A note on harassment and my #MeToo experience

As a founder of a fintech startup in Toronto, one of the most common questions I get to answer is ‘Why’. Why launch a startup? I stick to script: outline the problem, demo the product, and explain why we’re better. It’s an authentic and easy answer, from a business case perspective and because I’m pretty obsessed with financial inclusion. It’s easy for people to see and feel the passion. But today, for this moment, let’s go off-script, and rewind.

I don’t like to look backwards. When you’re looking behind you there’s no way to grow. Learn, acknowledge, and move forward has always been my pragmatic motto.  So its been tough this past few weeks to read and hear the accounts of the many women and men who have been assaulted and harassed. Some of you know that I went through a similar Weinstein-like experience as a banker working in London, England. Most of you don’t and may be surprised to hear it.

I’ve closed off this chapter of my life and shelved it, rarely discussing it, mostly as a means of self-protection. You see, it’s hard to hear these stories and not relive your own. To feel the rage that this is still happening, kept quiet by a code of silence, power structures, and fear of reprisal - regardless of the industry. When it happened to me, I felt deep shame and embarrassment. When I reported it and asked for it to stop, I got fired.

But I didn’t stay quiet. With my savings as my financial backing, I stood up for myself and fought back through the employment tribunal system in the UK to recover lost wages and bonuses. 12 months later, I received an unfavourable decision. Devastated doesn’t even begin to cover it. Sometimes, there is beauty in deep pain, and if we’re lucky enough we can sometimes learn from it and let it guide us.

Let’s fast-forward back to today. My experiences have instilled in me a deep empathy and sensitivity to our workplace environment and the culture of our company. As CEO, I have the honour to set the tone and create a safe and inclusive workplace for others. Because that’s what it should be - safe.  Most importantly, I get to make sure that what happened to me doesn’t happen to anyone else. Not on my watch. So next time, when someone asks me why I launched a startup, I may just go off-script.