Created by women, for women. That’s the order of business for the ultimate travel and lifestyle portal, Citizen Femme.

Let’s paint the picture, you’re on holiday - somewhere warm as a party of one, somewhere quiet with your significant other, somewhere loud and bustling with your best friend - and you’re looking for your next sight, museum, or restaurant. You scour the web for a voice you trust, then move to Instagram where you scroll through hundreds of food pics, beach selfies and sunset posts only to come up empty-handed. We’ve all been there.

Until one ambitious woman decided to change the travel game for women by centering the female voice. Citizen Femme is a collection of forward-thinking inspiring travel, beauty and style guides, answering every woman’s travel questions. But who is the woman behind it all?

We had the pleasure of getting to know Sheena Bhattessa, founder of Citizen Femme and getting to the core of how and why she created the globe-trotting woman’s best friend.

Tell us the story of Citizen Femme

It was on a trip to Turkey with a group of friends. Instagram was booming and people were tagging their experiences more than anything, it became a way of searching for travel and lifestyle inspiration. There was a huge curiosity around where people were going, staying, eating. It made me think, where would I really go to get that honest and authoritative recommendation, and who is really speaking to my demographic as a female traveller. But the big question was, what does Citizen Femme offer that wasn’t already available? Many of the mainstream magazines hadn’t really thrived yet in the online space. It felt like there was a real gap in the market for a female-led travel and lifestyle publication that spoke to me like a best friend would. This was the genesis of Citizen Femme.

You’ve said that the idea of Citizen Femme came to you on a trip with your girlfriends. How have women played a role in your career and mission?

Coming from a relatively patriarchal society, there has been an unspoken gender disparity which I’ve grown up in and perhaps as a result of this, I have always been ambitious, as a young girl to now. Any woman in my life has influenced my career. My mother, my grandmother, my sister, all hard-working individuals making their own impact. Now, female role models across all industries, from the ones I work with, to the ones I am friends with to the ones I read about, all shape my career and mission. Its to these women I am speaking, so I am driven by their demands and their choices. And as a platform that only profiles women and their endeavours, its these women’s interviews I enjoy reading the most.

How and why should the travel industry cater to women?

There’s an unbelievable statistic which brands are now opening up their eyes to: women drive the world economy, not just travel, but the world economy. (Harvard Business Review) We as women make up a staggering 85% of global consumer spending, translating into over $31 trillion annually. This is across everything – household purchases, mortgages, credit cards, cars, health and wellness, fashion, technology. As women, brands also underestimate our influence and our power, as we talk to each other. So in addition to everything we consume, women talk, we discuss, share. This is why the travel industry needs to cater to women. The power of women is immense.

You completed a law degree before becoming an actress, how have these experiences informed your career as a founder?

Oh yes, its been a varied career path so far. The degree taught me discipline. And as an actor you learn financial independence and the importance of managing cash-flow. This is an integral part of being a founder. As an actor, you are your own CEO, managing you as a business. You learn resilience with an innate willingness to take risks. That comes from any audition an actor will do. In an acting role, you have to allow the audience to suspend their everyday assumptions and transport them to another time and place. With this is the art of creativity, the art of persuasion and the art of selling – crucial skills as a founder. And finally, empathy. From the legal profession and as an actor, there are few more critical skills for being an effective business founder than being able to understand the viewpoints and mindsets of your partners, your team, and your customer.

What's been your career highlight?

I am yet to achieve a ‘wow’ moment, but I think reaching a point this year when I meet people who say, “Oh, we’re big fans of Citizen Femme, we love it.” It’s a real highlight to hear from people that all the hard work from myself and the CF team isn’t in vain and we are really making an impact with what we do. I mean, who doesn’t love validation?!

What has been your biggest learning to date as a founder?

To get where you want, you need to have the right people on board. Talent is everything in each and every industry. 90% may be an idea but without the execution of 10%, an idea will inevitably fail. Be aware of potential legal issues and know how to avoid them! Keep innovating so you do not become mundane in what you offer.

What is the best part about being a business owner?

The ability to create, to innovate, and to have no boundaries dictated by anyone. I love the opportunity to bring new ways to reach audiences for the content we create and for the brands we work with. The uncertainty that comes with running your own business can be incredibly daunting, but I am also driven by the adrenaline that is attached to a successful outcome, it feeds working crazy hours. I love the relationship you share with other entrepreneurs. I love the ability to share a vision and excitement with the team who can in turn bring their own ideas to life. I also find the independence invaluable. With two very young children, I don’t want to miss out on so many things as they grow up. And while I did not get the flexibility of taking time out just after having babies, I can maximise my time with them and instead often work rather unsociable hours! The challenges are plentiful but the benefits far outweigh these.

How do you deal with the challenges of owning a business?

My first point of call is to communicate with the team to work through challenges. Every CF member brings their own expertise and whether it is re-examining business growth or cash flow management, recruiting staff or rethinking marketing strategies, it is not something I will think about alone. Everyone, to date, has joined the team to complement one another. This is evident in what we put out in our content and how we work with brands. In terms of balancing time, this is a singular challenge I am still unable to manage but it’s a work in progress!

Do you have any advice for other founders?

You can’t be master of everything. Employ people that understand their field of expertise better than you and guide them but trust them.