In this episode of Empowered in Tech: Women in Tech Netherlands, host Ilaria Severi sits down with Sonal Vaid—transformation expert, speaker, and member of our Women in Tech NL community—for a deeply honest conversation about motherhood, identity, and the emotional journey of returning to work after maternity leave.

Sonal shares what happens when the world expects you to “bounce back,” but you’re still navigating hormonal shifts, identity loss, and the quiet process of becoming someone new. This episode is a powerful reminder that reclaiming your voice is part of the transformation—and that motherhood doesn’t shrink us, it reshapes us.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

• The emotional reality of postpartum life and return-to-work transitions
• How identity, ambition, and motherhood intersect—and sometimes collide
• The pressure to “be the old you” and why that doesn’t work
• How to begin reclaiming your confidence, boundaries, and sense of self

✨ About Our Guest:
Sonal Vaid is a transformation consultant, speaker, and mother. With a background in leadership and change, Sonal brings not only professional insight—but also a personal lens on what it means to grow, rebuild, and lead with honesty after motherhood.

🙌 Thanks to Our Sponsor:
This episode is brought to you by DMN-WESTINGHOUSE, a company actively committed to inclusion and hiring for diverse roles in tech. Connect with them on LinkedIn!

💡 Connect with Women in Tech Netherlands:
Visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn to stay inspired and engaged with our community.

🎧 Listen now to hear a powerful story of motherhood, identity, and what it means to return—not just to work, but to yourself.

In this episode of Empowered in Tech: Women in Tech Netherlands, producer and host Ilaria Severi sits down with Catalina Dobre and Lieke Muller—two self-taught investors from the WIT community—for a real and relatable conversation about building financial freedom from the ground up.

Catalina moved to the Netherlands with €250 and two part-time jobs just to survive. Lieke started investing over 15 years ago with zero formal knowledge, guided only by curiosity and library books. Today, they invest confidently across ETFs, stocks, real estate, and even crypto—proving that you don’t need to be wealthy or an expert to start.

💡 What You’ll Learn:
• How to start investing—even with a limited budget
• The emotional side of money, fear, and mindset shifts
• Smart ways to diversify based on your goals and risk tolerance
• Real lessons from investment wins—and mistakes
• Why financial health is just as important as physical health

✨ About Our Guests:
Catalina and Lieke have very different backgrounds—but one thing in common: they took ownership of their financial future and now help other women feel confident doing the same. Their stories are honest, practical, and incredibly empowering.

🙌 Thanks to Our Sponsor:
This episode is made possible by DMN-WESTINGHOUSE, a company committed to diversity, inclusion, and creating real opportunities for women in tech. Explore their open roles and connect on LinkedIn!

💡 Connect with Women in Tech Netherlands:
Visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn to stay inspired, informed, and connected to the WIT NL community.

🎧 Tune in now and get inspired to take that first step—your financial future starts with you.

In this episode of Empowered in Tech: Women in Tech Netherlands, host Ilaria Severi sits down with Stefana Sopco—Marketing Manager at PortXchange and Spokesperson for Women in Tech NL—for a raw and powerful conversation about starting from zero, breaking through bias, and rising as a leader in sustainability and tech.

Stefana came to the Netherlands with just €80 in her pocket, no job, and no network. What followed was months of rejections, self-doubt, and hustle—until one spontaneous networking event changed everything. Today, Stefana is a two-time FortyUnder40 honoree and a recognized force in maritime innovation.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

• How Stefana turned rock bottom into a launchpad
• The career-changing power of networking and visibility
• Reclaiming your voice after toxic environments
• How to build a career in marketing with authenticity and resilience

✨ About Our Guest:
Stefana Sopco is not just a marketer—she’s a movement builder, a mentor, and an advocate for women in tech. Her story will inspire anyone who’s ever felt like an outsider to keep going.

🙌 Thanks to Our Sponsor:
This episode is brought to you by DMN-WESTINGHOUSE, a company actively committed to inclusion and hiring for diverse roles in tech. Connect with them on LinkedIn!

💡 Connect with Women in Tech Netherlands:
Visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn to stay inspired and engaged with our community.

🎧 Listen now and rediscover what’s possible when you stop waiting for permission and start showing up as yourself.

In this episode, host Ilaria Severi, expert in branding, marketing, social media, and more, sits down with Wendy Moree—Founder of Moree Quality and TechTogether.ai, keynote speaker, mentor, and one of NBC’s 2024 Top 35 Global Women Thought Leaders—to discuss what it really means to go from corporate to entrepreneur.

As we dive into stories of transformation this April, Wendy shares the pivotal moment she decided to leave a successful corporate career behind and take the leap into entrepreneurship. From leading Salesforce teams to building a multi-company vision driven by purpose and equality, Wendy’s journey is raw, empowering, and full of insights every aspiring entrepreneur should hear.

💡 Key Takeaways:

• What inspired Wendy to take the leap from corporate to entrepreneur
• How to create a backup plan—and why it might become your breakthrough
• The emotional truths behind entrepreneurship: freedom, fear, and fulfillment
• Why building a business as a woman is also about building legacy and community

💡 Connect with Women in Tech Netherlands: Visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn to stay inspired and engaged with our community.

✨ A special thanks to our sponsor, DMN-WESTINGHOUSE, for supporting this podcast and amplifying the voices of women in tech. As a company committed to fostering diversity and inclusion, they are actively hiring for exciting roles! Explore opportunities and connect with them on LinkedIn.

Tune in now to explore what it means to own your story, believe in your vision, and lead with heart—on Empowered in Tech: Women in Tech Netherlands Podcast.

In this latest episode of Empowered in Tech: Women in Tech Netherlands Podcast, our host Ilaria Severi sits down with Joy Adamson, a product leader, solopreneur, and career coach, to explore the power of career pivots, intuition, and rewriting success on your own terms.

As we celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, this episode is a reminder of how far we’ve come—and how many new opportunities we have today thanks to the women who paved the way. For generations, women were told to follow a single path, often dictated by societal norms. But today, we have the power to define success for ourselves, to pivot when needed, and to build careers that align with our ambitions, not expectations.

And that’s exactly what this episode is about. Women in tech are often encouraged to lean in—climb the corporate ladder, follow the traditional path. But what if true success comes from leaning out—stepping away from what doesn’t serve us and choosing a career built on our own terms?

💡 What You’ll Learn:
✅ Why intuition is a career superpower
✅ How to navigate career transitions with confidence
✅ The importance of Plan B (and C!): Creating career security beyond one path
✅ Breaking free from what we think we “should” do and redefining success

✨ About Our Guest:
Originally from Argentina, Joy built her career across corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, and coaching, proving that career growth isn’t about following one path—it’s about creating multiple opportunities. Her journey is an inspiring reminder that we have more choices than ever before—choices that so many women before us could only dream of.

🙌 A Special Thanks to Our Sponsor:
Big thanks to DMN-WESTINGHOUSE for making this episode possible! They are not only committed to diversity and inclusion but are actively hiring for exciting roles in tech and engineering. Check out their open positions and connect with them on LinkedIn!

💡 Connect with Women in Tech Netherlands: Visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn to stay inspired and engaged with our community.

In this episode, host Ilaria Severi, expert in branding, marketing, social media, and more, sits down with Naiara Pupo, a Senior Product Manager and leader in Women in Tech Netherlands, to explore the intersection of ambition, relationships, and work-life balance in tech.

As we celebrate February—the month of love, we challenge the idea that career success and personal fulfillment are mutually exclusive. Naiara shares her journey of building a global career in SaaS product management, CX, and omnichannel marketing, while also navigating major life changes—including meeting her husband while working in tech and now preparing to welcome twins!

💡 Key Takeaways:

• How to navigate career growth without sacrificing personal life
• The reality of love & relationships in the workplace—breaking the stigma
• Strategies for balancing family, leadership, and ambition
• How companies can better support women in tech

💡 Connect with Women in Tech Netherlands: Visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn to stay inspired and engaged with our community.

✨ A special thanks to our sponsor, DMN-WESTINGHOUSE, for supporting this podcast and amplifying the voices of women in tech. As a company committed to fostering diversity and inclusion, they are actively hiring for exciting roles! Explore opportunities and connect with them on LinkedIn.

Tune in now to explore how ethical leadership is reshaping the tech landscape with Empowered in Tech: Women in Tech Netherlands Podcast!

In this episode, host Ilaria Severi, expert in branding, marketing, social media, and more, sits down with Marisa Monteiro BorsBoom, a trailblazer in policy, governance, and emergent technologies. Marisa is the Vice President of the European Legal Tech Association, CEO of Verae Legal, and founder of the Humanity of Things Agency. She’s also deeply involved in Women in Tech Netherlands and co-leads the Augmented Human Intelligence Axis at Minho University.

Together, they explore the concept of ethical leadership in technology, drawing inspiration from Marisa’s impactful message at the G100 Leadership Summit. Learn about her remarkable career, the challenges she’s overcome as a woman in male-dominated spaces, and her mission to shape the future of legal innovation and ESG initiatives.

💡 Key Takeaways:

• The role of ethical leadership in fostering inclusivity and innovation
• Insights from Marisa’s letter, A Letter to Linda
• Actionable advice for women pursuing a career in tech, whether or not in a leadership position.

💡 Connect with Women in Tech Netherlands: Visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn to stay inspired and engaged with our community.

✨ A special thanks to our sponsor, DMN-WESTINGHOUSE, for supporting this podcast and amplifying the voices of women in tech. Their commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion aligns perfectly with our mission.

Tune in now to explore how ethical leadership is reshaping the tech landscape with Empowered in Tech: Women in Tech Netherlands Podcast!

In our debut episode, host Ilaria Severi expert in branding, marketing, social media and more sits down with Lieke Lamb, Director of Women in Tech Netherlands, CEO of the Future Expertise Center, and a renowned innovation ambassador. Together, they discuss the inspiring journey of Women in Tech Netherlands, its mission to empower 5 million women and girls by 2030, and the importance of fostering resilience and confidence in male-dominated spaces.

Discover Lieke’s incredible career path, the challenges she overcame, and her advice for women navigating the tech industry. From addressing systemic biases to embracing bold leadership, this episode is packed with insights and inspiration for everyone passionate about diversity in tech.

💡 Connect with Women in Tech Netherlands by visiting our website and following us on LinkedIn.

✨ A big thank you to our sponsor, DMN-WESTINGHOUSE, for supporting this podcast and helping amplify the voices of women in tech. Their commitment to fostering diversity aligns perfectly with our mission.

Tune in to start your journey with Empowered in Tech: Women in Tech Netherlands Podcast!