Stories from The Fellowship — Maria Fernanda Ayala

As we conclude our fourth Fellowship cohort with 100 incredible women, we are catching up with the Fellows to share their experience of the program.

Maria Fernanda is a production engineer with a reputation for making things happen and achieving results. Before pursuing a full-time MBA with AGSM @ UNSW, she built an unconventional career of five years @ ABInBev, a leading global FMCG, with roles in industrial production, supply chain, planning and performance management, product management, insights and business development, and brand management. While coursing her MBA, immersed herself in the disruptive tech start-up industry as an analyst and researcher @ Right Click Capital, a venture capital firm based in Sydney. Today, she is Strategic Partnerships Manager @ Pet Circle.

What is The Fellowship to you?

The Fellowship is a “master key” that you can use to open many doors. For me it opened the door to make friends with incredible women who share the same energy and passion, it opened the door to reach out and learn from exceptional professionals, it opened the door to fell in love with the startup industry, and finally, it opened the door into a journey of self-discovery and empowerment!

Would you recommend The Fellowship?

Always! beyond all the amazing resources, sessions and opportunities, The Fellowship is an experience that will make a difference in many aspects of your life; you will grow and see a positive impact.

What lessons did you learn from The Fellowship?

I learned to trust in my experience and skills, and to always try even if I am not 100% sure. Also, I learned that people is willing to help as long as I know how to ask and what I need.

Where are you now?

I am through my second month as Strategic Partnerships Manager in Pet Circle. I am sure that I am where I have to be, I am learning a lot but also contributing. I am excited about what will come next.

Originally published at https://www.startmate.com.au on January 8, 2021.