#WomensMonth: Lynette Hundermark makes mobile useful and beautiful

Tell us a bit about yourself and your company, Useful and Beautiful.
I am a gadget girl and a lover of technology and software that not only adds value to people’s lives, but also makes them happy. I am also a mom of two.

My career began as a software developer and database programmer but after having two children, I got tired of developing software that people did not really want to use as it did not cater to their needs.

It was at this point that life became about purpose. I decided if I was going to return to work and leave my kids in the care of a stranger (I was in the UK at the time), it would be better be for it to be for a career that made it worth my while beyond monetary needs. I then branched out into the business analysis/product management side to understand what software people wanted and then communicate to developers how it should be done in tech lingo (coming from that space, I knew the lingo).

I loved gadgets and the mobile space and got involved from the original iPhone and was later approached by the Naspers group to run its mobile incubation unit that focused on e-reading type apps and have been in the space ever since.

I live and breathe mobile, love it, and would do it for fun if I did not get the opportunity to do it professionally. I count myself as being blessed.

Useful and Beautiful is a mobile solutions consultancy, with a specialist focus on combining user experience design and mobile technology to create great products. We work closely with our clients to unpack their business objectives and ensure that the solutions they have in mind are customer-centric. We are passionate about leveraging the latest mobile technology solutions to map out intuitive and seamless user experiences that drive sustainable business value and results.

How did you identify a need in the market?
Mobile is the present and future but there are very few experts that understand how to combine technology and user experience to create products with longevity.

You recently celebrated Useful and Beautiful's third birthday. In a nutshell, how did the first three startup years look for you? What were the major highlights, obstacles, or moments where you had to really pep-talk yourself? 
It was a rollercoaster with many highs and lows.

Major highlights included winning some major accounts against some big players and being regarded as an industry expert.

Obstacles were dealing and accepting things that were out of my control, for example courier companies not delivering tender documents on time. Also, another obstacle is playing the price-wars game. Every digital corner shop is now touting themselves as mobile experts, offering “expert” services and products which, from experience, we have often found to be unrealistic and in many instances, unachievable.

Lynette Hundermark

We have had to stand our ground, insist on delivering realistic, high quality results and avoid the unsustainable price wars. The peptalk I’ve had to give myself is not to compromise on my company values and not to lower the standards Useful & Beautiful has been built on and come to be known for.

What do you think is the biggest issue facing women in tech?
It’s tough, IT is still seen as a male dominated field (especially in South Africa), and when you are at board level or executive levels, you still have to speak up and continue speaking up to be heard. It’s a slow buy-in but I am finding especially over the last few years, I don’t have to speak up as loudly as I used to, my expert skills are seen as an expert (irrespective of my gender) and that’s a nice place to be – but it obviously took a while to get there.

Has there been a female figure/role model that has had a positive impact on your life?
My two mentors, Barbara Mallinson from Obami and Emma Kaye from Bozza. They have been running their own businesses for many years and inspire me to face up to my fears and persevere no matter what (in the way they do). It was because of these two that I was inspired to start my own company.

What is your message for Women's Month?
Care about what you do. If you are passionate enough about something, that will always shine through and you will find a way to persevere and never give up.

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