Breaking Barriers in Tech: A Successful Woman Entrepreneur’s Journey

March is internationally known as Women's Month, a month dedicated to the recognition of women's achievements and the struggle for equal rights #IWD2023. In this article, BeeReal co-founder Paula Dabós tells us about her experience as a successful female entrepreneur in the tech industry. What inspired her to enter the tech world??

Which were the most significant challenges she had to overcome to get to where she is now? We’ll dive into the story of a woman who worked hard to achieve the dream of founding her own company with three partners and friends.?

Paula is UX Director & Product Designer at BeeReal, with 15+ years of experience in the Tech Industry. Together with BeeReal’s co-founder and partner Nicolás Mosca, they decided to relocate from her native Tandil to London, looking to expand the company from a UK hub. To understand how she got here, let's go back to the mid-2000s when Paula was finishing her studies in Visual Communication Design in La Plata, Argentina.

It was around that time when Paula started to notice something was about to blossom back in her native Tandil, Argentina. A great number of tech companies were settling in the city and a technological pole was simultaneously being formed. She had always felt the desire to return to Tandil and it seemed to be the right time since she could take advantage of the technological boom that was taking place in the city to find a job.?

Once back in Tandil, the urge to dare herself to start something of her own grew stronger as she completed her MBA studies, where she met many influential IT people from the growing tech sector, prompting her to start planning to launch her own technology company.

?After years of leading teams, managing clients and participating in large projects and tenders, Paula felt confident enough to start materialising her thoughts and ideas.?

Although she had already gained the experience and knowledge needed to start a business, she knew she needed a team in order to succeed in this fast-growing industry, so she joined three partners who had the right skills to complement her own and BeeReal was born in 2012.

Becoming an entrepreneur introduced a slew of new professional challenges for her to overcome. A common early struggle in her career was the frequent dismissal of her ideas in male-dominated client meetings, as well as the sometimes unfair way roles and tasks were assigned in larger companies.. There were plenty of moments where collaboration became difficult, but she was always ready for these moments by being well-prepared and thorough in expressing her ideas. You might think that these situations intimidated her or made her think of giving up, but they only made her more assertive and self-assured.

Gender-based discrepancies in terms of opportunities in the tech sector aren’t anything new, and Paula believes that these issues are, or should be, on everyone's agenda and that decision-makers have an important role to play.?

She mentioned that a few years ago the UK government required companies with over 250 employees to publish the average gender pay gap with the intention of making the problem visible and encouraging companies to address the issue.

"While I believe that the gender gap exists and is a global problem across all industries, in my work experience in software companies it has not been a problem nor has it had a negative impact on my career, which probably has to do with my personality and the work environment I choose to be in. I know that this is not always the case and that is why it is so important to work towards equal opportunities in all industry areas" Paula exclaimed.

In this context, she affirms that being a woman has never been an obstacle to achieving her goals and that it is important to note how teamwork has evolved in recent years. Diversity and inclusion play an important role in achieving higher levels of creativity and innovation:

"There is nothing better than working in a human group where all voices are considered in decision-making processes, from a person who is just starting out to someone who is an expert in their field," Paula explained.

Paula is a restless woman and BeeReal is not her only occupation. Paula has also been a board member of CEPIT (Software Chamber of Tandil) for 12 years. She said, "I am among those who believe that if there's something to improve, you have to actively work in the institutions that foster and represent the industry." Throughout this time she has made really good friends in CEPIT, and she believes she can count on their genuine, valuable support.?

On the other hand, for the past 8 years, she has been part of a group of #UX professionals who coordinate the UXDI Training Program with the aim of training people not only in UX Design and Interaction Design but also in #InclusiveDesign, #Accessibility, #Diversity, #Gender, #Sustainability and #EnvironmentalImpact. "Being part of UXDI makes me learn and grow a lot as a professional, and it allows me to meet fabulous people who are doing amazing things all over the world. Working hand in hand with Lorena and Eduardo is a dream come true."?

BeeReal, together with CEPIT and Tandil’s City Council, has actively participated and will continue to partake in the Women in Technology and Girls' Programming Club initiatives. BeeReal's team has also worked on challenging projects for international organisations and governments on #Inclusion, #Gender and #Equity.

Paula Dabós' story is an inspiration to all entrepreneurs, especially women, who are breaking barriers in a male-dominated #tech industry. Despite the challenges she has faced, Paula has persevered and 10 years later she is witnessing the growth of the company she once dreamed of, BeeReal. Her commitment to her company and to promoting the tech industry is truly inspiring and a visible example of female empowerment in this industry.

This story also highlights the importance of teamwork and the inclusion of diverse voices in decision-making processes. She believes that everyone's ideas, regardless of their expertise or background, should be heard and valued, which is something that all businesses should encourage.

As we celebrate Women's Month and International Women's Day, Paula's story reminds us of the importance of recognising women's achievements and continuing to fight for equal opportunities for all. Let us all be inspired by her story and strive to make the tech industry more inclusive and equitable for women.