Trials and Tribulations of Founding a Tech Business
Here, Lysa shares what she has learned throughout her career journey in the tech industry and what founding a business has taught her.
Embrace the university of life
Over the course of my career, I have benefited from having some brilliant role models. I also saw things that I knew I didn’t want to take forward into my own businesses, from bullying to sexism. Being passed over for a promotion in favour of a less experienced and qualified man – because I had just started my own family – was a turning point and I left shortly after.
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The experience taught me that no matter how difficult a decision is, you need to go with your own instinct and what you feel is right. This is something that was put to the test again in my next company. Moving from corporate to agency side, I had a much more senior role and enjoyed helping the company grow significantly to an £11 million turnover in the five years I worked there. However, with the company increasingly investing less back into the business – compromising my integrity with my team and clients – as well as difficult changes in my personal life, I saw an opportunity to have a fresh start. So, in 2008 I decided to start my own business.
As a leader of an agency that prides itself on its passion for tech and understanding of the industry, one of the best things I can offer my team is bravery; showing my team that I am prepared to make difficult decisions, show my vulnerability and confront reality head-on. Being vulnerable, open, and honest with your team goes a long way to earning their trust and respect.
Advice for future founders
No-one else will ever quite get your dream or vision the way you do, If you believe then that’s enough. If you try to convince everyone else before you make your move, you will still be standing in the same space years later. Turn your dream into a vision and start the planning that is needed to bring it to life. Ask people for help on the way but choose wisely: find those that can truly help you. And they may not be the most obvious mentees, chance meetings happen for a reason.
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You don’t need to have 100% of the plan to get started. It will undoubtedly change on the way, so be prepared to embrace flexibility and new learnings on your journey that will ultimately impact and change your plan for the better.
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