In this episode of Seed to Success Alastair sits down with Emma Rees, CEO and co-founder of Deployed, who shares her unique journey and insights as a female founder in tech. She opens up about her experiences navigating the complexities of a male-dominated industry and emphasises the need for allyship among women in business. Emma highlights the importance of timing, mentorship and the lessons learnt from early ventures. Discussing the very specific challenges of building an enterprise SaaS, Emma shares valuable insights for fundraising, project management and maintaining a work-life balance.   With a candid account of the struggles and successes she’s faced as a female entrepreneur, Emma offers practical ideas for real change. This episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about tackling gender imbalances and fostering inclusivity in the tech world!   _ Show notes:   00:00:00 - Redefining success 00:00:47 - Deployed's mission 00:01:50 - Growth and recognition 00:03:29 - From hairdressing to tech 00:09:08 - Lessons from early ventures 00:14:11 - Timing in business 00:17:08 - Managing a product team 00:20:59 - Building a strong engineering team 00:24:13 - Building an MVP for enterprise customers 00:28:07 - Working with enterprise customers 00:31:01 - CAC and sales cycle 00:32:20 - Benefits of mentoring groups 00:36:43 - Co-founding a business with family and friends 00:40:30 - Lack of female allyship 00:43:56 - Gender bias in business conversations 00:46:45 - Addressing gender roles and equality 00:48:26 - What is success? 00:51:28 - Advice for founders 00:55:22 - The struggle of present reflection 00:54:43 - Connecting with Emma