Women Disrupting Tech

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:

Yasmina Khababi runs Freshtable, a social impact catering company that creates meaningful jobs for highly skilled former refugees by matching their original expertise with new opportunities in the hospitality industry. One meal at a time, she connects sustainability, inclusion, and food accessibility.

In this episode you will learn how she built this without investors, how she protects her mind as a sanctuary, and how inclusion in tech can become powerful when you stop waiting for permission.

We talk about:
00:00 - Introduction to FreshTable and Its Mission
02:48 - Connecting Climate Change and Refugee Issues
05:52 - The FreshTable Business Model and Its Values
08:50 - Empowering Refugees Through Work and Education
12:05 - Geographical Luck and Its Impact on Opportunity
14:56 - Facilitating Change: The Role of FreshTable
17:50 - Accreditation and Career Advancement for Refugees
20:52 - Diversity vs. Inclusion in the Workplace
24:00 - The Vision for a Sustainable Future
26:53 - The Role of the FreshTable Foundation
29:38 - Creating a Safe Space for Feedback
33:24 - Servant leadership and safe spaces
39:14 - Mindset as a Sanctuary
45:26 - The Art of Letting Go
53:05 - Rest as a Right, Not a Reward
55:02 - The Role of Men in Promoting Inclusion

Yasmina’s story is a reminder that inclusion is not mere theory; it is a practice. It is how you lead, rest, and let others grow.

What happens when inclusion stops being a policy and becomes the foundation of a company?

In this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, Magali Elhage and Matthijs Welle share how Mews turned diversity, leadership, and technology into a culture where people can be themselves and perform at their best.

Chapters

03:05 Journey to Mews: Personal Stories of Transformation 05:48 Breaking Barriers: The Struggles of Diversity in Hospitality 08:26 From Traditional to Innovative: The Birth of Mews 11:10 Building a Tech-Driven Hospitality Future 13:55 Inclusion by Design: Creating a Culture of Belonging 16:44 Empowering Voices: The Role of Leadership in Diversity 19:37 The Importance of Storytelling in DEI Initiatives 22:12 Navigating Challenges: The Path to Inclusive Leadership 25:07 Creating Safe Spaces: The Mews Experience 27:44 The Role of Employee Resource Groups in Culture Building 30:40 Parental Leave and Support: Building for the Future
33:50 Addressing the Gender Pay Gap: A Long-Term Commitment 36:40 Leveraging AI for Growth and Learning 39:40 The Power of Allyship in Tech 42:17 Reflections on Personal Growth and Performance 45:31 Innovative Tools for Communication and Feedback 48:19 Facing Fears: Embracing Change in Leadership 51:11 Advice for Founders: Building an Inclusive Company 54:19 The Future of Mews: Vision and Strategy

🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.

💬 Discover more about this episode in the show notes