Silvia de Vaan is the founder of SweepSmart, a Dutch-Indian start-up offering a better way to sort and dispose of trash. SweepSmart’s waste management model works to create smaller landfills but also jobs to be proud of. We discuss the challenges and opportunities of working in cross-cultural contexts as well as when to know it’s time to start your own company. (Hint – you will never feel ready!) Silvia has a background in systems engineering and management consulting in the Netherlands and East Africa.