Meet Liz Villani, founder of #BeYourselfAtWork
I’m Liz Villani, founder of #BeYourselfAtWork, a global movement dedicated to creating a new narrative about how we work. Work is an opportunity for self-discovery, and the BY@W movement helps people to become their true selves in the workplace. I had a long career at a major retailer previously, and I am now the creative mind behind the BY@W product iAM, which helps people to define their character and to set out their personal values in their own words.
I aim to inspire today’s generations to view work radically differently, promote innovation in the workplace, and to make #BeYourselfAtWork a national and global imperative.
What inspired you to launch your business and what is the end goal?
My inspiration for BY@W is rooted in my own experiences of working. I discovered who I am through working as a teenager, but after graduating and beginning in business, I realised that most people don’t look at their working lives in the same way. We mould ourselves into what we think we should be to conform and to appear professional and competent, resulting in a work persona that doesn’t necessarily reflect our non-work personality. It doesn’t need to be that way, so the end goal is to create workplaces where everyone feels able to be their authentic selves. This makes work an opportunity for people to experience who they are and to make a unique contribution rather than simply working to pay bills.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as an entrepreneur?
Being an entrepreneur never stops because there is no endpoint. We are wired differently, always looking for the next goal, regardless of what has already been achieved. I am deeply passionate about what I do, so I am always on, always thinking, always creating, and always helping. I have to force myself to stop.
Do you have a morning routine or ritual to get your day started on the right foot?
I check in with myself and get a sense of the day before logic and task take over. I take a few minutes to ground myself and check in with my energy, the feel of the world and my intuition. Our personal values tool iAM shows me I have stillness as one of my bedrock iAM Values. I use who I am to remember to take the time to check-in with myself. Once the laptop is open, it will be at least 9 pm before I can have that time for myself again.
How did you conquer those moments of doubt that so aften affect entrepreneurs or stop many with great ideas – what pushes you through?
Courage comes when you have the skills and ability to know yourself and understand your values. Because of what I know from all layers of my iAM, I have what I need to push through - competence, calmness, informality and a strong sense of integrity. I also need to be kind, positive, rebellious and to lead change because that is when I can make the most significant difference. I walk the talk because confidence is a choice, and believing in yourself takes effort every day; I am no different.
What does your business offer its target audience?
BY@W gives organisations the tools to win the war on talent by becoming leading workplaces and creating environments where people can be themselves, make a unique difference, and encourage others to do the same.
How do you set yourself apart from other businesses in your industry?
We created iAM through Blue Ocean thinking. We don’t profile people, pigeonhole them or put them in boxes. An algorithm or psychological assessment will never be able to describe the real you as the parameters they work within are too narrow.
iAM was created to make a difference, rather than to make money, so it asks the right questions. The technology is a business, but its soul is about humanity. It is why our client feedback surveys find that more than 70% of people say iAM has changed their lives. If you are going to bring your whole self to work, you need to understand who you are.
What plans do you have for your business over the next two years?
Simply put: growth. We want to offer iAM and a range of products and services to all levels and areas of organisations, but we also want to be more than that. We want every workplace to be an authentic and positive experience. That is why we have launched the #BeYourselfAtWork movement and hashtag.
What impact would you like to have on women around the world through your business?
We want women to feel able to bring their whole selves to work and to be successful based on their merit and character, which we know has yet to happen. Our research shows that women are 21% more likely than men to compare themselves unfavourably to others and 38% more likely to suffer from Imposter Syndrome than men. Crucially, our research showed that 62% more women than men shared that a lack of confidence stops them from being themselves at work. We are on a mission to correct these deeply disappointing stats.
What do you think your business does that has had such a positive impact across your industry?
What we bring with our personal values iAM is genuinely new and different and positively changes lives. It improves work performance by up to 85% and enables people to be happier and more positive in their work. Rooted in Self Concept Theory, iAM is based on credible science and has been tested and validated. In a randomised, qualitative validation study carried out with 99 users over three months, 100% agreed that their iAM profile was a true reflection of their whole selves, from what irritates them to who they are when they are at their best.
