“There's something big inside of you that is your gift to the world and that you could do something quite extraordinary with that could drive change and solve a big problem.” -Sarah Dusek
Sarah Dusek’s first company flopped. She grew her next company, Under Canvas, the US' largest glamping company, from infancy to be valued at over $100 million. Along the way, Sarah learned invaluable lessons about leadership and integrity. She then created Enygma Ventures, a venture capital fund investing in female entrepreneurs in Africa, that allows her to mentor and champion future leaders.
Sarah was nominated for The Uplifters by Elisha Costigan. Thank you, Elisha! 💓
In this episode you’ll hear:
Why Sarah once said no to $7 million.
Why she embraces crying in meetings as part of a successful leadership strategy.
Why she believes that women sometimes opt out of leadership and entrepreneurship and how she helps herself stay opted in.
Why empowering female entrepreneurs is a key to global economic growth and innovation.
How she learned to start listening to her inner voice and trust emotional data as much as “hard facts”.
What Coaches and VCs have in common.
I had a cold during this interview and sounds like I’m doing a Harvey Fierstein impression, but the conversation is sooooooo good that I smiled the entire time! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Let’s keep rising higher, together,
Aransas
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Episode Summary
Click the tab for the full transcript
Segment 1. **Failing Forward:**
- Sarah's first company's flop and the pivotal lessons it taught her.
- The importance of giving your all to achieve something extraordinary.
Segment 2. **Leading with Emotion:**
- Sarah's unique leadership strategy, including embracing emotions and even crying in meetings.
- The power of emotional data alongside "hard facts" in decision-making.
Segment 3. **Empowering Female Entrepreneurs:**
- The genesis of Enygma Ventures, Sarah's venture capital fund dedicated to supporting female entrepreneurs in Africa.
- Mentorship, championing, and her role in helping other female leaders succeed.
Segment 4. **Resilience and Opting In:**
- Why some women opt out of leadership and entrepreneurship and Sarah's strategies to stay "opted in."
- The role of resilience in overcoming challenges and setbacks.
Leading with Heart