Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Noemí Jiménez
Cofounder + Partner, qb.
Austin, Texas, USA
What is your current role? Briefly describe in 1-2 sentences.
I’m one of two founders of qb., which is a full service women-owned ESG strategy and communications firm with an entirely remote workforce.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “Embrace Equity.” What does this mean to you? How can we build workplaces that are more equitable and inclusive?
Equity to me necessitates humility – embracing the fact that we are in a constant state of learning, and we will make mistakes. It means being open to listening and taking the time to understand what people need to participate, contribute and thrive in our world. In order to build more equitable workplaces, we have to be flexible, empathetic and open to change.
Do you have any mentors or role models who have helped you on your personal journey?
Yes – so many but one that immediately comes to mind is Karla Gallardo, co-founder of Cuyana. Karla is an advisor to qb., and she has helped provide perspective of what it looks like to build a thriving, responsible business and leading with authenticity in her personal brand, while also creating and nurturing a family.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
Ask yourself whether you’re going for a lifestyle business or building an empire, and then plan your growth accordingly.
The past few years have brought many new and unprecedented challenges. What keeps you motivated or inspires you to stay optimistic?
Heightened consumer awareness and continued appetite for ESG, particularly from financial institutions and impact investors. We’re at an inflection point putting profits over people is becoming less and less feasible.
Pledge 1% helps companies of all sizes and stages leverage their assets for social good. Why do you think it’s important that companies prioritize social impact? Do you have any specific stories or examples from your work or colleagues you can share?
Companies that do not prioritize social impact (especially among their own human capital), are at risk of a brain drain, degrading their social license to operate, and ultimately losing market share.
If you could describe yourself in one word what would that be and why?
Empathetic – I care very much about making sure everyone feels heard. I truly believe everyone has something to bring to the table and I work really hard to make sure our partners and our own team members feel they can express themselves, and bring their whole selves to me without judgement and to be acknowledged and receive support. Our own bees are our most important stakeholder, and I want to make sure they feel that every day.
Do you have any unique or useful life hacks to help get through your day?
First is to set a realistic number of goals for the day (~1-3) – the top priority items the night before and let go of the rest of the to do list. This helps with a sense of accomplishment and reduces anxiety. second is time blocking – planning the day with time held to accomplish your goals (including blocking time for lunch or responding to emails when you’re least productive – for some it’s the morning, and for others the evening). Do what works for you!
Do you have any go-to apps or tools use love to use?
I like my pen and paper best
What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
I just spoke at GreenBiz and that was a big goal of mine so excited to have done that and looking forward to more speaking roles this year!
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
While building my business, I also made 2 humans and it has been such a whirlwind – excited for the opportunity to be featured as the path has certainly not been linear. It’s nice to have a moment to reflect on all the accomplishments and center gratitude and pride!
Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Kathleen Egan
CEO & Co-Founder, Ecomedes
San Francisco, CA
What is your current role? Briefly describe in 1-2 sentences.
I’m the CEO which includes obsessing over driving value to our customers, growing an amazing team, and managing our HR/finances/funding. I am a passionate advocate for a sustainable future where impact-aware B2B purchase power helps save the planet.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “Embrace Equity.” What does this mean to you? How can we build workplaces that are more equitable and inclusive?
Equity means that everyone is heard. Different team members have different ways of communicating and different topics where they are more comfortable sharing. It is my job to be sure that every person on our team has a forum to be heard and feels that their input is important, and that they are important. Equity also means fairness when it comes to compensation, promotion, assignments, and any other decision.
We can build more equitable and inclusive workplaces by 1) realize that it takes a diverse team to win. 2) embrace differences as competitive advantage and abandon assumptions about the look/color/gender/age for a role. 3) listen as much as possible. 4) don’t be afraid to fail, keep improving.
Do you have any mentors or role models who have helped you on your personal journey?
Yvon Chouinard is one of my all time favorite founders and CEOs. His philosophy changed both apparel and the conservation. And he had a lot of fun doing it. One of my early bosses, Bruce was a critical influencer on me and continues to be a source of advice. I also have two investors who are very important mentors and coaches. I’m constantly on the hunt to add a new mentor or to be a mentor.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
Don’t let a win go to your head or let a loss get to your heart.
The past few years have brought many new and unprecedented challenges. What keeps you motivated or inspires you to stay optimistic?
Our work for a sustainable future and our team keep me motivated!
Pledge 1% helps companies of all sizes and stages leverage their assets for social good. Why do you think it’s important that companies prioritize social impact? Do you have any specific stories or examples from your work or colleagues you can share?
From my perspective, the days of mono-focus on profit are over. Every business needs to grow in a way that enriches people, planet, and profit for the long term. This is not universally accepted yet but regulations and stakeholders are moving it in the right direction.
If you could describe yourself in one word what would that be and why?
Direct – I like to cut to the chase.
Do you have any unique or useful life hacks to help get through your day?
FUN – I try to keep it fun and my adorable husband and 8-year-old son help a lot! If I can get a break in the day to get in the water and surf or get into the woods to ski, it is a good day! The shift from laptop and zoom to the natural world helps to reset my brain and increase productivity.
Do you have any go-to apps or tools use love to use?
Apple Podcasts – there is so much amazing info out there. I always listen to these when I’m working out or biking home from dropping off JJ at school.
What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
First – I’m very excited for our next stage of growth. We passed $2M in ARR which is a huge milestone for our team. I’m excited to add some capacity to the team (and me) becuase we have been very capitally efficient but now it’s time to grow!
Second – I’m excited for a big family trip to AK! This was a bucket list trip for my Mom and Dad. My Dad passed away so my mom is taking 14 of us on a 2 week trip to Denali and cruise to see ocean wild life.
Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Maia Monell
Co-Founder & CRO, Nav.it Inc.
Sun Valley, ID, USA
What is your current role? Briefly describe in 1-2 sentences.
Responsible for business development, strategic and growth operations and investor relations, among many other critical organizational functions.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “Embrace Equity.” What does this mean to you? How can we build workplaces that are more equitable and inclusive?
We must do better to ensure women are represented equally across the workforce.
First, entrepreneurship is one of the key levers to unlock intergenerational wealth for women. While they represent more than half the population, women account for less than a third of entrepreneurs. Despite receiving less than half of the investment capital of their male peers, female-founded companies deliver twice as much revenue per dollar invested. In this light, we must re-shape the power dynamic of venture. If you’re a fellow entrepreneur and have built a strong venture-backed business, you hold the keys to your captable. We must hold VC more accountable for their inequitable power dynamics and encourage founders to work together.
Second, firms with strong female representation on their boards are 28% more likely to outperform their peers, while firms with gender-diverse executive teams are 25% more likely to outperform. So, we also must hold small to large companies more accountable for their culture. Corporate transparency must be celebrated. When these companies release meaningful data on workforce composition alongside rates of recruitment, promotion, retention and diverse employees, it: illustrates a company understands and takes seriously the fact that discrimination is a systemic problem; demonstrates the depth of the company’s commitment to accountability; and provides data that allow investors and other stakeholders to assess and compare the effectiveness of firm-wide programs.
Third, we within the financial industry must build OUTCOMES BASED SOLUTIONS AND PRODUCTS. Our industry has not had to align our business incentives with that of our consumers and we’ve isolated huge (soon to be the majority) groups of consumers- failing to build trust, fragmenting the market and perpetuating a cycle of wealth inequality that’s stunted our society for too long. Outcomes-based products and services look like: action-oriented education, affordable and equitable lending and non-predatory credit, to name a few.
Lastly, all of us as investors must play our part. Shareholder advocacy must be practiced and participated in to help hold the companies we care most about keep to our standards of inclusionary impact.
More money into the hands of more women is one of the greatest opportunities we have to slow climate change, scale economic output and stabilize the social turmoil of our time.
Investing in companies -small to large- that clearly illustrate their impact on equality and broader access for all are the ONLY companies worth investing in. Not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because they consistently outperform their peers.
Do you have any mentors or role models who have helped you on your personal journey?
I’m grateful for a brilliant group of mentors and advisors who have helped guide me throughout my career. For role models, I think they can be found in any woman defying the odds to build a better, safer, more effective economy. Women who embody the best of our shared strength. Women like Billie Jean King, The Williams Sisters, Sara Blakely… the list is endless and growing everyday.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
Never run away something, run towards something the fuels you.
The past few years have brought many new and unprecedented challenges. What keeps you motivated or inspires you to stay optimistic?
We’ve built a business focused on improving the health and well-being of all. Our work connects us with people who have, despite many obstacles, improved their financial health with help from the products we are building at Nav.it. I turn to these stories anytime I’m discouraged or stressed as a clear reminder that our team is doing brilliant work to help improve the health and stability of so many. With stories like these, it’s easy to stay inspired, optimistic and on-course.
Pledge 1% helps companies of all sizes and stages leverage their assets for social good. Why do you think it’s important that companies prioritize social impact? Do you have any specific stories or examples from your work or colleagues you can share?
We can no longer afford to do well and not do good. Time’s up. That’s most directly seen in our lacking response to climate change but persistent societal inequities that are too often overlooked are also a direct link to our failing environment. COVID was a major setback for women’s rights and education and because of it, UNICEF estimates over 10 million more girls are at risk for becoming child brides in the next 10 years.
Impact investing is one of the clearest, most efficient ways to challenge systemic inequalities because like it or not, societal power is now held by the private sector. And data shows us impact-focused strategies are not concessionary.
My own social impact efforts are often geared towards the economic development of women. Why women? 90% of a woman’s income goes back to the community vs 40% of male income and globally, countries are losing $160 trillion in wealth because of differences in lifetime earnings between women and men.
The data is clear, women are better stewards of capital. So we must prioritize women across every chain of the workforce.
With regards to the impact economy, we must ensure women have equal access to education and resources that help keep them in the workforce, champion their economic independence.
If you could describe yourself in one word what would that be and why?
Relentless. I don’t believe in giving up on a good idea or when it’s simply the right thing to do.
Do you have any unique or useful life hacks to help get through your day?
Never start the day catching up on emails. Do something for yourself first. Workout, morning walk, meditation. I find exercising your body is the best way to clear your mind to make everyday a success.
Do you have any go-to apps or tools use love to use?
Besides Nav.it? I’m a quantified-self freak. I love Whoop, Mirror, and Aaptive for fitness. Duolingo to brush up on my Spanish and every reading app as I’m also an obsessive reader.
What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
Scaling Nav.it at Work! It’s be so exciting to see our new solution for the workforce be so well received and I’m really looking forward to expanding our partnerships with companies at the forefront of employee wellness and health.
Personally, I’m focused on caring for and sharing new adventures with my family and friends.
Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Disney “Diz” Petit
Founder & CEO, LiquiDonate
Oakland, CA, USA
What is your current role? Briefly describe in 1-2 sentences.
I am the founder and CEO of LiquiDonate where we work to build a world without waste.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “Embrace Equity.” What does this mean to you? How can we build workplaces that are more equitable and inclusive?
A lot of people say that they embrace equity, but what does that really mean? As a female in leadership for over a decade I could give you a different answer on what embracing equity looks like and does not look like for each day.
I worry that the more we have ‘themed’ days the less meaning the words have when only a small group spends time reflecting on them.
The women who were nominated to present in this series have some level of power and influence to increase equity within their organizations and potentially inspire others, but I find it also important to reflect upon who isn’t in this conversation. Are those the people who will read this and react? I am not sure but I am open-minded to see what others define as embracing equity this year.
If any reader prefers a less esoteric answer, I’m happy to provide one. I’m just so exhausted with buzzwords and quick content that doesn’t mean much if it isn’t getting into the hands of people who don’t already agree that we should be ’embracing’ or ‘enabling’ or whichever word of the day comes through.
We definitely follow the ideas and ideals of the UN SDG’s around equity and believe that our product helps work toward those goals.
Do you have any mentors or role models who have helped you on your personal journey?
The team at LiquiDonate is what keeps me going everyday since we started our journey toward a world without waste.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
Assume positive intent.
The past few years have brought many new and unprecedented challenges. What keeps you motivated or inspires you to stay optimistic?
As long as I am alive and capable I will try to do what is most helpful. In 2020 I broke my back from a fall downstairs carrying a blind foster dog at 7am. You never know what can change your life.
Pledge 1% helps companies of all sizes and stages leverage their assets for social good. Why do you think it’s important that companies prioritize social impact? Do you have any specific stories or examples from your work or colleagues you can share?
Yea! You can build cool and impactful stuff that makes a difference that only you and your company are well-suited for. For example, my current co-founder of LiquiDonate and I built FoodFight! while we were at Postmates. It enabled restaurants we worked with to just press a button and have a courier come pick up their excess food and take it to local shelters in 800 cities across the US.
If you could describe yourself in one word what would that be and why?
Attempting? I spent time thinking on this one and I feel that the word that best describes me right now is attempting. I am attempting to do the right things, make the right choices, listen, help where I can, learn, and more. All of it feels like an attempt and I think that is a fun, scary, and exciting part of my current journey.
This is a hard one. Feel free to submit your one word descriptions of me to diz@liquidonate.com
Do you have any unique or useful life hacks to help get through your day?
If you have the privilege of having a salaried role with less restrictions around your time, use your dang calendar. Schedule your day hour by hour, including blocking off whatever ‘you’ time you need to protect whether it’s a gym break, lunch, or what time you need to leave to not be late for a date night.
Do you have any go-to apps or tools use love to use?
My google calendar ❤️
What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
This year traveling resumes with some volunteering in Turkey, a conference and company retreat in Hawaii, a personal vacation to Japan, and then some much needed time at home around the holidays. I am so lucky and excited to be where I am today and am always happy to connect with others who have questions about the space, especially while navigating it as a woman in the tech industry.
Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Lis Best
Executive Coach and Founder, Girls Club Collective
Oakland, CA, USA
What is your current role? Briefly describe in 1-2 sentences.
I am an executive coach for women in sustainability and social impact, founder of the Girls Club Collective, the intentionally intimate community for change agents, and host of the Women Changing the World podcast.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “Embrace Equity.” What does this mean to you? How can we build workplaces that are more equitable and inclusive?
I love this year’s theme because it’s about giving people what they need to achieve equitable outcomes – not simply giving everyone the same access to opportunity. It recognizes that we are not born onto an equal playing field, and that if we want a different future than our present reality, we need to allocate resources differently to get there.
To build workplaces that are more equitable and inclusive, we need to create mechanisms that actually help women and minorities advance to positions of power – and stay there. That means going well beyond creating one seat at the table. It can also mean, in many cases, giving employees access to spaces with totally new tables and resources to help them lead and thrive.
Do you have any mentors or role models who have helped you on your personal journey?
Yes! I have too many mentors and role models to count. One person who has been especially influential on my journey is Molly Gavin – I reported to her for six years when I was just getting started in my sustainability career, and I learned so much from her! Truly, she taught me so many things, from how to write a great email to how to effectively run a meeting and enable cross-functional collaboration. Not only that, but she really inspired me to imagine and embody a different kind of leadership than I had been exposed to before – leadership defined by authentic relationships, strategic thinking, and fun.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received is that you get more information through action than through endless strategizing, so be willing to take messy, imperfect action and learn from it vs. trying to have the perfect game plan with all the details figured out before you begin.
The past few years have brought many new and unprecedented challenges. What keeps you motivated or inspires you to stay optimistic?
The women I have the privilege of working with keep me motivated and inspire me to stay optimistic! There are so many brilliant, talented change agents working so hard (and smart!) on so many of the different challenges facing the planet and humanity. I feel like there’s nothing they (we!) can’t do, and whenever I’m feeling down about whether we’re making progress fast enough, I take a look around and am reminded that a) it’s going to take all of us, and b) it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Pledge 1% helps companies of all sizes and stages leverage their assets for social good. Why do you think it’s important that companies prioritize social impact? Do you have any specific stories or examples from your work or colleagues you can share?
It’s important for companies to prioritize social impact because business can be such a force for good. After spending many years working on impact with massive companies and organizations, it has been interesting to explore the different ways to apply an impact lens to my own small business.
Pledge 1% offers such a useful framework for thinking about how to bake impact in from the very beginning in a way that makes sense. For me, that has looked like giving 1% of my time through pro bono coaching with the Women’s Impact Alliance and donating 1% of revenue to support women’s access to reproductive healthcare.
There are a lot of ways that we can create the future we want to see through our businesses, like being thoughtful about who we hire, how we pay people, and what we buy. Pledge 1% offers an additional opportunity to commit core business resources – in our case, time and money – to creating a more just and sustainable world.
If you could describe yourself in one word what would that be and why?
My favorite word to describe myself is moxie. It’s a great word, and it captures a lot of the energy and magic behind my coaching, consulting, speaking, and approach to life.
Do you have any go-to apps or tools use love to use?
Too many to count! Some of the most helpful tech tools in my day-to-day are Calendly, Honeybook, Reclaim.ai, Voxer, and Circle. I also love the Chani astrology app for insights and meditation.
What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
This year, I am most excited about the official launch and expansion of the Girls Club Collective, the intentionally intimate personal and professional development community for women changing the world. This is something I’ve been thinking about and building for more than a year, and it’s so exciting to officially open to the doors to such an amazing group of women! I’m really looking forward to seeing how it evolves over time and to being able to spend more of my time focusing on connection and community.
Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Becky Ferguson
SVP of Philanthropy & COO of Salesforce Foundation, Salesforce
Seattle
What is your current role? Briefly describe in 1-2 sentences.
As SVP of Philanthropy, I direct grant operations for all Salesforce giving, which exceeds half a billion dollars to date. I’m also COO of the Salesforce Foundation where I help set our grantmaking strategy, build alignment and partnerships, and drive our mission to equip all young people with the skills and opportunities to reach their full potential.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “Embrace Equity.” What does this mean to you? How can we build workplaces that are more equitable and inclusive?
To me, equity isn’t a one off activity, it’s a lens we should apply to everything we do. This includes building values-aligned practices, policies, and systems that reinforce and center equity in your work.
If we want to build more equitable and inclusive workplaces, we need to create more equitable and diverse talent pipelines. We know that talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not—and we need to close that gap.
One of the best ways to do this is by investing in untapped talent, or young people from underserved and underrepresented communities who may be unaware of or lack access to the career possibilities that exist for them.
As companies, we can open the doors of opportunity by providing diverse career pathways for untapped talent. This can mean building out internship and apprenticeship programs. It can mean dropping the college degree requirement for new hires and focusing on skills instead.
The past few years have brought many new and unprecedented challenges. What keeps you motivated or inspires you to stay optimistic?
What keeps me optimistic is all the innovation from new leaders and organizations. Last year we launched the Salesforce Catalyst Fund, an initiative that provides unrestricted startup capital for younger or smaller nonprofits led by people of color and other underrepresented groups. These are up-and-coming organizations that may have been traditionally overlooked by philanthropy.
We’ve seen incredible impact come from these nonprofits, like The Hidden Genius Project, which has created a nationwide movement to train and mentor Black male youth in technology creation, entrepreneurship, and leadership skills to transform their lives and communities.
Pledge 1% helps companies of all sizes and stages leverage their assets for social good. Why do you think it’s important that companies prioritize social impact? Do you have any specific stories or examples from your work or colleagues you can share?
We know that for our business to thrive, our communities need to thrive. That’s why social impact is so important.
23 years ago we pioneered the 1-1-1 model, and it is still one of the most innovative in the industry – that’s because it empowers any company at any stage to give back. We are proud to be part of the global Pledge 1% movement of 18K companies around the world that are activating the full power of their business for social good — from their philanthropic funding, to their employee talent and time, to their products.
One of my favorite examples of the impact we can have when we partner together is our work with Stephen and Ayesha Curry’s Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation. We provided $1M in funding to them to launch a pilot program to provide a scalable, sustainable solution to help schools, families, and farms combat food insecurity and food waste due to the pandemic. In addition to the philanthropic investment, a range of partners such as Oakland Unified School District, World Central Kitchen, Numi Foundation, Full Harvest, along with volunteers — came together to deliver 1.7 million pounds of food to nearly 126,000 families facing hunger.
Do you have any unique or useful life hacks to help get through your day?
One practice I picked up from my dad is the power of a daily jog. It doesn’t have to be long or fast, but just getting outside on a regular basis to move in the fresh air really helps me hit the reset button. My dad is in his early 80s and still gets out almost every day for his jog. I hope I can say the same! He also set a now long-running tradition of getting me a new pair of running shoes annually. Each year on my birthday, a pair of colorful sneakers arrives from my dad serving as a little reminder to keep it up.
Do you have any go-to apps or tools use love to use?
I love a classic hard cover Moleskin journal. There is something very special about unwrapping a new one and the invitation to put pen to paper and fill it with new ideas, thoughts, and learning.
What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
I am excited to look at how the practice of listening shows up in my work. This includes building connections and ties with other leaders in the social impact space, and creating trusting relationships with our partners. We are embarking on a new body of work to reimagine how we engage our grantees as thought partners so that together we can identify areas for improvement, new partnerships, and transformative philanthropic needs and opportunities. I am excited to share more about what we learn from this effort in the year ahead.
Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Jacqui Meskell
Founder and CEO , Huggnote
Limerick, Ireland
What is your current role? Briefly describe in 1-2 sentences.
Two time ‘Digital Trailblazer of the Year’ and ‘Female Entrepreneur of the Year’ finalist, Jacqui Meskell is founder and CEO of Huggnote – a messaging app for expressing emotion through music. Huggnote has users in 205 countries.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “Embrace Equity.” What does this mean to you? How can we build workplaces that are more equitable and inclusive?
To me ’embracing equity’ signals a moving beyond a time when achieving gender parity was something that needed to be ‘worked into’ a pre-existing model for work – as an afterthought or ‘tick box’ exercise – to a time when it is inherently woven into the fabric of any company’s DNA. Of course this takes time but the best way to ensure workplaces are more equitable and inclusive is to shout very loud about the benefits of doing so. The key driver for business decisions is success – and bottom line is that diversity pays. All the research is clear that it leads to higher cash flows, higher revenue, lower staff turnover… the list goes on.
Do you have any mentors or role models who have helped you on your personal journey?
I grew up in a female-centric household with 3 sisters and a working Mum, all of whom inspire me daily – and a Granny who was as strong as she was kind, the traits of a great leader. My Dad was what we’d now call an incredible ‘ally’ – always my biggest cheerleader. I have a strong female founder network and that peer support is a game-changer. As regards role models, I’m hugely inspired by those who were underestimated initially but succeeded – and without compromising their sense of self. I’ve always rejected the message that women should conform to a ‘masculine’ standard to do well and these women prove that their fierce feminity is in fact a business superpower – Sarah Blakely, Rihanna, Jessica Alba, Bozoma Saint John, Miranda Kerr, the entire Kardashian clan, Melaine Perkins – there are so many. Also founders like Arbia Smiti in France, who after having built and sold her first start-up opted to create a second with a strong social purpose with Fintech-for-good start-up Rosaly. When women win – everyone gains.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
‘Win gold and wear it!’ My Granny – an amazing woman used to say her parents used to say this to her. And its actually later in life that I understand the wisdom she was trying to impart. It’s actually so important – especially for women, who are often conditioned to play small and prize modesty at all costs. But we are not helping ourselves or society at large by dimming our light. My Granny’s words remind me to stay true to myself, work hard and own my success. We all need to do better at this. We all have talents. We all need to feel better about using them. That’s how we inspire others to the same.
The past few years have brought many new and unprecedented challenges. What keeps you motivated or inspires you to stay optimistic?
Little things that help to shut out the noise because honestly that’s how we have to view these challenges. We have to focus on what we can control. Life is what you make it (another saying of my Granny) so I make a conscious effort to enjoy simple moments, meditate, spend time in nature, be present. Anything that gives me perspective. Hanging with my niece and nephew, who are such rays of sunshine in my life – reminds me how important it is that we adults keep it together – so we are able to do what’s needed to pass a better world on to them.
Pledge 1% helps companies of all sizes and stages leverage their assets for social good. Why do you think it’s important that companies prioritize social impact? Do you have any specific stories or examples from your work or colleagues you can share?
This is such an interesting question because the research shows that women owned businesses tend to have more of a ‘social good’ foundation. We tend to solve meaningful problems. I’ve yet to come across a female founder who’s trying to find yet another way to deliver pizza – not that there’s anything wrong with that – but I do think its yet another stellar reason to empower women to step into the ring. With Huggnote, a friend of mine had a miscarriage and I wanted to be there for her but couldn’t – and then a song on the radio brought back so many happy memories of us, I realised that if there was a way to digitally gift-wrap it and send it to her – it would say everything words couldn’t. And so my sister and I created a way to do that. It wasn’t about ‘how can we get rich’ or make the next cool thing. We wanted to make a difference in people’s lives. Nothing makes us happier than hearing from users how Huggnote meant so much to them it made them cry! Knowing that we’re helping people in 205 countries say those words that mean the most like ‘I love you’ or ‘I’m sorry’ is the best feeling in the world. We’re so proud to have won awards for our ‘Social and Sustainable Impact’ – every Hugg sent instead of a greeting card for example, saves 140g CO2e, so Huggnote has the potential to make a real difference to the planet too. This matters so much to us. And we’re only getting started.
If you could describe yourself in one word what would that be and why?
Multifaceted’. I have an MPhil in International Peace Studies, am a yogi and a have a strong social conscience. But I’m also smart, strategic, ambitious and not afraid to speak up or get things done. This duality is I believe a superpower and why women make such great leaders.
Do you have any unique or useful life hacks to help get through your day?
Music – I use music a lot throughout my day as it’s the best way to alter your mood. I also love to work with music – if you hear ‘deep house’ music from my office you’ll know I’m probably working on excel spreadsheets; jazz means I’m being creative I’m also adamant that we have to look after ourselves first before we can be there for anyone else – especially taking care of our mental and physical health. I’m a qualified yoga teacher and can’t overestimate the difference yoga has made in my life. On busy days I’ll just do it from bed so it’s done before my day even starts. On really busy days I’ll do Zach Bush’s ‘4 Minute Workout’ (if it’s good enough for Elle McPherson!).
Do you have any go-to apps or tools use love to use?
Honestly, Huggnote – I use it almost every day because its fast but makes such an emotional impact. I send my niece and nephew morning Huggs they can play when they wake up to start their day with some positivity – or to just cheer up a friend, or say Happy Birthday. Also Shazam – it’s always on my phone so I can identify a piece of music in seconds. Work-wise definitely Canva, Trello, Zoom and of course my trusted Google calendar!
What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
I feel like I’ve been in a protracted period of sewing seeds and now I see everything come to fruition, which is really exciting. As the founder of an early-stage company my personal and professional life are very interlinked and so one goal is to do better with having some boundaries around that. Professionally – we have big plans for the company this year, which I can’t say much about but we’re so ready for the challenge.
Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Tracy Young
CEO and Co-Founder, TigerEye
Remote, USA
What is your current role? Briefly describe in 1-2 sentences.
I am the co-founder and CEO of TigerEye.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “Embrace Equity.” What does this mean to you? How can we build workplaces that are more equitable and inclusive?
Equity means acknowledging that we don’t all start from the same place. In practice, equity is important because it creates a level playing field for all employees to succeed based on their skills and abilities, regardless of their gender, race or background. This not only promotes diversity and inclusivity in the workplace but also leads to better decision-making, increased innovation, and ultimately, improved business performance. We must avoid the typical “it’s a pipeline problem” response and be more invested and strategic on recruiting diverse candidates.
Do you have any mentors or role models who have helped you on your personal journey?
Carol Bartz, George Hu, Bob Tinker, Holly Liu, Maria Alegre
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
My co-founder of PlanGrid, Antoine Hersen, gave me his copy of “On the Shortness of Life” by Seneca before he passed away. The book contained his final letter to me, “Life is short. Take care of Ralphie. Don’t be afraid to try new things. Never do anything that makes you unhappy.”
The past few years have brought many new and unprecedented challenges. What keeps you motivated or inspires you to stay optimistic?
Building a better company with TigerEye. We want to show the world that a productive company can also be a caring one.
Pledge 1% helps companies of all sizes and stages leverage their assets for social good. Why do you think it’s important that companies prioritize social impact? Do you have any specific stories or examples from your work or colleagues you can share?
Everyone needs help today and it’s our responsibility as business leaders to step up. Pledge 1% is a massive impact opportunity to help our community.
If you could describe yourself in one word what would that be and why?
Mom – it’s my #1 job.
Do you have any unique or useful life hacks to help get through your day?
I drink tea and listen to jazz.
Do you have any go-to apps or tools use love to use?
TigerEye, Signal, Spotify
What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
Launching TigerEye to the world.
Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Clara Perez
Founder & CEO, Radical One
Santiago, Dominican Republic
What is your current role? Briefly describe in 1-2 sentences.
As the CEO of a start-up, I play several roles, including understanding client needs, assisting my team’s professional growth, and occasionally rolling up my sleeves and joining the action to provide great value to each of our clients.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “Embrace Equity.” What does this mean to you? How can we build workplaces that are more equitable and inclusive?
It means that you use your knowledge, skills, and network to teach and change society so that it is a more fair and just place for all. Regardless of gender, race, religion, origin, or background, everyone is welcome.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
In today’s world, you can’t keep everyone happy. Sometimes you will have to choose who you will disappoint; When you make the decision, ensure it’s not you.
The past few years have brought many new and unprecedented challenges. What keeps you motivated or inspires you to stay optimistic?
Teaching others that they, too, can grow and develop, even in the face of adversity, is what keeps me motivated.
Pledge 1% helps companies of all sizes and stages leverage their assets for social good. Why do you think it’s important that companies prioritize social impact? Do you have any specific stories or examples from your work or colleagues you can share?
At Radical One, we do well by doing good. Sharing, whether it is money, time, or knowledge, is how we provide others with the same opportunity we were given.
A few years ago, I mentored a young professional twice a week over a period of six months. He was eager and excited to learn the skills and trades he would need to get a job. The work we did bore fruit, and he was able to pass his first certification exam. We had no idea at the time that this milestone would be a game changer. He is now in charge of a group of developers and is helping others get into the field.
If you could describe yourself in one word what would that be and why?
Curious.
What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
I’m excited to help build a community at work and in life that values diversity, inclusion, and equality.