IN CONVERSATION WITH BIRAME SOCK

Arguments

Baram Sok has over two decades of experience as a technologist, an entrepreneur and as an executive

Supporting facts:

• She was behind the creation of Shazam, a music recognition technology

• Nominated E-Trade for Women Advocate by the United Nations in 2022

Topics: Technology, Entrepreneurship, Executive

---

Importance of Partnership

Supporting facts:

• Importance of collaboration in international endeavors has been highlighted

Topics: Collaboration, Entrepreneurship

---

Early Exposure to Different Cultures

Supporting facts:

• Birame’s father worked for UNICEF which gave her the opportunity to travel and live in different countries

• She adapted and learned from observing people in different countries

Topics: Childhood, Travel, Cultural Diversity

---

Curiosity and eagerness to learn

Supporting facts:

• She used to open up video games to understand how they worked

• She unscrewed VCR tapes out of curiosity

Topics: Learning, Curiosity, Tinkering

---

Adapting to new environments

Supporting facts:

• She had to learn English when she went to United States

• She recalls having a problem understanding the operation of an ATM machine

Topics: Adaptation, Learning English, Living in United States

---

Birame N. Sock started college at the age of 17 with an initial interest in broadcasting.

Supporting facts:

• Sock initially had interest in broadcasting before switching to computer science.

• She went to college at 17.

Topics: Education, Career Choices, Broadcasting

---

Sock switched her studies to computer science after meeting with her advisor.

Supporting facts:

• Sock did not know about computer science until her advisor directed her to the field.

• She was the only woman in her class when she started learning computer science.

Topics: Education, Career Changes, Computer Science

---

Being the only woman in a computer science class was seen by Birame N. Sock as a challenge, not an obstacle.

Supporting facts:

• Birame N. Sock was the only woman in her computer science class and wondered why there weren’t more women.

• She realized other students weren’t smarter than her, and she could excel in this field as well.

Topics: Gender Equality, Computer Science, Women in Technology

---

Birame N. Sock had to prove herself to be considered for opportunities in her career.

Supporting facts:

• She was initially overlooked for an opportunity to work with wireless operators in Europe.

• She took the challenge to learn about the product and build a relationship with the customer, proving her ability.

Topics: Workplace Equality, Professional Opportunities

---

Fundraising for her startup was a challenge, with investors minimizing her efforts due to her gender.

Supporting facts:

• She was frequently asked where her tech team was, implying that she alone wasn’t sufficient.

• Investors suggested she hire a male, white, older CEO, thus emphasizing the gender and age bias in the entrepreneurial space.

Topics: Startup Funding, Gender Bias, Entrepreneurship

---

Birame N. Sock was driven by rejection and stereotypes to prove herself and push harder.

Supporting facts:

• Birame faced assumptions based on her height and living in Miami, often mistaken for a model.

• Even as a minority moving between countries, she had to adapt and embrace the situations.

Topics: Resilience, Motivation, Discrimination

---

Birame N. Sock had to prove her technical knowledge quickly to overcome biases

Supporting facts:

• She had to speak very deeply about the sector she was in

Topics: Gender Bias, Technical Competency

---

Being an African woman presents a double challenge in the business world

Supporting facts:

• People struggle to categorize her due to her accent and background

• Birame N. Sock and other women in her situation experience a difficulty in balancing their traditional and modern sides

Topics: Business, Diversity, Women in Business

---

Birame N. Sock identifies herself as a techie and a nerd, yet also as someone who loves immersing in the entertainment side involving music and food

Supporting facts:

• Birame led the creation of her first two startups, developing the prototypes through extensive programming

• She was involved in the construction of music applications for mobile phones and got to work with record labels while also indulging her technophilic side

• She was part of a board of a public company that acquired entertainment brands

Topics: Technology, Entertainment, Digital Media

---

Birame N. Sock considers herself a world citizen, comfortable being where she’s happy

Supporting facts:

• Even though from Senegal and strongly identifies with it, she feels at home where she’s contented, signaling a fluid identity

• She appreciates all her ‘differences’ and uses them to navigate her life

Topics: Identity, Global citizenship

---

Birame N. Sock decided to move back to Senegal and start Kweli, a B2B wholesaling sourcing marketplace.

Supporting facts:

• Sock was in Senegal on vacation when she decided to stay and start a business.

• Noted that there was an emerging ecosystem of support for startups in Senegal, with incubators and government investment.

• Felt a ‘physical reaction’ to her idea, similar to the experience of pregnancy.

Topics: Career change, Business, Entrepreneurship

---

Sock was inspired by the lack of visibility for made in Africa products, particularly the difficulty of sourcing African food abroad.

Supporting facts:

• Sock enjoyed cooking African meals for her friends abroad and they liked it, but they had trouble finding African ingredients.

• She believes there is a potential market for African products abroad.

Topics: African Products, Food & Beverage, Business

---

Cultural norms can sometimes pose challenges in a business environment

Supporting facts:

• In Senegal, people are taught not to speak about themselves, not to speak too loud, especially in front of people that are older

• Young employees had to be trained to introduce themselves, speak louder and speak with confidence in business settings

Topics: Cultural Norms, Business Communication

---

Success in previous startups doesn’t guarantee success in subsequent ones

Supporting facts:

• Despite successes in previous startups, there’s still a level of stress and uncertainty dealing with a new one

• Each new startup is a fresh slate, starting from zero and requires figuring out everything again

Topics: Entrepreneurship, Business, Startups

---

Separating personal reputation from business prospects is important

Supporting facts:

• Socks noticed that people interacted with her based on her previous successes, but didn’t realize the new startup could fail

• She was concerned about maintaining her personal standard while she was still figuring out her new business

Topics: Reputation Management, Business

---

Birame N. Sock started Quilly as a technology business aiming to build a B2B marketplace with high-grade features.

Supporting facts:

• Sock initiated her venture during COVID.

• Her vision was to change the world with her unique platform.

Topics: Technology, B2B, Marketplace

---

The lack of export and production data made it difficult to determine what products would be sold.

Supporting facts:

• Sock organized a workshop to know which sector she could start.

• She discovered that majority of producers were in food, cosmetics, and fashion.

Topics: Data, Export production, Market research

---

The gap between local producers and international standards has led her to transform Quilly into an incubation program.

Supporting facts:

• Seeking to ensure the products met certification requirements, she shifted her approach.

• Her efforts now include working with designers, research experts, and quality personnel to effectively bridge the gap.

Topics: Local producers, International standards, Incubation

---

The growth of a complex venture should be approached in stages similar to teaching a baby

Supporting facts:

• The first stage involves developing standards and emphasizing the communication and presentation of the products

Topics: Business Growth, Business Strategy

---

The next stage should be testing the communication strategies and products

Topics: Product Testing, Business Strategy

---

The third stage involves teaching the ‘baby’ how to do math, i.e., positioning products internationally and figuring out pricing

Topics: Product Positioning, Pricing Strategy

---

Lastly, the ‘baby’ is taught business

Topics: Business Strategy, Business Growth

---

Birame N. Sock’s business is at a stage of testing and selling products to major retailers

Supporting facts:

• They tested for a year with major retailers and hotels in Senegal

• Now they’re starting to have conversations with the major retailers in the U.S

• They’re starting even testing on Amazon

Topics: Business Development, Marketplace, Retail

---

Be willing to pivot when facing barriers or introducing something new to a market

Supporting facts:

• If I was stubborn about, no, it has to be 100% technology, I would have shut down by now.

Topics: Business Strategy, Market Adaptation

---

Birame N. Sock took on the role of UNCTAD’s E-Trade for Women advocate to create and maximize opportunities for other women

Supporting facts:

• She was given the opportunity to go to school and be on the board of a public company

• She serves as the representative for the company

• She became a UNCTAD’s E-Trade for Women advocate in 2022

Topics: Women Empowerment, E-Trade, Education

---

Inclusion of women in policy making and implementation phase is crucial

Supporting facts:

• Ability to be a part of the discussion during policy making

• UNCTAD’s E-Trade for Women program addresses this issue

Topics: Digital Economy, Gender Equality, Policy Making

---

Building public-private partnerships to keep up with rapidly changing technology

Supporting facts:

• Public-Private Partnerships are emphasized for future development

• Private sector can help with policy and provide flexibility for the future

Topics: Public-Private Partnerships, Digital Economy

---

The main thing is to just do it, don’t worry too much about what’s going to happen

Supporting facts:

• Plenty of things are going to happen. It’s all going to come your way

• Embrace the failure and learn from it

Topics: Entrepreneurship, Risk Taking

---

Entrepreneurship is not a solitary journey. If you can’t do it, you will find someone who can help you

Supporting facts:

• You might be alone in being convinced as to the vision and where you’re going, but you need to make sure you bring people along the way

• The people that might be there at the beginning might not be there in the middle, but that’s okay

Topics: Teamwork, Entrepreneurship

---

Embrace the agile methodology, iterative process of testing and failing and learning.

Supporting facts:

• You need to start building it, testing it with your family, testing it with your friends, and then move on to the store in your neighborhood, move on to the city

• Try it, start building it, testing it with your family, testing it with your friends

Topics: Agile Methodology, Entrepreneurship

---

Report

Birame N. Sock is an experienced technologist, entrepreneur, and executive with a career spanning over two decades. She achieved great success with the creation of Shazam, a popular music recognition technology. Sock’s passion for empowering African products led her to establish Qweli, a groundbreaking B2B wholesale sourcing marketplace showcasing and supporting African goods globally.

Sock is a strong advocate for gender equality in the digital space and understands the challenges faced by women in technology and entrepreneurship. She believes in exploring different career options and fields of study, having initially been interested in broadcasting before switching to computer science.

Despite facing gender bias while fundraising for her startup, Sock has proven her capabilities and determined to excel in her field. She emphasizes the importance of demonstrating technical knowledge to overcome biases and gain credibility in professional environments. In addition to her own success, Sock uses her position to inspire and support other women.

She serves as a role model and advocates for women’s empowerment in the tech industry. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sock launched Quilly, a technology-driven business focused on building a high-grade B2B marketplace. She highlights the importance of listening to the market and being willing to pivot when facing challenges or introducing something new.

Sock also emphasizes self-dependency and the need for public-private partnerships to keep up with the rapidly evolving technology landscape. In conclusion, Birame N. Sock is a talented and influential figure in the technology and business world. Her contributions and advocacy for gender equality, her willingness to explore different career paths, and her determination to prove stereotypes wrong make her an inspiring role model.

Sock’s commitment to empowering African products and her ability to adapt in challenging times solidify her as a remarkable leader.

Arguments

Baram Sok has over two decades of experience as a technologist, entrepreneur and executive

Supporting facts:

• Baram is the brain behind Shazam, a popular music recognition software

Topics: Experience, Tech, Entrepreneurship

---

Baram Sok is the founder of Qweli

Supporting facts:

• Qweli is a B2B wholesale sourcing marketplace aimed at showcasing and empowering African products at the global scale

Topics: Startup, African Marketplace, Technology

---

Baram Sok is an E-Trade for Women Advocate nominated by the United Nations

Topics: E-Trade, Gender Equality, United Nations

---

Isabelle Kumar emphasizes the importance of partnerships in driving success

Supporting facts:

• It was in partnership that Birame N. Sock succeeded

Topics: Partnership, Success

---

Isabelle Kumar is curious about Birame’s journey into technology and the challenges she faced being a woman in the field

Supporting facts:

• Birame Sock was the only woman in her computer science class and initially didn’t know the field existed

• Sock was led to the field through her proficiency in math and a random meeting with a dean who spoke French

Topics: Women in Technology, Career Journey, Challenges

---

Birame N. Sock had to prove her knowledge and shatter stereotypes in a short time.

Supporting facts:

• Sock used her appearance to get into business rooms.

• Sock had to alter her pitch to demonstrate her knowledge within two minutes.

Topics: Stereotypes, Women in Business

---

Isabelle Kumar inquires if being an African woman made Birame’s journey doubly difficult

Supporting facts:

• Birame N. Sock is from Senegal and is a woman in the tech sector

• She has traveled the world for her work

Topics: Women in Tech, Inequality, Racism, Sexism

---

Birame N. Sock Has successfully managed to blend her love for technology and entertainment in her career.

Supporting facts:

• Sock was involved in programming and building technology company.

• She has built music applications for mobile phones.

• Was involved in acquisition of entertainment brands, including American Idol.

Topics: Technology, Entertainment, Startups

---

Birame N. Sock emphasizes importance of staying true to one’s identity and finding individual happiness regardless of societal norms

Supporting facts:

• Sock has chosen to keep her Senegalese passport to maintain her identity.

• She suggests going with the flow and finding happiness in personal differences.

• Wants to instill idea of being a strong, confident woman in her daughter while also understanding societal norms.

Topics: Identity, Happiness, Societal Pressure

---

Bringing cultural dynamics to business environment is challenging

Supporting facts:

• Birame N. Sock had to teach her team in Senegal how to introduce themselves and to speak louder.

• She had to help them understand the difference between personal and professional life.

Topics: Cultural Dynamics, Business Environment, Youth Employment

---

Being an entrepreneur includes recreating oneself for each new venture

Supporting facts:

• Birame stated that even though people see her past achievements, the current venture is independent and carries its own challenges.

• She shared the stress of maintaining her established standards while starting from zero.

Topics: Entrepreneurship, Business Startups

---

Birame N. Sock is working on B2B marketplace for quality made in Africa products

Supporting facts:

• The company tested with major retailers and hotels in Senegal for a year

• The company is now starting to have conversations with major retailers in the U.S.

• The company is also testing on Amazon

Topics: B2B marketplace, made in Africa products, Online retail

---

Report

Birame N. Sock is an accomplished technologist, entrepreneur, and executive. She is known for founding Qweli, a B2B wholesale sourcing marketplace that promotes African products globally. Sock’s career and achievements have earned her recognition as an E-Trade for Women Advocate, nominated by the United Nations.

One notable aspect of Sock’s career is her success at a young age. Isabelle Kumar admires Sock’s journey and highlights her accomplishments despite her youth. Kumar mentions Sock’s successful exits in the United States and the launch of Qweli in Senegal.

Sock faced challenges as a woman in the technology industry. She was the only woman in her computer science class and initially had no idea such a field existed. Sock discovered her passion for technology through her proficiency in mathematics and a chance meeting with a French-speaking dean.

Kumar is intrigued by Sock’s journey and the challenges she faced as a woman in a male-dominated industry. Sock also had to overcome stereotypes and biases in business. She strategically used her appearance to gain access to business rooms but had to quickly prove her knowledge to break stereotypes.

Kumar acknowledges the pressure Sock faced and her ability to navigate a male-dominated business environment. Sock’s identity as an African woman in the tech sector added further complexity to her journey. Kumar wonders if being an African woman presented additional difficulties for Sock and how it impacted her career.

A distinguishing aspect of Sock’s career is her ability to merge technology and entertainment. She has worked on programming, building technology companies, and developing music applications for mobile phones. Sock also played a role in the acquisition of entertainment brands, including American Idol.

Throughout her journey, Sock emphasises the importance of maintaining one’s identity and finding personal happiness despite societal pressures. She values her Senegalese passport as a means of preserving her cultural identity. Sock encourages others to embrace their individual differences and promote confidence in women.

Kumar supports and appreciates Sock’s decision to transition from a successful career in the US to start a new business venture in Senegal. Sock founded Qweli, a B2B wholesaling sourcing marketplace, to promote African products. This move reflects Sock’s commitment to African market growth and her entrepreneurial spirit.

The challenges of incorporating cultural dynamics into the business environment and reinventing oneself for each new venture are also highlighted. Sock had to guide her team in Senegal to communicate assertively and understand the distinction between personal and professional life.

Kumar is curious about the added responsibility Sock may feel in promoting Africa to the global marketplace. Sock’s work on a B2B marketplace for quality African products is praised, as is her success in partnering with major retailers and hotels in Senegal.

Sock’s conversations with major US retailers and testing on Amazon further demonstrate the impact of her efforts. Overall, Sock’s impressive career journey, ability to overcome challenges, and commitment to promoting African products and representation have earned her admiration. Her story inspires aspiring entrepreneurs and women in technology, highlighting the importance of perseverance, breaking barriers, and staying true to one’s identity.