{"id":3104,"date":"2025-01-20T13:01:05","date_gmt":"2025-01-20T13:01:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/?p=3104"},"modified":"2026-02-19T10:17:50","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T10:17:50","slug":"anita-anthonj-women-leaders-success-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/anita-anthonj-women-leaders-success-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Anita Anthonj: From Acting to Building a Business and a Family"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Anita Anthonj moved from Germany to New York twenty years ago to pursue a career in theater and film. In her late twenties, she discovered her true calling lay beyond the stage: <em>\u201cI like to call my own shots. So instead, I became a producer,\u201d<\/em> she told us. For years, she worked for RTL Group, producing news content, documentaries, and other pet projects on the side.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, Anita is a successful entrepreneur, co-founder and CEO of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.talaera.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Talaera<\/a>, a company providing corporate English and culture training for non-native English speakers, and a mother of two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We wanted to find out how she balances these different, yet very demanding roles in her life.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-pale-pink-background-color has-background\"><em>This interview with Anita Anthonj is part of the latest CAKE.com campaign aimed at understanding the needs and experiences of women in business. We handpicked successful women CEOs to help us explore the challenges female founders face, and how they balance their work and personal commitments.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list key-takeaways\">\n<li class=\"has-normal-font-size\">In 2016, Anita founded Talaera, a company providing corporate English online courses for non-native English speakers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-normal-font-size\">Anthonj believes the position of women in business is better than in the past, but still far from genuine equality.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-normal-font-size\">Success in gender equality depends on collaboration, with men and women working together to break barriers and drive change.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"on-starting-a-company\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">On starting a company<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2016, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/anitaanthonj\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Anita Anthonj<\/a> and her husband identified a significant gap in the language learning market. Plenty of platforms helped people practice English, but few addressed the deeper cultural aspects of communication that are essential for success in professional environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anita and her husband found the idea of combining language learning and culture training interesting for two reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns pro-blockquote is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Anita-Anthonj.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4269\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>&#8220;A<em><em><em>s a foreigner in the US, I was fluent in English but struggled to connect on a deeper level in business settings<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em>. <em>I also noticed others experiencing the same challenges \u2014 brilliant professionals with strong academic credentials who struggled to thrive due to communication barriers.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This realization inspired the creation of Talaera, combining language learning with cultural training to address these deeper needs. Extensive research, including a trip to Korea to study corporate English training trends, shaped the platform\u2019s innovative approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But, starting and developing a business is a bumpy road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns pro-blockquote is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Anita-Anthonj.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4269\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>\u201cEverybody tells you it&#8217;s going to be hard, but it&#8217;s so much harder than you expect.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the biggest challenges is the uncertainty:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns pro-blockquote is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Anita-Anthonj.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4269\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em><em>\u201cI think we sometimes get very hung up on thinking too much or worrying about what can go wrong instead of just doing it. In addition, I am very detail-oriented, therefore sometimes I lose sight of the bigger picture.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>She also says women founders are sometimes taken less seriously \u2014 like their business is more of a hobby.<\/p>\n\n\n    \n    <div class=\"flexible-banner banner-blue-medium flex items-center py-4 pt-10 px-10 mb-8 overflow-hidden md:pt-4\">\n        <div class=\"banner-container w-full\">\n            <div class=\"flex items-center justify-center gap-10 flex-col md:flex-row\">\n                <div class=\"flex-1\">\n                                            <p class=\"font-humansans !text-2xl text-center !leading-tight text-white !mb-6 md:!mb-3 md:text-left md:!text-xl\">Scale your business with CAKE.com tools<\/p>\n                                        \n                                            <p class=\"!text-sm text-white text-center md:text-left md:!text-xs !mb-6 md:!mb-3\">Increase productivity and grow your organization with Clockify, Pumble, and Plaky.<\/p>\n                                        \n                    <div class=\"flex justify-center gap-3 mt-4 md:justify-start\">\n                                                    <a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/suite\"  class=\"btn btn-secondary !text-xs font-normal px-6 py-2\">\n                                Get started                            <\/a>\n                                                \n                                                    <a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/try\"  class=\"btn btn-transparent-no-border !text-xs font-normal px-6 py-2\">\n                                Learn more                            <\/a>\n                                            <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                \n                                    <div class=\"banner-image\">\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/banner-standard.png\" alt=\"Scale your business with CAKE.com tools\">\n                    <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"breaking-barriers-in-fundraising\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Breaking barriers in fundraising&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/womenwhotech.org\/data-and-resources\/state-women-tech-and-startups-2023\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Women Who Tech 2023 survey<\/a>, 70% of female founders experienced differential treatment while raising funds for their business, and 65% \u201c<em>were told they would raise more money if they were a man<\/em>\u201d. Anita encountered biases firsthand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns pro-blockquote is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Anita-Anthonj.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4269\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em><em><em>\u201cFirstly, only <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.weforum.org\/stories\/2024\/03\/women-startups-vc-funding\/#:~:text=Women%2Dfounded%20startups%20accounted%20for,gains%20over%20the%20longer%20term.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>2% or less of venture funding<\/em><\/a><em> goes to women-founded startups in the US. Therefore, it is hard to get the capital to begin with. <\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><em><em>I also think so many of the deals are done not on the pitch, but in some kind of informal atmosphere. It\u2019s so much harder for women to get into that community. <\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><em><em>Moreover, I am the CEO, but the co-founder of my company is male, and sometimes the conversations would be directed at him. I even had two VCs ask if my co-founder could take over as CEO if we got funded.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group pro-tip\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>Further reading<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you interested in learning more about unconscious biases? Here\u2019s how unconscious biases impact a workplace and how to avoid them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/bias-in-the-workplace\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">16 Workplace Biases and How to Overcome Them<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite being hard, fundraising is essential when building a start-up. Anita\u2019s advice to women entrepreneurs is to overprepare for every meeting:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns pro-blockquote is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Anita-Anthonj.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4269\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em><em><em>\u201cTake control of the conversation, and don\u2019t hesitate to reach out to other female founders for insights and support.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>For Anita, good preparation is key for all kinds of meetings, especially when you\u2019re a non-native English speaker.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns pro-blockquote is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Anita-Anthonj.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4269\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em><em><em>\u201c<em>When I have an important meeting, I overprepare. I walk through the situation over and over again to be sure I\u2019ve got everything covered.<\/em>\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"on-balancing-business-and-family\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">On balancing business and family<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to leading a team across multiple time zones, Anita is a mother of two. Balancing these roles is quite challenging. In one podcast where she was a guest, she said she often feels like a \u201cconstant failure\u201d:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns pro-blockquote is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Anita-Anthonj.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4269\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em><em><em><em>\u201cI think I have very high expectations for myself and those around me. But I also compartmentalize a lot. When I work, I work, when I\u2019m with my children, I don\u2019t think of anything else. <\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><em><em><em>I sometimes feel like I don&#8217;t give an adequate amount of time to my kids. But when you run a business and have children, something&#8217;s got to give. And a lot of times I feel like I failed everyone because you&#8217;re trying to do everything right and it\u2019s just not always possible.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group pro-tip\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>Further reading<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you feel like your achievements are the result of luck, not your talent and hard work, you might have imposter syndrome. Learn how you can overcome it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/productivity\/imposter-syndrome-at-work\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Imposter Syndrome at Work: Meaning + 8 Tips to Overcome it&nbsp;<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>At one point, she realized that she put too much pressure on herself:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns pro-blockquote is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Anita-Anthonj.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4269\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em><em><em><em>\u201cYou have to give yourself grace for what you\u2019ve done. And I realized I needed to take space. I don\u2019t work on the weekends and holidays anymore. I also became very mindful of the things that bring me joy, like spending time with my children or friends, or seeing a play.\u201d&nbsp;<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Anita also stresses the importance of family support. Success in gender equality depends on collaboration, with men and women working together to break barriers and drive change:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns pro-blockquote is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Anita-Anthonj.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4269\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em><em><em><em><em>\u201cSupport from my husband has been invaluable. We share responsibilities equally, and his involvement allows me to dedicate time to both my business and my family. My dad was a single father, he also ran a company, but he was always present. We need more men like my dad and my husband.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group pro-tip\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>Further reading<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you interested in reading about gender inequality in household work? Check out our study:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/gender-inequality-in-unpaid-work\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The 2024 Gender Inequality in Unpaid Domestic Work Report<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Anita is also committed to fostering a supportive workplace culture at Talaera, with policies like flexible hours and parental leave, to accommodate diverse employee needs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns pro-blockquote is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Anita-Anthonj.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4269\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em><em><em><em><em><em>\u201cHopefully, in the future, we will be able to support them even more.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group pro-tip\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">    \n    <div class=\"flexible-banner banner-blue flex items-center py-4 pt-10 px-10 mb-8 overflow-hidden md:pt-4\">\n        <div class=\"banner-container w-full\">\n            <div class=\"flex items-center justify-center gap-10 flex-col md:flex-row\">\n                <div class=\"flex-1\">\n                                            <p class=\"font-humansans !text-2xl text-center !leading-tight text-white !mb-6 md:!mb-3 md:text-left md:!text-xl\">Manage projects like a pro<\/p>\n                                        \n                                            <p class=\"!text-sm text-white text-center md:text-left md:!text-xs !mb-6 md:!mb-3\">Assign tasks, set deadlines, track progress, and keep collaboration focused with comments and file sharing \u2014 all in Plaky.<\/p>\n                                        \n                    <div class=\"flex justify-center gap-3 mt-4 md:justify-start\">\n                                                    <a href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\"  class=\"btn btn-secondary !text-xs font-normal px-6 py-2\">\n                                Get started                            <\/a>\n                                                \n                                                    <a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/try\"  class=\"btn btn-transparent-no-border !text-xs font-normal px-6 py-2\">\n                                Learn more                            <\/a>\n                                            <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                \n                                    <div class=\"banner-image\">\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/banner-plaky.png\" alt=\"Manage projects like a pro\">\n                    <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n\n\n\n<p><strong>Further reading<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The US federal law doesn\u2019t require employers to provide paid maternity leave. Read about the maternity leave laws in different states:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/learn\/business-management\/maternity-leave-laws\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Maternity Leave Laws by State \u2014 Guide for 2024<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"on-gender-inequality-and-the-position-of-women-in-society\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">On gender inequality and the position of women in society<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Women&#8217;s position in society is moving in the right direction, but it is far from the place it should be, Anita says:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns pro-blockquote is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Anita-Anthonj.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4269\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em><em><em><em><em><em><em>\u201cMy grandma wanted to be a doctor, but she never got the chance to do that. I feel lucky because I got to do everything I wanted. However, I still think men and women get different opportunities. It\u2019s harder for women to break into certain leadership circles, for example. And when I find myself in a predominantly male setting, I sometimes find it very hard to manage and communicate effectively.\u201d&nbsp;<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Anita says she feels lucky to be able to live the way she wants and doesn\u2019t feel like she\u2019s being held back as a woman. But she also notes it is more of a privilege than a \u2018status quo.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"parting-message-dont-dim-your-light\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Parting message: Don\u2019t dim your light<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For aspiring entrepreneurs, Anita\u2019s advice is clear:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns pro-blockquote is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Anita-Anthonj.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4269\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em>\u201cDon&#8217;t overthink it. If you see a gap in the market, take action. Do your research, connect with other founders, and ask for help.\u201d&nbsp;<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>But most importantly, Anita says, believe in yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns pro-blockquote is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Anita-Anthonj.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4269\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em>\u201cDon&#8217;t tell yourself you&#8217;re not good enough. Don&#8217;t dim your own light. If you want to do something, go for it, because you can do it.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>This interview is part of CAKE.com\u2019s latest Women in Tech campaign. Stay tuned for more female CEO insights. And, on February 11, check out our comprehensive Women in Tech study exploring the challenges and experiences of women in tech.&nbsp;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Read how the CEO of Talaera, Anita Anthonj, balances a leadership role with taking care of a family.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":3107,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[82],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3104","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-thought-leaders"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Women Leaders: An Interview with Anita Anthonj<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Read how the CEO of Talaera, Anita Anthonj, balances a leadership role with taking care of a family.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/anita-anthonj-women-leaders-success-story\/\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cake.com\\\/blog\\\/anita-anthonj-women-leaders-success-story\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cake.com\\\/blog\\\/anita-anthonj-women-leaders-success-story\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Jasmina Krajovan\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cake.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/46bdfd653a5b0175191d111f47b31fb3\"},\"headline\":\"Anita Anthonj: From Acting to Building a Business and a Family\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-01-20T13:01:05+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-19T10:17:50+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cake.com\\\/blog\\\/anita-anthonj-women-leaders-success-story\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1420,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cake.com\\\/blog\\\/anita-anthonj-women-leaders-success-story\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cake.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/01\\\/Women-Leaders_-A-Talk-with-the-CEO-of-Talaera.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Thought Leaders\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cake.com\\\/blog\\\/anita-anthonj-women-leaders-success-story\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cake.com\\\/blog\\\/anita-anthonj-women-leaders-success-story\\\/\",\"name\":\"Women Leaders: An Interview with Anita Anthonj\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cake.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cake.com\\\/blog\\\/anita-anthonj-women-leaders-success-story\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cake.com\\\/blog\\\/anita-anthonj-women-leaders-success-story\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cake.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/01\\\/Women-Leaders_-A-Talk-with-the-CEO-of-Talaera.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-01-20T13:01:05+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-19T10:17:50+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cake.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/46bdfd653a5b0175191d111f47b31fb3\"},\"description\":\"Read how the CEO of Talaera, Anita Anthonj, balances a leadership role with taking care of a family.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cake.com\\\/blog\\\/anita-anthonj-women-leaders-success-story\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/cake.com\\\/blog\\\/anita-anthonj-women-leaders-success-story\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cake.com\\\/blog\\\/anita-anthonj-women-leaders-success-story\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cake.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/01\\\/Women-Leaders_-A-Talk-with-the-CEO-of-Talaera.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cake.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/01\\\/Women-Leaders_-A-Talk-with-the-CEO-of-Talaera.jpg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":630,\"caption\":\"Women Leaders A Talk with the CEO of Talaera - 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