It’s 20 years since Susanna Lawson launched her EdTech business OneFile after identifying how technology would make the apprenticeship industry more efficient.
Fast forward to 2021 and OneFile was bought by Canadian giant Harris for an undisclosed sum.
Despite her success she told BusinessCloud’s roundtable ahead of International Women’s Day that she’s continued to be blighted by imposter syndrome.
She said: “It’s been 20 years since I founded OneFile, which is something I’m incredibly proud of. I had no idea that I was an entrepreneur. I had no idea that I was founding a tech business.
“We knew there was a huge problem and came up with a tech solution to solve it.
“It was only really after two or three years, when I started going out and wasn’t in our back bedroom setting it up, that I realised that actually, that was what I was doing.
“It was a tech company, so I didn’t really realise that there was anything different about being a female in tech.
“I suppose sometimes I feel like I’m the token person on panels.
“I’m mixed race Chinese, so bring lots of diversity to the table, and sometimes maybe I suffer from imposter syndrome.
“I sometimes want to wonder or worry, ‘have I been asked to be on that panel because I’m a token minority rather than for my actual ability and skill’? But I think that might possibly be my imposter syndrome.”
Now she’s joined forces with Tracy Johnson to launch Circle of Trust, a tech platform which allows people to search and advertise local jobs and events free of charge in their area, as well as having a digital word of mouth recommendation app to support SMEs to grow.
Lawson is a prolific networker and a big supporter of other females in tech, regularly posting selfies on LinkedIn.
“When I go out and about, I think I’m very lucky because I’ve got these people around the room – my friends,” she said.
“I know a lot of people in tech, especially women in tech, so I think I’ve just surrounded myself with other women in tech.
Roundtable ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8th
“I don’t necessarily always feel the outsider in that sense, but I do understand that we are completely the minority.”
She was joined on the roundtable by Clare Roberts, CEO, Kids Planet; Alison Ross, chief people and operations director, Auto Trader UK; Janine Smith, director, GM Business Growth Hub; Sharon Amesu, Northwest Business Leadership Team; Lisa Morton, founder and CEO, Roland Dransfield PR; Nicola Merritt, CEO, Cortus Advisory; Kathy Cowell OBE DL, group chairman, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust; Alison Salas, senior marketing manager, Rochdale Development Agency; Shru Morris, CEO Designate at DSW; Tiffany Thorn, founder & CEO, BiVictriX Therapeutics Ltd; Beckie Taylor, co-founder Tech Returners and Empower; Chris Stott, managing partner, KPMG Manchester; Amanda Ruddiman, director, corporate finance. KPMG; Kirsty Smith, KPMG Emerging Giants team; Emma Birchall, partner, JS (Jackson Stephen); and Christy Foster, managing director, The Nursery Store.