Dec 5, 2020
3 Lessons I Learned From a Yearlong Leadership Incubator for Young Women Social Entrepreneurs
Not long ago, I lived in New Delhi, India for 12 months on a Fulbright, conducting work and research that would eventually go on to give rise to Selfless.
I often heard that the path of an entrepreneur is a lonely one, but when I lived half-way across the world from most people I knew, the cultural, language, and gender gaps that frequented my new norm, on-top of an already lonely path, amounted to a different caliber of challenges. I longed so much for access to a community, one that was devoid of gender bias and instead a place of growth and recharge.
(To be clear, in no way do I wish to appear ungrateful for my Fulbright, or to overlook the rewarding experiences that occurred! But, I have learned it is important to identify and humanize challenges along the way.)
Now, fast forward some time, and I have had the immense privilege and joy of being a fellow for Vital Voices and Tresseme’s Inaugural Leadership Incubator. This yearlong, non-residential program was designed specifically for young women social entrepreneurs based in the US, each at tipping points of their careers. Being a part of this incubator offered me a tight-knit and authentic community, one that was beyond my wildest dreams while I was in India. My newfound sisterhood is comprised of peers who are trailblazers in their own right—you can read more about them here. I’m immensely grateful for the friendships I have formed, the professional (and personal) support I have been gifted, and the partnerships I am crafting for Selfless as a result of this program.
One piece of advice I heard from a saint during my travels in India is that what sets one individual apart from another is not their experiences, for everyone continually experiences in their lives, but rather the distinguishing factor be the reflections one cultivates and the learnings they carry with them. So, with this intention to reflect keenly, I chronicle in this article 3 key lessons I am taking forward with me from this program. Each lesson is a seed that has taken time to plant, and I’m certain that their results will continue to grow with time. These learnings have in subtle and fundamental ways made me a better person and leader, and I hope they can bear similar fruits for you.
Lesson 1: Cultivate, identify, and lean into your personal “why”
“Personal driving force” was a fundamental theme of our incubator. Each of the 30 of us in this program were entrepreneurs leading our own social good initiatives. Whether they be for-profit companies or nonprofit organizations, our new initiatives were a result of an underlying current or factor that compelled us to leave behind all other possibilities and instead decide to start and pursue what we were.
If we could identify what that fundamental reason was, then we could lean into it as a super power and strength of ours, especially in the face of challenges. The understanding that our unique sets of our experiences brought us each to start our own initiatives, is one that we could reap confidence from, for we are uniquely capable of envisioning our companies and the journey to execute and manifest these visions will come with trial and error. This personal “why” can encourage us push through challenging times by instead shifting our focus to trust the process and our own intuition.
In start-up-land, pivoting is an applauded concept— but I can tell you from first hand experience that it can be hard to do, especially for type-A personalities with perfectionist tendencies like myself. In my own case, I started The Krupa Project during my Fulbright and initially had difficulty accepting that its vision required a new approach. My creation of Selfless is a result of the faith and confidence that arriving at my personal driving force has given me.
Lesson 2: Invest in your whole self, especially when times get tough
We were told by Vital Voices and Tresemme from the get-go that counter to the typical model of incubators, this program was not investing in each of our ventures (for those may change with time, as indicated above), but rather that the program was investing in each of us as women leaders.
Let’s think about that for a moment: This incubator valued me, the leader, above my startup, for if I as the leader of my venture was in an optimal state, then I would have the tenacity to steer my company through adversities. However, if I was not in an optimal state, then my initiative would certainly be far from it as well.
In this framework of investing in my whole self, I have extracted a unique mindset that has since caused me to view myself more holistically and make decisions accordingly, even if they may be less advantageous to my company in the short term. For example, I have been focusing on making the conscious choice to often prioritize time in quietude, rather than spending more time at my desk. By ensuring I am healthy and balanced, I can show up for my work prepared to make effective decisions and create more meaningful impact, experiencing less fatigue and burnout along the way.
Lesson 3: Use your power to empower
Alyse Nelson, the current President of Vital Voices who co-founded the organization alongside Hillary Clinton, shared with us Vital Voices’ Five Leadership Model Principles. The concluding leadership pillar was to “pay it forward.” Vital Voices identified that women have a unique leadership characteristic of using their power to invest in and empower others, and that this in turn makes them strong leaders.
Interestingly, this principle of service has also been a key finding in my spiritual journey as a Vedantin. A core mindset that I learned as a seeker is that selflessly serving society through actions can in itself be very self-purifying, even having the capacity to take one closer to self-realization when practiced sincerely and diligently. It wasn’t until I saw this value of using power to empower indicated in Vital Voices’ Leadership Model that I had seen this concept of service portrayed in the professional sector.
If being service oriented through using one’s own power to empower others can not only make one a stronger leader, but also bring with it spiritual growth when practiced appropriately, it appears obvious that we should all partake in the approach of selfless service.
As this fellowship has come to a close, I find myself filled with excitement and encouragement when thinking about how these three lessons can further shape my growth beyond this duration. I believe these distinguishing lessons from this incubator program have also contributed to what had made it so beautiful, valuable, and transformative—and for that, I am very grateful.
Have any thoughts or reactions to this articles or the lessons described? I’d love to hear! Drop me a line at rubini@getselfless.com.
