Ethical entrepreneurship: Doing well by doing good | Jane Royston | TEDxEcublens

Summary

This inspiring story follows Jane, who moved from England to Switzerland at the age of 12 and faced the challenge of adapting to multiple schools in different languages. Her passion for mathematics led to a career in IT, where she eventually founded her own company, grounded in fairness and respect for employees. After overcoming numerous hurdles and growing her business, she prioritized principles over profits and sold the company on her 10th anniversary. Today, Jane is involved in social entrepreneurship, advising young entrepreneurs and making a difference in people's lives, always driven by the values of respect and equality.

Takeaways

• 😀 Moved from England to Switzerland at the age of 12, attending eight different schools in two languages, which developed confidence and a strong sense of survival.
• 😀 Developed a personal style and values early on, choosing passion over rationality by studying pure mathematics at university despite limited career prospects.
• 😀 Began a career in IT at DuPont, working as the only woman in a group of 70 men, where her boss offered her a project based on her gender, but she refused the offer on principle.
• 😀 Refused an opportunity to advance in the company due to ethical concerns about firing employees for profit, realizing that her principles would define her career.
• 😀 Created her own company after quitting DuPont, driven by a passion to demonstrate that it's possible to treat employees fairly and be successful.
• 😀 Initially struggled to get clients and recognition, but through perseverance and dedication, her company started gaining traction.
• 😀 The company's core values were honesty, fairness, and respect for employees, leading to a reputation that attracted clients and top talent.
• 😀 Gained recognition as Swiss Business Woman of the Year, leading to increased responsibility and a growing company.
• 😀 At its peak, the company became the largest in Switzerland, but faced challenges in maintaining growth due to the risk of putting all resources into one basket.
• 😀 Sold the company after a decade to ensure its future, having built it on strong principles, and since then, she’s been involved in social entrepreneurship, innovation, and advising startups.
• 😀 The most rewarding aspect of her journey was seeing former employees create over 20 new companies based on the principles of fairness and respect that she instilled in her own company.

Q & A

How did moving to Switzerland at the age of 12 shape the speaker's perspective?

Moving to Switzerland at the age of 12 exposed the speaker to multiple schools in different languages and cultures. This experience helped build confidence in adapting to new situations, as they had to repeatedly start over in unfamiliar environments.

What was the speaker's main passion during school, and how did it influence their career?

The speaker's main passion was mathematics, which led them to study pure mathematics at university. Despite this academic focus, they chose passion over rationality, which later influenced their decision to pursue a career in IT, even though they initially had no formal management experience.

How did the speaker's experience at DuPont challenge their values?

At DuPont, the speaker was offered a project to replace typewriters with word processors, which was given to them because they were a woman. This decision challenged their values, leading them to refuse the offer and later put in significant effort to show how wrong the assumption was. Their refusal set the stage for future career opportunities.

What significant decision did the speaker make after a dream about a fair company?

After dreaming of a company where everyone was equal and treated with respect, the speaker decided to leave DuPont and start their own company based on principles of fairness, respect, and profit-sharing.

How did the speaker approach the challenge of starting a company with no clients, employees, or money?

The speaker faced these challenges with determination and perseverance, reaching out to potential clients, networking, and securing opportunities. They succeeded through hard work and by building a reputation for honesty and fairness, which helped them attract clients and employees.

What was the key to the speaker's company's growth and success?

The company's growth was fueled by its focus on fairness, respect for employees, and creating a positive work environment. Profit-sharing, offering free training, and treating employees well all contributed to the company's success and its ability to attract top talent.

How did the speaker's approach to business differ from traditional corporate practices?

The speaker's approach was focused on equality, treating everyone with respect, and sharing profits equally. This was in stark contrast to the traditional corporate practices that focused on shareholder value and treating employees as commodities.

What event marked the turning point in the speaker's recognition as a successful business leader?

The turning point was when the speaker was nominated Swiss Businesswoman of the Year. This recognition marked a moment where the speaker could look back on their growth and the company's success, despite their initial doubts about their own capabilities.

Why did the speaker decide to sell their company, and what challenges did they face in doing so?

The speaker decided to sell the company after reflecting on the responsibility of managing such a large organization while being a single mother with two young children. The challenge was finding someone who could respect the company's principles and values when it was sold.

What does the speaker consider one of the greatest signs of their success?

The speaker considers the fact that many of their employees went on to found over 20 different companies, replicating the values and principles they had instilled in their own company. This is seen as one of the biggest signs of success.