IWD 2021: Dr Mendy Mombeshora - Empowering Women in Innovation

As part of International Women’s Day, we interview Dr Mendy Mombeshora, on her role at Greener, her views on women in business and what a more gender-balanced world-view means to her.

Tell us about your role. 

I am the Chief Product Officer at Greener – an early-stage sustainability technology start-up. This means that I am responsible for all product-related matters, from the early stages of developing a new product concept to beyond product launch. I have to balance the needs and goals of both the product and the business to ensure that we build a great product that generates value for the business. 

What do you enjoy most about your job?  

Being part of Greener’s founding team is such a unique experience. Everything that we are doing is new as we build the company and our product offerings from the ground up. I particularly enjoy the licence that I have to create and innovate. I am able to make decisions that steer the progress of the company. 

And what are the most challenging aspects? 

When working for a technology start-up, there is the pressure that comes with working towards breaking new ground. Working in such a high-stress atmosphere can be challenging as you strive to solve problems and meet deadlines. However, the atmosphere can create a dynamic energy that drives progress and creates a tight-knit team. 

What 3 things do you think you need to progress as a woman in business?

1. Grit – the secret to outstanding achievement in business, or any endeavour you undertake, is not talent but a special blend of passion and persistence that Psychologist Angela Duckworth calls grit. It combines resilience, ambition, and self-control in the pursuit of goals.
2. Mentors and Networks – having these enables you to trade knowledge and guidance. You can learn from your peers and tap into those who have ‘been there and done that’. 
3. No Fear of Failure – fear of failure is toxic and perilous and may cause you to end up operating from a place of anxiety and not confidence. As a result, you are likely to fail where you would have succeeded. 

What are the biggest challenges the future generation of women in business face?

More and more women are entering the workforce, I think that the future generation of women might find themselves faced with the challenge that their careers do not line up with the traditional career model. A new model will have to be developed that ensures that as they look to parenthood, women are not forced to step back from their careers. 

What can the next generation bring to business that previous generations may not have?

As digital natives, they will possess an inherent advantage over digital immigrants because they are native speakers of the digital age. They are comfortable engaging and interacting with technology and are able to adapt to technology changes around them because they have grown up and developed in a society that is rapidly changing at all times. As we move towards the next decade and digital natives grow further into their careers, it will be fascinating to see how their backgrounds reshape the business landscape. 

What does a more gender-balanced world-view mean for you?

For me, it means that the systemic barriers to gender equity are dismantled leading to more women studying and working in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Gender balance is an important means to generating growth and a real force for driving innovation.

How can we enable more women to take a place at the board-room table?

Gender parity in the boardroom is not something that will happen on its own. Due to the variety of barriers to board diversity, there is no one size fits all solution. However, any initiatives that aim to address diversity in the boardroom must go hand in hand with efforts to address diversity more broadly throughout an organisation. We must address the cultural barriers that prevent many women from attaining senior leadership positions because it is these roles that often propel executives into board seats. 

How can businesses evolve to be more gender-balanced?

Businesses should have a workforce that reflects the diverse world that we live in. It is the responsibility of business leaders to realise this as they can make gender parity a priority throughout the whole organisation. Businesses should aim to reduce bias in recruitment and development processes and implement programmes that encourage the ascension and retention of more women in the workplace.  

What advice would you give to young women and men starting out in business today in context of promoting a more diverse world-view?

Diversity is not zero-sum. You do not have to sacrifice your resources or stature for others to earn a place at the table; we can all thrive together. Do not let zero-sum bias deter you from engaging in diversity conversations and initiatives. 

What women inspire you and why?

As opposed to particular individuals, I am inspired by certain types of women. Women unapologetically pursuing their dreams, whatever they may be and those that live their lives in ways that are authentic to their beliefs are a huge inspiration to me. Every day women are breaking barriers, taking leaps of faith, expanding what is possible and encouraging even more women to be ambitious.