In our 5 Minutes With… series, we’re speaking to remarkable women about their career highlights, challenges, who they admire and advice they have for other women.
In this edition of 5 Minutes With… last year’s Women Leadership Awards finalist and IPWS Board Member & Vice President, Rachel Daydou!
1. What’s your name? What do you do, and how long have you been in Shanghai?
My name is Rachel 海珊 Daydou, I have been in China for 8 years, including 4 years in Shanghai.
2. What do you think is unique about being a professional woman in Shanghai?
I am not sure about what is unique about being a woman as I’ve never been anything else haha! Working in Shanghai is exhilarating, this city is so dynamic I have never felt this way anywhere else. I also find the innovation and entrepreneurial eco-system to be very supportive to professional women, with countless initiatives and many thriving communities.
3. My biggest career challenge has been…
By far: building my own company, Lihaoma 礼好吗. Juggling between constant uncertainty, financial difficulties and struggling to do something valuable, it was very tough I definitely wasn’t ready, but it was so exciting and meaningful it almost compensated. A true emotional roller-coaster!
4. You were a finalist for the 2017 Women Leadership Awards. Why would you encourage other women to nominate themselves (or others) for this year’s WLA?
Applying to the Women Leadership Awards allowed me to take a step back and think about the journey and achievements in the past year. It was very beneficial to me as I find it so rare and difficult to do in the turbulence of an entrepreneur’s daily life.
Being involved in the very professional nomination and interview process was very enjoyable afer being involved in so many hectic (but fun) startup events’ organisation.
The Women Leadership Awards allowed me to connect with a much broader network of professional women composed of corporates, innovators and diplomats, which I was missing perviously.
And of course, the professsionalism and niceness of the IPWS directors along the process was a great discovery which made me want to contribute, and receive more from IPWS.
5. My advice to other female professionals in Shanghai is…
Get connected, get involved! Pay it forward, you’ll get 10 times what you gave.
A work or career highlight has been…
I have been lucky that my work has been widely recognized. As mentioned, I have been finalist of IPWS’ Women Leadership Awards, selected on Forbes’ prestigious 30Under30 list -10 days before my birthday :)-, had my company awarded most innovative startup by the Shanghai government, selected to Chinaccelerator, invited to many conferences. It is very rewarding.
6. What I like most about my current position is…
I am not sure yet, I started 3 weeks ago 🙂 I am hoping it will be impact. Being APAC Innovation Director at Fabernovel, I support organisations develop innovative practices through consulting, training and trips. When collaborations go well, we deeply change staff mindset and behaviour, leaving organisations working faster, smoother and bringing more value to consumers.
7. The career woman I admire most is…
I really admire Temple Grandin who has used autism to work with animals and has spent her life explaining to non autistic how autism can be an asset. She reminds us that every type of intelligence has to be respected.
8. I am passionate about…
Startups, innovation, yoga, Where the wild things are, Belgian beer, KungFu movies, reading novels whilst eating tarama, backpacking around Asia, Blackadder.
