can they win hearts and minds in a new market? → Will they thrive in this leadership team — not just survive? I often tell clients: The CV is just the entry ticket. The real work is understanding what sits behind it. Their patterns. Their blindspots. Their drivers. Executive Search today is less about placement. More about pattern recognition. And in an FMCG industry that’s navigating M&A, private equity disruption, new market expansion, and talent scarcity across key roles — getting this wrong is expensive. Because the cost of a failed executive hire isn’t just salary. It’s lost momentum. Lost team trust. Lost time to market. This is why I’m obsessed with digging deeper. With not just asking what did they do? But how did they do it? And could they do it again, here? The companies that get this right? They build teams that don’t just deliver results. They stay. They grow. They lead. And that’s the real win. #ExecutiveSearch #Leadership #TalentStrategy #FMCG #ConsumerGoods #HiringTrends #FutureOfWork #ExecutiveHiring

India’s Green Financing Opportunity Could Shape a Century   India stands at a defining moment where a growing economic momentum meets an urgent climate imperative. The capital we choose to deploy today, and the priorities that guide this deployment, will influence not just our development trajectory but also the century that India shapes for the world.   At a global scale, the key outcomes from the recently concluded COP30 point towards the immediacy of climate action and the pivotal role of green financing. With strategic policymaking and the emergence of a climate-focused entrepreneurial ecosystem, India has a real opportunity to lead the global cleantech transition and achieve its commitment to reach net-zero by 2070.   Today, Green finance is powering innovation and scaling climate action while enabling entrepreneurship and opening avenues in infrastructure and job creation. At the heart of this transition is India’s rapidly expanding climate-tech or cleantech entrepreneurship ecosystem. Entrepreneurs are building impactful solutions across solar microgrids, battery storage, EV charging, carbon capture and sustainable packaging. According to a news report published by Inc42, Indian climate tech startups attracted over $2.2Bn in new funding over the last 18 months. Despite this momentum, early-stage climate ventures, especially in Tier 2/3 regions, often face barriers in accessing institutional capital. The government is addressing this through policy pivots that strengthen transparency and build confidence in the climate innovation ecosystem.   Subsequently, upper-layer NBFCs, lenders and development finance institutions are collaborating to bridge funding gaps. We are also seeing the rise of innovative financing structures, including blended finance models that combine concessional and commercial capital, thematic green funds to de-risk early-stage investments and ESG-aligned investment frameworks. These tools are helping channel capital to the most impactful and scalable climate innovations. As policy intent aligns with an expanding pool of capital, I truly believe India is well-positioned to become a global cleantech hub. This convergence of finance, innovation and sustainability promises to power India’s transition, strengthens local economies, create green jobs and ultimately shape the green trajectory of the next century not only for the Global South, but for the world.   Now is the time for policymakers, lenders, investors and corporations to take unified action. If India accelerates its green financing architecture with the same ambition as digital and infrastructure transformation, India could set a global benchmark for climate-led growth. The next century will be defined by those who fund the future and India is on the right track to lead the change.

Meetings booked: 300  Pipeline generated: $2M  Deals closed: 0 Your metrics are lying to you. When I walk into most sales orgs, I see this problem right away. Marketing brags about leads. Sales talks about meetings. Nobody tracks what matters. The last three companies I joined,  each had completely different KPIs. None of them were aligned. Here's what happens: Marketing: "We delivered 500 MQLs this quarter!"  Sales: "But only 20 were qualified." Sales: "We had 300 first meetings!"  CEO: "Then where are the deals?" This disconnect isn't just frustrating. It's killing your business. The truth? The only metric that predicts success is when marketing and sales track THE SAME THINGS. You need: 💰 Agreed qualification criteria 💰 Shared pipeline definitions 💰 Joint accountability for outcomes and attribution KPIs across all teams Not separate scorecards where everyone wins while the business loses. When I fix this alignment issue, pipeline becomes real. Forecasts become accurate.  Finger-pointing stops. Vanity metrics feel good until the quarter ends. Shared metrics force accountability but build pipelines. What are your teams measuring separately that they should be measuring together? #B2BSales #SalesStrategy #SalesMetrics #RevOps