Can you give us a bit of background of how you know each other and how you met at EWIT 2022?
Tiffany: Both myself and Zuzanna had known each other previously from participating in a start-up incubator. We met Chelsea at European Women in Tech, Amsterdam 2022 where she was a participant at our workshop. There was a special connection with Chelsea who seemed very engaged in our content. We exchanged business cards at the end of the event which resulted in Zuzanna and Chelsea meeting for a coffee together in Berlin. Hit it off instantly, exchanged ideas and brainstormed workshop ideas.
How did you end up sponsoring a workshop at EWIT 2022 in the first place?
Tiffany: I persuaded my company that I worked for at the time, SHARE NOW, Europe’s largest car sharing operator – to sponsor EWIT22. I put a case forward on how sponsoring the event would help support the company’s DE&I goals. I recognised that EWIT22 was a great platform to do this. From here, I reached out to Zuzanna to help sculpt a workshop on ‘Psychological Safety.’
How did you end up in the workshop?
Chelsea: My passion is empowering people, and I founded my own charity group in 2014 called ‘100 Women Who Care Maui’ in Hawaii to recruit the power of women to help those in need in the community. Bringing women together in this way also created a fun, friendly environment while retaining a laser focus on the task at hand. As I was googling ‘events that empower women’, I came across EWIT22. I registered for the workshop as I recognised it as another one of these gatherings of fun, friendly women with laser focus. Coming together with a group like this in Europe left me feeling validated, empowered, supported and appreciated, not alone in the disoriented feeling of my transition.
What was your lightbulb moment for your business idea?
Individually we were all having our own lightbulb moments during the event and afterwards. Collectively, it was in January 2023 when we all came together.
Chelsea: The theme “resilience” inspired me after taking a huge leap from entrepreneurial life in Hawaii to “who knows what” in Germany/Europe early in the pandemic. I was drawn to the workshops dealing with Imposter Syndrome, Psychological Safety, and how to navigate my growth zone.
Tiffany: I had been successfully on the corporate track for years, but at EWiT & through the creation of the workshop with Zuzanna, I saw another path – that felt like it could be even more fulfilling AND impactful. I knew I had to explore it.
Zuzanna: I simply love the vibe coming from the tech industry (the fast pace, innovations, etc), the power of women (resilience with heart) and openness/inclusiveness of Amsterdam. Having it all combined in one event, left me with the sense of being unstoppable.
We all complement each other well with our backgrounds: Zuzanna with her technical, analytical data background, Tiffany with her sales and marketing background and Chelsea with her entrepreneur, language and business background.
Can you tell us what your business is about and its mission?
Fierce Up.com was officially founded in June 2022 in Poland.
Our methodology is simple.
Fierce Up is a team of professional certified coaches, trainers and facilitators. We specialise in leadership, executive communication, change management and building healthy workplace relationships. We recognise that all organisations will navigate difficult times and that, with help, these can be positive and empowering events that build resilience and create sustainable growth.
We don’t just care about how your organisation grows.
We care about how your organisation will change the world. We believe that great relationships generate success – it’s a simple equation that embraces the whole magical complexity.
Tech is amazing; however, somewhere along the line, humanity gets lost. We believe in building a strong, trusting foundation to the team.
How does your business support DE&I?
Not only do we believe in the power of diversity, we are also familiar with the research on that topic and our own experience definitely supports this fact – more diversity, creates more possibilities and innovation.
We support individuals, leaders, executive teams, start-up teams, and organisations working with rapid expansion or contraction, new management, new processes or technologies. Globally. So that these groups can benefit fully from the diversity they are attracting.
Fierce Up’s collective dream is to make the world a more inclusive and welcoming place. Contributing to gender inclusiveness and equality is one step towards that world.
Can you give us a teaser on your workshop at this year’s EWIT23?
We are hosting two workshops: an opening and a closing workshop titled ‘Self Compassion; the lasting business transformation into a truly diverse and inclusive workspace’ from a perspective of leadership (PART 1) or company culture (PART 2). The two parts compliment each other well, but it’s not essential to join both of them.
Does it still feel like no matter what you and your organisation do to be more inclusive and to benefit more from diversity, nothing really changes? The change we are dreaming about is RADICAL, and it requires adequate actions/solutions.
In this fully interactive and experiential workshop, you will learn and explore the new possibilities that are accessible when you communicate and connect with others from the place of self-compassion. We will be standing and moving around the room, speaking with other workshop participants in a completely new way.
It’s transformative, fun and your name will be spoken a lot.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about investing in a ticket for EWIT23 for the first time?
Chelsea: Get yourself to this conference! Don’t set too many goals. Go with an open mind and heart and trust your intuition to lead you to what you are looking for.
Tiffany: Don’t walk – run! This is a unique opportunity to break out of the silos we work in and be surrounded by and hear from women in our field and throughout the industry.
Zuzanna: A must for any woman in tech – from finding the next career step or hiring, plus a great place to learn and expand your perspectives and most importantly a wonderful networking and growth opportunities.
Piece of personal growth advice for delegates?
Tiffany: Don’t be afraid to shine. Bring your FULL self and make moves based on your value. Don’t wait until the entire path is clear, just focus on the next right step.
Zuzanna: Be patient and keep rolling.
Chelsea: Find a coach who can help you hear your inner voice, and listen to it; a coach who can help you make decisions from a place of self compassion. Self compassion is the strongest, truest, and most sustainable way to what you’re looking for.
Contact details:
Zuzanna Borek – PCC, CPCC, CPQC, ORSCC
Founder, CEO and Executive Team Coach
Fierce Up
LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zuzanna-borek/
Tiffany Stahl
Advisory Board Chair and Facilitator
Fierce Up
LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffany-stahl/
Chelsea Hill
Leadership Development and Facilitator
Fierce Up
(27) Chelsea Hill | LinkedIn
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