Still Moving
Seven months ago, I released my memoir, The Woman in Deed, into the world with no publisher, no marketing team, and no roadmap. A publisher had told me I would be a hard sell — a first‑time author at seventy‑five, with a headline from thirty years ago. I didn’t argue. I simply did what I have always […]
Becoming “The Woman in Deed”
As I mention in my memoir “The Woman in Deed: Road to IPO, Bridge Tables, and Beyond”—yes, mine is a Silicon Valley success story. But Silicon Valley success stories are never solo performances. They need to be told more often and more honestly, not as hero narratives but with their entire cast. The valley has […]
The Discipline of Ignoring
In March, I arrived in St. Louis for a bridge tournament with my usual Danish and part‑Swedish team, but my head was elsewhere. My memoir had been published five months earlier, and the PR demands were consuming me. I did not feel mentally geared to summon what I call my “bridge brain” for a high‑level […]
Don’t Lean In
I loved Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In for its practical career advice. At the risk of mischaracterizing her message—which advocates leaning into challenges, opportunities, and ambition, not leaning on someone—I still find the title troubling. The phrase suggests women need support to stay upright, as if we’re inherently unstable. In my experience, the opposite has […]
Rediscovering Rajasthan: An India I Thought I Already Knew
I just returned from the Jaipur Literature Festival, and the experience left me thinking about how much of India I had carried in memory—and how much I had misunderstood or simply never known. Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan, a state I grew up imagining from a distance. As a child, Rajasthan lived in my […]
Courage
Publishing my memoir—a 75th birthday gift to myself—turned out to be a bigger gift than I imagined. Upon reflecting, I realized I wasn’t just courageous or strong; I was becoming fearless through my experiences. The Writing Journey: They all fainted in the background when my writing journey began to become a published author. It started […]
Authenticity
I remember a moment in my early career when I was invited to speak at a tech event. I prepared carefully, dressed conservatively, and stuck to the script—wanting to sound polished and credible. The talk went fine, however afterward, someone approached me and said, “You were impressive, but I didn’t quite feel you in it.” […]
A Revelation from the Bridge Table: “Play Your Own Game”
As a bridge player for over a decade, I’ve heard the phrase “play your own game” countless times from experts. Of course, we all play our own game, don’t we? But two weeks after a recent tournament, I realized the concept runs deeper than the bridge table. I’ve come to understand that “playing your own […]
The Real Prize
Success in Poznań, Poland
The Microphone Is Not Handed to Women—It’s Taken
Recently, I had a short but intriguing conversation with my dear friend and fellow board member at PAMF (Palo Alto Medical Foundation), Barbara. She was the most successful real estate broker in Silicon Valley for over a decade—a woman who shattered all records. As we spoke, we chuckled over the question: when a woman has […]