#048 How a Non-Techie Built a 17-Year SaaS Business | Carmel Peinke's Story
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The confidence gaps, pivotal mentors, and leadership lessons behind a 17-year tech business.
Carmel Peinke built a business intelligence platform from scratch without ever writing a line of code. This episode is for women in mid-to-senior leadership who are weighing up a leap into the C-suite or entrepreneurship and want an honest, practical account of what that actually takes.
Carmel traces the full arc: a chance entry into the FMCG sector, launching Lipton Iced Tea in South Africa for Smolin, spotting a data gap that no one was solving, and persuading a tech partner to build what became E-Route to Market - a real-time analytics and route-to-market platform now 17 years in market. She opens up on the self-doubt that nearly stopped her going after big clients, the moment she nearly lost herself to masculine leadership expectations, and the structured morning self-talk routine she uses to stay focused and move forward.
Key topics include: how to lead a technical team without technical skills; building a business in a male-dominated industry; why relationships and trust are the real growth engine in B2B sales; how to network with genuine curiosity rather than a sales pitch; the difference between masculine and feminine confidence in business development; values-based decision making and when to walk away from a client; and what authentic leadership looks like when you own the company. Carmel also shares her vision for getting more women into data science and technology - and why consumer behaviour expertise is exactly the skill the sector is missing.
Host Petro du Pisani is an executive coach working with women at middle to senior leadership level who want to step into more senior roles. If this conversation resonates, visit Petro's website to explore one-to-one coaching.
Carmel Peinke built a business intelligence platform from scratch without ever writing a line of code. This episode is for women in mid-to-senior leadership who are weighing up a leap into the C-suite or entrepreneurship and want an honest, practical account of what that actually takes.
Carmel traces the full arc: a chance entry into the FMCG sector, launching Lipton Iced Tea in South Africa for Smolin, spotting a data gap that no one was solving, and persuading a tech partner to build what became E-Route to Market - a real-time analytics and route-to-market platform now 17 years in market. She opens up on the self-doubt that nearly stopped her going after big clients, the moment she nearly lost herself to masculine leadership expectations, and the structured morning self-talk routine she uses to stay focused and move forward.
Key topics include: how to lead a technical team without technical skills; building a business in a male-dominated industry; why relationships and trust are the real growth engine in B2B sales; how to network with genuine curiosity rather than a sales pitch; the difference between masculine and feminine confidence in business development; values-based decision making and when to walk away from a client; and what authentic leadership looks like when you own the company. Carmel also shares her vision for getting more women into data science and technology - and why consumer behaviour expertise is exactly the skill the sector is missing.
Host Petro du Pisani is an executive coach working with women at middle to senior leadership level who want to step into more senior roles. If this conversation resonates, visit Petro's website to explore one-to-one coaching.
Chapters
- 00:00 Introduction and Carmel's Background
- 01:16 Childhood Dreams vs Reality
- 01:49 A Chance Entry into FMCG
- 04:10 The Move from Employee to CEO
- 05:53 Pivotal People and the Power of Belief
- 07:48 A Thirst for Learning as a Leadership Tool
- 09:06 The Biggest Barrier: Self-Doubt
- 11:13 Morning Self-Talk and Staying Focused
- 12:36 Proving Yourself in Male-Dominated Industries
- 14:14 Why Relationships Drive Business Growth
- 15:28 Networking with Curiosity: Practical Tips
- 16:37 Leadership Style: Collaborative but Client-First
- 19:32 Staying True to Yourself as You Rise
- 22:16 Running Your Own Company vs Corporate Culture
- 24:08 Walking Away When Values Are Compromised
- 25:52 Advice to Her Younger Self
- 29:03 Seventeen Years of Leadership Lessons
- 31:47 What Success Really Looks Like
- 34:37 Empowering Women in Tech and Data Science
- 35:48 The Legacy She Wants to Leave
- 37:29 How to Help Other Women Step Up
