If you have ever experienced a pair of little eyes looking up to you, full of love and admiration, you’ll understand what I’m going to talk about…
CHILDHOOD: Starting from ever since I was a kid attending ballet school, little children were entering the room with big smiles and excitement. They lit up the space, running towards me, and enthusiastically spelling out: ‘Ms. Olina, you are my favourite and I love you’. Continuing this at school, they were saying: ‘Olina, when I grow up I want to be like you’. I was always saying to them: ‘Don’t be like me, be better’.
UNIVERSITY: At university, I was elected to serve as a UN Women Representative, one of the moments I am most grateful for occurred when a woman grabbed my hand and sought help for a severe situation. I have always wanted to be there for women, just as they have always been there for me. During that year, we initiated a global collaboration to empower women, and one of the significant outcomes was the provision of funding to business women such as Fisherwomen in Côte d'Ivoire.
TODAY: Fast-forward to today, the little kids at the ballet school and school became women. The business landscape has experienced a 10% decline in women holding C-suite positions compared to the overall women workforce. The WEF report predicted we won’t see global gender parity for five generations. Little girls and women need more examples of women in leadership positions - not idols because the authentic perception of humans is important. Our mistakes make us human and success belongs to those who keep on trying.
I am a firm believer that women hold massive potential. I would like to use my gifts and my experience as a Business Development and Legal Consultant, to contribute to the use of women’s talents, power and maximize their success. Skyrocketing female-led businesses will be the vehicle to transforming the business landscape, embracing authenticity, innovative leadership, providing back to our community and contributing to worldwide peace. As a Greek Philosopher said: ‘If Women ruled the world, there would be no wars’. I won’t explain this further because if you are a woman you feel this at your very core and the cosmos inside you.
Olina Sokratous, Founder
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