George B. Thomas
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If you’ve ever wrestled with imposter syndrome while building something real, pull up a chair. Today’s guest, Lica Wouters, shows us what grit looks like in the wild. From Holland to Switzerland to New York, from film to HubSpot to AI, her story carries both weight and warmth.
It’s human. It’s useful.
And it matters right now because so many of us are rebuilding how we work with AI, empathy, and collaboration at the center.
Lica’s path wasn’t linear. She was born in Holland, grew up in Switzerland, and moved to New York around 18 or 19. She came for film, not tech, then built a business aligned with solving for the customer.
Living through 9/11 changed how she saw the world. The black and white of right and wrong softened into lived empathy. That empathy later shaped how she runs her company and serves clients.
Two early influences stand tall.
Commercial director Jeremy Warshaw taught her the power of story and how to draw out the real thing in interviews. And inside the HubSpot ecosystem, Dan Tyre helped Lica flip the script on imposter syndrome with practical sales coaching and encouragement.
A Cost Paid
Before Million Dollar Baby and before women’s MMA hit mainstream, Lica fought. Golden Gloves. Sparring partner to the top-ranked female mixed martial arts fighter at the time. The opportunities weren’t safe or sanctioned. The message to women was often “you can’t.” She kept going anyway.
Later, in business, she lost deals to faster talkers, only to see some of those companies return when outcomes didn’t match the pitch.
Her reflection says it best:
“I do think I have a certain amount of grit. I don't quit. I just keep going.” — Lica Wouters
The Ops Crucible
When her business faced a sharp downturn, Lica didn’t sugarcoat it. She even entered Super’s 50K pitch as a contestant while she rebuilt. The turning point came when she chose not to chase “up market.” Instead, she committed to staying lean and rebuilding AI first.
This year has been a building year, heavy on process, documentation, and testing what it means to operate as a small, AI-enabled “skeleton crew” that can still deliver big impact.
One client emailed a photo of a blank whiteboard with a simple note: thank you. Their chaos moved from a crowded wall to clean, trackable systems. Another client joked that because of their results, “all my kids have a bedroom.” He has ten.
That’s real-world, human upside.
Empowerment in Practice
For Lica, empowerment equals collaboration. The HubSpot partner ecosystem rewired her from “everyone is competition” to “there’s plenty of pie.” She shares openly, rejects secret sauce thinking, and surrounds herself with women who build without pity.
Communities like Tracy Graziani’s invite-only Lioness group and friendships with leaders like OMI at Diaz Cooper offer something a spouse or non-operator can’t always give: peers who get it and help you keep going. Her advice to women entering this space is simple and strong: be bold, fake your confidence when you need to, and don’t quit.
Looking Ahead with HubSpot
Lica is excited about AI inside and around HubSpot. She’s partnering with tools like Ask Elephant and watching what’s next from HubSpot with curiosity. And she’s clear on one belief:
“I don't believe that AI is gonna replace human interaction.” — Lica Wouters
What does change look like? Lean, AI-assisted teams. Documented processes. Publishing your learning. Hitting the button even when you feel that twinge of doubt. As Lica says, this time she refuses to sit on the sidelines.
A Word to Women in Tech
Expect seasons. Valleys happen. Peaks return. Build your tribe so you can vent, compare notes, and leave a little lighter. When you feel underestimated, keep going. When you win, share what worked so others can flourish, too.
Because your real work isn’t abstract. It’s a retired whiteboard. It’s a calmer pipeline. It’s a client putting kids in their own rooms. Small, smart systems change everyday lives.
Lica’s story shows how empathy, collaboration, and AI can work together to build those systems for humans who need them.
Reflect & Act
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Where are you overcomplicating what a simple system could solve?
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Who are the two peers you’ll collaborate with this month?
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What’s one AI-assisted process you’ll document and publish this week?
