Female Leaders Accelerator

The Female Leaders Accelerator is a practical development programme for ambitious women who are already working as middle-level managers and wish to take the next step in their careers. Unlike many initiatives aimed at entrepreneurship, our accelerator focuses specifically on female managers in organisations, offering support, knowledge and skills that help them achieve greater impact at the level of their team, company and society.

WHAT THE ACCELERATOR OFFERS

  • Important skills for moving forward: We develop exactly the skills you need to reach top management roles: argumentation in management, nuances of argumentation, persuasiveness, effective communication, difficult communication situations and assertiveness.
  • Professional support and inspiration: Every month you meet top managers from different fields in Estonia, whose experience and advice provide inspiration and help you better understand and achieve your goals.
  • Unique SpeakSmartClub™ training: We use the recognised SpeakSmartClub™ adult training methodology, which improves the quality of communication skills and helps participants better cope with internal and external challenges.
  • An expanding network: The Female Leaders Accelerator is an opportunity that helps you create long-term contacts with other ambitious female managers, building a lasting and supportive professional community. This is precisely the community that our previous participants have praised.

ACCELERATOR COHORTS

  • I accelerator cohort January-June 2023

  • II accelerator cohort January-June 2024

  • III accelerator cohort January-June 2025

  • IV accelerator cohort January-June 2026

  • Applications for the 2027 accelerator will open in autumn 2026. If you would like information about the opening of applications for the 2027 accelerator, please send your e-mail address to piret@koda.ee.

Keep up to date with the progress of accelerator participants by following the Chamber’s social media channels: Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram

SPEAKSMART TRAINERS


Anna Karolin

Based on her own experience as a top debater, Anna has the ability to gather and analyse information, think structurally, listen, and express and defend her thoughts in an argued manner at one of the highest levels in Estonia and Europe. As a trainer, Anna’s strengths include topics such as argumentation, structural thinking and presentation skills, and she has a good understanding of the mental obstacles and doubts that people may face when renewing their skills.

Anna is personally motivated by the connection between psychology and fear of public speaking, as she herself experienced great performance anxiety when young. For this reason, Anna works with clients to reduce their fear of public speaking, using various counselling techniques and combining them with public speaking skills and smart exercises. 

Anna is educated as a political scientist and psychologist. She holds a Master of Science degree in political science from Aarhus University and a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Tartu. 
 


Kristin Parts

Kristin has been involved in debating since 2008, as an active debater, judge, trainer, debate club leader, organiser and debate teacher. Thanks to this, Kristin is a highly skilled arguer and, working as a trainer at SpeakSmart, gives this skill back to society.

In addition, she has led a university debate club, organised countless debate events, participated in show debates, carried out dozens of short workshops for teachers and young people, and delivered adult training in argumentation.

Kristin graduated from the Faculty of Law of the University of Tartu with a Bachelor’s degree and works as Chair of the Management Board of the Estonian Debating Society, the owner of SpeakSmart.

What benefit would you like to gain from the Female Leaders Accelerator?

 

FEEDBACK FROM ALUMNI

  • I received confirmation that I am on the right path and that all managers have their weak points that need work. I have started to notice female managers more and also support women more on this path.
  • General career planning. Estel Pukk’s recommendations still echo in my head; I carry them with me and am currently acting accordingly.
  • In addition to what I learned, there were several wonderful new people with whom a warm connection developed. I hope we will meet again and that these people will not disappear from our lives.
  • I gained confidence for decision-making.
  • Meeting and discussing with other female managers was exciting and inspiring. It was good to hear and see other perspectives. I believe that any understanding of the broader picture and the acquisition of different experiences supports development both at work and in private life.
  • The practice was undoubtedly the most uncomfortable, but the most useful.
  • My self-confidence increased. I received encouragement. It affects my dreams and plans in the long term.
  • I gained more confidence in argumentation, in recognising what claims are supported by evidence and what claims are not. Definitely also more courage to put forward my opinions. I try to be a more active listener.
  • Argumentation skills and training provided practical skills and helped improve my debating skills.
  • Speaking in front of others meant stepping out of my comfort zone. At the same time, I saw that others also felt uncomfortable.   

 

 

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