Self-sabotage disguised as excellence: How to let your work exist
This is the first online Expert Exchange by Women's Coffee Network, with Dr. Daniela Avila Varela on how perfectionism holds professional women back.
Pitch-free hour
Every one of our guests comes from inside our community, so the woman sharing her work is someone you could have met in person over coffee with us. Our experts are not here to sell a course or private sessions. They will only share where to find their work and how to reach out in private if you wish.
Why this topic
"I'm a perfectionist."
We hear it again and again at our monthly tables. So I asked Daniela to bring the research behind it, to help us understand it better and notice when it doesn't serve our goals. She'll share studies on why we hold ourselves back, and what they mean for women at work and at home. In the second half of the session, we'll have an honest conversation in small groups about
the things we do in the name of perfect
what perfectionism has made us miss
Our guest expert
Dr. Daniela Avila Varela, PhD, also works on the multilingual mind. She’s one of our core members in Barcelona and has been coming to our tables there since the very beginning.
How the hour works
We want to give everyone the chance to share their thoughts in a safe space, while still welcoming those who'd rather keep their cameras off.
Cameras on. Small breakout rooms where you discuss the topic with other women.
Cameras off. Stay with our guest expert in the main room, where she reads your questions from the chat and answers them live.
For the best experience, we recommend turning on your camera. If you'd rather listen, that's fine too. Please note that the hour will just feel a little different. Your silence is respected, and your voice is gently invited, as always.
Who is it for
Any woman, of any age and field, wherever you live. You don't need to have been to one of our tables before. We're an international community, so the session is in English.
We are a network for women only, so we can talk about working life our own way, with the jokes only other women understand. No bravery is required to be heard.
Details
🕒 Thu 5 Nov, 19:00 (CET)
⏳ 1 hour (talk + small group conversation)
📍 Online (the link arrives by email a few days before)
About the support fee
The 7€ ticket helps us cover the platform, and it's also a small commitment that you'll show up. Daniela is giving this hour to the community, so we kindly ask everyone to respect that. If you can't make it, please update your RSVP so we know who to expect.
There will be no recording, so what's shared in the room stays in the room.
Your co-host
Dora Nadasdy started Women's Coffee Network in 2025. She hosts our monthly gatherings in Barcelona, where she lives, and flies to Budapest every month to run them there as well. In her first year she took 30 flights and personally met 121 incredible women at her tables in these two countries.
The online Expert Exchange is her way of helping you meet more of them without getting on a plane.
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