Chrysalis Jane: serial Unicorn to stinging Butterfly
Want to hear a tale of personal transformation? Read on!
Unicorn for real
Jane is a ‘unicorn’: an individual who has created a technology company that has exceeded a valuation of over USD1 billion. In fact, Jane is a Triple-U; all in the Semiconductor industry - male dominated and engineering heavy. Jane has a BA in Business.
Aged 50, after 30 years in Silicon Valley and travelling the world, Jane eventually moved to London for Unicorn 3 as a senior corporate executive. She decided to stay and retire her chips. Jane was looking for a different set of challenges. Jane wanted a change; to explore different aspects of business life as well as other facets of her personality. The switch from a known US/Asian business environment to the peculiarities of British Society as well as the spectrum of European working practices just added further frisson.
A highly motivated, empathetic and driven woman, Jane was not certain how to set about her chrysalis.
Questions galore & acute listening
It started with a question, in fact several, as well as understanding the ensuing answers. How do I do something different, while not risking what I have? Does my proven approach need to change? How do I give back to a younger generation? How do I explore another industry-sector-field that interests me? How do I control my world, rather than be at the mercy of the corporate web that I have spun for 30 years?
Our structured dialogue started from that mental point. We agreed that the choices were not necessarily binary, nor mutually exclusive. ‘Certainty’ did not necessarily beget ‘satisfaction’. Skills needed to be enhanced and a few nuances learned from scratch. One does not need dots to draw a picture!
A highly accomplished professional, Jane was convinced that her career‘s successes were all down to intense preparation and pre-planning: understanding every contingency before embarking on any action. The bottom-line defined success. That view was challenged: not as wrong but perhaps not being fully encompassing. There was a wider horizon to scan with various routes and means to explore it. ‘Comfort with uncertainty’ became somewhat of a mantra for Jane over our years of dialogue.
It was suggested that she act as a consultant to senior executives as well as mentor to younger female entrepreneurs. NED and Angel positions could be explored. The industries could be the safe, known ones of Tech as well as new, non-technical ones in marketing-sales-advertising-media-fashion-branded good-SAAS.
Floating forwards
Consulting was hard at first, as ‘where was the meat?’, she asked. Pupae Jane soon learned the value or objective and practical challenge. We worked on skill enhancements to assist Jane’s assessments of the situations and needs of individuals/organisations. Listening; to tease out possible solutions: often present, but hidden to the clients. Synthesis, ‘so-whats’; to drive discussions to practical, implementable solutions. Being an outsider, newbie and a woman did not stop stinging deliveries from Butterfly Jane as she explored the frontiers of her world.
Such efforts led to a successful gig for a UK firm; with its eventual sale (from the previous 1x valuation to over 7x – mainly due to Butterfly Jane’s efforts). Also, she has assisted three young women realise their dreams of developing their own firms. As a business angel: a touch has been subtly strengthened.
Attitude is all
This chrysalis was realised by attitude. An acceptance that while a destination is crucial, it is intertwined with the journey. A willingness of Jane to look hard at herself in the mirror. To understand and appreciate her strengths and weakness; and what needed to be nurtured, strengthened, contained even abandoned. How to let go as well as learn beyond comfort.
Does this tale resonate? It should for any, and all, high achievers. Past formulas have led to our successes, but often a tweak or change is required.
Be in touch if this story touched a chord.
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Justin Jenk – pathfinder: who enjoys finding & connecting dots.
(ChatGPT-free)
justin@raktas.ee to discuss your story.
