When Betsy first arrived at INSEAD in 1998, she found herself among only 17% of female students. The male-dominated environment initially felt like a challenge. "The Professors were essentially just teaching us how to survive in a man's world," she recalls. Despite this initial hurdle, Betsy was already well-established professionally, and had a wealth of experience to bring to the table. Her education at INSEAD fostered in her an intellectual curiosity about how the world works, and how to make the world a better place.
After graduating from INSEAD, Betsy embarked on a remarkable journey, leading her into the world of venture capital. As her life continued to evolve, she got married and had children, presenting her with the classic dilemma of balancing career and family life. Betsy recounts that she felt she was doing a disservice to her education and experience by stepping back to focus on her family life. However, this phase marked a turning point in her life.
“I want women to know, it's entirely acceptable to take career breaks, non-linear career paths are a reality for many of us.”
After juggling motherhood with a successful consulting portfolio for several years, Northeastern University in Boston approached Betsy with a proposition: to create their Women Entrepreneurship programme. Identifying the unique challenges women face when launching their ideas and accessing venture capital, Betsy eagerly embraced this opportunity. She recognized the importance of providing women with dedicated support to nurture their entrepreneurial spirit. Consequently, she has developed programmes aimed at encouraging more women to enter the entrepreneurship realm while allocating additional resources to support female entrepreneurship.
Throughout the years, Betsy has witnessed INSEAD’s evolution into a global advocate for diversity, emphasizing not only gender diversity but also socio-economic, racial, and international diversity. She acknowledges the importance of addressing issues affecting women and strives to prevent them from feeling the way she did during her career break.
For Betsy, economic freedom is the most crucial factor for everyone. She is committed to ensuring that women not only have the freedom to become entrepreneurs but also feel empowered to do so. Whether they choose to pursue entrepreneurship or not, Betsy wants women to recognise that they possess the skills and have access to the resources needed to start a business if they wish.
The full interview with Betsy is available on YouTube.
