Only 14% of CEO’s in Sweden are women, luckily for students in Jönköping, StartUp is very aware of this problem and wants to correct this imbalance. This starts with changing the narrative, because women aren’t less fit to be leaders, we just have less female role models in leading positions. To show student all the possibilities of being a woman in business, StartUp organises their next event: Women to the Front. To find out more I interviewed StartUp’s Project Manager Szofi & Vice Project Manager Tonia, who share what to expect from the event and why it’s important for them.
What can we expect?
At this event StartUp wants to show what female leadership looks like and have an honest conversation that includes the hardships that come with being a woman. We will talk about topics like how to be taken seriously, how to thrive even when you are a mother, and how that may set you back on the job market.
After the event we hope people will be less scared to take up leadership positions or lead a team within a student comity, for example. To learn about being a woman in the business world we’ll listen to women who have been through it before. We want to show students that you can be a badass woman and still be an amazing leader.
Apart from inspiring students through the speakers, there will also be time for a panel discussion hosted by EDIT. where the audience will get the chance to partake in the conversation and submit questions. As everyone gets to shape where the conversation goes, we hope it will take a more personal turn.
After the presentations and the panel conversation there will be two workshops you can attend. One will be more about the ‘self’. You’ll be finding the leader within yourself and learn how to translate that into a more professional environment. The other one will be a more creative workshop, giving you the chance to intentionally set your goals and think of step by step actions.
We hope students will walk away from the event having learned something about themselves and with more confidence in their own skills, both personally and professionally.
“We want to show students that you can be a badass woman and still be an amazing leader.”
Why do you organise this?
We feel that women are really underrepresented, especially within the university, at the professional events, and the networking opportunities that are provided, so we want to be the change by highlighting female leadership and entrepreneurship. One of StartUp’s main goals is to bring inclusivity, because we want everyone to feel represented. It has always been part of StartUp’s DNA to be inclusive and be really intentional about who we give a stage. To end this month, which started with International women’s day, we wanted to focus on women.
Can’t wait for the event? Here’s some advice from Szofi & Tonia already!
Szofi: “After having had a lot of courses on business and entrepreneurship and being very involved with Science Park, I feel like sometimes a really big disadvantage when you want to start your business, is actually knowing too much about how you should do it. I really would suggest tapping into the unknown because that’s the best way you’re ever going to learn about anything. The best way to learn is by doing, because we as people tend to be too careful and we want to plan every single step of the way but that’s not how it works. There are just too many external factors that can shake things up.”
Tonia: “I would say the same thing, I personally am someone who overthinks every single situation and every single step. I feel like if you want to actually achieve something good and put your best foot forward, the best way to go is to just go right into it. This is also something I’m working on myself by just starting projects and doing it instead of first trying to plan out every single aspect.”
The main advice here is definitely “just do it”, but if you want to hear from women who already have some experience, sign up here and join us at the Science Park Towers on March 30th from 2pm to 5pm.
Writer: Louise Keymolen
