Female Founder Spotlight: Dominique Barnes of New Wave Foods
Saving our ocean fish populations from depletion seems like a daunting task.
The founders of New Wave Foods had the idea to create an equally delicious and nutritious substitute for shrimp using red algae, and their product is now gaining attention worldwide.
The company’s co-founders, Dominique Barnes and Michelle Wolf, are fresh graduates of SOSV’s biotech accelerator IndieBio. It’s great to see the number of female founders on the rise, and we are happy to highlight some of their stories to inspire others. Dominique, the CEO of New Wave Foods, shared some insights from her journey with us.
Which women have had the biggest influence on your life and/or career?
DB: Jane Goodall has always been a role model for me. Since I was 9 years old up to today, I admire her passion and dedication to her field, and the changes she’s made in our understanding of nature, and human impacts to nature.
Of course, my mother, grandmother, and sisters have a great influence in my life and career. I am the eldest of three sisters and I often find myself wanting to show my younger sisters what is possible if you set your mind to something.
Have you experienced any challenges along your career path due to your gender?
DB: I wish I could say no, but I have experienced periodic challenges in my career path. None that have ever held me back, at least to my knowledge. But there are distinct times where I experienced comments that men typically wouldn’t receive in a job interview or meeting potential investors.
What’s it like to be a woman in biotech specifically?
DB: Being a woman in biotech can be challenging, but mostly I find it empowering to be the unexpected person leading a biotech company. Personally I don’t have a background in biotech. My experience lies in marine conservation and marine biology, and most of my challenges arise from not having expertise in the field. Luckily, my incredibly smart and talented co-founder, Michelle Wolf, guides me and teaches me about the biotech space.
What advice do you have for women entering the business world?
DB: I say it’s all about your confidence. Often times women, including myself at times, think they won’t be a good fit for a job unless they are 100% perfectly matched to the “qualifications”. But if you are confident in yourself and your skills, even if they don’t perfectly match words on paper, then your confidence will allow others to see you’re right for the job.
Follow Dominique at @Dom___Barnes and @NewWaveFoods.
Originally published at sosv.com on April 27, 2016.
