In the words of Hande Sozmen: “Women entrepreneurs are great out-of-box thinkers”
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Hande Sozmen serves as the Advisory Director at PwC Türkiye. For the past two years, she has been providing mentorship to women entrepreneurs under the Women’s Entrepreneurship EXPO, aimed at supporting women in business and technology and guiding them through their entrepreneurial journey. Ms. Sozmen has accrued 24 years of experience in sales and marketing for telecom-focused companies, with the last seven years dedicated to active involvement in the startup ecosystem. She has contributed to numerous projects, mentorship programmes, and provided training in market entry strategy and growth. In this interview, Hande Sozmen shares her insights on what motivated her to become a mentor at EXPO, especially for women aspiring to drive change in the business world, and highlights some of the unique strengths that women bring to entrepreneurship.
“Women entrepreneurs are great out-of-box thinkers. In this year’s mentorship programme, my role has been to expedite the process and offer them recommendations for tailoring the right strategy, which is crucial for startups on the journey to becoming global brands. What motivates me the most is always planning for the long-term growth of the brand and strategizing on how they can expand into international markets.
Based on the needs analysis conducted by UN Women, we at PwC have developed a mentorship programme. Additionally, we integrate PwC Türkiye’s Business School’s training into the programme, along with weekly educational sessions facilitated by the coordinator provided by UN Women.
I tailor my strategy training according to the needs of women entrepreneurs from diverse sectors. Additionally, sector experts are invited to provide insights into digital marketing and brand positioning. Furthermore, we create a WhatsApp group for participants each year, fostering continuous communication and building lasting friendships.
Women entrepreneurs are incredibly resilient, passionately committed to their work, and solution-oriented. These three critical qualities are reflected in creating a product-market fit, incorporating their provided value into brand storytelling effectively, and establishing the right financial model.
Therefore, during mentoring sessions, to achieve growth and investment, a roadmap is designed with women entrepreneurs not only for Türkiye but also globally. As the investment rate for women entrepreneurs is significantly lower compared to male entrepreneurs, to secure the right funding, I focus on business development opportunities and brand positioning, in addition to short- and medium-term financial modelling.
I can provide an example of successful women entrepreneurs we’ve worked with through the Women’s Entrepreneurship EXPO mentorship programme over the past two years. Biorenda – natural and holistic skincare algae-based botanical cosmetics - received 250K euros in seed investment in March 2024; Esular initiated its Proof of Concept (POC) process within the UN Women’s network across multiple countries; Ata Ağaç will be able to sell its products on the Boyner e-commerce platform starting in May; and Soleda Dimes transitioned to the POC phase for their new innovated smoothies.
Therefore, my advice to aspiring women entrepreneurs who may be hesitant to pursue their business ideas would be to be actively present in the field and observe your customers closely to ensure your outcomes. Personally oversee your business operations and consistently stay updated with technology to improve yourself, your product, and your processes.
I deeply believe that some key skills or qualities are essential for women entrepreneurs to develop: sales is as important as the product itself. Your brand has its own identity. Do not see that your brand is a part of your objectivity. You may lose sight of the bigger picture if you focus too much on details. Manage your data and base all your actions on it. If your business is not progressing towards your goals, find the right time to pivot your business. Stress management is crucial, and “Me Time” is really important. Allocate time for your hobbies. Remember that when you allow your mind freedom, you will be more creative and find solutions to your problems.”