Don’t underestimate the hammer… Belinda Esterhammer

Watching sitcoms growing up, I always found it so unlikely, so conveniently-coincidental that protagonists would run into an acquaintance or friend of a friend. That can't possibly happen with the frequency it does, seeing Jerry bumping into Elaine yet again or Carrie and the girls running into a supporting minor character just to advance the plot. 

Perhaps it was the isolation of a small town, that people spend more time in their cars, or just a very small social circle, but this "happenstance encounter" seems to happen all the time in Hong Kong. Obviously, people run in similar circles, but I think I'd seen Belinda on at least five separate occasions before we really got to speak.  

 Belinda Esterhammer is one of those people who seems to be everywhere.  A self made tech entrepreneur and passionate women’s advocate, she seems to have more hours in the day than the average person - more energy, more ideas. The type of person who would be considered successfully intimidating if her demeanour wasn't so charming. 

 We meet at her home/office/podcast studio in Mid Levels at the end of July before the third wave had tightened its grip. Upon my arrival she has baked, made a moussaka, brewed tea and pulled a selection of acid bright outfits for us to choose from. We move from room to room, choosing which look suits which room as I admire her and houseplants and books.

 Finally, we settle in her office - the podcast suite complete with lights, microphones and a whiteboard which had a “Welcome Julia“ note written across it the first time I visited.

J: I think I first met you at three years ago or so, and we've been running into each other ever since. How long have you been in Hong Kong?

“Five years, this time around”

J: And you're an Austrian native - from Vienna? 

She flourishes her hands in a "don't be silly" way

“No - I'm from Innsbruck, born and raised in a tiny village in Austria. I've lived in Spain, Philippines, Hong Kong now for the second time, but I moved here from Australia, funnily enough from Perth. It wasn't for me - but they do have Caramello Koalas!

J: You are a champion for women in the workplace and innovation. Was there a moment in your childhood where you decided that was your calling?

“I always knew I belonged in a big city because I loved the hustle and bustle. think I was just sick of living in a small town in Austria. Travelling from a young age showed me the world outside of my little bubble and I couldn’t get enough of this world that was there – outside of this bubble just waiting to be explored. Small town life in Austria is boring and I was also tired of people being so short-minded who also never dared to look outside of their comfort zone. It is to this day a comfortable and safe place and looking back now I am grateful that I grew up in such a protected environment but I always knew I had to venture out into the world and make a place for myself.”

Note the term short-minded. Belinda has a certain way of combining two terms to make a new one - which is often times better than the original. For authenticity sake, I will leave these Hammerisms when appropriate.

“Also in school. When you're different you are seen a lot. When a teacher said something I didn't like, I just talked back to them. Sometimes I would get detention for it.  Thankfully my mother was not a Tiger Mom! There is not a lot of pressure in Austria for rexcelling in academics, unlike in the Hong Kong school system. I think that empowers students to really do things that they like. As long as you pass you A - levels you can go to University, and it only costs 15 euros per semester”.

J: I know from experience that being different in a small town can be very isolating. Was there anyone you aspired to or had as a role model?

“As a child, I didn't really have people to look up to ... like a powerful woman that I thought, ‘I want to be like you.’ But I think that was also empowering in terms of ‘OK, you don't have role models. You just be your own role model.’ Also - everybody's imperfect, and why put these people on a pedestal when they're not perfect either. Many people are good at a specific thing, but still have many flaws..”

As I watch her speak, she moves her dainty hands adorned with Monica Vinader rings, and shakes her highlighted and curled hair. Her look is juxtaposed with the frankness of her words. I think she is the Trojan Horse of feminism – a non-threatening exterior which can disarm people and destabilise patriarchal assumptions. 

J: You are very outspoken and authentic whilst still remaining undeniably feminine.  There is so much pressure for women to be in their place, ladylike, not make waves and do what's expected of them. How have you kicked that trend and remained true to yourself? 

She laughs and leans in conspiratorially.

“Do you mean to tell people to fuck off???”

 I’m a little shocked, and I assure you, Dear Reader, I have the mouth of a fishwife.

J: Uh – yeah.

“I've always done things a different way. When I was still at uni, I worked for an IT company. Then I switched into working for a consulting company in marketing.  I already had the kind of job that people go to university for while I was still finishing my degree. And people are always like, "Why are you working - you don't have to work?"

 “Or when I did exchange in Hong Kong - "Why would you want to exchange in Hong Kong?  Why not going here?"  Again, when I decided to move to the Philippines. ‘Why?’ It's constantly people asking why. I'm like, ‘Why not?’"

“It's my life. I learned to not listen to negative people and to do the things that I want. I also saw it in my last corporate role in Hong Kong.  Several days before I left, I said to some of my local colleagues ‘I'm leaving. I'm going to start my own company.’ They said, ‘Oh I'm so jealous. I wish I could do the same.’ I said, ‘You can do the same!’ And they said, ‘No, we're stuck here. The only place we can move to is another big corporate’. But some of the expats that I told, they gave me a belittling look.  ‘OK, yeah, you go darrrrrling.’"

Her Austrian accent mines the “r” in darling. It’s brutal. 

“I wasn't taken seriously, and I know I look much younger than I am, but I think that also empowered me to not care”

J: I am not envious, but I wish I had your courage.

“It’s about not wanting to waste time with these kinds of people. I'd rather spend time with people I like, that make me feel better, that are on the same wavelength. Everything else is just an energy vampire.”

It can be jarring to hear such openness, all while seated in a jewelled necklace and hot pink playsuit. But it dawns on me – three of her chosen outfits are playsuits, undeniably feminine, but she is still, quite literally, wearing the pants here.  I ask her about her style and the pieces she both wears and surrounds herself with.

“In terms of femininity? I mean I love dressing up and all of that, and I love colours. I love many things including plants, design, but you’ll also see me in a dress with Converse because that’s just me. I think deep down I’m still a skater girl listening to emo and punk.  On looking younger – on my first day at a Big Four, a guy came up and said to me ‘But… you’re pretty? Why don't you have a husband and why do you work?’” 

I make a gagging noise, remembering all too well my own experiences at another Big Four over ten years ago. 

“A lot of people don’t realise how old I am, and I think that’s why a lot of people don’t see me as a threat.  If they underestimate me, I'm like, OK, it's better to be underestimated than the other way around.”

J: You’ve achieved so much in such a short period of time, and you support so many women in your network. If you ever hit a wall, who do you turn to? Who supports you?

“I talk to my partner a lot. I think it helps that he's in a different industry. If I need to bounce off ideas and he understands and gets it? I’ve just validated my thoughts. But most importantly, I also have other entrepreneurs who I can vent to. That really helps when I’m frustrated – leave a voice message, and vent. I'm not somebody who likes to eat their emotions. If I feel pissed, I’m pissed – but then I get it out and move on. The podcast is a place where I can leave my opinions. People said to me ‘You do a podcast, you need interview partners.’ I know that I will have interview partners at one point because I want them,  but I don't need them.”

I wasn’t kidding when I said she was busy. Her first venture, Springboard is a multi faceted management consultancy. She then founded NextGen Network (NN), a non-profit mentoring network for high school and university students in Hong Kong, as well as https://www.femfounded.com/, and is a co founder of Women in Tech. This year she created her own grassroots podcast.

J: Your podcast is called The Belinda Esterhammer Show. The title is apt – you are quite literally a one woman show. How do you cope when the workload becomes too great?

“It’s definitely about balance. What really helps me is boxing, Muay Thai. I love CrossFit and high-intensity workouts. Like, yoga is nice, but I need my high-intensity stuff where you feel all that pressure sweating off. And getting enough sleep helps me to stay focused and productive. 

J: We’ve both been working from home before 2020, and it is not without its challenges. What advice would you give to people working remotely for the first time?

“I think it's great that we're moving towards more flexibility for people, especially for parents  to spend more time with their kids…” She chuckles. “Whether they like it or not! Seriously - the most important thing is routine. On my first day as an entrepreneur, I was working on a HTML course to brush up on my coding skills, and would say to myself - OK, you worked for two hours, and then you can watch YouTube or Nextflix for half an hour. It’s about rewarding yourself, even when you think you don’t deserve it, you should reward yourself. Women are especially bad at that, acknowledging their accomplishments. They don’t own up to the amazing things they do. A man would be there shouting it at the top of their lungs!”

J: I thought we came so far with the Me, Too movement, in attitudes shifting. Have you seen positive change?

“I’ve seen it in industry panels… there’s not only “manels” anymore (a male only panel). We call that out in Women in Tech – there was a panel of only white men in June - they finally added one woman. We ask them - ‘Why don't you step away and ask somebody from your office who is female to speak? Why don't you give her a shot?’ The change is slow. I think a lot of tech companies strive to have more gender equality, but it’s what they say, and then what they do. Talk versus action.”

 J: I have been thinking about the positive discrimination we see in female leadership. Awards for outstanding female leaders. Can’t it just be outstanding leaders?

“I agree. We don’t see these awards for men. Can you imagine how pissed everybody would be?  Of this year’s Fortune 500 companies, only 7% percent of the CEO’s were female, and only three of them were of colour. But, this is hard… women don’t support other women. With me, because I looked young they don't want to help you, promote you or champion for you. Whereas when I approached male partners and executives, they would be open to grab a coffee and talk about work and mentorship. I was discouraged by the corporate world because I also discovered how underpaid I was… and I was working on a female empowerment program!”

“So when I left the corporate world, I was really thinking of ways to give back, and that's when I started the mentoring network for high school and university girls. I heard a story about my friend’s sister who wanted to become a pilot. Her family said, ‘No, that's a male job’. So she had to study to become a doctor.”

 J: She didn't pursue her dream?

“No – Surprise! No. It's Hong Kong. It's Asia. A woman goes to university and her family then tell her ‘You are allowed to start dating– now you need to find a husband’.  I wanted to show these girls that whatever your parents say, you can be whatever you want. So many Hong Kong kids are damaged because of society’s expectations with grades. And then also with the girls who have to look a certain part, they must be “small”, and in Chinese culture it’s common to call for family members to call girls chubby and ask if they’ve gained weight.   I know it because I am constantly asked these same questions by my mother’s side of her family here in Hong Kong” (Belinda’s mother is from Hong Kong). “And remember the A4 challenge? All this pressure to be thin, to be small and tiny.”

 J: It’s women discriminating against other women

“It’s ancient – look at the lotus feet. We’ve been doing this to women throughout history”  

J: This year has been so tough, and it’s not getting better. What advice would you give to another little girl from Innsbruck who wants to something great?

“Spread your wings. Talk to people who make you feel good and who you want to talk to. Find what you’re passionate about and talk to people who are already working in that field. If you can’t find them within your vicinity then go online and check out LinkedIn and ask successful people for a quick virtual coffee - that’s the beauty (and curse) of this day and age, everything is just a click away. This is the year to hone in on your priorities, and all the things you really want to do. We are in crisis, but on the other hand, there's always opportunities, that come out of these crises. You can take it as the glass is half full or half empty, it's up to you.”

We leave her apartment and explore her neighbourhood. We chat about travel and shopping and dining. The next day she is messaging me tips on Entrepreneur visas, content creation, and connecting me with other women.   Hers is not lip service. She truly is the Belinda Esterhammer Show.

You can learn more about Belinda here -

Personal Website: www.belindaesterhammer.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/belindaesterhammer
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/esterhammer
Podcast: www.belindaesterhammer.com/podcast
Fem Founded: www.femfounded.com
Fem Founded Academy: www.femfoundedacademy.com
Fem Founded Instagram: www.instagram.com/fem_founded
Springboard Group: www.springboard.group