We are off to Berlin for the RAHM LGBT+ Leadership Contest. Hurrah!!
The past year has been quite a ride for both of us. We always wanted to become entrepreneurs and took the leap in September 2018, when we started Up Strategy Lab in Gothenburg.
Through our start-up, we deliver real strategies, hands-on practical knowledge and clear actions to help organizations scale their business and level up. We took the plunge because we love to solve problems and help others grow, and because we also wanted to have more control over our lives and over the impact we had on the world around us.
This brings us to some exciting news. Less than a year into our entrepreneurship journey, both of us will be participating in RAHM – The Global LGBT+ Leadership Contest – in Berlin on July 26.
RAHM, a German word, means “crème”. Through this event, the contest’s organisers are looking to identify the crème de la crème of leaders in the LGBT+ community. We will be among 100-odd contestants vying for the top prize at the Berlin edition of this contest.
We are so excited about competing together. We had applied separately. Daniel heard about RAHM last year from a friend who urged him to apply for it. He did, and was selected, but was unable to attend the contest. He then decided to participate in the 2019 event. I made it through the application and interview process this year.
On July 26, we – along with other entrepreneurs, promising young students and top executives – will participate in a day-long interactive event that will present us with challenges designed specifically to develop and test our leadership skills. Bring it on, we say!
Each candidate will be assessed through a crowd-ranking process that everyone participates in, including contestants, observers and the top executive jury. The top 10 shortlisted candidates will then take part in a group interview with the jury, after which the finalist will be chosen, again through a crowd-ranking process.
It will culminate with an award ceremony and celebration.
We are looking at the contest as a great learning opportunity. We love being entrepreneurs and hope to meet others and exchange experiences and ideas, as we believe the best way to grow is to learn from each other.
What is so exciting about entrepreneurship is that we can activate a lot more ideas than we ever dreamed of. One such idea was to support the LGBT+ community and all those in the business world who have been underrepresented so far. Supporting initiatives such as RAHM, which provides members of the LGBT+ community with a platform to empower and inspire each other, is also part of our plan.
They say winning is not everything (hah!). But we admit, it will be truly spectacular if we make it to the top. Whatever the outcome, however, we are looking forward to meeting fellow leaders and entrepreneurs and are excited about where that will take us.
Berlin, here we come. Wish us luck!
