My way: Marie Wold gives her tips for success at work

'I used to laugh it off when I got insulted'

Marie Wold is president and co-founder of the IT company OnRelay, which has been short-listed for a World Communication Award in the same category as BT and Orange.

What did you want to be as a child?

An astronaut. As a five-year-old I read about the Nasa space programme and wanted to go to Mars.

What did you realistically think you'd end up doing?

That's what I realistically thought I'd do, then at high school we went to an air-force facility and they told me I would never make it because my eyesight was poor. So then I thought I'd be a lawyer, because my father was hell-bent on my becoming a lawyer. I did a BSc in political science and economic geography, then spent two years as a legal assistant at Wilmer, Cutler and Pickering, a very sexy law firm in Washington DC.

Then what happened?

I was accepted to law school and was days away from going when the firm's litigator pulled me into his office and told me I was too damn smart to be a litigator. I then did an MA in international economics at Johns Hopkins University.

Was the MA worth it?

It was 100 per cent necessary because it taught me to work like a dog. Afterwards I did a stint with the US Foreign Service because I wanted to change the world, but I realised the world is run by money and that people with money get to change it. Eventually I saw the only way to make a vast fortune was to start my own company. I had been advising on fixed-mobile convergence for years when I hooked up with OnRelay's co-founder Ivar Plahte and we came up with MBX software. That was our "eureka" moment.

Do you consider yourself successful?

No. But I will be one day. Right now it's still common in the UK business environment for investors to believe women don't found IT companies. I used to laugh it off when I got insulted; now I have zero tolerance.

What's the best decision you ever made?

Founding this company is the smartest and scariest thing I've done.

What are your interview tips?

It's not preparation as much as demeanour and honesty. I just know when someone is lying or overselling themselves. Americans can be very narcissistic and we have a culture of, "Listen to me, what I have to say is important." The British present a more accurate picture of themselves.

What are your CV tips?

If you can't get it down in two pages then don't send it to me, and I don't like the big introductory paragraphs that are in vogue at the moment. I want to know what schools you went to, what companies you've worked at and what countries you've worked in.

Describe your work/life balance.

I don't have a work/life balance, but that's OK because I'm not going to be concerned about paying the rent when I'm 68 years old.

Who are your heroes?

People who are successful and have made a difference, such as Warren Buffett, Larry Page, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates.

What motivates you?

Success. It sounds corny but I lost my parents when I was young and they were very keen their daughter would be successful.