We had a chat with award-winning journalist, author, media personality, and human rights champion Alexandra Pascalidou to hear her insights on succeeding as a woman in the often challenging business world and her thoughts on empowerment, navigating gender biases and the role of fashion

Alexandra, what have been the key drivers of your own success?

My journey has been fueled by resilience, curiosity, and a deep desire to challenge the norms that try to keep us boxed in. Growing up in a poor and challenging environment, in the most marginalised and stigmatised suburb in Sweden, and I quickly learned that the world doesn't always hand you opportunities—you have to create them yourself. That mindset has been key. Whether it's journalism, TV, theater, or advocacy, my passion for storytelling, combined with my commitment to equality and human rights, has driven me to push boundaries. There's nothing like the satisfaction of seeing your hard work create real change, and that keeps me moving forward.

As an advocate for female empowerment, what does empowerment mean to you and how do you incorporate it in your life?

Empowerment to me is all about self determination and solidarity. It's about having the tools, confidence, and support to make your own decisions and chart your own path. In my life, empowerment is a daily practice. I've faced barriers, like many women, but I've turned those challenges into fuel for my advocacy. Whether in my writing, speeches, media, I make sure my message encourages women to speak up, step out, and claim their rightful place in society. And let's not forget to lift others as we rise—that's a key part of it too.

You’ve worked extensively for gender equality and have observed how men often receive more space in meetings, better evaluations and greater recognition. What practical strategies can women use to navigate these challenges?

It's so crucial to own your space! One thing I always remind myself and other women I mentor is to speak up, not just in meetings, but in ways that command attention. You don't need to shout; you just need to be clear, confident, and concise. Don't shy away from taking the lead, asking questions, or even taking a seat at the table where you can make your voice heard.
And when you get that recognition? Own it. Don't let anyone dim your shine.

Is there any particular book or podcast that has inspired you that you would like to recommend? 

There are so many and I'd like to mention my own books - especially my first book, my autobiography "Bortom mammas gata" that is an empowering journey on how to tackle obstacles and building resilience to achieve your goals. I also recently started my Alexandras Talkshow (links below) where I interview inspiring personalities about their achievements and ambitions, their backlashes and bravery. 

How do you think about what you wear for an important day to ensure that you feel your best?

What I wear is a reflection of how I want to feel. It's not just about the clothes; it's about the energy I bring into a room. When I'm about to take the stage or meet someone important, I choose outfits that make me feel strong, confident, and comfortable—something that feels me and highlights my personality. I like to incorporate pieces that carry meaning for me. When I feel good in what I'm wearing, my energy naturally shifts to a place of confidence and authority. 

What is your favorite Capsuless piece and when do you wear it?

I chose the grey Empower dress that makes me feel ready to take on the world, whether I'm moderating a panel or heading into an important business meeting. It's one of those pieces in my wardrobe that gives me the perfect combination of empowerment and elegance.

 

Want more of this brilliant and inspiring mind? Go check out Alexandra’s mentioned book, her talk show and her upcoming play “Papporna” premiering on Dramaten on the 17th of April! Links below:

Book, Bortom mammas gata
Talk Show
Papporna on Dramaten

We dropped by the Feminvest office and met their inspiring and empowering founder and CEO, Michaela Berglund, to get her view on women’s financial position, investments and entrepreneurship as well as how we together can work to close the female wealth gap that we see in today’s capital markets   

Michaela, you are a strong voice for women’s financial empowerment through Feminvest. What made you start this journey?

I started to invest in the stock market when I was 19 years old and I quickly realised that I had no one to really discuss the financial market with, why I initially looked for a forum to share insights and have discussions. I later discovered that only a small portion of investor capital goes to female-founded businesses, and that women tend to own significantly less in the companies they work for. A turning point for me was learning that in many IPOs, women working at the company only own about 1% of the shares - giving almost all the upside to the men while working just as hard to make the companies successful. As such, I founded Feminvest to be able to raise these questions, empower women in business and to educate women to improve their financial position.

You’ve worked extensively for gender equality and often highlight the gap in ownership between men and women. What do you think needs to change to close this gap and what advice would you give to women who want to improve their wealth?

It’s time to fully normalise and talk about women as investors, and make it easier and more accessible to invest, also in private companies. At Feminvest, that is something we work with every day. Two of my best pieces of advice are to start talking about investing and savings in your friend groups and set financial goals and work for them! Women tend to be excellent at setting goals, but financial goals are often left out, when it should rather be the opposite.

Through your work at Feminvest, you’ve met countless women building businesses —what do you think is the most important shift needed for more women to confidently be successful within entrepreneurship?

First, I want to say that women are already doing a great job—about one in three new companies is founded by a woman, which is a strong start. Women are also very good at building their own networks and help each other – but to accelerate change, we need to also include men in our conversations. Diplomacy and bridge-building are essential. Since power and capital often lie in male-dominated spaces, we must be able to speak the same language and bring them into our efforts for real progress.

You have recently launched your fund dedicated to investing in female-founded businesses. Why do you think only a fraction of the financial capital today goes to female entrepreneurs and do you have any advice for women trying to attract investors?

As a woman - learn the game, build relationships and start early! Often, women don’t present the information investors are used to seeing, which leads to fewer deals. We must educate female founders to create strong pitch decks and investor materials, while also encouraging investors to broaden their perspectives. If you’re thinking of raising capital, start building relationships long before you need funding. Networking is everything—attend events, talk to people, and build your circle. At Feminvest, we’ve helped many
women raise capital through our own network and community over the years.

You’ve also founded Run for Women’s Ownership, an initiative that shines a light on the female wealth gap and entrepreneurship. Can you tell us a little bit more about this and how can others join or support it?  

On September 3rd, we’re hosting a run at scenic Djurgården in Stockholm to raise awareness around female ownership and entrepreneurship. Everyone is welcome and the atmosphere will be filled with energy, knowledge-sharing and giveaways. You can choose to run or walk 5.9 km. Last year, we had 400 participants, and this year we hope to grow even more – we hope to see you there!

Is there any particular book, podcast or similar that has inspired you that you would like to recommend?

Lean in by Sheryl Sandberg is a classic, but I also found it interesting to read Elon Musk’s book that was released when he was on top. The latter gave me perspective on how things can change.  


How do you think about what you wear for an important meeting, event, or a day when you’ll be on stage to ensure that you feel your best?

I always go for something comfortable that still looks professional and stylish. I also love wearing female-founded brands as it makes me feel empowered and proud to support other women. Another key thing is to not stress while getting ready if possible.


What is your favorite Capsuless piece and when do you see yourself wearing it?

The Limitless Skirt is a favorite of mine. It checks all the boxes: comfortable, stylish, professional—and created by a woman-led brand. I wear it on a variety of occasions, from a quiet day in the office to a day filled with meetings and errands.

Want more of Michaela and learn more about Feminvest? We recommend checking out their website with information on Feminvest memberships and Run for Women’s Ownership, see links below!

Feminvest website

Run for Female Ownership

We had an empowering sit-down with Maria Hedengren, board professional, angel investor and venture partner at Eight Roads with +30 years of experience from C-level roles. With a career spanning from start-ups to large international corporations, she brings insights into scaling companies, navigating change, and driving results while keeping the focus on the heart and the people of the business. In this interview, we explore her career journey, lessons learned in the boardroom, and her perspective on creating more opportunities for women in leadership and ownership – a topic close to Maria’s heart

Maria, you’ve had an impressive career in leadership—CEO of Readly, several CFO roles including iZettle, and now multiple board positions. Looking back, what key decisions or turning points shaped your professional journey the most?

It is hard to pick a specific moment or event. Every decision we make each day is a sliding door. But I think what has opened the most doors for me and given me most public attention are the iZettle near-IPO when I was the CFO there that ended up in a sale of PayPal as well as when I IPOed Readly as the CEO. Both of these roles have been quite important for creating the foundation for what I am working on today, even though all of my past experience has mattered off course.

Boardroom experience gives you a unique perspective on business success. From your work with Stillfront, Hemnet, Feminvest and others, what do you believe are the most important qualities of an effective board?

I think the ability to voice and debate differences in experiences and opinions in a constructive way is one of the critical abilities that a board needs to master collectively. If everyone agrees with each other all the time, I think there is a big risk that strategies and decisions are not being either properly challenged and looked at from different angles enough or it can be a sign that the board is not diverse enough. The chairperson has a very profound role to play in orchestrating a discussion climate and culture in the board room where everyone feels comfortable speaking up. Focus on the big picture and strategic big bets and not spending too much time and energy on operational details is another. Still this needs to be balanced with some form of ability to not browse over things too lightly either, to have the ability to deep into a topic if needed and be comfortable outing possible lack of understanding by asking questions as needed.

Women still hold a minority of executive and board positions globally. In your experience, what needs
to change to achieve greater gender balance at the top levels of business?

I think a collective effort and focus from owners and recruiters. I hear sometimes that it has to start with more women in senior executive positions to widen the pool of viable candidates but I also know that often, it is not about lack of women senior leaders or too small pool but the effort to look outside the comfort of established realms and connections. I have been in many rooms filled with competent senior women leaders while I hear that the lists of viable candidates circulating among recruiters are very short.

Do you have any advice for someone curious about becoming a board professional?

Attend seminars and networking opportunities, reach out to interesting persons on Linkedin and ask if you can take them to lunch, sign up for a board educational program. Also look at yourself, evaluate what strategic experiences and skills you bring to the table. Why an owner should care about getting you on their board and what type of companies/sectors you think are the most likely to be a good match for your competence profile. Reach out to owner groups like investment companies, VCs, headhunters and any other target audience that are involved in the appointment of board seats and make them aware of who you are and what you bring. Don’t wait for them to call you, they need to be made aware that you are available.

Another area where women are lagging is in attracting investors, where female entrepreneurs unfortunately often face barriers to funding and growth. From your perspective as an investor and board professional, what actions can be taken to close this gap?

This is a complex question. There are so many aspects that need to be addressed, both from an investor collective perspective but also by women themselves. I think there is still needed a lot of information and enlightenment of the bias that lives in all of us, and that more investors take this seriously. They need to decide on strategies and measurable targets to reduce the interference of bias in investment assessments. Standardize and train the investment teams in how they evaluate potential, what types of questions to ask and how to analyze their answers for example. Ensure mixed investment teams is another action they can take, to hire more women investment professionals, partners with real decision-making power. If women are too few there is a risk that some do not dare to stick their chin out and challenge the decisions for fear of not being fully accepted and respected. There needs to be critical mass. Women entrepreneurs also have some homework to do sometimes, for example engage more in investor networking and network with other entrepreneurs to exchange experiences. Investors invest in people, not in companies. What I mean by that
is that the decision-making process of all of us is very biased towards relationships and whether we like someone. Becoming part of “the circle” is not to be underestimated. Relationships and credibility are built over time, not in a 45 min pitch meeting. Start such conversations early, long before you need the money. There is much more to discuss and address but I could go on about this forever.

Mentorship and networks often play a big role in career advancement. Has mentorship been important in your
career, and how do you approach mentoring and networks today, through for example your work with Feminvest?

Actually, mentorship and networking did not play a vital part in my early career. More so in recent years. But if there is anything I would do differently if I all of a sudden woke up 25 years old again
and started over from zero, that is where I would approach my career differently and invest more time and effort into both network building and finding myself a good mentor or several actually. My engagement in Feminvest, as well as my advisory board role for deb. (Diverse.Executive.Boards), where I also participate as speaker in their board programs sometimes, are some of the ways that I support women who build businesses, build their career and build their wealth today. I also share my experiences, meet new people and discuss career, entrepreneurship and wellness via my Instagram account. I realized that many women came to me with the same questions and experiences, things that I often also went through myself over the years.

At Capsuless Collection, we’re also passionate about what makes women feel confident in business settings. How do you think about what you wear for an important meeting or public appearance to ensure that you feel your best?

I want to feel powerful and sophisticated but still relaxed, modern and comfortable, especially since many of my meetings are very long, often full days. I just cannot stand sitting all day and being bothered by a too tight waistline while paying attention to what everyone is saying and contributing with my input. Back in the days, say 15 years ago, I almost always wore high heels. Nowadays it is rare, unfortunately. When I am on stage, I want to have an impact. Comfort is less of a priority there, Color and looking striking is more important.

What’s your favorite Capsuless piece and when do you see yourself wearing it?

I really like the Empower dress, feminine but professional and classic. And I prefer V-neck so it is perfect for me. The burgundy color is beautiful and suits my color season, one of my favorite colors.

Finally, do you have a book, podcast, or article that you’ve found inspiring lately and would like to recommend?

The latest podcast I listened to was Bryan Johnson being interviewed in Framgångspodden. I am a big health nerd, I read a lot of articles and research on health topics. Now as I am going through menopause and also have had encounters with working too much and stress over the years it is even more important to me. I think a lot of what he is talking about is well documented scientific knowledge about factors that correlates with long term health such as sleep quality, exercise, plant-based food and olive oil for example. I think it is fascinating how someone can make it their entire life and identify though and I would never go even half so far as he is. I think life for me is more about quality than quantity in the form of extreme longevity. Still, it is never bad with reminders and inspiration to improve our chances of good life quality in the form of maintaining our health while we live.

Want more of Maria? We encourage you to follow her on Instagram (@maria_hedengren), where she regularly shares her insights on topics such as career development, burnout prevention, funding and board room tactics!