1. Dear Annahita, I'm so happy to be able to introduce you in our Female Founder Stories! Could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?
I am Annahita, a Munich girl with Persian roots, a tech manager at Microsoft, a multiple bestselling author and one of the most influential business influencers in the DACH region.
2. You sparked a broad discussion with a viral LinkedIn post about "Manterrupting." What prompted the post, and what was it like for you to suddenly have such a large reach for this topic?
This post was inspired many years ago by a colleague who had the truly annoying habit of constantly interrupting colleagues—especially female colleagues—and then launching into long monologues. Eventually, I reached my breaking point and decided to address this unfortunately all-too-common phenomenon on LinkedIn. The post went viral and showed me how incredibly important it is to talk about the things we encounter daily in our professional lives, things we still far too often just smile away in despair.
3. How do you manage to use your voice so effectively on social media that it is not only heard, but also taken seriously?
I think it's because I report authentically from practical experience, am approachable, and give a voice to many people.
4. You are a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion. What specific changes would you like to see in companies to truly embody these values?
For me, diversity and inclusion mean far more than just paying lip service to variety; they are fundamental building blocks for the long-term success and future viability of a company. The concrete changes I would like to see begin with structural adjustments – for example, transparent and unbiased recruitment processes that focus on potential and not just resumes. In my professional life, I consciously rely on teams with diverse perspectives and backgrounds, as I know from experience how much innovation and problem-solving skills benefit from this.
Employees can be authentic and valued. For me, this also includes fostering leaders who actively embrace diversity and act as multipliers of an inclusive culture. I want to create spaces that promote dialogue, exchange, and shared growth – not just as a vision, but as a lived reality.
5. How relevant do you think personal branding is – for you as a manager, but also for employees without personnel responsibility or for self-employed people?
Whether and how intensively one should engage in personal branding depends heavily on individual goals. For example, those who want to stay with a company long-term will benefit more from internally focused personal branding. Conversely, those who frequently change career paths or work in a highly competitive industry will consciously use personal branding strategically as a career advantage. Personal branding is therefore not an end in itself, but rather a way to make one's professional identity visible and effective – tailored to individual goals and the specific role in one's professional life. Freelancers, in particular, benefit directly from a strong personal brand, as it is usually their primary means of building trust with potential clients and positioning their expertise.
Image rights: Sapna Richter
6. What constitutes a modern leadership style for you, and how does it differ from traditional approaches?
A modern leadership style relies on trust, authenticity and empowerment, rather than strict control and hierarchy.
7. You are a young woman, 30 years old - a boss in the IT industry - with a migration background: Do you still encounter prejudice despite your visible successes?
Yes, despite my successes, I still encounter prejudice, whether because of my age, my background, or my gender – especially in an industry like IT. I counter such prejudice by consistently focusing on my performance and results and keeping the focus on facts.
8. You often hear, somewhat stereotypically, that there's a lot of "catfighting" among women in a professional context. What's your perception of that?
There are amazing women and amazing men, and equally awful women and awful men. I always say: Choose your inner circle wisely. In my circle, I feel a great deal of sisterhood and mutual empowerment, and no cattiness.
9. If you could give your 20-year-old self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Dare to be different. Being everyone's darling is also being everyone's fool.
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Want to learn more about Annahita and be inspired by her? Then simply follow her directly on Instagram @annahita.esmailzadeh or connect with her on LinkedIn !