Written by: Dr. Hynd Bouhia, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Rise of the Versatile Specialist
In considering what career to pursue in a fast-changing economy, any young aspiring woman faces a paradox. She has a diverse field to choose from: environment, energy, water, infrastructure, maritime, coding, technology, telecommunication. All may seem attractive. Yet she knows better than to be a ‘jack of all trades.” Instead, it is important for her to specialize early in one domain or brand, and show intellectual mastery over it in order to excel.
At the same time, a professional woman narrowly focuses her career in terms of scope, she must diversify herself in terms of skills. She must learn to manage business structures, integrate sectors, develop strategic plans, and draft sophisticate growth schemes. These outcomes don’t just happen without training. They require lessons and real-world experience within a wide spectrum of disciplines. These include finance, accounting, law, marketing, supply chains, client management, operations, sales, and business development. Ideally she will master one or two skills, but must have at least minimal exposure to all.
Scratch the surface of a successful female entrepreneur. At her core, you find a background of rigorous academic study in STEM fields. That solid foundation is complemented by later and ongoing training in fields such as legal, marketing, and accounting training. By identifying what she’s missing, the Business woman can better prepare her for roles in management and leadership.
The Rise of Female Innovators
All around the world, smart spaces are mushrooming helping women entrepreneurs to innovate and to launch scalable businesses. There are newly created “ecosystem” in which government, financial firms, and educational research institutions organize training and mentorship to enhance the entrepreneurship for both women and men.
Given that supportive environment, any woman can follow her passion, recognize a niche, think big, and scale up novel ideas on her own. She knows best about what she cares most, and how to excel in it. Where she has weaknesses – as all people do – she can with confidence recruit advisors, partners, staff and other team members around her. By delegating responsibilities, and focusing on the results, she can fill in the right fields while avoiding interminable meetings.
Any business venture, of any size, really boils down to three things: forging human relationships, taking responsibility for execution, and expressing needs through clear communications. Happily, all three are the very strengths that most woman has evolved over time to ensure a cohesive community.
It s a jungle gym!
Ultimately, every woman knows her career rarely ascends a ladder, plodding methodically up well-defined rungs. It more closely resembles a jungle gym, where she moves up and down, back and forth, and the occasional leap of faith. When life knocks her down – as it will – she can catch her breath on the ground and then start again, from a new place, from a different angle, trying out a fresh climbing technique.
Dr. Hynd Bouhia, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dr. Hynd is the Founder of the BAL Method she created to empower women by connecting the dots that gets them to move in the most fulfilling way to creating wealth and making an impact.
Dr. Hynd is on a mission to empower a billion girls and women to grow confident, resilient, tech-savvy and financially free. She has cumulated more than 20 years of professional experience in high-level and leadership positions, covering investments, financial structuring, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development strategies. Hynd Bouhia was nominated by Forbes among the 100 most influential women in the world in 2008 and among the most influential women in Business in the Arab World in 2015 and honored as a member of the Johns Hopkins Society of Scholars in 2018. With a Ph.D. from Harvard University (GSAS 1998), an Engineering degree from Ecole Centrale Paris (1995), and a Master from Johns Hopkins SAIS (2000), Hynd Bouhia started her career at the World Bank in Washington before joining Morocco’s Prime Minister as an economic advisor. She was appointed in 2008 as the Managing Director of Casablanca Stock Exchange. After that, she structured and managed investments and venture capital funds. As the CEO of Strategica, she advises entrepreneurs, companies, and institutions on economic intelligence, sustainable finance, and growth strategies. Dr. Hynd Bouhia is the author of the motivational book for women entitled "Africa Girl, African Woman: How agile, empowered and tech-savvy females will transform the continent for good."
