Dina Mostovaya, founder of Mindset Consulting. (Credit: Courtesy of Mindset Consulting)
Tech Start-Ups Turn to Her for Storytelling Strategies
Dina Mostovaya’s PR agency, Mindset Consulting, works with innovative young companies and VC funds across the globe.
Dina Mostovaya worked as an independent PR consultant for over a decade, playing pivotal roles in their early-stage marketing strategies. In 2020, Mostovaya found she couldn’t keep up with her full roster of clients on her own, and decided it was time to build a team – it was the beginning for her firm, Mindset Consulting. Since launching, the Barcelona-based founder has been able to further expand her impressive roster of international clients, many of them working in tech and VC funding spaces, helping them with media relations, crisis management and more. All the while, the accolades roll in: Her firm was recently named the PR Agency of the Year by the 2024 Global Agency Awards.
Here’s our lightly edited Q&A, from The Story Exchange 1,000+ Stories Project.
Tell us about your biggest success so far.
Since the moment of our founding almost 5 years ago, we have completed several fascinating projects with truly extraordinary entrepreneurs we are really proud of.
The first one that comes to mind is our current client, Boston-based venture capital fund Flint Capital. The fund invests in early-stage companies from the United States, Israel and Europe, and recently, it raised $160 million — four times the amount of their initial fund! Their success was covered by many top media outlets and a variety of leading newsletters. Another success story is Dubai-based tech startup XPANCEO. The company is pioneering the development of smart contact lenses that could reinvent computing as we know it. We’ve been working with them for less than a year, but already they have won the Best in Business Award for Healthcare by Inc. Arabia, and gained over 200 media high-quality mentions.
Our portfolio also includes successful projects with Sateliot, a Spain-based space tech startup and SpaceX partner; We Do Solar, a Berlin-based green tech company focused on vertical solar solutions; and Voyagu, a San Francisco-based travel management platform.
What is your top challenge and how have you addressed it?
Moving to Europe and relocating the company along with me was the biggest leadership challenge in my almost 20-year-long career. When I moved to Barcelona in 2022, both my team and clients faced a wide range of economic and social concerns. During that time, we got through by hiring more talent, developing new recruitment and onboarding programs, and implementing employee coaching practices. We also added new services and developed fresh approaches, taking into account the cultural specifics of our clients.
Last year was also difficult, as we were grappling with the changing legal environment in Europe. With new business laws, increased taxes, and other rising costs to consider, we were forced to rethink the agency’s business model.
Have you experienced any significant personal situations that affected your business decisions?
Besides my relocation, maintaining health has been a challenge. The pandemic made it clear to me that mental health is more important than career, work and ambition. But I’m a crazy workaholic! During the quarantine, I could sit at my laptop continuously for 12 hours without taking a lunch break. Eventually, I felt a loss of strength, and I couldn’t maintain concentration. Later, my therapist asked if I took breaks from work. Tears rolled down my cheeks in response, and in that moment, I understood just how important it is to block off rest time in my schedule – no matter how busy I am.
What is your biggest tip for other startup entrepreneurs?
After more than 15 years of interacting with entrepreneurs from different regions and industries on a daily basis, I have developed a simple formula for success that helps companies thrive. The first is persistence; the second is action. It means the more ideas and hypotheses you test, the closer you are to success.
How do you find inspiration on your darkest days?
Exercise. When I run, I feel like I’m getting closer to my goal. Exercise shows you your limits — how strong your willpower and discipline are, and how strict you can be towards yourself. Also nature – for me, being outside is the best way to relax and feel one with the world. And last but not least, I can’t imagine my life today without art. This is my biggest passion! I even started my second business, Sensity Studio, to help brands engage through the power of women’s art.
What is your go-to song to get motivated on tough days?
“What A Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong.
Who is your most important role model?
Since I was a child, my mum has been my biggest role model. She worked hard and did everything she could to achieve her goals. She supported and inspired me while teaching me discipline, perseverance, purposefulness and dedication.
I’ve also learned a lot from my beloved mentor, Claudine Moore, founder of C.Moore Media (acquired by Allison+Partners), who made essential contributions to my development. She taught me to take a strategic view on business goals, build my personal brand in the U.S. and go in the direction of business consulting.
I lastly want to mention Marvin Bower, who grew McKinsey from a small firm to a leader in the consulting industry. He is a legend for me, and I share his values, principles and morality.
X: @DinaMostovaya
LinkedIn: @DinaMostovaya
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