Women Disrupting Tech

If your strategy feels heavy, outdated, or too complicated to actually use, this episode will change the way you think about building and growing your company.

In episode 131 of Women Disrupting Tech, I sit down with Dorit Roest, founder of Strategy Sprint Company, to explore why the best strategies are simple, agile, and aligned with your original purpose. Dorit shares how founders lose momentum when their personal and business goals drift apart, and how a strategy that fits on a post-it can help you reset your focus fast.

We cover:
• Why founders feel off-track and how to realign with your original why
• The Zoom Out method for spotting real opportunities and threats
• The Battery Check: time, money, energy
• Why courage expands your ambition
• The visualization exercise that unlocks long-term direction
• How to design goals that stay flexible as your reality changes

This conversation is practical, honest, and full of tools you can apply today to build a strategy that actually works.

Chapters:

02:20 Dorit Roest's Entrepreneurial Journey 05:24 The Role of Entrepreneurship in Solving Global Issues 08:16 Aligning Personal and Business Goals 11:13 The Importance of Agility in Strategy 14:09 Simplifying Strategy for Modern Businesses 17:16 Zooming Out: Understanding the Bigger Picture 20:24 Addressing Global Challenges as Entrepreneurs 23:14 Mapping Opportunities and Threats 26:14 The Battery Check: Assessing Personal and Business Energy 29:09 Prioritizing Time, Money, and Energy 32:02 Lessons from the Past Year 43:33 Navigating Maternity Leave and Business Growth 46:05 The Unique Challenges of Women Entrepreneurs 48:09 Innovative Leadership and Team Management 50:47 Encouraging Ambition and Risk-Taking 52:18 Visualization Techniques for Goal Setting 58:40 Aligning Personal and Professional Goals 1:03:11 The Importance of Alignment in Success 1:07:13 Simplifying Goals and Accountability 1:12:20 Building Supportive Networks for Female Founders

In this episode, Andrea Cristancho shows how founders can turn stress into a source of clarity instead of chaos. We talk about pattern interrupts, wellbeing as a leadership skill, and a simple 10-second breathing practice you can use any time your mind starts to spin.

Andrea Born-Christancho has built companies across Mainland China, South Africa, and Switzerland, and her work helps founders understand what their bodies are telling them so they can lead with more intention and less overwhelm.

Chapters

02:30 Andrea's Journey to Entrepreneurship and Health Coaching

05:35 The Impact of Burnout on Leadership

08:20 Wellbeing as a Foundation for Success

12:01 Integrating Wellbeing into Leadership

16:32 Managing Guilt and Prioritizing Self-Care

23:42 The Role of Pattern Interrupts in Daily Life

33:22 How Leaders Can Support Teams in Building Routines

37:41 Breathing Techniques for Better Focus

40:13 The Breathing Exercise

44:13 Stress as a Friend, Not the Enemy

49:45 The Role of Men in Supporting Women in Leadership

Connect with Andrea

Gina Schinkel's founder career didn’t follow the straight line to being a founder. She built Driftawave and Leaderwave by choosing the world over the ladder and learning how travel, culture, and leadership shape each other.

In this episode, we explore the power of workations, generous leadership, and what happens when you stop choosing one path and start integrating all the roads you’ve walked.

Listen to episode 129 of Women Disrupting Tech on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.

Chapters:

03:43 Gina Schinkel's Journey to Driftawave and Leaderwave 06:12 The Intersection of Travel and Technology 09:09 Cultural Insights: Returning to the Netherlands 11:55 The Benefits of Team Retreats and Workations 14:20 Creating Connections: The Role of Workations in Team Dynamics 17:22 Navigating Remote Work and Office Mandates 19:55 Exploring Workation Locations and Experiences 22:52 The Evolution of Workations: Beyond Just Work 24:50 Workations and Startup Success: Attracting Talent 27:43 Measuring Success: KPIs for Workations 30:45 The Future of Work: AI's Role in Business 33:24 Leadership Trends and the Role of AI 35:09 Diversity and Inclusion in Work Culture 37:42 Building Trust and Connections in Business 47:32 Empowering Women in Tech 1:02:18 Closing the Funding Gap for Female Founders

Links:

Learn more about the episode on the blog

What if feeling good about yourself was a precondition for being a good ally?

In this episode, Salmaan Sana shares how allyship connects leadership, emotional health, and inclusion.

A former medical student turned leadership facilitator, he explains why vulnerability matters, how overcompensation can repair old imbalances, and how small, human moments can drive real change.

Listen to learn how men can become more effective allies for women in tech—starting with awareness, compassion, and action.

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

Chapters
03:00 - Journey into Healthcare and Leadership
10:30 - The Role of Medical Education in Leadership
20:06 - Understanding Allyship and Its Importance
31:45 - Men's Vulnerability and Emotional Health
51:32 - Practical Steps to Become an Ally
59:04 - Closing the Funding Gap for Female Founders

Links

In this episode, Settly CEO Marieke van Iperen shares how her upbringing in a hippie community shaped her view on leadership, and how she built a fast-growing startup that combines business growth with human connection.

We explore how relocation can drive inclusion, what founders can learn from impact investors, and why belonging is a business outcome, not a soft value.

Whether you’re a founder, people leader, or HR professional, this episode will help you build inclusive, globally connected teams.

Chapters

• 00:00 - Intro
• 03:00 Journey to Becoming a CEO
• 04:16 Hippie Roots and Startup Culture
• 05:36 Bootstrapping and Values in Business
• 06:51 Cultural Intelligence in Hiring
• 12:15 Navigating COVID-19 Challenges
• 15:16 Geopolitical Challenges in Expansion
• 17:16 Overview of Settly and Its Services
• 19:44 Impact of Government Policies on Business
• 24:59 Changing Perspectives on Immigration
• 28:38 Creating Safe Spaces in Companies
• 44:02 Men’s Role in Inclusivity
• 45:02 - New Features and Closing Thoughts

Links: