EP15 CARLOTTA ZORZI From Italy to Silicon Valley: Charting a Trailblazing Career in Tech with Carlotta, Shopify's Strategic Partnerships Lead

Episode 15, My next guest is Carlotta Zorzi   , Carlotta is an award winning  experienced Tech leader , startup NED ,consultant, speaker and tech career coach with experience in tech startups and large blue chip companies. 
She is currently a Strategic Partnerships Lead at one of the top tech companies Shopify , working create frameworks with top tier partners to deliver their strategic partnership objectives with Shopify .

Can you imagine charting a career path that takes you from Italy to Edinburgh to Silicon Valley? That's exactly what our guest, Carlotta, a Strategic Partnerships Manager for Shopify, has done. With over a decade of experience in tech startups, media, advertising, and the tech space, she shares her inspiring journey and how she embraced the thrill of navigating new opportunities and cultures.

Together, we explore Carlotta's mission and purpose in the tech industry, as well as the challenges she has faced and overcome. We also discuss her work in helping businesses grow within the tech space and empowering individuals to develop their careers. Plus, we touch on the importance of making a plan, taking the leap to achieve your goals, and the freedom and confidence that come with personal growth.

But that's not all - we also dive into the significance of proactive luck, networking, and community building in finding career opportunities. Carlotta shares her experiences as a mentor and the awards she has received for her work in empowering underrepresented individuals. Don't miss this episode as we highlight the importance of being an inspiring role model for young women, the power of example, and how sharing your story can encourage and motivate others.

00:13 Trailblazing Career Journeys

16:28 Finding Purpose and Overcoming Challenges

26:06 Positioning yourself how you want to be seen

31:38 Opportunities, Self-Care, and Close Relationships

43:25 Networking and Proactive Luck

51:32 Trailblazer takeaways


Mentions
https://www.school16.co/
https://youtu.be/cLv3Hio2Spc

carlotta Zorzi :  
https://l.instagram.com/carlottaconnects
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlottazorzi
www.carlottazorzi.com  

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Transcript

Ntola: 0:13

Welcome to the next episode of the Trailblazers Experience podcast And I'm stoked to have my next guest, carlotta. how are you?

carlotta: 0:23

I am very well, thank you. Thank you very much for having me here today.

Ntola: 0:27

Of course, it's a pleasure. You know, i'm so honored to have interesting and exciting women the next Trailblazer of the generations joining us, and you've got an interesting story. So before we start, i'm going to introduce you to the audience. So Carlotta is a bilingual English and Italian. She calls herself a startup net non executive director and consultant, speaker and tech career coach. She has over, let's say, 10 years plus experience in tech startups and large blue chip companies and a wealth of experience in media, advertising and also the tech space, as mentioned, and now she's seen a strategic partnerships manager for an e-commerce rocket ship. If you know Shopify, almost everything's powered by Shopify. And yeah, that is Carlotta in a nutshell.

carlotta: 1:24

Yes, exactly That's my professional side of things, for sure, and, as you mentioned, shopify is very much my day to day at the moment. I've got so many other things that I do on the side because I'm a really curious individual.

Ntola: 1:37

Oh man, I'm looking forward to delving into that as well. And do you know, it's also good hearing someone else big you up of all the great things you've accomplished in your career over this short pace of time. Isn't that brilliant? Yeah, absolutely, Absolutely Great. So let's delve in. Carlotta, So you're Italian, you know by heritage and birth. Talk to me about your background and how, what you studied, how you were what. At what point in your, let's say, teenage years were you confident that this was the direction that you wanted to sort of take?

carlotta: 2:15

Yeah, great question. Yeah, so I'm originally from Italy. I left a good 14 years ago now And I was always kind of fascinated by, you know, different culture, different languages, and that's why when I was younger, when I was a teenager, i decided to attend a languages high school, meaning I studied five languages, including well, we study Italian as well from like a grammar perspective and phonology, morphology, lexicon, all these things Latin, english, french and German. And I still speak. I speak French quite well German. Unfortunately I lost it along the way because it's one of those things like an instrument if you don't use it, you kind of lose it.

carlotta: 2:57

But I was always kind of interested in different cultures exploring And I kind of had this call to you know, prepare to move abroad as soon as I could right after high school. So I started kind of working towards the grades I needed to study abroad, identify also which opportunities were possible out there. Because I come from quite a normal background, i would say my dad was a teacher, my mother was a travel agent. We didn't swim in wealth Growing up, you know. Money was always like a bit of a challenge. So it was question of like kind of finding what was possible. So I started researching when I was a teenager and I found that as a European student, i could study for free in Scotland at university. So it was like, let's make that the objective. So I kind of I applied somehow. The internet wasn't the same 14, 15 years ago, let me tell you. So I kind of somehow applied and managed to make it happen. I found an amazing host family to host me and I moved to Scotland Right after high school And I started communications, advertising and public relations when I was in Edinburgh And that was incredible, like moving to a new country when you were 19,.

carlotta: 4:19

Obviously, i spoke the language, but not as fluent as I do now, right, so it was a huge challenge, but at the same time, it was so incredibly thrilling having to figure things out on a day to day basis And the opportunities that that university gave me. I was at Edinburgh Napier University. They had exchanges with other universities around the world And I was like, okay, I need to make the most out of this opportunity because, you know, just coming through to, you know, on this side, i have to capitalise as much as I can on the chances that I can get from this university. And they were incredible because they managed to place me for a year in Silicon Valley. So I moved to California, in San Jose, for about a year and a half.

carlotta: 5:07

So I started there, i got closer to the world of technology. Obviously because, hey, silicon Valley And I started working for a few startups when I was there. And if I think about it now, i just feel so surreal because, as a 20 year old 20 something year old being surrounded by you know tech entrepreneurs and you know new technologies that I've never seen before. It was just incredible And I met some.

Ntola: 5:34

I'm such a big leap, isn't it Because you?

Ntola: 5:36

know, I mean, i mean all honestly, carlotto, you then saying I studied all these languages. And then I said I need to make a plan of action. Okay, scotland, that's where it's at. You know, that's. That's a bold and brave move, but also shows anyone who's young out there or even older sometimes you just have to make a plan and take the leap and think about other places outside of your comfort zone where you can achieve the goals that you want to achieve. And then now ending up in Silicon Valley, with which is, from what I've heard I've never been to Silicon Valley that it's really just energy and ideas on steroids. Basically, it really is.

carlotta: 6:17

It really is. The thing is, obviously, when I was 14, and I wanted to leave Italy, i didn't know that all of this was going to happen. Right, it was just like, okay, one step at a time. What is the next thing I have that I can see that I can do? Okay, let's go after that. And then when you're in the next situation, then you can just look around and be like, okay, so what is the next thing I can do? Because that kind of creates the path for yourself. Obviously, it's nice to have a vision. It's important, i think, to have a vision for what you want to achieve, what you would like to achieve. But I think you get like a bit of a decision paralysis if you kind of try and plan everything at the beginning because it's just not possible. Right, there's so many things happen.

Ntola: 7:01

Life is not linear. It's one of those things with twists and turns and you have to adapt to whatever's happening in your life. I think a lot of women, or even men, struggle with. this was my plan and this was the direction things were supposed to go, And if there's something in their way, they're completely frazzled.

carlotta: 7:22

Yeah, completely, absolutely. And that's why you have to kind of, yeah, swim a little bit and keep your eyes peeled, right. I always tell people if you're doing something. and people tell you like, oh, you should check out x, y and z, right, it's so easy for us to be like, yeah, yeah, i'll check it out and then never check it out, right, but it's those recommendations that actually open opportunities and make you figure out oh, actually, this is great, i'm going to make this, you know, my next step for you know, whatever reason, right, and also like, so early on, i think you can't really make mistakes, right, it's just like just go with it, try new things and sign up for things and say, yes, as much as you can, right, because you're learning no matter what, right, Yeah, so that opportunity that took me to Silicon Valley like when I think about it now just doesn't feel real because it's just incredible.

carlotta: 8:15

And then I moved back to Scotland after Silicon Valley. I finished my degree in I can't remember if I said about communications, advertising and public relations. And then after that, i moved to Sweden again as a European student. if you get access to the courses in Sweden, which are very competitive, you can study for free as well from a course perspective. So I moved to Lund, where there's Lund University, and I got a master's in business economics with focus on international marketing and brand management.

carlotta: 8:48

So I did my full year in Sweden. Sadly, i didn't pick up Swedish because it was quite complex, but I did do a course and I can say good luck in Swedish, which is a nice thing to know. at least It's a good thing to say yeah. And then after that I moved back to the UK, but I moved to England. this time I moved to London because I've always had this thing of London in my mind. I always knew that I wanted to move to England and really start my career there, probably, probably, i would say, triggered by my love for the Spice Girls. just saying Okay.

Ntola: 9:31

Were you hoping to bump into them when you, i was hoping to be one of them. If you ask me, which Spice Girl did you want to?

carlotta: 9:38

be. I mean probably Ginger Spice, because you know, it was just like A bit sassy in here?

carlotta: 9:44

Yeah, exactly. So you moved to the UK. I moved to the UK well, moved back to the UK And I started my career in large like global media agencies. So what does that mean? Working planning for campaigns, media campaigns, digital campaigns, and also over the top campaigns like TV, outdoor advertising, like print, radio, cinema, all those type of things. And I started working with clients. Essentially, my first client was a blue chip company, so I was in the B2B space. Then I moved to another agency, very large agency, where I worked for a very large entertainment client And then after that I almost had like a catalyst moment for change because my manager at the time made me realize that by transitioning on to technology, opportunities could have expanded a lot.

carlotta: 10:48

Right, and I'm really grateful that I got that advice at the time, because I was in a very dark place, i would say, in my last job in the media side of things. I feel like I was kind of stuck into that and that's all I could have ever done with my life. And by understanding that for every industry there is you know, every traditional industry there is an equivalent industry in the tech space, that was completely eye-opening. So, as I was in media, there was the opposite in tech. There was art tech, advertising technology, and understanding which players were in that space and the roles that were in that space completely changed everything in my life And that's why nowadays I do so much mentoring around this space because, yeah, it really changed everything from a financial perspective, from a career development perspective, personal satisfaction and all those things. I'm a really, really big advocate for tech careers that offer roles that are not necessarily technical.

Ntola: 11:57

There's loads of business roles. It's constantly evolving, isn't it? Because tech is forever developing. We were talking about Web 1, web 2, web 3, blockchain all these things that are developing now. They weren't there 20 years ago. So I think that's interesting that you had someone who said look, carlotta, have you ever thought of this? This is an opportunity. And it also circles back. I mean, you'd spent a year in Silicon Valley and someone is now mentioning tech again. You're like, yeah, this is what I need to do. It clicked.

carlotta: 12:30

It completely clicked. It was almost like a full circle And I feel like I'm exactly where I want to be, where I need to be, where I can have an impact And, as you said, the innovation side of things, of technology, no matter the vertical right, obviously I mean in commerce right now. I was in art tech before. There's technology across everything healthcare, travel, whatever you name it technology is across everything And there's so much innovation that affects our day-to-day lives And it's just so cool to be part of it and influencing a bit the direction right.

Ntola: 13:06

Yeah, yeah. So talk to me about some of the things that you did in advertising tech. So for someone who's saying, oh, that's interesting, describe some of the roles you had and the responsibilities.

carlotta: 13:16

Yeah, sure. So in art tech, before I moved to Shopify, i was at Oracle. Oracle offered some products in the art tech space that basically helps advertisers measure the impact of their online advertising, also target their digital advertising a bit better. So create contextual spaces So ads are more relevant to what you're reading. And essentially I was working with clients, with larger clients, to ensure that they would use the products correctly, they would leverage them correctly and make the most out of them. Essentially, and I would work with these large global clients in a global partnerships capacity, essentially global brand partnerships capacity, which is close to customer success, i would say, but it's very much. It's still a partnership, right, even if you work with clients making sure that they're getting what they need out of the relationship.

Ntola: 14:18

OK, and then you moved on to Shopify from then.

carlotta: 14:21

Yeah, and Shopify contacted me about well two years ago actually, because it was June 2021 when I started, and for me, it was actually a very exciting moment because I was looking to find an organization that would allow me to contribute to a mission that I really believed in.

carlotta: 14:43

And again going back to what we just touched on, going back doing full circle, like with technology and Silicon Valley and my journey going back to working with entrepreneurs to me was just very, very exciting Because, to give you an example, when I was in Silicon Valley, i did work for a few startups. One of them had this really cool technology that allowed you to smell what you saw on the screen, and that was so exciting because it was completely new, completely groundbreaking, and seeing the opportunities and the challenges that entrepreneurship brought to the table was something that I was really missing at the time. So moving to Shopify was almost like a going home moment to the beginnings I had in Silicon Valley, and being able to work with partners that set up their own businesses and are growing through Shopify is just so heartwarming to see.

Ntola: 15:43

Yeah, so most of your strategic partnerships are really working with startups, So people that are the beginning of their journey is that correct description?

carlotta: 15:51

Yeah, I would say I work with partners. The partners I work with tend to be those larger agencies that help brands grow. Generally speaking, these agencies tend to be on the higher end of the merchants and the clients who work with Shopify, So more on the large, sometimes enterprise as well scale merchants. Obviously, there's still brands that are found that work with the founder in-house, but other ones are actually global businesses.

Ntola: 16:27

Yeah, really exciting. So you talked about you wanted to work for a business that sort of was in the same direction of the mission that you believe in. What do you feel is your mission, your purpose?

carlotta: 16:39

For me specifically because I really, really enjoy the technology side of things. I see two things as being part of my mission. One is helping businesses grow within the technology space, And as I work with these founders and these agencies, I want to see them thrive. I want to see them grow and develop their strategies and find new ways to grow their business. And then, on the other hand, it's also helping individuals develop in the tech industry, Because outside of work, I feel like it's so important.

carlotta: 17:13

The more you get, the more you have responsibility to give, And it's important to share all the learning that you brought on your phone to you that allowed you to grow and develop and learn your things and share them with other individuals. So helping also individuals developing the industry is something that I strive to do When I do through different mentoring networks. I also work with private clients and making sure that I kind of share. There's this amazing quote from Maya Angelou. I don't know if you ever heard of it. It basically says if you learn, teach, if you get, give, And that's pretty much the principle that I try to live by.

Ntola: 17:55

Yeah, that's a really good one. I am familiar with that Maya Angelou very wise woman, isn't she? She's so honest. Talk to me about so. obviously you've had a really good career, really colorful career. What are some of the challenges that you've faced that you'd love to share, and how did you overcome them?

carlotta: 18:16

I feel like there's different types of challenges, right? Some of them are more connected to your day to day role, and then there's more wider challenges. One challenge that I definitely observed in the last few years is the fact that I look quite young, but I'm not as young as I look, and I'm a woman And sometimes I feel like I wasn't taken as seriously whenever I put myself forward for whatever project or initiative or whatever. That is something that I feel like, held me back a little bit at times, because I've had many people telling me oh, you're young, you've got time, take it slowly, it's fine. And I'm like you know, i'm not as young as I look.

carlotta: 19:04

You know my timeline is my timeline, so if I'm working towards something, the speed I'm going towards something, is something that is just mine. So whenever I had individuals telling me, oh, slow down, or you know you got time, i'm like but it's not really for you to say, right, because you never know what goes on behind somebody's face, somebody's life, right? So I think that's something that I've had to really work through and, in some cases, accept and in some cases, really challenge And I feel like, yeah, it's something that I'm still kind of learning how to navigate at times. But I think you know, confidence definitely grows, especially when you reach 30. I feel like something hits when you reach 30. And I reached out a few years ago now and you're just like get that moment of like you know what, i'm just going to go for it. I'm just going to go for it And you know, kind of being more unapologetic, you and just going after what do you want to go after essentially?

Ntola: 20:11

Yeah, no, that's a very interesting one. What you were saying before about the challenge of A being a woman, you know being very forward and it's always yeah, you're right about whose time is the right time. Am I right for this project or not? And if I am, it doesn't matter what age I am. Give it to me and I will thrive. And also the fact that you're putting yourself forward. That's formidable. That should be celebrated.

Ntola: 20:35

But you're right, i'm 42. And when I reach 30, i was like right, these are the things I need to do. I've done all my learnings. You know what? next? It's freeing. I think There's a lot of freedom that comes with that as well. Yeah, but it's good that you're. I feel like you've got a higher self-awareness to say, okay, you know, i understand what people are saying, but actually I know what my skill set is. I know what I need to drive. I know if I'm not being listened to within this organization, well, i need to find another one that does and understand. You know the effort and the work that I need to put in. What are some achievements that you're proud of?

carlotta: 21:17

I don't know. I feel like there's so many things that I'm really proud of, to be honest. There's so many things that I feel like have made me who I am nowadays, and I think most of them concern, like helping others grow and develop And, for example, getting my first client, you know, last year, who I helped grow from like a business perspective, like working with their clients, for example, and coaching them from that perspective. Also, being able to speak in front of huge crowds is something that, personally, i've always enjoyed. But really developing a style that resonates with your own authenticity and also ensuring that you know it gives out the message you want to give out to the audience It's just something that, yeah, i've really enjoyed. I think gaining confidence whilst helping others, growing your career alongside helping others is probably one of the biggest achievements so far. So I wouldn't pinpoint one specific thing, but it's more like the holistic approach to growth.

Ntola: 22:30

Yeah, that's a good segue, So let's talk about that. So obviously, you're still working in your current role, but you've now branched off into coaching, public speaking, etc. At what point did you make that decision to say, right, this is the direction I want to go, and how did you go about it? I mean, you've got such an amazing profile and website talking about all the things that you're doing, how people can contact you. I think you know it's well presented, but there must have been a few steps. And how did you go about it? Because I'm sure there are women out there, or men, you know, looking now and saying this is what I'd love to do, but the you know that catalyst, like you said, to start and go ahead, just talk me through your thought process.

carlotta: 23:16

Do you know what? It's one of those things that I've had so much positive feedback from people over the years on specific things that you know I got so much encouragement from people being like why don't you, why are you not doing more of this? Why don't you have a website? Why don't you, why are you not doing more of this? essentially, and I was like, well, you know what, i don't have time, i don't have time, etc. Etc. Etc. Make excuses, excuses, excuses.

carlotta: 23:41

And then a couple of years ago, we actually had some Fridays off during summer company-wide And I was like I'm going to use this Fridays to, you know, set up my website and actually, you know, position myself as I want to be seen, because I truly believe that every individual is not just an employee, right, we are more than just the employee of a company. We can give so much more beyond that. So I was like I'm going to find the way I want to position myself, to channel myself in the vision I have for my life, right, and that includes giving talks. I love teaching people, i love telling stories and make people feel, you know, entertained, for example. So how can I include that into a long-term vision for myself? The other thing is I really love coaching. I love coaching individuals and I love coaching businesses. So how can I make that part of what I do in the long term right And that kind of turn into what is my tagline?

carlotta: 24:46

It's almost like connecting dots, people and minds, right. It's all about connection, creating connections, and that took quite some time to develop. It's a journey, right. Especially, it comes down to like a personal branding exercise, like what you want to be known for, right. It takes time to develop, but eventually you start to get positive feedback, you start to get contacted from the right people and it really gives you that almost reassurance that what you are doing is working right And it's channeling you in the direction that you see yourself in like five, ten, twenty years. So, yeah, the catalyst was just dedicating time. I had some time that I could put towards this work and, yeah, investing in other, in networks, obviously, like network, is a big thing for me, and doing the work is equally as important as positioning yourself. As you know, a speaker or an on-execute director, you actually have to have something tangible to talk about, because you know you have to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.

Ntola: 25:58

I love what you said about positioning yourself how you want to be seen. That's how you started And that's a very good you know if that's a trailblazer tip right there, trailblazer takeaway. That is so important is how do you want to be seen, how do you want to be. You know what are the qualities, what have you got to offer. You know what is your. Why is important And, like you said, it starts with small steps. If your you know why is I want to give back? Okay, that's a starting point. If it's, i love talking and I love you know what is it you are good at talking about. How can you contribute? That's a really good way for someone to start.

carlotta: 26:38

Yeah, and I think it's important to create environments and moments for you to try and test some of that right, because you're not going to turn it in.

carlotta: 26:47

Yeah, you're not going to turn it into a business like only in one day. It's not. you plant the seed and the flower doesn't bloom on the same day, right? So it's important to really find those opportunities to test yourself and get some feedback And, you know, if you have an opportunity to give a talk to your team, for example, use that as like a first starting point. Or if you work with a charity or with a network you know work with many networks like Bloom UK We Win All the Future program Forward, ladies, leave55, there are so many different networks out there that can really use people's voices and stories and and learnings, right, and these are great chances to kind of test some of the skills you might want to turn into something else one day.

Ntola: 27:33

That's amazing. Let's talk about your values and your work ethic. Do you want to describe some of them to me?

carlotta: 27:42

Yes, so in terms of work ethic, i'm a workaholic. I could work 24-7. And thank goodness my partner prevents me from doing that.

Ntola: 27:52

Yeah, now I've seen you in action, carlotta. I mean, you're like an energiser bunny, keep going.

carlotta: 27:56

Keep going. It's really evening and I'm knackered, But yeah, I generally I love working. I love creating, strategising, executing, connecting with people, meeting new people. I just really love work and my fiancée takes the piss out of me for this because it's just like can you just come down, i just love it.

carlotta: 28:19

But there's something inside of me It's like this, like a fire. It's just so fun to create things and do stuff And, in terms of values, it's something that I try to do on both in my work and outside of work. Fairness to me, is a very important keyword. Fairness, integrity These two things are very central to who I am And that's why I try to replicate it into everything I do. So, for example, i work with partners that obviously work in different ways And my approach is very much like I want to try and keep the relationships very fair. So how do I do that? Right? It's always like top of my mind And in the same way I do that with you know the things I do outside of work, all the coaching and the volunteering.

carlotta: 29:09

From a mentoring perspective, i want to try and level the playing field for opportunities out there, like social mobility for me is a big, big topic Because you know, growing up with this like money trauma when you were like a teenager or like young kid social mobility is something that is very close to my heart And that's why I work with organizations out there, both on a volunteer, like volunteer position, and also on a part-time basis with this organization called School 16, where, basically, i coach students, individuals from all over the world, to break into technology, no matter their background, whether they were working as an admin, in hospitality or in healthcare or whatever. How can they translate their experience onto a technology job right in the tech world? Because technology has the catalyst to really level the playing field for many, many people, and that's why fairness really comes into the picture. I want to try and have an impact with individuals that might not have the same opportunities to begin with.

Ntola: 30:17

I think that's really important talking about social mobility, because a lot of the time and this is why, also, i do this podcast a lot of the time, when people see the career progression or the job titles that people have, they assume that there was, you know, generational wealth, that there was a pot of money sitting somewhere that helped them get to where they needed to go. But everyone is going through trials and tribulations. Everyone's doing the same, or rather not the same researching on the Internet as to what opportunities are there that can take me out of the country or situation that I'm in. Especially if you're intelligent or skilled, you identify what your skill set is and you want to grow, the opportunities are there. So what you're doing is engaging with, you know, those organizations or charities or communities where you can talk about.

Ntola: 31:07

Okay, this is how you get from A to B is so important because there is a misconception that and I know some of them have it well, if you go to particular university, that's the type of career you have. You know if this is the type of money that you have. This is the type of role. So it's good to break that stigma and demystify and especially with tech, there are so many opportunities and acknowledging that and that you're able to do it remotely or form wherever you are. I know people who've gone from because I'm from Zambia, who've gone on to live in China and then work at Silicon Valley or launching their businesses online and they're working virtually with clients. You know things such as Fiverr. Who would have known years ago, going on Fiverr listing your services and you could be creating apps for someone on the other side of the earth? So people don't know about that.

carlotta: 32:02

Carlotta, they don't Awareness. It all starts from awareness and that's why it's important to talk about it. Right, because the opportunities are there, but it's not going to be easy. It's not going to be an overnight success. It's going to take a lot of resilience, especially if you're in countries where you don't have, like big hubs, for example. Right, like outside of Europe, outside of West, you know, the Americas, whatever. It's so much more challenging. Right, because you have to find organizations that have hubs or they're open to hire or have policies that allow for remote work. Right, it's going to be extra challenging, but the chances are there, but it's going to take a lot of resilience.

carlotta: 32:46

And one thing I always tell people as well is don't be afraid to ask for help, like reach out to people. I don't think I could have done any of the things I told you today had I not had people helping me on the way, even just, for example, living in Silicon Valley after my university experience. Right, i wasn't on a university program anymore in the summer to work for the startups I live with friends and their families. If it wasn't for their families, who hosted me within their homes, i would have never been able to afford doing that, and it all comes down to finding good people and being a good person yourself, right?

Ntola: 33:30

Yeah, i was going to say Carlotta. I think you've got some good upbringing, because, living with other people, you have to respect. You know how they do things at home. You need to be able to be helpful. So if you don't even have that background, ain't nobody going to want to host you, isn't it?

carlotta: 33:44

It's so true, it's so true. But, honestly, like this, asking for help. to me, the concept of self-made is very selfish, because you know along the way, someone would have believed in you, right? No matter how you know, obviously there are situations where you did a lot more work than someone else because you started from here and someone else started from here, right, but in terms of people recognizing your value and supporting you somehow in different ways, there can be financial support, there can be mental support, there can be many different ways, right, but asking for help is so important and it's important to recognize that there's no self-made, i think, out there, right? So, yeah, that is so true. Being comfortable with asking is important, and it's also important to never remember that someone helped you and paid forward when you get the chance.

Ntola: 34:34

That is so true. I mean, i totally agree with that, because even myself, throughout my career, just by being tenacious, hardworking, but also asking and you know someone might say no you keep going. you know you keep pushing forward, you keep looking for those opportunities and demonstrating that you are doing well, and I think that you are deserving of them as well, because I think we live in a time where there's a certain generation and not all of them. we think that you have to wait for things to be given to you And that's not the case. There's still that thing of hard work, and proving your worth is really key. So you talked about how you know you're very passionate about your job, your entrepreneurial spirit and giving back. Talk to me about self-care. How does Carlotta take care of herself?

carlotta: 35:30

Oh, i love self-care. I don't do enough of that, to be honest, my ideal self-care moment is literally alone time, and I love my partner dearly, but, honestly, getting some alone time is literally the best present for me. To kind of recenter, my ideal Sunday, when I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed especially is I get time in the morning to do my exercise. Nobody's rushing me. I'm going to take a shower afterwards and then I'm going to go through my to-do list. I'm going to catch up with all my things that are outside of work. You know all my private clients and you know. Go through my to-do list, answer all the emails, tackle all the LinkedIn messages which have been building up in the last few months. Let me tell you. So do all of that to clear my mind and then get some time maybe to just go pamper myself, get a money cure, go for shopping just literally myself. Time by myself, and it's rare, but when it happens I really really cherish it. It's so important.

Ntola: 36:33

I think people need to differentiate between being lonely and spending time alone. The fact that you're able to be with yourself and be okay with that is really important, because a lot of I know a lot of people who just can't be by themselves. They have to. If they're doing something, it has to involve another person And you sort of think, well, what about you? What about that time for you to reflect, rejuvenate and just rejoice being you is really key.

carlotta: 37:01

Absolutely, and just like also reminding yourself what you really enjoy doing, right, a few years ago I attend, like I use some of my time to go to choir, for example, and we did a concert after like four months, and investing that time in your passions is just so important. And I feel like, especially the beginning of your career, you kind of forget that you have passions beyond. You know your work, you're just like work, work, work, friends, whatever right. But then again something happens when you know you kind of grow and you kind of cement yourself in your professional life, that you know something clicks inside and you're like, actually I really want to invest time in something that really makes me happy And that's different for everybody, right?

Ntola: 37:47

I'm loving that with the choir. So what? what were you singing? Is this classical? Is this opera? Is this modern music?

carlotta: 37:53

Yeah, classical, classical I actually I trained professionally in flute, like the Traversea flute when I'm growing up, and also I trained for boys for traditional, like classical music I would say I did concerts with, like, the Symphony Orchestra of Moscow. Growing up We were singing like Liszt. For example, i sing the Messiah last year or a couple of years ago now. So that type of choir music is definitely the type of thing that really fills my heart. There's nothing that makes me happier than being on stage and entertaining people, be it, you know, through giving a talk or, you know, being there with music and making people smile.

Ntola: 38:40

So this is like a full circle moment, because this is one thing you didn't know about Carlotta moment And also it explains why you have that presence on stage and also public speaking and coaching. It's you know, it comes from that training that you've had.

carlotta: 38:57

Yeah, probably like the discipline of you know keeping it together when you're in front of a stage, like on a stage, a stage presence for sure.

Ntola: 39:06

Yeah, let's talk about your close relationships, so the circles of people that add value to your life, because, like you said, it takes a village. No one makes it alone. Talk to me about some of those close relationships and how that circle adds value to your life.

carlotta: 39:25

Yeah, that's a great question. I feel like, again, as you grow, your circle gets smaller and smaller, but stronger and stronger. My biggest support remains my partner right now. We're getting married in July, which is very exciting Congratulations. Thank you very much. He has been a rock for me in the last eight years. He's been the reason why I've been able to do so much right. Yes, I've got my day-to-day job, which I love, But all the things I do outside of work is also thanks to him, because he gives me the peace of mind to know that it's okay for me to dedicate time to it, And he's not just telling me it's okay. He's also supporting me and encouraging me to do more of it, because he knows that I really, really enjoy it right. So having his support is so important. I think for any woman out there who is ambitious and willing to do so much more beyond the day-to-day, having a supporting partner is just essential.

Ntola: 40:34

And support for you means, Carlotta, finding someone who finds it important for you to be the best version of yourself.

carlotta: 40:43

Yeah, absolutely, yeah, absolutely, and encouraging that and taking it personally, when there's not enough time to spend time together, for example, right, so definitely, that's so important. And then I would say my family, obviously. Well, they're in Italy. I don't speak to them as much, but just knowing that they're there and kind of cheer from the sidelines when there's like something fun happening, it's just heartwarming and just like so grateful that they're still okay and fine health-wise. And then my circle of girlfriends is just so tight and so strong, like the bond that we have. I know that I can go to them if something like will still fail if.

carlotta: 41:29

I was to fall. I know I can knock on their doors and they'll open the door no matter what. So yeah, this circle is probably like the what makes everything possible.

Ntola: 41:42

Yeah, and you talked about I mean that is so true as the older you get, the smaller your circle becomes as well. That misconception is you need a whole lot of friends and a whole lot of people around you. Is just knowing those few people that you can grasp on and families is so key as well. 100%, yeah, so you've already talked about you know dropping it in about how you're mentoring, coaching, advising companies or individuals. You know you use LinkedIn, using the word LinkedIn. You are already on that trajectory of networking, putting yourself out there and mentoring and just showing that both of those things, i think, go hand in hand if you want to develop yourself and pay it forward. If you were to share you know three things that someone who is probably embarking on a networking journey or mentoring journey that they should do a young person, what would you say?

carlotta: 42:45

So, in terms of networking specifically, it kind of goes back to like don't be afraid to ask, right, But I wish someone told me in the past that you can reach out to people who you just don't know. Right, LinkedIn is a great platform, a big advocate for LinkedIn. When it comes to just sending a message and be like hey, person, I really love your background, Can you give me 50 minutes of your time to tell me more about your career, Because I'd love to learn from you? right, Even just doing that can open so many doors And not you know, the person might not offer you a job or anything, but you might get some guidance, some advice that my lead to incredible opportunities.

carlotta: 43:25

So, finding the courage to reach out to people you don't know is just so important And it's so easy for me to say, as an extrovert right, If you're an introvert, that's something that you definitely would need to work on a bit more actively because it's 100% beyond your comfort zone. But it's so necessary to find those opportunities. It's almost like someone at work with a school 16, they say they call it proactive luck. Right, Luck plays a big part in the opportunities you find, but you have to create that luck. Luck is not just like walking down the street and, oh look, I found a pound on the floor. No, you have to actively go and seek for that pound on the floor if you want to find it, because it's competitive out there And it's important to have a plan and put yourself forward for opportunities.

carlotta: 44:17

And most of the opportunities come from people, not from job postings or what is in front of you. Again, it goes down to awareness, right. You have to create that awareness for yourself. If you speak to five people and you ask them what is your recommended network or choice to engage with, you're probably going to get five different answers that you wouldn't have known, right?

Ntola: 44:40

That is so true. And that thing about preparation meets opportunity and proactive luck Oh my goodness, carla, did that resonate so much? You know, when you hear people saying, oh, it's a bit like relationships. Oh, i can't meet anyone, do you go out? You go out. Yeah, you're not going to meet people, just staying at home. You know How many people agree to this Exactly. How many people did you greet on your way out as well? What's your career? I know Yeah. And when people say, oh, I want to go into fashion, ok, are you engaging? Are you using your phone? Are you creating content? It's all these things where the big word is you have to be proactive and prepare, because when that opportunity comes, they're going to ask you for your portfolio, they're going to want to know more about you, they're going to want to see the things that you've done. So preparing is so important. And I was listening to so.

Ntola: 45:35

Oprah Winfrey obviously is very famous And she has all these dinners.

Ntola: 45:40

And there was a guy on a podcast I think he's one of the if you've ever watched Married at First Sight, of course, one of the coaches there.

Ntola: 45:48

I've got his name, It'll come to me And he was talking about how he observed Oprah and how she networks And she has these dinners where she invites people And she always invites, obviously, her closest friends, her business partners But she also invites someone who she doesn't know, who has a certain skill set or business, et cetera, and they're just talking talking on the table, about food, about life in general. Some are talking about their ideas, businesses, they're starting And your weakest link he said your weakest link is your next connection. So the person not in your close circle, someone who probably has nothing to do with your industry, who you've reached out to, that'll be the person that will provide you with the next opportunity. So, just coming back to what you said about reaching out to people on LinkedIn, don't go with the obvious. Go with also other people who you never would have thought of reaching out to And developing that rapport and that network is really key as well.

carlotta: 46:47

So key And also if it feels too uncomfortable reaching out to individuals. There are so many opportunities nowadays to actually join groups. Even just using meetupcom right, you can find opportunities that they put together like-minded people. Say you want to get into the startup scene? Oh my goodness, there's so many opportunities to get involved.

Ntola: 47:12

And most of them are free as well, because what we don't want is people thinking they have to spend loads of money. It's literally just joining a community.

carlotta: 47:19

Absolutely, absolutely. Community is so important And obviously opportunities depend a bit from again on where you're based. So if you're more remote, if you're in different countries where things are not as developed, there might not be as many opportunities. But nobody prevents you from being the person that initiates that community as well if you're into it. If there's no opportunity there to join, create that opportunity for yourself. Yeah.

Ntola: 47:44

And also the thing is most people have a mobile phone. The amount of time you see people on TikTok and just scrolling through, you could have used that time to, like you said, join meetup or join some groups on Reddit, some groups on so many different platforms where it could be engaging with like-minded people and asking all those questions. So your phone is a very important tool. Yeah, all you need, Definitely. We've talked about, you know, work-life balance. We've talked about networking. We've talked about mentoring. You're a mentor yourself, I believe.

carlotta: 48:23

Yes, i am a mentor myself in many different groups networks. My very first official mentoring role was with Bloom UK, which brings together women in the communications industry, because that's where I started from initially And I actually started as a mentee years and years and years ago And then I transitioned onto the mentor side of things and I've been a mentor with them for three years now And then beyond that, i was kindly recognized with a few awards last year And all these different networks who gave me the awards are absolutely amazing and do give so many chances to mentor amazingly ambitious young women like tend to be mainly women, generally from underrepresented backgrounds, i would say to really try and level the playing field in many different areas. And that's something that I absolutely love doing. And it's not just a question of loving. I think it's also a responsibility that we all have right To give back. Again, going back to that quote I told you earlier, if you get, give right, it's a responsibility.

Ntola: 49:33

Oh, that's so amazing And that's good to see as well, because we need the trailblazers of this generation to be motivating the youth of today as well, and they need to actually see people doing well that they can relate to, that they can, that are within their grasp, you know, and not people they're just reading about in books.

carlotta: 49:55

Yeah, absolutely And have these conversations that are also real, right, Because it's not all shiny. There's loads of things that you know. I could have a conversation with Elmentina and be like, listen, I'm not happy. X, Y, Z, these things frustrates me, These things makes me unhappy. It's not all perfect, right, And it's important to keep it real That last week I went to give a talk to a group of like over 100 women And one thing I told them is don't believe everything you see on social media, because it's such a filtered life, isn't it Like? everything is curated, Everything is curated. Even my Instagram is like, oh yeah, like I want to put this picture of me talking here, picture of me talking here. I'm not going to put a picture of me having a little breakdown on a Saturday evening, but it does happen, right.

Ntola: 50:42

So you know it's so funny, colette. There are people now posting pictures of themselves crying And I said, god, you had the time to actually post yourself crying. It's like So true, i would have just been crying, but never mind It's, it's so true.

carlotta: 50:58

My goodness, I don't think I would ever have that vulnerability. You know, I don't think I'm there yet to share that sort of vulnerability, but it is there And it's important to recognize that. everybody has those moments, right, Even the most successful person of what you consider to be the most successful person, everybody has those moments. So, especially if you're young, it's so easy to just fall into that comparison trap.

Ntola: 51:22

Definitely definitely. Let's talk about Trailblazer takeaways for the audience, because I think there's so many that we've touched on and really good nuggets for anyone who's gonna, who will definitely listen to the podcast and watch it. What are your three Trailblazer takeaways?

carlotta: 51:43

Oh man, i feel like that's brilliant down to three. It's like woo, very tough.

Ntola: 51:48

I mean, i know some people who shared, you know ten It was. How long do you have?

carlotta: 51:53

So one thing I already mentioned is finding the right partner, in my opinion, has more weight than what we give credit to, right? There was this saying like, oh, behind a great man there's a great woman. Well, also, the opposite is very, very true, and for us I feel like society is still kind of adapting to the fact that, hey, it's okay to be a woman and to be the career person in the house, right, It's totally fine. But for that to happen, for how things are set up, the working hours that you know, if you end up having a family like, you need to have somebody that truly supports that journey for yourself, right, because it's very difficult otherwise to make sure that there's balance in a household. So choosing the right partner beyond goes beyond loving each other. I think it's very much like a partnership, right, So it's a given time And there has to be full buy-in from both sides.

carlotta: 52:54

The other thing I would say is do things tell people? So very, very important to kind of acknowledge the fact that in many cases we have personal achievements and things we do that we just like don't voice because we are afraid of, you know, societal norms of modesty, especially women. We are like, oh my gosh. I can't say that because otherwise I'm bragging. But one thing I've been doing in the last few years is facilitating I Am Remarkable workshops, and one of the things that is actually mentioned within the workshop is if it's a fact, you're not bragging right, it's just a fact You've done something, talk about it right, inspire others through you telling them what you've been doing right, because it might put people into like a similar path, you might get some questions, it might open other opportunities as well. So it's very important to not shy away from that modesty norms and, you know, just shy away on the corner, just take space, just talk about it and create that proactive lack for yourself and others as well, because you can inspire through telling your story, right, oh, that's amazing.

Ntola: 54:08

I love that. Fill up spaces. Fill up spaces with your accomplishments, with facts, because you're helping someone out there. That's brilliant.

carlotta: 54:15

Yeah, and I think it's important, there's a differentiation from like saying I did this, you know, and versus I did this and this is how you can do it as well. Right, help people share your secrets. Right, because there's enough space for everybody. We're all like different in the story and the unique learning we can bring to the table in different contexts. So, yeah, just kind of act as somebody that shares, right, like sharing is very important and it encourages others to do the same. And I think this connects also to like stop comparing yourself, because stories are all different. So, yeah, kind of connects to what we discussed earlier.

carlotta: 54:55

And then I would say I think trying defining a mission not a mission like a vision for yourself is so important.

carlotta: 55:05

And that doesn't mean having 20 different steps already, like set up for your future and knowing exactly how you're going to do things, and because that's not really thick And you also mentioned like it's not a linear journey, but it's very important to kind of think, okay, this is what I would like my life to look like, this is what I want to do, these are the people I want to help, this is the impact I want to have in the next five, 10, 20 years. So what is the next thing I can do? that takes me a little bit closer to it. It's not going to happen in one night, it's not going to happen in one year, but there's this idea that we overestimate what we can do in one day and we underestimate what we can do in one year. So having a little vision and taking little steps every day is that consistency that takes you on that path and not just like a one-off big action. It's like consistency and little steps to work that vision.

Ntola: 56:07

That is so brilliant I mean some great nuggets you've just shared there that I will also reflect and take on board. Carlotta, where do we see you in five, 10 years? So when I catch up with you in 10 years time?

carlotta: 56:21

Well, i hope I'm going to be working with many different organizations that are growing in the next 10 years. I would love to be advising these organizations, help them grow, help them innovate. You know, i mentioned, like really curious, i would love to be working with different aspects of technology, right, and also I hope I'm going to be helping people, like at a large scale, to kind of help them achieve their dreams, essentially give them the tools to be resourceful and proactive, to create that proactive luck. So again, it kind of goes back to my mission that I mentioned earlier is working with, like, both businesses and individuals to help both grow.

Ntola: 57:09

Brilliant Carlotta. This was one of the reasons why I started the podcast to showcase women such as yourself. You know, i met you and I was already in awe and sharing your journey, what you're doing, how you're giving back and inspiring. You know, some young lady out there will say listening to this or watching it will have that light bulb moment for the direction they want their personal and professional life to go. So thank you so much.

carlotta: 57:39

Thank you for having me. It's completely my honor.

Ntola: 57:43

So, for all the listeners out there, this has been the Trailblazers Experience podcast. You know we're on all streaming platforms, we're on YouTube and we look forward to you following, liking, sharing and share this podcast with another woman, because it will inspire someone out there. So thank you so much, carlotta, and until the next time, bye, bye.