Franziska Iseli - No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Franziska Iseli - Founder of Basic Bananas, The Business Hood & Moments of Humanity
Franziska Iseli is a maverick entrepreneur, leading marketing and brand strategist, adventurer, author and co-founder of Basic Bananas, The Business Hood, Oceanlovers and Moments of Humanity.
In 2013 Franziska was awarded the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award recognizing her innovation, creativity and philanthropic involvement.
Franziska is a board member at the global Entrepreneurs Organization EO where she is advising on communications, marketing and branding. She also launched an impact initiative called EOcean to inspire entrepreneurs to be more sustainable.
Franziska sits on the judging panel for Singularity University and has run think tanks at the United Nations to address the UN sustainable development goals through entrepreneurship.
A true visionary and eternal optimist, no challenge seems to be too big for Franziska. She is known for her rebellious nature and doing things differently. She has this rare combination of being both creative and strategic, which makes her a powerful leader in the business world.
Franziska is the author of two bestselling books with a third one coming out this year (Sir Richard Branson wrote the foreword).
She is regularly featured across the media including INC, Forbes, Business Insider, Virgin Inflight Entertainment, Marie-Claire, Cosmopolitan, SmartCompany, Dynamic Business Magazine, BRW, 2UE, Channel 9.
A Swiss born Australian (or Swaussie) with a sharp-witted humour and the ability to speak five languages, she is known to make up words, which keeps everyone amused.
The key to Franziska’s success is her down-to-earth attitude, infectious energy, integrity and courage to take the lead. She is an idea generation machine and her brain seems to often work on double-speed. She is a big believer in social business and is heavily involved in various ocean conservation and sustainability projects.
Her key lessons and message for women:
Stay true to yourself and lead like a woman. When you lead from your authentic self, magic happens! You feel more aligned with yourself and your mission, leaving those around you inspired to step up too.
Lead from the heart. Leading from your heart helps you to tap into an abundance of creativity, compassion and energy which makes you an inspiring leader. It has not only helped me to lead from a place of love instead of fear but also allows me to honour myself and my peers for who we truly are.
Surrender to chaos. Rather than fighting against what’s out of your control, surrender to it gracefully. Have clarity on your business’ purpose, but don’t get attached to how you get there. Make peace with chaos, find flow amongst the storm and lead your team out of it with calm.
Patience is a virtue, not mine! I must admit, I’m also writing this lesson for myself! Patience is not one of my strengths. Patience really is a beautiful virtue to embrace. If you feel that you are banging your head against a wall or that you are not performing at your best, it might be time to give yourself a break, reassess the situation and come up with a different approach.
Look after yourself. Leadership starts with self-leadership. Are you looking after yourself just like you are looking after your team? Do you take the time to recharge? Your energy matters and it not only affects you, but also those around you.
Lead by example. Looking after yourself will inspire those around you to do the same. Rather than pointing the finger, behave how you would like others to behave. Raise your own standards and you will see those around you do the same.
Elevate others. Allow your team to be great! Give them responsibilities rather than micro-managing them. Encourage them to make mistakes, because it is from our failures that we learn the most. Always give credit for the great work they are doing.
Be bold. Take more risks. In general, women tend to be more risk-averse than men, however it doesn’t have to be that way. Step into your courage and make the tough decisions.
Be inclusive. One of my favourite proverbs is “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Build a team around you to support you on your mission. Women are natural connectors, use those skills to collaborate. You don’t have to go this journey alone! It’s more fun together!
Always respond with kindness. Lastly and most importantly, be kind. To yourself and others. This is one of your strengths as a feminine leader. Kindness goes a long way!
Be inspired by Franzika’s adventurous spirit and follow her on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn .