Lavinia D. Osbourne: An International Speaker Working to Increase Women’s Participation in Blockchain
The 10 Most Empowering Women in Business 2022
“Representation matters,” says Lavinia D. Osbourne. She is the founder of Women in Blockchain Talks and states that Blockchain is the future of entertainment, business, and money; and by telling the stories and celebrating the successes of trailblazing women, we will demonstrate that there’s space for everyone to learn, grow, and benefit.
WiBT (Women in Blockchain Talks) is the UK’s most diverse blockchain education and networking environment. Its mission, which began in 2019 and has grown since then, is to increase the visibility of underrepresented voices in blockchain by equipping anyone – regardless of age, gender, nationality, or background – with the skills and confidence to forge their own personal or professional path within the metaverse.
Below are highlights of the interview:
Tell us about yourself and your story before founding Women in Blockchain Talks.
Growing up in a single-family household with all women (my mum, aunt, and grandmother), I became acutely aware of the imbalance of being a woman, a black woman, and a woman in a family with no men in it (uncles, grandfather, etc).
Watching their struggles with life, love, and particularly money gave me the impetus to do more with my opportunities and not become a teenage single mother, something that a lot of people predicted would be mine and my twin sister’s outcome. Like mother, like daughter!
That was not the case and was never going to be the case! Ultimately, our past and environment do not have to determine our outcome; they just shape it. Both my twin and I chose to learn from our impoverished, dysfunctional, and at times, neglectful childhood, and we are both now successful businesswomen in our own right.
Why did you choose to become a business fintech expert?
I don’t think I chose to become a business fintech expert. I think in a way, my life journey chose this path. Money is such an important and integral part of our lives, and when I experienced the negative aftermath of the financial global crash of 2008, I decided that I needed to learn and understand the basics of financial education, something that is not normally taught at school.
From that point onward, my journey was set and it ultimately led me to digital assets and blockchain and I am very grateful for it.
What are your responsibilities as the founder of the company?
As the founder of Women in Blockchain Talks, my responsibilities are many and varied, especially because we are a grass-roots business, but one of my key responsibilities is to create an open and accessible platform for women and minority groups. As such, we welcome ALL GENDERS, but our primary focus is on women.
Hence, why we run an entire ecosystem, including quarterly meetups and content such as podcasts and masterclasses – all underpinned by a vibrant and thriving member community.
What have you failed at and how do you overcome challenges?
Failure is a part of growth and development, and I am always failing. For example, not hitting event numbers, not hitting income targets, or membership targets. But I know that without “doing” then you cannot fail or win, so my focus is always on doing and “doing” and being to the best of my ability. That is how I overcome my challenges. Admittedly, I also love what I do, and I am very solution oriented and resourceful, so I am very good at overcoming! As a black woman, overcoming has simply become a part of my DNA.
Kindly describe how you will specifically know what success looks like for you. And what has been the best recognition that you received as a professional.
One of the best recognitions I have received so far in my career is the recognition from LinkedIn stating that I was one of their Top Voices in Innovation and Technology.
Also, success comes in different ways and at different stages. For example, I recently took a case regarding 2 x NFTs stolen from my wallet to the High Court. In doing so, I set a legal precedent by having the courts grant a “proprietary injunction” forbidding the sale and transfer of my stolen NFTS. The ramifications of this case are huge and touch on legal, taxation, and insurance. It is a step in the right direction regarding consumer protection in a space that is full of great opportunities but also full of bad actors willing and able to take advantage of those same opportunities.
Ultimately, what success looks like for me is a thriving and engaged community of like-minded and go-getting individuals, made up mainly of women. WiBT is open to all genders.
A growing paid membership! Events are completely sold out!For example, I am hosting a 3-day Women in Blockchain Summit event in Cyprus to celebrate the many dynamic women in the space as well as Women in Blockchain Talks’ 3rd anniversary. To sell all the tickets to that event would be a huge success! Event link: https://summit.womeninblockchaintalks.com
In addition to this, we have an ongoing campaign and that is to bring in 50k women into blockchain, aka our FREE community, by 2023, so to hit that milestone by next year will be a key achievement and again, a huge success for me on both a personal and professional level.
What advice would you give to the next generation of leaders?
Believe in your vision! Be true to yourself! Be consistent! Be willing to fail forward. And do it with authenticity, integrity, and kindness.
What are your future plans to sustain the company’s and your success?
Women in Blockchain Talks have a number of plans, including raising funds to take all that we have been doing to another level. Better quality, execution and delivery.
I am very excited about this space, what it stands for and what it can become with the right people, diverse people, leading, creating and building in this space.
Website: www.womeninblockchaintalks.com
