Ksenia Votinova-Arnaud

What if your impostor syndrome had a name? 👀 In this episode, Ksenia Votinova Arnaud shares a tool that completely changed the way she deals with self-doubt: She named that little voice in her head… Barbara. And when it starts whispering “Who do you think you are?” “You’re not ready.” “This might fail.” She simply says: “Thank you, Barbara. You can sit in the corner. I’m in charge.” Simple. Powerful. Detaching. Because the goal isn’t to eliminate fear. It’s to stop letting it lead your decisions. If you’re building something — a business, a new career path, a new version of yourself — this conversation is for you. We talk about: ✨ Impostor syndrome ✨ Taking the leap (strategically) ✨ Purpose-driven entrepreneurship ✨ Redefining success as time freedom 🎧 Episode is live. Link in bio. And tell me… what would you name your “Barbara”?

I had so much fun talking to Jennifer on how I got started on my entrepreneurship journey and where it took me 15 years later 😊

If you are not following the Starter Girlz podcast, you should 😉 And listen to the latest episode (👋).

Find it on YouTube, Apple, Spotify… « Starter Girlz »

I hope my story inspires you to start building something of your own! 💛

Women got 2.3% of VC funding in the US.
Yet launched 49% of all new businesses.

That math doesn’t add up, right?

Here’s what the data revealed from 2019-2024:

Women didn’t just get shut out from traditional funding.
They got “no” so many times, they invented a new way:

→ Revenue-based financing (pay back from profits, not equity)
→ Community investment rounds (customers are investors)
→ Strategic partnerships (traded equity for resources)
→ Lean launches (profitable from month one)

The “disadvantage” forced a different playbook.

No massive VC rounds meant:

→ No pressure to scale before finding product-market fit
→ No burning cash on growth-at-all-costs strategies
→ No giving away the company to hit VC metrics

Instead, women built businesses that were:

✔️ Profitable.
✔️ Sustainable.
✔️ Customer-funded.

While VC-backed startups were laying off thousands,
These businesses kept growing.

The constraint became the competitive advantage.

Being locked out of the old system meant building a better one.

This is the kind of business I help women in tech build:
Sustainable, customer-funded, and freedom-driven.

Want to build a sustainable business?

→ Stop chasing VC funding as the only path.
→ Start focusing on revenue from day one.

Sometimes the door that’s closed
Is saving you from the wrong room. 😉

Freedom isn’t free.

It’s the most expensive thing you’ll ever buy.

In corporate, you pay with:
→ Your time
→ Your energy
→ Your freedom to choose

As an entrepreneur, the price changes:
→ Courage
→ Uncertainty
→ Discipline to keep going when no one’s watching.

Freedom costs more than comfort.
But comfort costs more than freedom.

Which weighs more for you right now,
the price of freedom, or the price of comfort?

Yesterday, I ran my masterclass with NO voice.

120+ people registered, 50+ showed up live, and there I was… trying to create value despite my vocal cords letting me down (and kids who brought this flue from the day-care). And it worked. 💛

GOOD NEWS: my voice is back!

So the next masterclass TOMORROW will be much better.

It’s still not too late to join us, if you missed it.

Wel’ll be talking how to launch a tech business without quitting your corporate job.

Sign up link in bio.

See you tomorrow? I promise not to cough! 😊

Every time I talk to women in tech who want to start their own thing, I hear the same fear ↓

𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘢 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘫𝘰𝘣.

What if I told you…

You don’t have to.

✔️ You don’t need to take a big leap.
✔️ You don’t need to burn your savings.
✔️ You don’t need to walk away from an executive career.

You just need the right system and a roadmap.

That’s what I’m teaching in my free live masterclass:
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗯.

→ If you have the skills but not the plan,
→ If you have the ambition but not the roadmap,
→ If you want freedom but fear the risk,

This is for you.

Save your seat via link in bio, and I’ll see you in Zoom next week.

Because the real risk I want you to avoid?

Is never starting at all.

P.S. Share this invite with a friend who needs this.

INSEAD 15-year reunion on campus this weekend ❤️

Reminded me where it all started and why I do the work I do today. ✨

So grateful to be a part of this amazing alumni community and the Force for Good movement. 💛

Build a revenue-ready business you want to be known for in just 8 weeks inside the Weatherproof Business Launchpad for Women in Tech.

Learn more via link in Bio and join the amazing community of women in tech already inside the program.

We are starting on Monday! 🚀

My coach said, « Stop running masterclasses for free. »

Should I listen?

Free might attracts watchers, not doers.
And only action drives change.

Stats don’t lie: 80 % register and never show.
The 20 % who DO… invest in themselves anyway.

So here’s the deal ↓

→ Two live sessions this week.
→ €0 - 1 hour - maybe for the last time.

The first one kicks off today at lunchtime (CEST).

→ Bring your sushi to our Zoom & learn for free.
→ Or miss it & pay for my champagne later. 😂

You’ll leave knowing how to:

→ Pick the one idea worth funding
→ Use 4 % of actions for 64 % of results
→ Land beta users (and euros) before you quit or code

Grab your seat before my Zoom caps out 😉

Link in bio.