Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sarah Dusek. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Sarah , thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
Navigating Imposter Syndrome was a significant personal journey for me as I started my entrepreneurship journey – a trend I see across many female founders. Initially, I confronted its existence by acknowledging it head on and adopting a strategy of positive affirmations, consistently reminding myself of my qualifications and the achievements that propelled me to my current position. Because why not me?
Establishing a robust support network played a crucial role in this process as well. Collaborating with mentors and peers became an invaluable resource, providing guidance that consistently reinforced my potential. Additionally, the practice of visualizing success and setting realistic goals emerged as pivotal components. I learned to celebrate every win, big or small, as steps to my larger dream. Understanding that doubts and fears are normal when pursuing ambitious dreams helped me regain my confidence and push forward.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
My journey in the investment world began with the founding of Enygma Ventures, a private investment fund dedicated to supporting and investing in women-led businesses in Africa. Since its inception in 2019, I have had the privilege of guiding over 5,000 entrepreneurs through our investor-ready programs, helping them build valuable companies and making the world of funding more accessible to women. This work is not just about business growth; it’s about driving economic and social progressive change.
In 2009, I founded Under Canvas, a leading upscale outdoor hospitality brand, which I sold in 2018 for over $100 million. This venture earned a spot on the coveted Inc. 5000 list in 2017, and in the same year, I was honored to be named to Ernst & Young’s EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women list.
What excites me the most about my work is the ability to leverage challenging circumstances to propel forward change. For instance, at the helm of Enygma Ventures, we led the development of a special program in 2020 to help redefine systemic issues for female leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic. We selected 11 female entrepreneurs from a pool of 9000 applicants, ultimately investing $10 million in women-led startups in the Southern African Development Community regions.
In addition to my entrepreneurial endeavors, I am a contributing writer to Forbes, The Telegraph, and TRT World. I also serve as the chairwoman of the Women’s Giving Circle for The Global Good Fund, a social entrepreneurship leadership development program. I sit on the board of 10 and rising startup companies in Africa.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back on my journey, I believe the three most impactful skills were resilience, the ability to learn from failure, and understanding the value of pacing oneself.
Resilience: My journey, especially in the early days of starting Under Canvas, was filled with challenges. We had very little capital and resources, and we were driven by sheer determination. The drive was a matter of survival. This resilience, the ability to keep going despite the odds, was crucial. For those early in their journey, my advice is to embrace the challenges as part of the process. Understand that it’s about staying in the game long enough to succeed.
Learning from Failure: I wish someone had told me earlier that failures are good. Failures are useful because understanding what doesn’t work helps you get where you want to be faster. For anyone starting out, don’t begrudge your time of failure. I encourage others to see it as a learning opportunity, a stepping stone to better understanding what works and what doesn’t.
Pacing Yourself: This is something I had to learn the hard way. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. In the early stages, it’s easy to burn out by trying to do too much too quickly. My advice is to pace yourself. Recognize that you’re in this for the long haul. This mindset helps in conserving energy and focusing on what truly matters for long-term success.
For those early in their entrepreneurial journey, my advice is to focus on these three areas. Build your resilience, learn from every failure, and remember to pace yourself. It’s not just about the destination but also about the journey. Enjoy it, learn from it, and let it shape you into a better entrepreneur and person.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
Reflecting on the last year, I’ve realized that my primary focus has been on embracing rest and stillness. I’ve come to describe 2023 as my “year of no pushing,” a period where I consciously decided to take my foot off the gas. This approach, which I refer to as my “Sabbath year,” involved not pushing myself excessively and avoiding exhaustion from overexertion.
This change in approach led to a surprising increase in productivity for me! I observed more accomplishments throughout this year compared to previous years when I was more intensely driven. This shift also involved developing new practices centered around silence, solitude, and even cold plunging, which I found initially challenging but ultimately rewarding, providing me with significant clarity.
My experience underscores the paradox of doing less to achieve more. I want to highlight the transformative nature of this year for me, emphasizing the importance of self-transformation in being able to bring one’s best self to all endeavors, including business growth. My experience serves as a testament to the idea that personal development and business development are deeply interconnected.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.enygmaventures.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahdusek/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahhdusek/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/EnygmaVentures
