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Tatiana Houndete, a Laidlaw Scholar at London Business School, on overcoming adversity, giving back to your community and standing up for what is right.

I was born in a family of 11 children, 4 of them died of sickle cell anemia.

My father was a mathematics professor and a pro-democracy supporter. As an outspoken opponent of Benin’s dictator, he suffered years of isolation and difficulty in exercising his profession.  Although my parents did their best to feed and educate us, we struggled hard to finance all their children’s international studies. 

I aim to contribute to Africa's economic growth while fighting for equality. I will achieve this by helping global companies invest in Africa and by inspiring young African women to get educated and break through the glass ceiling which holds them back.  After my father passed away, my mother and I created various programs to assist women in Savalou, Benin, my father’s hometown. We offer safe houses for women facing abuse, organise workshops to promote financial literacy and help women find jobs or access funding for their entrepreneurship projects.

To pursue my goal, I decided to pursue an MBA at London Business School after 6 years of experience. The LBS MBA will give me the knowledge, perspective, and platform to maximise my ability to impact African business. I applied to Laidlaw Scholar because it will help me fund my MBA, provide me with a network of strong women who have been through the same financial hardship and support me in my goal of helping African women to strive and become high achievers.

What is the biggest life challenge you overcame, and what did you learn from it?

As a teenager, I dreamt of pursuing an international education. The only way to achieve my goal was to win a national scholarship, which Benin’s government grants to one woman and one man with the highest baccalaureate scores in their specialisation. However, I was ranked the #2 woman nationally in my discipline, losing the scholarship.

Nonetheless, due to my high GPA, I was awarded a lower scholarship, which I used to finance my bachelor's in accounting from Academie de Nantes France and ESEC. I ranked #1 in my class every year while working 30 hrs/week running a micro business to finance my education. Learning to run my micro business in a traditionally female trading sector, I came to admire the power of African women to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles to pursue their dreams. I received a scholarship from Deloitte to pay for my postgraduate education.

My precarious financial situation led me to struggle hard to achieve my dreams. It also gave me a profound desire to work to improve the lives of those who face similar struggles.

What is the best piece of advice you have been given?

I adored my father and admired his intelligence, but sometimes I questioned his priorities, which left us relatively poor, including renouncing his French citizenship in 1960 and opposing the Kerekou dictatorship. He said that “service is the rent we pay for living.’’ 

Growing up, I slowly realised that my greatest fear was not to fail but to leave the world without making a difference. Since then, I’ve worked hard to prepare myself to make a difference.

Professional success remains important to me but as a step to achieve my ultimate goal: creating a lasting positive impact.

What is the worst piece of advice you have been given?

The means justify the end.

Top 3 tips that will help someone become a better leader

⚡️ Be authentic.

⚡️ Surround yourself with people who will always challenge you.

⚡️Always think about how you would like to be remembered.

Which leaders in the world inspire you the most and why?

In my generation, we tend to see leadership as a privilege. But leadership is not a privilege but a responsibility. Both Angela Merkel and Nelson Mandela demonstrated this fact through their selfless commitment to their nation and their fellow citizens.

Angela Merkel: She led with courage, compassion and authenticity in a world where we are constantly asked to compromise our values. More importantly, she shows that leadership is also about competence and getting the job done. A valuable lesson for me and my generation.

Nelson Mandela: He was a leader who knew when to stand up and when to stand down to let other people lead. From him, I learnt that humility is a key quality for a great leader.

What does it mean for you to be a Laidlaw Scholar?

By financing my MBA, the Laidlaw Foundation helps me strengthen my leadership skills to better drive change in my home country and become a role model for first-generation female students.

The Laidlaw Foundation grants me access to a huge network to connect with inspiring female leaders. I intend to combine the knowledge I gain from an MBA with the contacts I make through the Laidlaw Foundation to support African women in developing their business ideas and gaining access to modern technologies, funding, and mentorship.

As a Laidlaw scholar, I am better equipped to build on the work I’ve begun and achieve my goals.

Briefly describe a scene from the future you are striving to create.

I dream of a world where women from low-income families in low-income countries can access enough funding to pursue their studies in global institutions. Furthermore, I am leading a consulting firm focused on impact consulting, and I am in charge of helping governments worldwide implement effective equal opportunity policies. 

I envision a world where women are in charge of their destiny and have a place at the discussion table, a world where equal pay for the same job is no longer a goal to achieve since it has become a reality. 

Quick-Fire Questions

📺 Currently binding: She Was Pretty

🎶 My current anthem: This Is Me 

📚 My top book recommendation: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

📺 My podcast obsession: The Michelle Obama Podcast

🌈 Something that made me feel joy recently: Living in the UK and rediscovering Europe.

Tatiana is a Laidlaw Scholar at London Business School. You can find Tatiana on LinkedIn. The Laidlaw Women's Business Education Scholarship aims to help build a pipeline of future women leaders through access to best-in-class education, resources and global networks by providing full and half scholarships to women who would not otherwise be in a position to reap the benefits of attending an outstanding school. 
 

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⚡️ Xuerui Yin on overcoming societal norms, creating opportunities for underrepresented groups, and working with compassion.

⚡️ Paseka Khosa on overcoming financial hardship and advocating for unwavering belief in oneself.

⚡️ Fisayo Adeleke on her mission to increase women's access to opportunities, and dealing with uncertainty.

⚡️ Helena Couto on breaking out of your pre-defined place in society, and larger than life goals.