10W Zürich — Highlighting Impressive Women Leaders
Curious about how to live a balanced, continuously motivated and purposeful life? These world-class female leaders show us how.
From humble beginnings to flourishing franchises, the 10 distinguished women we’ve chosen in Zürich, Switzerland represent a variety of professional sectors, including tech, finance, law, business entrepreneurship and more.
Encompassing a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives — each with their own story of risk-taking, failure, and triumph — these women have overcome a host of challenges. Wondering how to balance family with work, burnout with passion, and stress with meditation?
Here’s what’s worked for them.
What’s a challenge you’ve faced in your career and how did you overcome it?
Barbara Lax — Founder and CEO of “Little Green House”
All the negative voices crept in, “I dropped a fantastic job for my own ego.”
Many people said I was crazy. I was an engineer with a great job, and yet I knew that I wanted to start my own company. When I did, our biggest challenge was cash flow. I had 15 people that relied on me for paychecks, and we were drowning. In response, I compensated with more and more work. I had nightmares, felt depression, and one morning, I couldn’t get up. In an act of desperation, I called a coach who told me to work on “positive deviance,” and everything changed.
Positive deviance was hard work, for I had to consciously program my brain to look at what was going well. In doing so, it shifted everything for me. Within two weeks I noticed a change. I learned that you will achieve what you focus on. Originally, I radiated desperation and fear; when I started to focus on the good, people were drawn to me.
I started asking for help. I got rid of toxic people. I found that you can find a solution to everything: you just need to be open enough and willing to trust others. Lastly, you need to reserve your energy so you can still be an inspiration to others.
Johanna Köb — Sustainable Finance Lead, Global Fortune 500 Company
For the largest part of my career, I wasn’t only one of few women, but also the youngest person in the room with a seat at the table. Funny enough, I was always more acutely aware of the age gap than being surrounded by men.
I took it as a chance.
I focused on the value I wanted to add and on learning from others’ experiences. Sometimes people were quite surprised when they first met me in person — and I realized that our remote way of working had often given me the shelter necessary to build trust and earn respect through the work I did. I’ve worked closely with many amazing people who were happy to pass on valuable lessons, and I’ll always be extremely grateful for that. At the end of the day, being younger only means someone gave you a bigger chance — dare to embrace it.
How do you stay motivated?
Sahar Schwaninger — Human Developer. Founder Human Harbours (Culture & Mindset Transformation Consulting)
I see motivation as the energy that moves us; for me, it is directly related to meaning. In the last years, as I transitioned from working in corporations to working with individuals and corporations on their path of transformation.
My center of motivation has switched from outside goals to inner meaning and purpose. Motivation is the expression of my core values and my contribution to creating a new world of harmony. It is also a compass that I can return to anytime challenges occur.
Marisa Althaus-Vojta — Senior Business Development Specialist in the Non-Profit Sector
I stay motivated by maintaining relationships with people who inspire me. Additionally, I proactively seek out opportunities to learn new things, be that in my sector or something completely different. When a project doesn’t go as planned, I try to create time and space for learning — learning for organizational improvement, but also for personal growth.
Melanie Keyston — Head of EMEA Field Enablement
Motivation is very personal, we all have different drivers. I stay motivated by celebrating successes, no matter how big or small. I don’t mean having a party, I mean just taking a moment to acknowledge to myself an achievement and feel good about it. It carries me to the next one.
What’s a turning point in your life that’s contributed to how you lead?
Sahar Schwaninger — Human Developer. Founder Human Harbours (Culture & Mindset Transformation Consulting)
I’ve had many turning points in the last ten years — requiring me to reinvent myself — until I could reach a point where I genuinely began to feel at peace in my own shoes. The trigger was when I became a mother for the first time in 2013. So many of my world views collapsed and I became hooked at unlearning. My turning point was to face all these shadows that we are not encouraged to see — violence, fear, hatred, anger, hopelessness, helplessness.
We are not perfect, we are full of flaws and contradictions, dark and light sides: recognizing that builds self-acceptance and forgiveness. The second was to build a foundation of human-centered values. Without that, I could not navigate this world. When tough times arise, inner peace, joy, and gratitude become my anchor.
Carla Bünger — CEO of Kore Technologies
Steve Jobs once said, “A people hire A people. B people hire C people.” Through job rotations, I’ve ended up with B bosses several times. I’ve never stayed with them. These experiences taught me how I did NOT want to lead. They also taught me to trust my instincts and to know my boundaries.
Leading means finding people you can lift up to new grounds without being jealous of their capabilities. It means not feeling threatened if your peers or subordinates are better at something.
Maria Samoylova — Commodities Trader
Coming from a combination of creative and business backgrounds, I find that the best strategy is to share experiences, views, and issues, as well as seek advice from your colleagues, counterparts as well as your superiors. Being able to express myself, get critical feedback and seek guidance has been important for my self-development and growth.
People from all sorts of backgrounds surround you daily, with different cultures and approaches. I find that human interaction, exchange of ideas, and shared opinions enhance your views and vision, and help create a more dynamic and unique approach to leadership.
What’s a helpful life hack?
Pauline Lindwall — Board Director and Senior Advisor
Don’t be afraid to ask for help, learn from your mistakes and take time to reflect. Secondly, take the time to build a network and take risks. Lastly, don’t forget to take time for yourself.
Marie-Philippe Vanheems — Operational Excellence Angel
I believe to be successful you need to be true to yourself. I would encourage everyone to take a coach to help you with that, as it is hard to discover our purpose alone and to act according to it! But at the end of the day, I get my energy from the conscious leaders I am working with because we are changing the world; even if it is just a drop.
Additionally — for at least an hour a day — I take a moment for myself and reconnect with my inner self by meditating. Note that it is also when I take a bath I have all my best ideas!
Marisa Althaus-Vojta — Senior Business Development Specialist in the Non-Profit Sector
There is one simple technique I have been using for many years and in all sorts of situations: free-flow journaling. I am a head-person. I tend to overthink things. Free flow journaling means to write whatever thoughts come to your mind on a piece of paper. It helps me structure my thoughts and connect with intuition.
What’s one of your favorites quotes/mantras?
Melanie Keyston — Head of EMEA Field Enablement
“If it’s not going to matter in 5 years, don’t spend more than 5 minutes being upset about it.” I also like this one: “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”
Susanna Ruder — Patent Law Firm Partner
There are two quotes: “I can accept failure but I can’t accept not trying” by Michael Jordan. It was my mantra as an active basketball player but it applies to work and private life just as well.
The second is by Michelle Obama: “There is no magic to achievement. It’s really about hard work, choices, and persistence”. If you want something, you need to work for it. You always need to take the stairs.
Maria Samoylova — Commodities Trader
Growing up in a frequently changing environment, I find that my inner motto since childhood was “what is meant to happen, will happen, and will happen for the best.” You need to own your circumstances and make the most out of what comes your way.
In the long-run, having uncertainty in front of you and undergoing daily challenges molds you into the person you become. I find it is important to embrace the unknown with a positive attitude, self-awareness, peace of mind and an openness to change. Adapt, keep learning and growing, and you will thrive!
We hope the wisdom from these extraordinary women has inspired you. Lumiere Sciences exists to bring joy and productivity to corporate structures — enhancing the collective human experience. We offer an array of virtual interactive learning experiences. Sessions include motivation tactics, remote resilience, personal vitality, and emotional intelligence. What makes our sessions valuable are small group virtual settings, facilitator-led conversation, and accountability that helps you achieve results. See our available programs HERE.
Throughout 2020, we’re highlighting 10W in New York, Zürich, San Francisco, Singapore, London, and Chicago. Please nominate a leader you know HERE.
