„FOUNDHER“, AN INSPIRATIONAL PODCAST ON FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS

Since last August, Kayla de Leon's "FoundHer" - a podcast by women for women - has been freely available on the Internet. In it, female entrepreneurs, start-up founders and business leaders provide insight into their careers and the challenges that this path can bring in Austria.

We asked Kayla to answer a few questions about this inspiring project and her own background. Among other things, we wanted to know what led her to our Master's program and the MCI.

“I’m originally from the Philippines where I completed my bachelor’s degree in Management, majoring in Business Law with a double minor in International Business and German Studies. When the pandemic hit, I decided to put off my plans for law school and enter the corporate world instead.

It was during this time that I fell in love with entrepreneurship, marketing, and helping businesses expand internationally. However, I knew that my knowledge in these areas was very limited, which was why I sought to pursue a master’s degree.

I was drawn to the MCI because its International Business and Law program hit all three of these areas. Its strong focus on business law, as well as its seamless blend of classroom theory and practical learning, were also appealing to me.”

Kayla describes her inspiration to start the podcast and what its aim is as follows:

“Coming from a matriarchal society, I’ve always been interested in projects that empower women. So, when the Ban Ki-moon Center for Global Citizens asked our cohort to develop a mini-project in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, I jumped at the chance to promote SDG 5: Gender Equality.

I now consider Austria my second home, which was why I wanted to celebrate its robust entrepreneurial landscape and the women who are succeeding in it.

By sharing the unique stories of female start-up founders and entrepreneurs in Austria, I hope to inspire other young women who are considering following this path too.”

We also wanted to know some of her personal lessons from the project and how it influenced her own career aspirations. She describes her learning as follows:

“That you can’t change the community without relying on them first. My podcast wouldn’t be successful had it not been for the people who willingly put in their time and effort to help get it to where it is today.

I have received so much positive feedback about my podcast, which is why I’m hoping to continue recording more episodes and sharing more stories. My mentor and I are currently working together to raise funds for this project, so we can take “FoundHer” to a bigger and better level. Hopefully, I’ll be able to release more episodes soon.

Beyond “FoundHer,” I want to be able to empower and transform lives – the same way the women I’ve interviewed have done. Their impact and how tirelessly they work for their respective communities are honestly so inspiring. I hope to join their ranks as an “impact professional” once I begin my personal career journey."

Kayla's mindset and awareness for this important issue hopefully inspires many to take action for this cause. With last year's introduction of a new specialization in "HR Leadership & Diversity," the master's program in International Business & Law has likewise created a push for gender equality topics in education. Kayla's "FoundHer" will be one of the best practice examples.

We congratulate Kayla de Leon on this exceptionally well-done project and encourage anyone interested to listen to her podcast, which is freely available on Spotify or Apple Podcast.