Interview with Fi Bendall

She has over 24 years’ experience in the digital sector across three continents, was recently titled 'Most Innovative Woman of the Year' and is a mum of three. 

Meet Fi Bendall, founder and CEO of The Female Social Network - a platform dedicated to championing and empowering women.

So, in line with our Braver agenda, we find out how Fi thinks business leaders can be more inclusive, talk career risks and get her advice for budding female entrepreneurs.

What’s your golden rule?

Get it done!

I feed on the energy of doing things and being engaged with what I do.

What is your most hated business expression?

I don’t like the empty ‘mission’ statements you get from some corporates. People see through that stuff now.

How can marketing leaders champion diversity and inclusion?

This is not very revolutionary or controversial, but hiring the best people for the job is a good place to start.

People still labour under the sway of unconscious bias in terms of hiring for positions. That’s the case with not only gender bias but other categories too.

Older people in the workforce are often unfairly shunned for positions as are young people.

Marketing can be a pretty parochial field, so it is worth looking for good people from all sorts of backgrounds because that brings different ideas and experiences into the mix, which is always a good thing.

You've been acclaimed for championing female entrepreneurship empowerment, what advice would you give to budding female entrepreneurs?

Don’t give up!

It’s a slog and you’ll feel like you’re banging your head against a wall half the time, but it really is worth it.

In practical terms, look to people you admire and learn all you can from their successes and failures. Surround yourself with people who get what you’re trying to do and have your back. And focus.

That is something I’ve learned in the past couple of years. Most entrepreneurs run on ideas and adrenaline, which can mean we fizz about madly in a hundred directions at once. Either find the discipline to focus on what really matters to you, or have someone in your life that can keep you on track and focused.

What’s the biggest risk you’ve taken in your career?

Running your own business feels like a big enough risk sometimes!

A few things really stand out for me though:

1. I started one of my earlier businesses as a freshly divorced mum with two children under the age of three. That was a risk but one I had to take to put food on the table.
2. The second big risk was packing up and moving to Australia and starting my business again from scratch in Sydney.
3. Founding something like The Female Social Network can also be seen as a risk, but I don’t see it as such because I have such a strong belief in the concept and have had great feedback from people I trust.

You were described by CEO Magazine as The CEO's Secret Weapon. What skills do chief executive officers of the future need?

Chief executives need to be able to think digital.

That seems obvious to most of us who have been working in the digital domain for a long time but you’d be surprised at the number of C-level executives who still see digital as an add-on, like an app you download and forget about.

At Bendalls, we have done a lot of work helping businesses understand that digital goes beyond just marketing into every aspect of how you do business. And that’s a good thing!

CEOs need to be able to lead that digital transformation that’s ongoing because the technologies that drive digital are constantly evolving and creating new problems and opportunities.

Which leader do you admire most and why?

I admire lots of leaders and entrepreneurs and come into contact with so many great leaders on an almost daily basis with my work.

However, it’s hard to go past the creativity and inspiration Richard Branson has displayed over his career, in regard to both how he has built his businesses and maintained his personal brand and integrity.

With over 24 years’ experience in the digital sector, tell us, how can marketers keep up with constantly evolving technologies?

Read. Have people around you who read and keep up to date with these things. Experiment with new apps, new social networks, etc.

Don’t ever think things won’t change — they will!

What excites you most about the Society?

The quality and diversity of members is very inspiring. It’s great to have a hub where marketing people can meet and exchange ideas.

Tell us a secret?

I get my best thinking done sitting in the bath!

By Orianna Rosa Royle, Digital Assistant, The Marketing Society