At our last dinner with Rachel Delacour, BIME and Sweep Founder, we enjoyed listening to everyone’s personal views on how to tackle uncertainty. Concrete tools came up such as acknowledging that we know nothing and considering uncertainty as an invitation to dare, believing in perseverance and surrounding ourselves with and seeking advice from positive people.
Rachel shared that one of the tools she leans on to embrace uncertainty is to read biographies and seek advice from her personal board of advisors – authors such as Oscar Wilde, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Winston Churchill. Inspired by our dinner with Rachel and her invaluable insights as an entrepreneur who constantly faces uncertainty, we felt compelled to delve deeper into this thought-provoking topic.
To explore the topic of uncertainty, LeadHers spoke to two members of our community, Noémie Meyer Ferré, founder of Domaine Sainte Joie and Claire Barbaret, partner at Inbound Capital, about their careers, recent business ventures and how they embrace uncertainty in their professions.
The Domaine Sainte Joie is a winehouse and vineyard in Alsace that has been cultivated by the Meyer family for generations. Inbound Capital is a boutique markets advisory firm for small and medium-sized enterprises, that help small and mid-cap companies gain recognition from the investment community.
Although the wine industry and investment capital can appear to be largely different worlds, by exploring Noémie and Claire’s lives, we discovered a coming together of two separate fields, showcasing the shared uncertainty that we all need to embrace.
Noémie, in your industry, what are some of the common sources of uncertainty?
Every day is unpredictable, but it is an opportunity. Even with generations of savoir-faire, launching a new domaine is full of uncertainty. The biggest looming threat is climate change and how it will change grape-growing. A single storm can ruin a whole season of grapes. Client tastes are also capricious, and a good wine producer must predict and react to evolving taste. It’s paradoxical because on one hand, we try to reduce uncertainties as much as possible, but on the other, we must embrace them.
How do you stay resilient and motivated when faced with unpredictable challenges or setbacks?
It is important to remember to live with joy, even in the face of challenges. Today we are in a world of much uncertainty, but what I want to highlight with Sainte Joie is the idea of joy. There is still much to celebrate and finding small, concrete things that bring daily happiness are essential. I try to focus on the present and not worry too much about what the future will bring.
How do you turn challenges into opportunities?
I left a stable career as the head of the legal department of a private company, so I am now open to uncertainty. The world of wine is still very masculine, but I see this as an opportunity to carve a place for myself and other women in the industry. By establishing myself, I hope to encourage other women to embark on new, sometimes scary ventures. With more women, collective power can transform the industry.
Claire, in your industry, what are some of the common sources of uncertainty?
At Inbound Capital, there is uncertainty at all levels of operations. Every day a new page opens, and we never know what will happen. Behind start-ups, there are passionate people and innovative ideas, but it can be quite a challenge to convince investors to embrace new projects, even when Inbound Capital has carefully vetted companies that we believe will succeed. My goal is to reduce these uncertainties so that investors are willing to commit.
How do you stay resilient and motivated when faced with unpredictable challenges or setbacks?
A strong network is crucial to success in the face of uncertainty. At Inbound Capital, we support our clients through turbulence and unpredictable circumstances. I do not have a crystal ball to predict the future, but solidarity helps provide stability. We must always stay close to clients and not leave them alone in the war. Another tool I lean on to embrace uncertainty is running. After a long day, or whenever I am faced with a complex challenge and in need of solutions, I put my jogging shoes on and go for a run.
How do you turn challenges into opportunities?
For me, challenges are about being open to new opportunities and ideas. I studied philosophy, and I enjoy the philosophical aspect of unpredictability. Nothing in life is certain, but that’s what makes it beautiful. It is all about having an open mind.
In a fast changing world, characterized by economic downturn, inflation, climate change, and rapid technological advancements, uncertainty has become a constant companion.
Noémie and Claire, despite their contrasting professional lives, both serve as powerful reminders of the significance of embracing uncertainty and finding joy and silver linings, instead of allowing it to hinder us. Moreover, they both emphasize the importance of solidarity and cultivating a strong network.
The leaders of tomorrow must embody qualities such as resilience, agility, and the ability to transform challenges into opportunities. However, as the famous saying goes, “no (wo)man is an island.” To effectively navigate and thrive in an ever-changing and evolving world, it is crucial for leaders to foster solidarity and cultivate a robust network. By embracing uncertainty, finding joy amidst challenges, and fostering a sense of solidarity, we can equip ourselves to be the leaders our rapidly transforming world needs. Uncertainty may be a constant, but our ability to adapt and connect with others remains the key to success.