2022 Fireside Chat with Rosario Casas: On Embracing Your Authenticity as an Entrepreneur
April 19, 2022
By:Alara Tuncer
For women’s history month Dr. Jin Montclare, director of CIE and professor at NYU Tandon School of Engineering interviewed Rosario B. Casas, a female entrepreneur and extraordinaire.
In addition to reflecting on her experience as a self-starter in a male-dominated field, Casas shared unique insights on the importance of being authentic, having an original perspective and her hunger for learning which made her into an award-winning woman-in-tech.
Casas grew up in a household with strong and independent females. Like them, she was ambitious from a very young age. Young Casas’ first dream was to become the president of Colombia to help people. As she grew up “there was a change in the dream but not in the mission to create an impact.” In college she studied political science and economics. Post-college, with an altruistic goal in mind, she worked to fight against corruption. As a result, she found herself as the chief of staff for the Colombian first lady, a job that taught her “the ways of the public sector.” This is when she realized the importance of the private sector and her potential to make an impact in that space. She returned to school and obtained her MBA. Later, she founded her own company and sought opportunities to make an impact that challenged her.
She attributes her love for learning and drive for her steady rise through the ranks of consulting and the tech industry. “I’m a nerd and I love learning” stated Casas plainly. “If there is something I want, I find a way to say yes,” Casas added, “I will learn, I will prepare, I will reach out to the people I need to make this happen.” It isn’t about taking every opportunity that comes your way, it is more about “creating the opportunity to achieve what you want to achieve.” Evidently, Casas’ advice to young entrepreneurs today is to “take risks and go out there.”
Despite having constantly evolving interests as an entrepreneur due to her love for learning and natural curiosity, Casas made an effort to retain her authenticity at every step of the way. “Don’t touch my accent” she told people who wanted her to present herself a certain way. In the interview, Casas explained, “I want to tell the story of Colombia and the Latinas and I want to tell the story of who I am.” Casas realizes the unique position she holds as a role model for others of the same cultural background. As a result, she actively seeks to “open doors to others” like her. When asked why she ventured into new fields constantly, like tech, she stated that she liked the challenge but also, she wanted “to show that there is talent in Latin America.”
Unfortunately, it’s rare to see a female CEO, when Dr. Montclare asked how she made this dream into a reality Casas added that “it wasn’t always easy.” She also explained the enhanced scrutiny women are constrained by at the workplace. “As a woman, if I talk too passionately, I seem aggressive.” Still, she didn’t refrain from also making a statement. Casas added that her red nails were just that—a token of being a woman which is almost a rebellious act when “99% of the team members are males.” She noted that she was pleasantly aware of “breaking a door open by breaking the stereotypes,” but she alluded to the strenuous road ahead for young female entrepreneurs just starting out.
Casas added that having confidence in yourself and your vision is just as important as “having good partners” for “your journey to success.” This doesn’t mean just people who provide you with support but also those who give you “radical candor,” which is essential for growth and improvement. Finally, Casas summed the nature of being an entrepreneur “the entrepreneurial spirit is about having fun with the journey – learning new things, taking some risks.”