Miigle+ is an AI-driven browser extension that allows you to browse the world’s largest collection of sustainable and ethical brands. Luc Berlin, Founder and CEO of Miigle+, tells us more about his current job role and how he hopes he is a role model and a source of inspiration to people of minority background considering a career in or founding a tech company.
Describe your current job role.
I am the Founder and CEO of Miigle+, a social impact technology with the mission to turn consumerism into ‘cause-sumerism’ by making it easier for the world to shop sustainably with the help of Artificial Intelligence. My primary responsibilities are to drive the execution of all our corporate objectives and product development while ensuring that they remain aligned with our vision as a company, to work very closely with our team in setting the standard for our culture, something I enjoy greatly, and at last but not least, be a thought leader on the subject of sustainability and educate consumers, partners and investors on how incredibly important it is for us to develop this market segment as quickly as possible. The future of our planet and humanity depends on it.
What would you describe as your most memorable achievement?
As an entrepreneur, I’d have to say my most memorable achievement has been to bring the idea of Miigle+ to life, despite all the challenges I’ve faced, particularly as a Black founder in tech, given how little representation there is in this industry. Being a role model and hopefully a source of inspiration to people of minority background considering a career in or founding a tech company matters greatly to me.
What style of management philosophy do you employ with your current position?
I’m an avid fan and follower of progressive management philosophies centred on respect, accountability, empowerment, diversity, inclusion and growth. I fundamentally and wholeheartedly believe that the culture and environment in which people work have a great impact on their productivity and health. I am against notions such as ‘managing by fear’ or ‘top-down management’ and instead prefer positive reinforcement, giving a voice to every employee regardless of their title and leading by example.
Finally, I believe the skills we leverage at work can be shaped by different experiences, including those that seemingly have nothing to do with our day-to-day tasks. Therefore, I always encourage employees to pursue other interests outside of work including ‘side-hustles’.
What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in your industry?
It is my opinion that the entire sustainability space needs more investment, but particularly the consumer tech sector. Nine in 10 consumers say they want to consume more sustainably but don’t know how or it’s not convenient. Consequently, we see a big gap between the intent of consumers and their action due to this lack of convenience. I believe this is an area of great opportunity because consumers can play a crucial role in incentivising or rewarding brands that adopt sustainability or social impact as a core part of their business. AI and Machine Learning, which is an area of focus for us, can address the convenience problem consumers are experiencing and help drive faster adoption across the sector.
If you could go back and change one career decision, what would it be?
When I was a younger, my passion was art. I was very much into writing, drawing and storytelling – I wanted to be a cinematographer. But there was one caveat, I was also very good in science which is quite unusual and a challenge for me because most educational systems demand you choose one. As Sir Ken Robinson eluded, there’s a hierarchy in our schools where mathematics and science are at the top while arts and literature are at the bottom. I grew up very aware of that hierarchy and was always told, ‘You get a career in maths and science, arts are a hobby’. When I attended UCLA, I majored in biochemistry and minored in cinematography/screenwriting. Attempting to study both in a very competitive and intense programme left me quite unbalanced and frustrated. I eventually ended up in tech marketing with some serendipity. Although I’ve very much enjoyed my career in tech, I’ve always wondered what my life would have been like as a writer and cinematographer. I often think of my past professors who told me I should write books, wondering what could have been. I would like to go back and explore that path when I transition out of tech.
What advice would you offer somebody aspiring to obtain a C-level position in your industry?
My advice would be quite straightforward: don’t be afraid to start from the bottom and learn as much as you can as you grow in your career. I sometimes feel we focus on glorifying success and put little attention on how important it is to put in the work during the process. A C-level position is not a bragging right, it’s an opportunity to help people which is hard to do if you can’t relate to them, and the best way to do that is to show them you’ve done the work they’re doing and understand what it’s like to be in their shoes. I started from the bottom, and I couldn’t imagine appreciating my journey and the impact I’ve had in people’s lives if it had just fallen on my lap.
What behaviour or personality trait do you most attribute your success to and why?
I’d have to say adaptability, resilience, optimism and empathy. Adaptability because things in life don’t always happen how we envision them so it’s important to learn how to take on situations as they arise while keeping an eye on our objectives, despite setbacks which is where resilience comes into play. As I mentioned earlier, having a healthy mind is so crucial in being productive and having a positive outlook in life or being optimistic helps tremendously, particularly when creating something innovative. As humans, I think we need more empathy in the world, and I always try to understand how people feel and see the world through their perspective.
What’s your go-to productivity trick?
My go-to productivity trick is centred on less is more. I don’t believe in working hard all the time or being a workaholic, so I try to be as effective as possible in balancing my time and productivity. I believe in working short but intense hours, which means putting aside any distractions such as cell phones and including meetings. I spend a lot of my time strategising and solving problems in my head so I’ve recently been investing more time meditating and talking to a therapist so I can better deal with whatever situations I face. I think great productivity starts with a healthy mind.
What changes to your job role have you seen in the last year and how do you see these developing in the next 12 months?
With the greater society being more mindful about sustainability, there’s been a growing interest in providing a platform for CEOs of sustainable or social impact companies like myself to talk about our solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems. There’s a general understanding that governments can only do so much in terms of legislation, and the private sector can play an important role as a catalyst to educating and driving change from consumers. I see this trend growing exponentially over the next 12 months.