She Leads: CEO Stories - Tessa Clarke
Tessa Clarke is the co-founder and CEO of the sharing app, Olio.
Every month, we highlight the stories of Women CEOs who are leading the way in business. They offer a glimpse into their journeys, along with valuable insights and advice to inspire and empower the next generation of Women CEOs.
Tessa Clarke is the CEO of Olio, a sharing app built for local communities, who are on a mission to fight waste by making it easier to pass on the things you no longer need. Tessa is a farmer’s daughter, turned corporate careerist, who turned into a purpose-driven entrepreneur. She’s extremely passionate about the power of business, especially when pointed in the right direction, to build a world that’s truly sustainable for all. She’s a big believer in karma, and in the power of sharing to not only help solve the climate crisis, but also to unlock everyone's true potential.
Here are her insights:
1. When did you realise you would become a CEO?
When I co-founded Olio in 2015, being a CEO couldn’t have been further from my mind. Instead I was obsessed with solving the problem of food waste, and making Olio work. As a result the identity of co-founder was the one that resonated most for many years. However as Olio has scaled in recent years, I’ve increasingly embraced the role of CEO and all that entails.
2. As you stepped into the role, what excited you and scared you the most?
For me it’s been about a growing realisation of the enormity of what the organisation requires from me in this role, rather than a single moment of time where I stepped into it. What excites me is setting the vision and strategy, and galvanising the team to deliver that.
What scares me - when I allow myself to think about it - is the enormous responsibility of leading a team of 60 people, and more than that, a community of 8 million people, all of whom are depending on Saasha (my Co-founder) and I to unlock Olio’s full potential.
3. What is something that has surprised you about being a CEO?
I don’t know if it’s the role, or the nature of the modern workplace, or my style as a leader, but I’ve been surprised at how intensely I’ve gotten to know the ins and outs of my team’s personal lives. I’ve really invested in helping and supporting them through that, as much as through business challenges.
4. Is there something you attribute to your success as a CEO?
I’d say the real hallmarks of my leadership style are radical honesty and transparency; an ability to have strong views lightly held; and an infectious passion for our mission, coupled with a clear and ambitious vision of what we need to achieve.
I’m also extremely happy to challenge conventional wisdom in business, and experiment with doing things differently. A classic example of this would be building Olio as a remote-first business, many years before the pandemic made that a thing.
5. What advice would you give to a woman aspiring to become a CEO?
Although I was someone who spent much of my early corporate career aspiring to be a CEO, I’m not sure anymore that that’s a great aspiration. I suspect that too many people aspire to become a CEO because that’s what they think success looks like, and that’s where all the status lies.
Instead I’d encourage someone to think very deeply about what gives you a sense of purpose, what you’re excellent at, and what will give you work and a lifestyle that you will enjoy. Then look at what role in what type of organisation in what industry sits at the intersection of those things.
6. Finally, what is something you think all Women CEOs would benefit from knowing?
That all the male CEOs are winging it too!
For more information about Tessa Clarke, find her on LinkedIn & on https://olioapp.com.
