We're continuing to share profiles of great Aussie women in celebration of International Women's Day.
Originally from Wollongong, Kaitlyn Lieschke is Co-Founder and Head of Business Operations at HazAtlas, a digital platform that helps clients understand which of their sites are vulnerable to future climate change hazards (e.g. flooding).
What are some of the challenges of being a female founder?
As a woman in a science and technology startup, it is common that I am the only woman in the room when talking with investors or clients. I have to be very confident when communicating my opinion because it can sometimes be overlooked in favor of my male co-founder's thoughts. I never assume that my opinion is right, but I make sure it's part of the discussion.
What positives of being a woman have contributed to your founder journey?
I am a lot more people-focused than my male co-founder, which means that I was very intentional about the team environment and the communication channels that we established. Being so intentional and aware of this means that we built a really diverse team, where everyone feels very comfortable expressing their opinions and knows that we care about them as people more than employees. I think this is the key to every success that we've had to date!
What does International Women's Day mean to you?
To me, International Women's Day is about celebrating the achievements of women in all parts of life. There are so many amazing women, accomplishing amazing things and making strides in areas that were previously dominated by men. By celebrating them, we're not only acknowledging their successes, but we're also encouraging other women to strive for their own successes!
What advice would you give to other women on their founder journey?
It's really important to know that you have a unique perspective and opinion to bring to the table, and to be confident knowing that it is valuable even if you're the only one in the room with that perspective! It's essential to consider as many perspectives as possible to build something that is desirable for a diverse audience, and you are an essential piece of that puzzle.
Read the profiles of our female Aussie Founders, Amy Meyer, Samantha Taylor, and Natalie Cook.