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.

What is your name and title?

Stephanie Benedetto, CEO & Founder at Queen of Raw.

Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.

Queen of Raw is a global marketplace equipped with AI-powered supply chain tools to eliminate and monetize textile waste and tracking. It also analyzes data to keep unused raw materials out of landfills and turn pollution into profit.

How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.

In 1896, my great-grandfather came over on a ship from Austria and landed at Ellis Island. After settling into the Lower East Side, he had to make a living for his family as an immigrant chasing the American Dream. So he started working with his hands. He would find materials and supplies nearby consisting of old fabrics and materials other immigrants had brought with them on the ships but weren’t using anymore. He’d create beautiful fashion garments with minimal waste and minimal toxins because his bottom dollar depended on it. He sold finished goods to local customers, and it was a very successful, profitable, and sustainable business. I still wear many of his fur coats today.

Of course, today’s supply chains are much more complicated. Hundreds of steps involving millions of people across the globe and metric; tons of water, chemicals, crops, and oil are used in the process. But given where we are today, with trade wars and pandemic disruption, how can we use technology to get back to what my great-grandfather did? He didn’t talk about it in terms of sustainability, but it absolutely made sense for people, for the planet, and for profit!

In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?

Women need to become key decision makers in their organizations in order to bring about change. We know many women leave work for a variety of reasons, including having children. I launched my business at the same time as I had my first child. This has only made my personal and professional life stronger. I am working to make a difference in the world not just for myself anymore but for my children and future grandchildren. Because of this mission, I am even more focused and passionate, and so, I find the strength to meet any challenge.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?

According to research, women’s choices impact up to 85% of purchasing decisions. By some analyses, they account for $4.3 trillion of total U.S. consumer spending of $5.9 trillion, making women the largest single economic force not just in the U.S., but in the world! That is power. Having women not just on staff, but in positions of leadership in the tech industry is a huge advantage to businesses.

What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?

Being active in organizations that promote female entrepreneurs and women in tech is important. But it takes money to make money. We need more women to receive venture capital funding. According to PitchBook, investments in women-led companies this year are on pace to be the worst since 2017. This has to change.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?

Don’t be afraid! Take risks, put your ideas out there, and test your solution in the market — these are important steps to being able to improve your offering and iterate your product effectively. Another thing no one tells you: Don’t be afraid to move into a crowded market space with many competitors. You can learn from the mistakes of those who came before you, do it better than them, command their market share, and be the last player in the market who really dominates!

What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?

Diversity means more than just gender. Other facets include race, ability, age, and orientation. To have diversity evolve in tech in a meaningful way, we can’t have organizations just publish statistics and hire people to check a box. Companies need to engage in meaningful conversations around these issues to see how they can have a lasting impact on their businesses. How can we provide mentorship and nurture our talent as they rise up in the ranks? How can we educate those who may not be aware of diversity issues and include them in the conversation? These are just some of the questions we should be asking.

Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?

We are a founding member of the New York Circular City Initiative. It includes representatives from the mayor’s office, city agencies, multinational corporations, foundations, startups, and academic institutions to reimagine New York. How can we create a city where no waste is sent to landfill, environmental pollution is minimized, and thousands of good jobs are created through the intelligent use of products and raw materials? Our white paper answers this very question while supporting COVID-19 recovery efforts.

What does your Pledge 1% impact program mean to you?

We have helped 250,000+ users save millions of dollars—and more than a billion gallons of water. That’s enough clean water for 1.43 million people to drink for 3 years. Never doubt that the actions that you take can have a massive impact and change the world!

What’s been the one (or two!) things that have helped you navigate this past year? Any tips or tricks to dealing with remote work?

It’s interesting to look back at 2008 and talk about what we’re going through right now. I was on Wall Street as a corporate attorney and in 2008, of course, the market crashed. It got very dark – talk about seeing the height of waste, greed, and excess. I took it as my opportunity to re-evaluate what I was doing and how I could best serve society and the future. Now, again, we’re in this period of downturn and uncertainty and in some ways, darkness. How can we find the light, build opportunities, new business models, and new visions of the future?

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.

What is your name and title?

Shani Hurwitz, Senior Case Manager at Discovery Life.

Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.

I am a Senior Case Manager at Discovery Life. I assist clients who are going through disabilities to try and help them achieve their optimal life goals, despite the trauma that they are going through.

How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.

I am a qualified physiotherapist and love working with people. Working as a physio, people tend to “offload” their emotions during their treatment. It was then that I began to realize, not only the inherent link between pain and emotion, but the power of attitude in creating or destroying the ultimate story of your life, and I knew that I had to try and use this information on a greater scale.

In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?

Even when you are hating what you do at that moment, do the absolute best you can and treat every single human that you come into contact with, with the utmost respect.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?

Gratitude. In your darkest hour, there will always be something to be grateful for. And once you find it, you will find the light.

What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?

I am pleased to say, that women are treated with absolute respect and authority. This is due to the company’s culture of diversity and strong leadership. We constantly raise each other up and encourage greatness in every woman and man in the organization.

Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?

I have multiple mentors throughout the organization and in life. From each mentor, I try and find that part of myself that radiates and reflects the energy given off by that person. Sometimes, that energy may be practical, like learning to study while having a baby, and sometimes it’s a paradigm shift, like putting yourself out there without any fear of failure.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?

If you follow your passion and only seek to do good, you will find success. Also, set smart goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely—and then keep resetting them.

What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?

Companies help advance women through education and conversation. Intellectual leadership is born through opening up the space for women to speak and allowing their voices to be heard. Helping to educate women will always open up opportunities.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?

I would like to set up a platform within the company to try and reduce mental disabilities. There are so many people at the moment struggling with mental health issues, many in secret and alone. I believe that the pandemic has exacerbated an already very frightening situation. By opening the conversation around mental health, and brainstorming ways to help the community as a whole, we can try and help some of those that are struggling in silence.

Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?

I am passionate about mental health and wellness. Your mental state will affect the outcome of any illness or injury that you face and it will allow you to either achieve your goals or it can destroy you from the inside out. I assist those suffering from mental illness, whether it’s their primary disability or a result of another life changing trauma, through counselling and rehabilitation programs at the company.

What does Pledge 1% mean to you?

Pledge 1% shows that when we each do something small collectively, we really can change the world.

What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?

I love to travel. Learning about other cultures and witnessing every raw, untouched, and magnificent part of this planet enlightens my soul.

Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!

I love listening to TED Talks. It’s an easy way to find daily inspiration, even when my days seem crazy, I can listen to other peoples’ stories or deep insights into random topics while driving or exercising. It might sound cheesy, but learning from everyone’s passion tends to help me find my own.

What’s been the one (or two!) things that have helped you navigate this past year? Any tips or tricks to dealing with remote work?

Aside from creating a healthy routine, where work does not flow over into “after-work time”, find a way to get out of your comfort zone and do things that you can be proud of. I was never able to cook, but the extra time has allowed me to whip up some gourmet meals for hubby!

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.

What is your name and title?

Jessica Lauretti, Founder at Laurels.

Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.

I run a marketing consulting practice that partners with executives and startups to build and launch new ventures.

How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.

I used to be a singer in a band and started my professional career at VICE in the early 2010s. From there, I became the Head of Content at Purpose, a social impact agency, and went on to become the Global Head of the award-winning RYOT Studio with Verizon Media. I started my own business to be able to work on projects I care about with people I love.

In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?

I’d say my ability to pivot and evolve has been my greatest professional asset. I’ve always been open to new opportunities with steep learning curves and dynamic environments, as well as a willingness to change industries and companies regularly which has enabled me to learn and grow in any role very quickly.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?

Hold on tight to everything you hold dear, and leave the rest behind.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?

I always tell women who are just starting their careers to stop. I think it’s more valuable to spend that time pursuing things you are passionate about, learning what you like and are good at, and collaborating with peers on projects that are meaningful to you than to work at any entry-level job.

What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?

I think it’s important for companies to share the eligibility, methodology, process, and criteria for internal promotion and raises. With a transparent roadmap, you can then create a set of actionable items to direct your work effort towards while simultaneously creating a set of data and accountability for tracking when, how, and why women are or are not promoted into leadership positions.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?

I’d like to finish the book I’ve been writing with existential career advice. The working title is Everything I Thought I Knew.

Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?

I’ve been involved in politics and activism since my youth, so the causes I am passionate about have changed over the years. Recently, I’ve been really focused on entrepreneurship and access to capital as social equity issues. As someone who grew up without generational wealth and an elite pedigree, creating my own opportunities was one of my only options for employment. I was able to turn a startup I ran in my 20s into a successful professional career, and I see it as one of the best ways to bridge the equity gap. I then began to build wealth from scratch. Currently, I mentor at TechStars, Combine, and other accelerator programs; and I have been working with startups and founders at both WeWork and SoftBank.

When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?

I joined soon after launching, back in the spring of 2019. I pledge 1% of my time and participated in several mentoring programs and speaking engagements for young people. There was a time in my life when someone gave me a shot and opened doors for me that I couldn’t get into on my own, and I have always felt like it’s really important for me to do the same for others.

What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?

I love politics, I love to cook, and I’m obsessed with my dog. I also spend as much time as possible at the beach.

What’s been the one (or two!) things that have helped you navigate this past year? Any tips or tricks to dealing with remote work?

Write this on a post-it note, “Life is all memory except for the one present moment.”

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.

What is your name and title?

Melanie Fellay, CEO at Spekit Inc.

Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.

As the CEO & Co-founder of Spekit, I’m responsible for driving the company vision, ensuring we hire the right team, cultivating our culture and values, and leading the company through each unique phase of evolution and growth.

How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.

I’ve always worked in fast-paced, high-growth business environments where change is constant. In a previous role, I managed the implementation of Salesforce and felt the pain and struggle of technology adoption and training first-hand. Despite having spent thousands of dollars on implementing this solution, employees were reluctant to use the tool in the right way. Our training and documentation were scattered across PDFs, PowerPoints and Google Docs, making it difficult for our team to get the answers they needed, when they needed them.

I asked myself, “what if there was a way to consolidate all of the information our team needed to be successful within their roles and make it instantly accessible, right where they’re working?” Thus, the idea of Spekit was born.

I cornered Zari Zahra (former co-worker and now, my co-founder and Spekit’s Head of Product & Technology) in an elevator to pitch her the idea, and shortly after we set out to build Spekit!

In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?

It was really the decision to join a startup instead of pursuing a career at a more traditional company that helped to advance my career. Startups are inherently challenging. You need to learn multiple aspects of the business at a rapid pace and learn how to build a company from the ground up. This opportunity, combined with my natural curiosity, really helped to accelerate my growth in a short amount of time. I was never afraid to raise my hand, address problems outside of my scope of work, and speak up when I felt it was necessary. This allowed me to learn every aspect of growing a business and strengthened my confidence which helped to propel my career to the next level.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?

This year the biggest lesson was the true definition of agility. As a first-time founder, I never imagined being faced with the challenges that shook the world in 2020 and continue to shift our landscape. Before 2020, agility for us was quickly seizing new opportunities or turning around new product features in record time. During 2020, it wasn’t about taking on the new opportunities thrown at us, but instead identifying new ones that would help our customers adapt to these challenging times.

What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?

I think the greatest challenge women face is finding mentors that have been down the same road as them. As an entrepreneur in the tech space, there are thousands of men who have started companies, but very few women. In doing our research on companies in the LMS, Adoption, and Enablement space, only 3 companies out of 178 have female co-founders. That’s less than 2%! It can feel isolating at times and in many ways, you have to pave your own path.

Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?

I’ve been lucky enough to find incredible mentors along the way, but it wasn’t easy. It’s taken years and a significant amount of “putting myself out there” to identify the right mentors who would help to support and guide my growth. I believe that mentorship is a crucial component of success and have made myself available as a mentor to other female founders to help pay it forward along the way.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?

Confidence is everything. When just starting your career, I’d recommend taking a deep, long look at who you truly are as an individual. What makes you unique? What do you stand for? Write it out and bring that genuine version of yourself to the world.

Initially, I was self-conscious about aspects like my age and gender. Now, I focus on how I can bring my most authentic self to every interaction I have. At the end of the day, people connect with people. It’s not about your company or your product, it’s about you. Figure that out and you’ll have the world ahead of you!

What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?

At Spekit, we learned early on that you don’t have to be a giant company to make a giant impact. For example, in 2019 we learned that less than 1% of the businesses on Salesforce’s AppExchange were led by women.

At the time, we were a small seed stage company and even so, we were determined to do something to change that. Being a female-founded company on the AppExchange, we personally knew the benefits of having a booth at Salesforce’s Dreamforce conference. It’s an opportunity for exposure of your brand and product to a huge audience and for us, really propelled our growth at an early stage.

However, it’s expensive and as we all know, most female-founded companies do not receive the venture backing required to participate in an event like this.

So, we partnered with a few other smaller, female-founded companies in the AppExchange ecosystem and launched our own Diversity at Dreamforce scholarship. As a result, we were able to send an incredible company to Dreamforce that wouldn’t have had the opportunity otherwise. They were able to meet potential customers, drive the pipeline and get incredible brand exposure.

The point being, there are opportunities all around you to support women if you look. Seek them out and you’ll be surprised how even the smallest efforts can have an incredible impact.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?

In 2021 my one goal is growth. First, the growth of product and customer base. It’s really exciting to have such an engaged and enthusiastic customer base. We’ve got an exciting set of upcoming product releases that will only further build that enthusiasm and connection with our customers. And, then the growth of our team. We have an incredible team already that I’m really excited to work with (and more new hires on the way). It will be incredible to see where we are at the end of 2021 and how our team has expanded.

Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?

Public education is particularly important to me. I think education is at the core of elevating society and creating opportunities. However, there’s a lot that’s broken with the public education system today. One day I hope to take my passion for learning and operations to help drive change in public education. In the US, the assumption is everyone goes to college. Going to college equals creating a massive debt which automatically sets people up for failure. I grew up in the Swiss educational system, and from an early age, I learned that it’s about finding your strengths and going into apprenticeship programs. These programs set individuals up for success (no, not everyone needs to be on a path to become a doctor or lawyer — carpentry is a great career) and reduces debt because people make money much earlier in their careers.

When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?

Our company joined Pledge 1% in June of 2020. To us, it means that we are committed as an organization to elevate underrepresented minorities in technology through awareness, partnerships, and our scholarships to do our part in changing the status quo. Being a part of the Pledge 1% community gives us access to other organizations who are sharing their stories, lessons, and achievements and serves as an inspiration for our own progress.

What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?

I’m a big live music fan! In Colorado, we’re lucky to have one of the best music venues, Red Rocks, where you can enjoy some incredible music under the stars. I’m also the proud new momma of a Mini Goldendoodle puppy named Rufus!

Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!

Brene Brown – her new podcast, specifically the episode with Melinda Gates was eye-opening.

What’s been the one (or two!) things that have helped you navigate this past year? Any tips or tricks to dealing with remote work?

The balance between productivity and mental/physical wellbeing: There’s an old quote that I like: “You’ve got to slow down to move fast.” There’s this current epidemic of “busy-ness” in America, it’s almost a social currency to discuss at the start of every conversation. But I’m a big believer in the idea that productivity falls off a cliff after a certain time of the day — we are humans, not machines, and I think it’s so much wiser to focus on “working smart” not just “working more”. This last year I’ve focused on being strategic, thoughtful, and deliberate.

New techniques for keeping my remote team engaged: Videos on during conference calls! It’s been said before but we need to say it again — video calls allow us to be personable and have the full human interaction. Also, there’s a lot of new tools we’ve seen like Hopin for virtual events or Icebreaker for games that help to recreate that fun in-person experience for our team.

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.

What is your name and title?

Pamela Wickersham, VP, Product & Engineering at Litify.

Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.

In my role I’m responsible for setting product strategy and roadmaps for all of our product lines at Litify. This requires working closely with our customers, partners and internal team to understand what will make customers happy but also propel our business forward at the same time. The best part is working with the product managers, user experience designers, engineers and quality assurance teams to bring those ideas to life and release amazing products.

How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.

I’ve worked in cloud tech for the past 12 years and more specifically with document management/generation platforms, so when I met the Litify team and knew they wanted to invest in creating a new document product line for legal it was the perfect fit. My experience with writing code, and then leading implementation teams and working directly with customers and seeing the problems and frustrations firsthand led to being able to create a new piece of software that could address pain points and work the way the legal industry needed it to.

In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?

Early on as a software engineer I had a choice of the next feature I was going to work on. It was between a ticket for a new document action or to learn Salesforce and write apex to create the first integration to our platform and package it for the app exchange. Everyone else was avoiding the Salesforce tickets so eventually, I grabbed them all and decided to learn something new and get it done. Our company pivoted to focus solely the majority of our sales effort on the Salesforce ecosystem 6 months later and I was the only person that knew anything about the platform and integration and it catapulted my career into an upward direction that I’ll never forget. All these years later I’m still working with Salesforce and now leading the team that builds out of software that runs entirely on the Salesforce platform. Definitely happy I took those tickets over a decade ago.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?

Would have to be that flexibility is key to the success of a company, team and individual. So many curveballs lobbed our way as a whole this past year and almost every decision that we made before the pandemic had to be re-evaluated and maybe even completely halted. While it was a year of making difficult decisions, some much easier than others, the way we got through it as a company and team was to allow ourselves to make a decision and then if it wasn’t the right one, change it. It’s painful to start on a product and abandon it or restart it later with a different objective but if it’s right for the company and the market then it’s what we needed to do. Those that understood and were also flexible and patient were able to react with grace and poise better than others. It’s hard to be flexible but it’s led to better product, better outcomes and us becoming a better team.

What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?

Early on and sometimes even now, I still think the challenge is not being heard. I learned pretty quickly that I wasn’t going to be asked for my opinion and waiting patiently for my turn to speak wasn’t going to get it done. I had to speak up, maybe even speak over and demand the attention of the room to get equal time in a conversation. Adding some humor goes a long way. I am often the only woman in a room or on a team and have tried to turn that into a strength, knowing I often bring a different perspective and have earned my spot at the table. I’m lucky to be with a team now where I’m just seen as part of the team and a valued member of that team, it’s one thing that drew me to Litify and continues to impress me.

Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?

I consider the past CEO I worked for as a mentor because he taught me so many things and I didn’t even realize it at the time. I thought I’m an engineer, why do I need to know our sales targets and other “business” data, and he changed my mind and grew my business sense and other softer skills in ways that have benefited my career so much. He also taught me the importance of making sure everyone feels important and heard. He had this way of making everyone in the room shine a bit more because he took the time to get to know something about them, always remembered everyone’s names and looked for a way to include them in the conversation. He’s an amazing leader and I’m grateful to have spent so much time with him.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?

Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and try something. So many times I thought I’m not quite qualified enough for that, or there’s no way I’ll get that job. I talked myself out of something before I even applied or started. I also saw male counterparts going after those opportunities with less experience and fewer qualifications and going well and realized that I had to throw my hat in the ring and be bolder. Not being afraid to fail and feeling happy that I tried became my new way of looking at things. Go after what you want, don’t self-doubt, don’t let others talk you out of it, you’re a big deal, you’re amazing, they’d be lucky to have you.

What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?

I would suggest making sure that female candidates are always included and the team evaluating these candidates is also diverse. Many times I see a pool of all male applicants and an all male hiring team. We have to remember to be more inclusive at the top of the funnel to expect any change to occur. In my experience women also want to be able to see women on the leadership team at a company to know it’s possible for them. It starts with one and from there the change is already occurring.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?

I am doubling the size of my team next year, and while more product and faster releases are an expected outcome, I’ll know we’re succeeding or not by how the team is working together. I would like to promote from within, see new leaders emerge and watch those leaders take over. When I see the team taking initiative, working together, motivating each other, challenging ideas and answers while also lifting each other up, the rest of the product goals just fall into place. I hope to foster a team environment where this is possible and everyone feels comfortable, understood, heard and valued.

Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?

Encouraging more women to go into tech and/or write code. I need to get involved directly in an organization again but love talking to anyone considering that type of role and being a positive influence on that decision. I think that women tend to talk themselves out of things before trying so just being there to say it’s possible, you can do it, and look what a career in tech can lead to is impactful and I hope to do more of it.

When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?

We joined in October of 2019. It has helped us maintain our focus on giving back within our local communities and continuing our own to push our .org efforts within Litify. More details on that program here.

What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?

I’ve always been into running and have completed a couple of marathons but have more recently started attending a mega reformer pilates class that I absolutely love, no better way to start the day than with a good workout and then immediately after coffee. On the weekends, that turns into hours of beach volleyball to enjoy the beautiful Miami weather.

Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!

I have been tearing through all of Margaret Atwood‘s books lately. Specifically the Oryx and Crake trilogy, odd timing with what’s going on in the world but a great read.

What’s been the one (or two!) things that have helped you navigate this past year? Any tips or tricks to dealing with remote work?

I didn’t like working remotely at all before this year, I found it distracting and less engaging at first. I felt the same way last March but then switched it up and realized how important a routine is. I make sure I wake up around the same time as before, get a workout in and get ready for the day like I was heading into the office and then go out to grab a coffee and head back to start my workday. I also like making sure that my camera is on for most if not all meetings to get that personal interaction with my team. I know it’s not for everyone but seeing someone’s face vs a phone call helps me feel more connected. Also, being home with my dog is a nice bonus and I love getting to steal a moment with her to give me a little boost of energy.

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.

What is your name and title?

Raabia Hawa, Founder & Executive Director at Ulinzi Africa Foundation.

Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.

I manage a team of wildlife rangers operating in a 40,000-acre conservation ecosystem close to the Kenya-Somalia border to ensure wildlife is safe from poachers and communities thrive via ecosystem services.

How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.

I used to work in mainstream media, and highlighted the elephant poaching crisis on my programmes. In 2009 I was invited to join some rangers and saw a poached elephant for the first time, I couldn’t look back.

In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?

Leaving media and focusing full time on wildlife conservation.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?

Train hard fight easy – unless your fight is against corruption, then simply never give up.

What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?

Being underestimated.

Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?

Yes, Will Travers of Born Free Foundation. Mentorship means passing on knowledge and contacts that can further your goals.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?

Believe in yourself, especially when no one else does – you can do it!

What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?

Lock in on potential, more than performance, when you empower and encourage women, the results come automatically. Implement inclusion and gender balance in leadership positions for success.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?

Empowering at least five members of the community, men and women, into leadership roles within the ecosystem and communities around it.

Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?

Yes, wildlife conservation. I believe that biodiversity is the key to keeping ecosystems thriving, and this is crucial for impoverished communities that rely on ecosystem services for their survival. By protecting wildlife, we protect the people.

When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?

Not joined yet. I was nominated.

What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?

I like giving talks in schools.

Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!

The Peregrine by J. A. Baker

What’s been the one (or two!) things that have helped you navigate this past year? Any tips or tricks to dealing with remote work?

The commitment of my team. Always keeps me going as they are my responsibility, if I give up they fall too, and I would never let that happen.

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.

What is your name and title?

Ebony Vaz, Founder and CEO at Above Promotions.

Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.

I am the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Above Promotions, a marketing technology and public relations company located in the Tampa, FL area. I am also the author of the book titled, “Because You’re Small: Effective Marketing Strategies for Immediate Implementation” and a marketing instructor for startup programs as well as marketing professionals.

How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.

My path is different than most. Not many engineers who have been published for password information security and virtual reality pivot into the marketing and public relations arena. I struggled for many years trying to find a way to marry my scientific background with creativity and communications. When I first started, not many in the marketing industry were embracing my technical background. Today it is sought after. I am glad I stayed the course and grew into my current path. I’m not through yet, but I’m satisfied with the direction I’m headed in.

In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?

Working with Techstars Startup Week Tampa Bay to create and organize the PR/Marketing Track for the past few years. It was great not only being able to help hundreds of small and established businesses over the years, but it also led me to the Techstars Venture Deals course which has started me on my path of working towards becoming an accredited investor. It has also connected me with other organizers and investors from various cities across the world who are also helping to grow their local startup ecosystem.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?

Never be afraid to venture into an area you desire to work in to make a difference. This may mean going down an unchartered path where others will wonder what you’re doing. Don’t conform or bend to others’ ideas of a career for you. By the time they’ll realize your worth, you will be worth more and can get more.

Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?

One of the local causes outside of helping companies grow is to help families become successful. We work closely with Winners’ Resource Center in the Tampa Bay area. They focus on feeding families, providing clothes, furniture, cars, bill payments, and even monetary assistance to families. Outside of helping with these items, they also host training sessions from ESL to budgeting and healthy relationships. Additionally, feeding and clothing the homeless. We recently were able to participate in helping to furnish an apartment for someone who was homeless that regularly volunteered with Winners’. I have been working with its founders for almost two decades and I’m proud of the work they are doing in the community.

When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?

While we have always committed to helping the community, our founder, team members, even interns, participate in some form of giving back. We took the pledge at the end of 2018 and began to roll out our discussions with other entrepreneurs to do the same in 2019.

What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?

Not many people know, I paint on canvas. I have artwork up in our home, some in pads and in a case. My paintings will range from abstract to places and people. I’m currently working on finishing one on Grogu (Baby Yoda) which is the first character painting I’ve attempted.

Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!

The Gentlemen of Crypto daily on YouTube and the Mocha in the Morning Show every Friday on Facebook. I tend to not miss these two shows each week. One feeds my finance tech side and the other is where I get my pop culture information. LOL I like the balance of the two.

What’s been the one (or two!) things that have helped you navigate this past year? Any tips or tricks to dealing with remote work?

We have always been a remote work company. However, remaining focused during things that were in a politically charged environment in the middle of a pandemic, meant having to consider additional tools to keep focus. We generated some playlists for the team with sources like FreeCodeCamp, SomaFM, Endel x Smartbeats and more through Spotify and Pandora. It’s been very helpful for getting deep focus work completed timely and with renewed creativity.

Originally posted: September 8th, 2021

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.

What is your name and title?

So-Young Kang, Founder & CEO (known as Chief Energizer) at Gnowbe.

Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.

I energize my teams, partners, advisors, investors and collaborators to continue pioneering the microlearning and micro-authoring revolution to maximize human performance.

How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.

After leaving McKinsey in 2009, I founded my first company, Awaken Group, a human-centered Transformation Design (TD) firm that advises companies on how to align people with purpose and performance. We needed a digital solution to scale this impact to billions which led to the launch and creation of Gnowbe which stands for ‘Grow Knowledge Into Being.’

In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?

Curiosity and the desire to solve real problems. I’m motivated by impact and coming up with creative solutions to solve really large global problems. We have a global challenge with how to maximize and encourage continuous human flourishing and do this in ‘human’ ways using technology. This is a challenge worth solving.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?

We need technology to enhance the human experience, not to replace it.

With the inability to connect physically and socially, it has made us appreciate and value the ability to connect and engage in more authentic ways. That’s always a good thing.

What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?

I’m not part of the ‘tech bro culture’ and that’s ok. As an Asian-American non-tech founder, it can be challenging to gain credibility and the interest of some investors who may not know me or the work we have done. It requires patience and creativity to connect with those that do support and believe in our vision. It’s also an opportunity for me to learn and adapt. It’s a continuous learning journey and I’m grateful for mentors and advisors to guide me along the way.

Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?

I have many mentors and many mentees. Mentorship is ultimately about a relationship built on trust. It’s about a willingness and ability to advise, guide and help the mentee develop and grow as a person, a leader, and/or a founder.

What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?

Don’t be afraid to ask for help and seek out as many mentors as you can (both male and female). Not everyone will be a good fit. Remain curious and don’t get discouraged. Don’t apologize for asking for people’s time. Oftentimes, they are delighted to spend time helping you out. You are NOT a burden. You will find your way. Be open to learning and adapting.

What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?

It’s hard to not be biased but being aware of unconscious bias is a starting point. Sharing stories of other female leaders can be very inspiring and being intentional about calling out examples of successful women in tech like the Wojcicki sisters (CEO of YouTube, Founder of 23 and me) and Whitney Wolfe (CEO of Bumble), etc. can be a good starting point for shifting mindsets and images of what a leader looks like.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?

Triple the impact we have on our clients and their employees.

Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?

The Young Professionals’ Group is a character-based scholarship and mentorship program that I co-founded 20 years ago because I believe in investing in character to help young people achieve their dreams. We have mentored hundreds of young people from the US and all across Asia (Singapore, Mongolia, China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia) to experience the power of mentorship to guide them on their careers.

When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?

Since we started beta testing our products in 2017. We call our impact program GnowMe. GnowYou. and we are proud to have contributed our product to support over 30k people from helping unemployed youth in South Africa get jobs, to training Syrian refugees, to equipping volunteers in Pakistan during Covid. Impact is part of our DNA.

What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?

Travel to unusual places and do unusual things in places like introducing surfing to North Korea and connecting with female leaders and members of royalty in Saudi Arabia to understand human rights and cultural differences. I’m an active snowboarder, wakeboarder and diver. I love exploring new places, people and things. I’m also a musician who started playing the piano when I was 4. I often describe myself as a ‘musician who happens to do business.’

Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!

“How We Love” by Kay Yerkovich and Milan Yerkovich is a must-read to understand yourself better. “The Hard Thing About Hard Things” by Ben Horowitz is awesome for tech founders. “Sapiens” by Yuval Harari is an interesting look at human history. I love reading very different kinds of books.

What’s been the one (or two!) things that have helped you navigate this past year? Any tips or tricks to dealing with remote work?

Be intentional with staying emotionally connected with your teams. Our team is global and we created a “Weekly Mood Meter” using Gnowbe to check in on how our people were feeling and to humanize the work experience through jokes, games, and non-work related sharing. That helped improve our culture and keep us connected.