Partnership Program Highlights
Empowering Women Entrepreneurs
Left to right: Rebecca Self, Nur Begen, Deniz Alkan, Lene Briseid, Clara Llados
INTRODUCTION
The following case study highlights the results of the Trestle Group
Foundation’s Empowering Women Entrepreneurs Partnership
Program (EWEPP) between PepsiCo and OrganicEra, Istanbul, Turkey.
!
!
The
Inside
The Partnership Program
2
Partnership Program Participants
3
Key Business Challenges Addressed
4
Additional Accomplishments
6
Building Awareness
6
Lessons Learned: Executive Perspective
7
Executive Support
8
Trestle Group Foundation is an
PepsiCo is a global food and
innovative non-profit organization
beverage leader with net revenues of
dedicated to creating and expanding
more than $65 billion and a product
sustainable economic opportunities
portfolio that includes 22 brands that
by supporting high-potential
generate more than $1 billion each in
women-led businesses. Built on a
annual retail sales. Their main
new model of nonprofit support, and
businesses - Quaker, Tropicana,
guided by the belief that
Gatorade, Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola -
entrepreneurship fuels the engine
make hundreds of enjoyable foods
that drives economic opportunity,
and beverages that are loved
growth and social progress, the
throughout the world. PepsiCo's
Foundation works to empower
people are united by their unique
women entrepreneurs in developing
commitment to sustainable growth
and emerging economies. For more
by investing in a healthier future for
information, please visit:
people and our planet, which they
www.trestlegroupfoundation.org
believe also means a more successful
Partnership Program Highlights
future for PepsiCo. They call this commitment Performance with
Purpose: PepsiCo's promise to provide a wide range of foods and
beverages for local tastes; to find innovative ways to minimize their
impact on the environment by conserving energy and water and
reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for their
associates; and to respect, support and invest in the local
communities where they operate. For more information, please visit:
www.pepsico.com
The Importance of Women’s Entrepreneurship
Small and Growing Businesses (SGBs) are key drivers of both
economic opportunity and development. SGBs:
Deniz Alkan
Encourage private ownership
Spur innovation
Quote
Create employment
“This partnership was a great experience for me. It
Generate commercial activity
allowed me to gain valuable insights into the day-
Deliver economic benefits
to-day life of a female entrepreneur – both the
pressures and difficulties she faces from a business
Women’s entrepreneurship – with its unlimited potential – is a vital
perspective, and how hard she is working to
contributor to economic expansion within this important sector.
succeed in a quite male dominant Turkish culture.”
Successful women-led SGBs provide more than just a financial
Deniz Alkan, Finance Director of Beverages for
PepsiCo Turkey
stimulus within these growing markets – they promote social
progress and change.
THE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
PepsiCo is committed to achieving business and financial success
while leaving a positive imprint on society – delivering what they call
Performance with Purpose. A sponsor of Trestle Group Foundation’s
Empowering Women Entrepreneurs Partnership Program since 2009,
the initiative provides PepsiCo female executives with an opportunity
to collaborate, give back, share their experience and affect real
change by directly supporting women-led companies in emerging
economies – creating economic opportunities, achieving long-term
business success and driving social change.
The Partnership Program identifies qualified female entrepreneurs in
emerging economies and partners them with specially selected
PepsiCo female executives - who help build the skills, strategies,
practices and networks needed to further develop their businesses.
This customized, relationship-based program model provides a
unique blend of executive coaching, collaborative team support, skill
2
Partnership Program Highlights
building and networking – actively engaging networks and resources
to “open doors” to new business opportunities.
Participating in the Partnership Program provides challenging
opportunities for PepsiCo female professionals to support their own
skills development, and equally important, the female entrepreneurs
participating in the Partnership Program commit to ‘giving back’
within their local communities. Serving as role models and mentors
to other aspiring entrepreneurs creates new opportunities and
sustains the entrepreneurial support cycle.
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS
Deniz Alkan, Finance Director for PepsiCo’s Turkish Beverage Division
was selected to serve as the executive coach. Deniz, based in
Istanbul, Turkey, has worked for PepsiCo since 2006 and currently
Nur Begen
coordinates a team of 17 Finance staff. Deniz speaks both Turkish and
English fluently and has a very high drive for results and strong
coaching skills, which provided her with the perfect platform to
partner with the Trestle entrepreneur.
Nur Begen is the owner of the
brand OrganicEra. Located in
Istanbul,Turkey, OrganicEra is
a supplier of high quality
textile products such as
towels, bathrobes and bed linen made of 100% organic cotton.
OrganicEra also supplies 100% organic clothing including t-shirts,
sweatshirts, shorts, underwear and sleepwear, shirts, and children¹s
toys. All OrganicEra organic products are made in Turkey of the finest
quality cotton and are certified by Control Union. For more
information, please visit: www.organicera.com
Quote
"One of the hardest parts of being an entrepreneur
is having so few people around you who approve
of what you are doing and believe that you can
succeed. The first thought that came into my mind
when I learned that I would participate in the
Trestle and PepsiCo Partnership Program was that I
could finally make people really ‘believe’ in me and
what I have tried to build for the last five years. The
invaluable executive support from PepsiCo
encouraged me so much. I feel now, that our
partnership has concluded, OrganicEra will be
ready to grow in a more sustainable way."
Nur Begen, Owner, OrganicEra
3
Partnership Program Highlights
KEY BUSINESS CHALLENGES ADDRESSED
Guided by executive coach Deniz Alkan, PepsiCo Turkey Finance
Director, and supported by a collaborative team of PepsiCo female
executives from across Europe, the program addressed the following
OrganicEra challenges:
I.
Full Financial Review
Challenge
The first step in the partnership between PepsiCo and OrganicEra was
to gain a clear understanding of OrganicEra’s current financial
position and growth opportunities.
Deniz Alkan and Nur Begen
Analysis/Actions
PepsiCo team member Clara Llados, Planning and Forecasting
Manager, PepsiCo Europe, worked extensively with Nur Begen and
created a detailed financial snapshot of OrganicEra’s current position
and growth scenarios.
Recommendations/Results
Clara Llados delivered – based on the company’s financial data as
provided by OrganicEra – an extensive financial review including:
Executive summary
Portfolio overview
Margins by channel and category
Recommendations
The complete financial review provided Nur Begen with an entirely
new perspective on product line and distribution channel
development and profitability.
II.
Brand & Brand Position
Challenge
To evaluate OrganicEra’s current brand and brand position, with a
focus on redesigning OrganicEra’s logo and hangtags, as well as initial
concepts for a website redesign – one of Nur Begen’s top priorities.
Analysis/Actions
Trestle Group Foundation’s Jan Uetz worked with Nur Begen to create
new logo, hangtags, and website design options. Margreet Rijkaart,
Marketing Manager Duyvis & Consumer Services, led the PepsiCo
team’s effort to define OrganicEra’s brand proposition.
Recommendations/Results
The PepsiCo team’s brand and brand positioning support resulted in:
4
Partnership Program Highlights
New logo and hangtags
Website design feedback and concepts
Packaging suggestions and ideas
Brand definition and proposition
Brand style guidance
I.
Comprehensive Business Plan
Challenge
Nur Begen required a framework for evaluating where OrganicEra
stands today and where it is headed in the future. As is typical with
entrepreneurs running growing businesses, everyday operations had
become so demanding that Nur needed additional commercial
perspective and strategic guidance on the business.
Analysis/Actions
PepsiCo team member Lene Briseid, Senior Commercial Manager
Tropicana Nordic, conducted an off-site meeting to incorporate the
financial review and brand proposition into a business plan.
Recommendations/Results
The PepsiCo team delivered a 3-year, 10-step, commercial plan for
OrganicEra – including step-by-step guidance on how to implement
the plan.
II.
“Must-Win Battles”
Challenge
Identify and develop solutions for Nur Begen and OrganicEra’s most
immediate and pressing challenges.
Analysis/Actions
Applying PepsiCo’s commitment to “Must-Win Battles,” the team
identified three immediate goals after the 2011 kick-off meeting in
Istanbul, Turkey.
Recommendations/Results
Sell Existing Inventory – The team created a plan for selling
existing stock and organized sales of OrganicEra products to
PepsiCo brands in Norway and Spain.
Streamline Product Line – Based on extensive financial review,
the team made specific short and long-term product line
recommendations.
Marketing Messages – The PepsiCo team outlined OrganicEra’s
unique selling proposition and a three-tiered messaging plan
for point-of-sale, homepage, packaging and longer
communications.
5
Partnership Program Highlights
ADDITIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Access to Networks and Resources – The partnership provided
access to new networks including PepsiCo marketing executives and
expertise in Istanbul, engaged university business students through
OrganicEra internship opportunities, and opened the door to a new
potential business relationship with a Swiss-based importer
interested in distributing OrganicEra products.
Pepsico Executive Team
Cross Cultural Experiences and Relationships – A cross-functional,
cross-geographical PepsiCo female executive team supported Nur
Begen and OrganicEra.
Executive Coaching – The partnership delivered bespoke coach
training to both the PepsiCo lead executive Deniz Alkan and
OrganicEra entrepreneur Nur Begen.
Real Life Learning – The partnership went beyond simulations and
Deniz Alkan
Lene Briseid
case studies by providing a real-life, real-time, hands-on, group
experience in which the PepsiCo executive team collaborated,
thought strategically, overcame identified challenges and celebrated
their tangible contributions as a result of the joint effort.
Social Engagement in Emerging Markets – The partnership
provided PepsiCo high-potential female executives with a valuable,
meaningful opportunity to engage, gain insight, collaborate and
contribute to the world by supporting Nur Begen and OrganicEra.
Belen Fabregas
Clara Llados
BUILDING AWARENESS
Joint efforts to create awareness about the importance of women-led
SGBs in emerging economies, as well as PepsiCo’s commitment to
Performance with Purpose by participating in Trestle Group
Foundation’s Partnership Program included:
Margreet Rijkaart
A media release highlighting Trestle Group Foundation, PepsiCo
and OrganicEra partnership that was covered by 35 web-based
publications and 6 syndicated websites.
A joint media outreach interview session with PepsiCo’s Chief
Personnel Officer Cynthia Trudell resulted in feature news
articles in the Hürriyet IK, Turkey – Mentorship Support for
Women Entrepreneurs (Circ. 450’000), In Good Company: Vault’s
CSR Blog – At PepsiCo, Performance With Purpose Proves Powerful
Recruitment Tool (904’000 monthly visits) and Forbes.com: The
CSR Blog – PepsiCo Takes Performance With Purpose To Heart
(3’826’057 business decision makers).
6
Partnership Program Highlights
More than 100 business and thought leaders participated in the
PepsiCo-sponsored Trestle Group Foundation Empowering
Women Entrepreneurs in Emerging Economies Zürich event on
September 27, 2011. The evening showcased the Foundation’s
Partnership Program and the positive economic and social
impact successful women-led business are making in emerging
economies. The dynamic panel discussion featured Nur Begen,
OrganicEra, and Clare Corkish, Western Europe Region &
Headquarters HR VP PepsiCo Europe.
LESSONS LEARNED: EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE
Maria Sharpe, Senior Vice-President, Human Resources and Chief
Personnel Officer PepsiCo Europe
“At PepsiCo, we are committed to promoting diversity, attracting the
world’s best talent and providing challenging opportunities for our women
executives to develop. This next stage in our partnership with the Trestle
Group Foundation is an exciting milestone for us which not only brings to
life one of PepsiCo’s intrinsic values – talent sustainability -‐ but also
provides the opportunity for our female executives to give back, share their
experience and make a real contribution to women-led companies in
emerging economies.”
Deniz Alkan, Finance Director of Beverages for PepsiCo Turkey
"It was a great experience for me – truly living diversity and inclusion by
leading a very diverse and talented team to a meaningful outcome. We as
a team were privileged to offer a hand to female entrepreneur who is
striving for long term, sustainable success in volatile Turkish economy. All
of us should admire and learn from Nur's outstanding passion, creativity
and patience to make her business successful. From a business perspective,
the partnership required me to take a broader view of Nur’s business, then
drill down by each function – sales, marketing and finance – in order to
overcome key challenges."
Rebecca Self
Quote
"The unique strength of this partnership was in the
dynamic women assembled. From the
entrepreneur to the executive coach to PepsiCo
team members: every one is smart, vibrant,
motivated and fantastic to work with. Given time
this group could solve much greater challenges."
Rebecca L. Self, Ph.D., Trestle Group Foundation
Director of Coaching Programs
Nur Begen, Owner, OrganicEra
"First of all, the program gave me a chance to sit back and see the path my
business is following. As entrepreneurs, we have to be our own sales &
marketing people, accountants, problem solvers, warehouse specialists,
and many things more during each business day. It means we spend more
time on doing the work only, but we rarely find the time to do any analysis
understanding where we are succeeding, and how far we are from our
objectives. This program gave me a chance to find my way back through
the forest, which ironically, I have planted and hoped it would grow fast. By
the help of the program, I have received a very precious roadmap from
PepsiCo executives, who voluntarily spent their time to understand
OrganicEra and find solutions to the problems. I know that this roadmap is
going to help me to find the way out, when I lose track again."
7
Partnership Program Highlights
Rebecca L. Self, Ph.D., Trestle Group Foundation Director
of Coaching Programs
"The unique strength of this partnership was in the dynamic
women assembled. From the entrepreneur to the executive
coach to PepsiCo team members: every one is smart, vibrant,
motivated and fantastic to work with. Given time this group
could solve much greater challenges."
Dana Brice Smith, Trestle Group Foundation Co-Founder
and Managing Director
“We believe that entrepreneurship fuels the engine that drives
economic opportunity and growth. By supporting women-led
businesses, we encourage social progress. Partnerships with
leading organizations like PepsiCo – that provide vital executive
support – are invaluable in driving the success of women-led
companies in emerging economies.”
EXECUTIVE SUPPORT
Executive support facilitated through the Trestle Group
SCOPE - High-potential women-led small and growing
businesses (SGBs) in emerging economies.
COUNTRIES - Trestle Group Foundation has supported
women-led companies – across industries and business
sectors – in Bangladesh, Czech Republic, Egypt,
Hungary, India, Jordan, Kenya, Poland, Russia, Turkey,
Slovakia, South Africa and Uganda.
SUPPORTERS - Trestle Group Foundation has been
fortunate to earn the support of leading organizations
including: PepsiCo Europe, IBM, Microsoft, UBS, Delta
Economics, Gübelin, Hexaware Technologies,
Symphasis, Advocates for International Development
(A4ID), Voices for Innovation, World Conservation Union
(IUCN), amongst others.
Foundation and PepsiCo partnership included:
INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE – Through integrated
Internal Program Management and Support
Belén Fábregas, Supply Chain Execution Manager,
PepsiCo Europe Sector - Supply Chain, Switzerland
PepsiCo Executive Support Team
marketing and communication programs (participation
at key global events, high-impact short films and media
outreach), Trestle Group Foundation raises significant
awareness about the impor tant role women
Deniz Alkan, Finance Director of Beverages for
entrepreneurs and successful women-led SGBs play in
PepsiCo, Turkey
emerging economies. And how leading organizations
Lene Briseid, Senior Commercial Manager Tropicana,
Nordic
are helping these women succeed.
Clara Llados, Planning and Forecasting Manager,
MORE INFORMATION - Trestle Group Foundation is a
PepsiCo Europe, Switzerland
registered tax-exempt (No. CH-440.018.28-4), nonprofit,
Margreet Rijkaart, Marketing Manager Duyvis &
Consumer Services, Pepsico International, The
Netherlands
private Swiss foundation without any political or
religious affiliations. To learn more, please visit:
www.trestlegroupfoundation.org.
Trestle Group Foundation
Rebecca Self, Ph.D., Trestle Group Foundation Director
of Coaching Programs
Dana Brice Smith, Trestle Group Foundation CoFounder and Managing Director
Foundation Headquarters
Grossholzstrasse 22
8253 Diessenhofen
Switzerland
Foundation Office
Limmatquai 94
8001 Zürich
Switzerland
8