Tijen: Now you work for a large corporation. Do you have any tips on how to successfully implement new processes, personal responsibility and entrepreneurial action?
Salima: It helps to just do it. Talking a lot, planning a lot, focusing solely on concepts – these things don’t work, because they have a negative effect on the understanding of everyone involved. Doing things – that is what demystifies processes. We notice this again and again when we implement new projects within the company: There comes a moment when you just need to act. In my experience, that is the key to getting people on board permanently.
Tijen: “Just do it” – That leads us to our next topic. That is why we now have the Xathon, created by Henkel and partnered by our company, Global Digital Women. This is a great joint project, which gives female founders the opportunity to enhance their start-up and pitch in front of a top-class jury. Why did you set up the Xathon? What is your personal experience?
Salima: To me, the digital industry sometimes seems a bit torn. On the one hand, it is diverse, always in tune with the times, trendy and modern. On the other hand, though, a critical look at the number of female founders and CDO quotas speaks volumes: There is still a lot to be done. The industry is full of blatant contradictions. We ourselves have experienced this: Whenever we have called on founders to send us their applications, it has been mainly men who have come forward. So, we took a clear stand at Henkel: We can and want to do something about this. That was one of our reasons for creating the Xathon.
The Xathon offers female founders a platform to exchange ideas and support each other.
Tijen: What is a common prejudice you encounter regarding diversity?
Salima: That there are no women in the innovation and digital industry. That argument is so annoying. Keep looking then! There are!
Tijen: A classic example! And another reason why I’m so delighted with what you at Henkel have created with the Xathon.
Salima: Exactly. The Xathon has shown us just how many great female founders there are. We want to give these women a platform. We want to give them a stage and enable them to network. Since launching this business hackathon for women two years ago, we have received so many applications that we can’t even consider them all. But this just goes to show: The innovative women are out there!