We speak with the CEO of La Moisson for our Inspirational Female Entrepreneurs series…
In recognition of International Women’s Day we’ve been speaking with the women who have used their time at business school to become trailblazers – unleashing their entrepreneurial superpowers to make a change in their industries and the world around them.
Born through her own experiences of navigating salary discussions, professional development and career progression, Lina Belmadani was inspired use the skills she gained from her time studying the Global Bachelors in Business Administration at NEOMA Business School, to launch La Moisson, a movement dedicated to enhancing female professional advancement. Today the network spans more than 1,500 members and is helping women gain access to better pay, realise their potential and succeed.
You created La Moisson in 2020, a movement dedicated to female empowerment. What is it about?
We want to take on the glass ceiling by supporting women in their careers and we want to reinforce and fully valorise the potential of women. We deal with issues of salary negotiation, skills development and self-empowerment.
What inspired you to start your own business?
First of all, it’s important to know that La Moisson stems from a personal experience where I became aware of my inability to negotiate my salary, to evaluate my worth in a company, to recognise my skills, and above all, not knowing how to promote myself. As I explored these issues, I realised they were widely spread among women, whose approach and relationship to work completely differ from men’s. This revelation sparked my desire to embrace this fight and the dynamics contributing to the glass ceiling, in order to develop an effective solution in the short, medium, and long term.
What then inspired me to embark on entrepreneurship was the freedom to create my own work ecosystem, to choose my battles, and to collaborate with inspiring people, without having to face the numerous obstacles that a person, especially a woman, can encounter within an organisation.
How has your business school experience helped you in your life as an entrepreneur?
My experience in business school allowed me to gain knowledge in a wide range of fields, which is a significant accelerator when starting a business. It also helps us get used to being good at a bit of everything or understanding different types of logic. And then, business school incubators are essential in structuring when you want to launch, especially if it’s your first time. Learning to prioritise, understanding the importance of testing many things, knowing how to pivot. It’s a great engine.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in the early stages of building your business, and how did you overcome them?
I think the biggest challenge for me, at the very beginning of starting a business, was to perfectly understand my market and its needs. It was very difficult to solve my problem to the extent of my ambition and hopes.
“As a woman in the business world, you bring a unique vision and perspective – use it!”
– Lina Belmadani – CEO of La Moisson
Moreover, the advice I can give is to interact as much as possible with your customers, your market, and your product(s).
As a female entrepreneur, have you encountered any unique obstacles or biases in your entrepreneurial journey? How did you navigate them?
When I started in entrepreneurship, I found that there were very few female entrepreneurs, very few female figures, and therefore very little representation. And it’s true that it’s harder to project yourself when all the role models are male. I also had the impression that being a female entrepreneur was taken much less seriously than being a male entrepreneur, that we were not playing in the same league, and that the balance of power was completely different.
For my part, I always made sure to surround myself with an ecosystem that understood all my problems as a female entrepreneur, who were able to provide me with all the resources and kindness possible (shareholders, advisory board, teams).
What advice would you give to other women who are considering starting their own businesses?
I would give four pieces of advice. The first piece of advice is to build a support network: surround yourself with people who believe in you and your idea. This includes mentors, peers, and professionals who can provide advice, support, or constructive feedback.
The second piece of advice is to create your own vision. As a woman in the business world, you bring a unique vision and perspective – use it!
The third piece of advice, and the most important, is to always educate yourself! The more informed you are on a variety of subjects, the better you will be able to make good decisions.
And, the last piece of advice is to always believe in yourself and your project. Keep in mind that “it’s not a sprint but a marathon.” It’s totally normal to fail. It is often said that the only thing all the world’s greatest entrepreneurs have in common is resilience to any test.
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