– Over the years, women have often faced barriers that men simply have not experienced. Would I call it a ‘mafia arrangement’? Personally, I prefer to talk about closed structures that lack diversity and a fresh outlook. It’s more a matter of habits and patterns than ill will.

But THE FACT IS THAT WOMEN DO NOT ALWAYS HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO KEY DECISIONS OR NETWORKS WHICH ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN BUSINESS, SAYS DR , A PROXY FOR MOKATE SA.

Interview by Szymon Krawiec

Do women in Poland have it harder in business than men?

Women still sometimes have to prove their worth, especially in traditional industries or structures where stereotypes still persist. On the other hand, I see more and more fantastic women in high positions, in management boards, running their own companies. This makes me extremely happy.

In our case, at Mokate, I never felt discriminated against on the basis of gender, maybe because I grew up in a company where competence, commitment and responsibility mattered above all else.

But I realise that NOT EVERY WOMAN has such starting conditions.

That’s why I support initiatives that help women in business by mentoring, educating and networking. Because the female point of view is extremely necessary and valuable in business.

Out of 140 companies on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, only three have women as presidents. In addition, their participation in management boards is growing very slowly. Why do you think there are so few Polish women in high positions?

It’s a complex phenomenon, but in my opinion, there are two key factors: mentality and the system. Mentality meaning certain ingrained beliefs that a woman has “other” responsibilities, that she should not be too ambitious, that leadership is the domain of men. Fortunately, this is changing, but cultural changes always require time.

The second aspect is the system: a lack of real support for women who combine career and motherhood, too few flexible work arrangements, little mentoring or leadership development programmes addressed to women.

In my experience, women are well-equipped for management: they can combine hard data with intuition, are responsible, oriented at relationships and long-term goals. They just need more space and trust to show it. I myself try to set a good example and also to support other women in business.

Irena Eris said that there were few women in Polish business, because the male world was downright mafia-like and did not allow women to advance.

I understand where such words may come from. It’s true that, over the years, women have often faced barriers that men simply have not experienced.

Would I call it a “mafia arrangement”? Personally, I prefer to talk about closed structures that lack diversity and a fresh outlook. It’s more a matter of habits and patterns than ill will. But the fact is that women don’t always have equal access to key decisions or networks that are extremely important in business.

That’s why one has to speak out about it and build a more open environment. Every change begins with awareness. I believe that companies run in an inclusive way, where there is room for different perspectives, including women’s perspectives, are simply better, more sustainable and more modern.

On the other hand, we have the EU’s “Women on Boards” directive which stipulates that women should hold 40 percent of top positions in companies by mid-2026. In your opinion, is such coercion to a certain parity a good thing?

This topic stirs up emotions, and rightly so, because it touches upon deeply rooted beliefs and structures. Personally, I believe in competence, not parity. But, at the same time, I understand that if women have not had equal opportunities for decades, sometimes stronger impulses are needed to speed up the change.

Parity should not mean ARTIFICIAL EQUALISATION but creating real opportunities for development and advancement.

It’s a tool that can work well if it goes hand in hand with investments in education, mentoring and support for women in gaining leadership competencies.

From the perspective of a family company like Mokate, we have always relied on people who bring in the right values, regardless of their gender. But I know it doesn’t work like that in every organisation. If the directive is to be a catalyst for positive change, I’m all for it.

Diversity on boards is not just a matter of fairness: it simply pays off for companies.

What else do you think could be done to make it easier for women to get started in business?

In recent years, many organisations have been founded in Poland to help young people, particularly young women, at the beginning of their path in business. I have supported and continue to support many of them, including the “Debutantes” programme or the “Pearls of Podbeskidzie” which promote exceptional women.

I would advise young businesswomen to focus on their goal and consistently pursue one set direction. You need to look forward and not backward. You cannot dwell on what was, because then the current issues escape us. New opportunities and new challenges are always more interesting…

There are only a few ladies on our List of the 100 Richest Poles. On the other hand, when we publish the List of the 50 Richest Polish Women every year, we hear that it is only a league of wives, that is ladies who are rich because they married well.

This is a very unfair oversimplification. Of course, it cannot be denied that, in some cases, wealth comes from living together with one’s business partner. But, even if that were the case, does that take anything away from these women? After all, they are often the ones who bring key competencies to family businesses, develop them, modernise them and lead them into new markets.

Looking at the businesswomen I know, I am aware of how much work, determination and sacrifice is behind it.

Really THE TIME HAS COME for us to start judging success by what someone has built, not by who they share a life with.

Do you enjoy more working with men or women?

I work best with people who are competent, committed and open to cooperation, regardless of their gender. At Mokate, we have a very diverse team and I consider this to be our great asset.

For me, the key is mutual respect and shared values. I value people who can talk, listen, take responsibility. If that’s the case, it really doesn’t matter whether there is a woman or a man sitting across the table.

In many family businesses, men are the faces of the business. At your company it was different and it was your mother, Teresa, who was the face of the company. An innovative approach in those times.

Yes, it’s true, my mother has always been and still is the heart of Mokate. It was she who laid the company’s foundation and gave it its unique character. At a time when women in business were not yet so common, she courageously and consistently built a brand that today is recognised not only in Poland, but also in many foreign markets. However, we cannot forget the tremendous support from my father who always stood by her side.

I am very proud of this, because it shows that success does not depend on gender, but on passion, vision and hard work. In our family, we have always valued diversity and the fact that everyone may contribute something of value, regardless of being a woman or a man.

Today, I myself also try to continue this openness and make sure that Mokate is a place where everyone has a chance to develop and realise their ideas.

Your mother took care of the business, then who took care of the house? Did she manage to combine checking up on your school work with supervising production at Mokate?

It was really difficult to combine these two roles. My mother was not only the head of the company, an excellent salesman and organiser, but also took care of the house and family. I think this taught me the importance of organisation and the ability to combine different responsibilities. Of course, it wasn’t always easy, but my mother set an example that you could be an effective leader and a loving mom at the same time.

Most importantly, she built an atmosphere of mutual respect and openness around her, both at home and in the company. She was able to talk, listen and be near, despite the enormity of her responsibilities. That’s what I learned from her, too: that good communication is the foundation of any relationship, whether it’s a family or a team at work. She was and still is a great inspiration to me.

Did your parents encourage you to enter the family business or did they try to protect you from this challenge?

They have always supported me and believed that I could find my way in business if I wanted to.

I have never heard from them that “it’s not for you”, ON THE CONTRARY,

my parents showed me the importance of hard work, responsibility and passion.

I remember the period when Mokate was founded. Although my brother and I were very young, our parents involved us in the company’s affairs. There was no pressure, but rather an exchange of thoughts and long conversations. During one of them the idea was born to change the name of the company from “Mokrysz.” We sat over sheets of paper with various proposals. Finally, the MOKATE name emerged: MOkrysz, KAzimierz, TEresa. It was perfect: vibrant, easy to remember. What is more, it was closely related to our family.

At a young age, one often reflects: “I have a choice, I can do things my way.” Did you go through this, too?

It is natural for a young person to think about their future and look for their own path. However, I knew from the beginning that I wanted to go in the direction set by my parents.

After all, Mokate has been present in my life since I was very young…. It was a part of my life. I knew and felt that what my parents had built was not only a

business; it was about the values that are very important to me: responsibility, respect for people, attention to quality and family ties.

I continue what my parents started, combining tradition with modernity. I try to bring something new and unique to Mokate.

In 2023, I founded the Coffee and Tea Market Research Institute (based in Ustroń and London), where we conduct research based on scientific methods in the area of business behaviour in the food and beverage market, including the coffee and tea market. Apart from analysing the coffee and tea market, the Institute popularises knowledge about these fascinating beverages. It integrates the scientific, research and business communities, including universities and people starting their careers in business.

It is, in a way, a summary of my coffee and tea passions.

When a child enters the family business, they often have to answer the question if they will find value for themselves in this company, if they even like this company at all, what role they want to play in it? Did you find this value for yourself in Mokate?

It is true that the younger generation often wants to prove itself and show that they can stand on their own feet. At the same time, I know the importance of the foundations my parents laid for me. It was thanks to them that I had the opportunity to learn, grow and gain experience in a well-organised environment. I don’t see this as a limitation, but as a huge asset that I use all the time.

I think real success is the ability to combine respect for tradition with one’s own vision and the courage to change. That is what I try to do on a daily basis.

What is the most difficult thing about working in a family business?

Perhaps the most difficult thing is to combine TWO WORLDS: family and business.

What binds us daily together as close relatives can sometimes be a source of tension, especially when difficult business decisions have to be made.

My mother taught me the importance of such values as respect, honesty and responsibility – they are the foundation on which our company is based. Thanks to her, I know that there are no shortcuts in business, and that difficult conversations and decisions require not only rationality, but also empathy and mutual understanding.

You need to be able to put the company first, but also not forget about family and respect for each other. The key is to recognise that everyone can look at a given situation from a different perspective, and that it is worth respecting and taking into account these different points of view.

In our case, joint decision-making is also of great importance: we talk openly and listen to each other. I believe that it is because of the values I learned from my parents that Mokate is stronger today.

All reports and studies on the condition of Polish family businesses make it clear that, while Polish entrepreneurs would like to pass their companies on to their children, the children are not overly willing to take them over. Why do you think that is?

It’s a complex subject. On the one hand, parents very often put all their heart and life into building a company and, on the other hand, the younger generation lives in completely different realities, has different aspirations and expectations.

Young people often want to do their own thing in their own way and do not necessarily feel ready or interested in taking over the family business, which can be very demanding and emotionally taxing for them. This is understandable: everyone wants to find their own path and passion, and not necessarily follow the path set by their parents.

Entrepreneurs, on the other hand, are often unable or unwilling to give sufficient space for autonomy and the development of their own ideas to the younger generation, which can be discouraging.

At Mokate, we are fortunate, because we have found a way to reconcile these expectations and create a space to work together, where everyone can bring their values and vision.

What can be done to make children want to work in the family business and take it over? After all, you are not only a manager, a businesswoman, but also a mother. What can be done to make the next generation want to work at Mokate?

I think openness and respect for individuality is key. It’s important that children have the space to discover their passions and talents, also outside the company.

At Mokate, we strive to build a culture that is attractive and inspiring, showing that a family business is not just a duty, but also an opportunity to grow, realise one’s own ideas and create something of value together. I am very keen for the new generation to have the freedom and autonomy to choose their path, while being able to develop their ambitions in an atmosphere of mutual support.

As a mother, I know how important it is NOT ONLY TO TALK about the company’s values, but also to demonstrate them in everyday life.

I want my children to see that working in a family business also means satisfaction, responsibility and a real opportunity to exert influence on their surroundings.

In your opinion, will Mokate still be a family business in another 20-30 years?

I believe so, because the values and culture we are building are deeply rooted in the family. Mokate is not just a business, it is, first and foremost, our shared history and responsibility which we want to pass on to future generations.

Of course, the world is changing rapidly, and the company must constantly adapt to the new realities and challenges. That’s why it is important for the next generations to have not only an emotional bond with the company, but also an awareness of the need for innovation and continuous development.

If these two elements of tradition and modernity can be reconciled, Mokate will remain a family business that will continue to grow and be successful for many years to come.