INTERVIEW WITH VERONICA CINELLI, Founder & Director One Email Away® Ltd

Personal Journey

WIDD Network: Can you share a bit about your personal journey and what led you to start your own business?

Veronica: I started working right after high school because of my passion for Information Technology and Systems.

I moved away from my small home Town in Tuscany to live in “the big city”, Milan.

This is where the job opportunities were back then and still are nowadays, so I packed a couple of bags, left family and friends, and started my new life as an adult at 21.

I had an amazing career for about 15 years, then the corporate world was no longer a fit for me due to the policies and rules that did not allow me to do my job at my best.

So, I started independently, founded my first IT company, and never looked back. Today, I run a boutique marketing agency, and we offer advanced email marketing and outreach automation systems and strategies for B2B.

 WIDD Network: Were there any specific challenges you faced as a woman in the business world, and how did you overcome them?

Veronica: Working in IT, I always was the only woman in the office in a team of males.

I was always considered an assistant more than the IT specialist I was, and never took seriously for promotions or managerial roles.

On top of this, I was forced either to dress as a man or the opposite, which meant I had to wear heels even if I worked in data centres. I often had to work night shifts and holidays, completely alone in the office, and I could not refuse. Otherwise, they would have given my job to a man. I was constantly considered too emotional if I raised complaints about the team or the time/task management. I was also suffering from severe period pain back then, and staying home during those days was almost impossible.

Professional Insights

WIDD Network: What key lessons have you learned while building and managing your business?

Veronica: The “beginner’s mindset” is the worst advice you can give a person starting a business. No matter if we are actually starting now, we all have previous experience, either in corporate or other venues. Being forced to think like a beginner, especially for women, often leads to imposter syndrome, a lack of awareness of the value we bring to the table, and a constant cycle of overthinking and underestimating ourselves. No matter our starting point, we should remember what we have accomplished so far and put that into our “experience bucket. Everything counts: small jobs, running a house as a housewife, corporate roles, assistant roles, full-time mum.  Every single experience as a woman is a precious piece of knowledge we can apply in business.

WIDD Network: How do you handle setbacks and challenges in your professional life?

Veronica: My family is my strength. I also surrounded myself with other women on the same journey. We share our daily struggles, compare experiences, and help each other constantly. I have great male friends as well, and they contribute to the feeling of protection and having a tribe that has my back.

WIDD Network: Can you highlight a specific achievement or milestone that you are particularly proud of in your career?

Veronica: I am Italian and built a business in English abroad, completely on my own. I started learning English when I was a kid, but one thing is to ask for a coffee while on holiday, and another thing is to show up on Zoom or live or produce video content speaking a different language and remaining confident. It took me a couple of years, and now I am thriving!

Leadership and Mentorship

WIDD Network: How would you describe your leadership style, and how has it contributed to your success?

Veronica: I always lead with empathy, making people feel understood and seen and that I have their back. I put myself in the other person’s shoes and try to feel how they feel. This way, I create a safe space for others to be honest and real. No matter what happens, we can always find a solution by having a calm and open conversation.

WIDD Network: Have you had mentors or role models who have guided you along the way, and how important were they in your journey?

Veronica: My mum is one of my greatest examples of how we should never be silent in the face of injustice. She worked as an employee for her whole career but never failed to defend herself or her colleagues when needed. The corporate world did not change her or force her to be who she is not. I learned from her to speak up and defend myself. Society will always try to change and silence us, but we won’t have it. And a friend of mine, who became a doctor and a pro triathlete at the same time, facing all sorts of criticism and judgment. She taught me that our mind is the strongest tool we have, and once you master it, there in nothing you can’t achieve.

 WIDD Network: What advice would you give to women aspiring to become leaders in their respective industries? 

Veronica: It will be difficult in so many different ways. But we are women. We can do it, and we can do it greatly. Our mind is shaped in a way that makes us relentless warriors. We can sometimes cry and feel defeated, but we always get back up. Believe that you have all that you need to thrive. It’s a given for women.

Work-Life Balance

WIDD Network: Balancing work and personal life can be challenging. How do you manage to maintain a healthy work-life balance?

Veronica: I am lucky enough to work from wherever I want and choose my schedule, and my husband also works from home. However, finding the time for training or relaxation has been difficult at times, so my rule now is no work before 10 am and after 8 pm, and weekends are for family and friends, no business. Our dogs help a lot with reminding us to take breaks and go for a walk!

WIDD Network: Have there been moments when you felt the need to prioritise one aspect over the other, and how did you navigate those situations?

Veronica: Yes. I suffered from burnout and depression this summer, and I couldn’t cope anymore.

No nervous system regulation technique or therapy was working. I am a big fan of cold dips and the gym, but they were no longer helpful. So, I stopped and lowered my pace. I changed my business model, hired an assistant, and, most of all, released myself from the sense of guilt for not doing more or better. The result was great in every aspect of my life.

Advice for Aspiring Women Entrepreneurs

WIDD Network: For women who are considering starting their own business, what advice would you give them?

Veronica: In my opinion, women are natural-born entrepreneurs. Our organisation and management skills are outstanding. These two characteristics make the best foundation for any business. We are also relentless and unimaginably strong. Whatever comes our way, we can face it with grace and courage.

 WIDD Network: What are the key skills and qualities you believe are crucial for success in entrepreneurship?

Veronica: Having a vision. Being capable of seeing the next step, considering the possible positive and negative outcomes, and being flexible. We should always have a plan B or C without being too attached to plan A.

WIDD Network: How can women overcome self-doubt and imposter syndrome when pursuing their entrepreneurial goals?

Veronica: I recently read an article explaining how impostor syndrome is actually a great and positive symptom. Doubting ourselves means we analyse and evaluate because we want to be our best, and this creates space for growth. The risk is analysis paralysis, but my advice here is: jump in the cold water (imaginary or real!). The fear of the cold is way worse than the cold itself.

Community and Diversity

WIDD Network: In what ways do you contribute to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within your business and industry?

Veronica: It’s hard for me to reply to this question because, for me, this is not even an issue. Diversity is growth. Equity and inclusion should be a given. Everyone is welcome to work with me or be my friend, whoever they are.

 WIDD Network: How important do you believe it is for women to support and uplift each other in the professional world?

Veronica: It’s crucial. More than we realise. The business space is still very much led by men, and it’s very hard to face it without a sisterhood having your back. As women, we value connection more than anything else. We can conquer everything when we feel safe, seen, and loved.

WIDD Network:  Have you faced any challenges related to diversity and inclusion, and how have you addressed them?

 Veronica: As a woman in marketing automation, I’ve often mistaken for an admin assistant. I struggled a lot with setting boundaries with my clients because, in their minds, they were paying for my time and not my company’s services. I used to receive a lot of emails or messages like, “Hey Veronica, can you do me a quick favour and find this info for me in the CRM?” All those “favours” were activities outside the scope of work. They would never do that with a man.

 WIDD Network:  What attracted you to WIDD Network?

Veronica: I found the community on LinkedIn and loved the energy around the movement. Helping women in the digital space to thrive is so important and crucial, and having a network helping us with this is amazing.

Future Goals and Legacy

WIDD Network: What are your future goals for your business, and how do you envision its impact in the coming years?

Veronica: I would love to keep building a flexible business model.

My vision is to provide outstanding quality to our clients while keeping the team free to manage their time. Automation helps a lot with this, but not entirely. The most important part is how you manage deadlines and resources, assigning people task they feel they are great at, so that they can be fulfilled and satisfied with what they do.

WIDD Network: When reflecting on your career, what legacy do you hope to leave behind, especially for aspiring women entrepreneurs?

Veronica: I would like to help them BELIEVE they have a right to be entrepreneurs, no matter what society says. I have seen an alarming number of women whose partners or families were not supportive, and it broke my heart. It’s hard enough with support, let alone if you are judged and criticised. Which is why networks such as WIDD are so important. It can be really lonely at times, and support should be accessible to everyone.

 Inspiration

WIDD Network: Who’s your inspirational woman?

Veronica: My mum, my female friends, Mel Robbins and Jane Fonda. And Tess McGill (Melanie Griffith) in “ Working Girl”.

WIDD Network: What is your favourite quote and mantra?

 Veronica: “If there is no enemy within, the enemies outside can do you no harm.” I got a tattoo on my forearm with “No enemies within” as a wish for myself when I was at my lowest. It became true!

Connect with Veronica on LinkedIn

Do you have interesting experiences and would want to be featured? Send us an email at ‘hello@widdnetwork.com’ with the subject “Interested in sharing my experiences’.