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?
Jen Bayford, Co-founder & Marketing Director at Growth Animals.
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
My role at Growth Animals is to understand each client’s goals, situation, customers, challenges and opportunities. I work with each unique business to develop the best growth marketing strategy for that organisation, including identifying key ‘growth accelerators’ to focus the business on plans that will make the most difference.
How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.
I started my career journey 20 years ago with a marketing degree, and worked my way through growing several different beauty and luxury skincare brands, before moving to the Goodwood Estate in West Sussex to grow the motorsport businesses. That’s where I met my brilliant two business partners Chris Thornhill (our tenacious and clever CEO) and Jerin Micheal (our digital and content marketing wizard). We set up Growth Animals to drive our ethos of ethical marketing practices as we are determined to make marketing that informs, helps and inspires, rather than manipulates, the industry standard.
In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?
Hands down it was the decision to take voluntary redundancy during lockdown 1 (or was it 2?!) with Jerin and Chris, who were my two colleagues (from jobs at Goodwood we all loved I might add!) to start our own marketing company. I’ve learnt so much and have been able to make such a difference and help so many businesses grow.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?
I’ve learnt to embrace the at home working to create a work life balance and enjoy the flexibility. I’ve learnt that to make the most of that I need to be disciplined and have boundaries. I have always worked in house throughout my career, office-based in companies with standard ‘hours’ and therefore have relied on my parent’s support for helping me raise my son who is now eight. But now I feel I can proudly be both a mum and a businesswoman (although I would never call myself that!)
What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?
I am very lucky to have two business partners who I feel very much equal to and who both feel passionately about equality for everyone. We actively promote diversity and inclusion and have it as a core value to guide our business. I find it challenging to hold my own in certain older, male dominated networking settings and therefore gravitate towards more gender balanced opportunities. I therefore feel I am missing out on building relationships with more senior, exec level people who are often the decision makers within the businesses we aim to work with. I tend to leave this level of chat to Chris, knowing he can command more respect and have more “business” conversations. This is perhaps in my head, but I am not an unconfident person in other settings, so need to overcome this.
Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?
Yes I have a fantastic mentor, Sara Jamison, who was my first ever director back in my first marketing job. Sara has been an inspiration to me, I admire her business style and presence and she has helped me hugely overcome confidence challenges during my career. I have her to thank for the progress I’ve made where I’ve been gently encouraged outside of my comfort zone. We have met regularly for a good number of years and I appreciate her time and effort so much. I have started to give back by volunteering for Young Enterprise as a business advisor for an all girls school’s business studies cohort, with a view to empowering young females to know they can achieve what they want to in their careers.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Please be yourself. Identify your super strengths and dial them up. Pepper all your bios and profiles with your personality and what makes you brilliant and unique. Write these in a place you can see them and play to your strengths. I wish someone had told me this when I was starting out as I spent years being mediocre, trying to fit what I thought was expected of me. My career and progress really took off when I started to identify what I was good at, and sing that proudly, and turn up each day as me.
What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?
Creating a culture where flexibility is absolutely the norm for everyone and where trust is high. So that everyone can fulfil their role at home and in their work on their own terms. Working long hours or making unacceptable sacrifices should never be accepted or be considered a badge of honour. We should nurture each other to get to the position we want to get to, and not put obstacles of working hours, compulsory office working, guilt tripping and competitiveness in the way.
What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?
Our goal is to create a thriving business where we are helping our clients grow on an ongoing basis.
Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?
Myself and my fellow Growth Animals feel very passionately about ethical marketing. Our founding principle is to help businesses sell more, but the key thing is that we’re not willing to do that at any cost and to the detriment of others. Ethical growth marketing, at its core, is a mindset and process, tenaciously focussed on sustainable growth, in which everybody wins. It means that the growth we create for our clients is not short lived and instead creates the platform for long term sustainable growth, and that our activities are human first and our team is always conscious of choosing methods, media and partners that are socially responsible too. Ultimately it has to be Win, Win, Win, whereby our clients, their customers and society all win. We support marketing that is inspiring and informative, not manipulative or misleading.
When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?
We’ve only just joined Pledge 1% in the last quarter. We were already considering donating our time to support not for profit organisations and the Pledge 1% gave us a way of focusing on that goal and celebrating each other’s efforts. It is extremely rewarding to use our marketing skills and experience to help organisations grow in order to create bigger impact in their chosen area, for example, dementia support, music therapy and young females in business.
What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?
I love running and yoga. I have run three marathons and too many half marathons to count. But I’ve ditched my GPS watch and now run without agenda, focused on enjoying being outside in nature, moving my body and getting fresh air.
Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!
I listen to the AmazingIf podcast, created by two empowering women Sarah Ellis and Helen Tupper, who developed the concept of the squiggly career. They release regular content which discusses ways to grow, develop, overcome and thrive in our not-so-linear career paths. They are entertaining and leave me buzzing with inspiration and drive.
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?
Yoga on Zoom. HotPod yoga thankfully put all their classes on zoom so we can all unite virtually from our own living rooms. It has been a god send and has helped me remove myself physically and mentally from my home office, making me a calmer, more focused mum, partner and Growth Animal!
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?
Carrie Kwan, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Mums & Co.
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
As the Co-Founder and MD of Mums & Co, the movement empowering Australian business-owning mothers, I am a community leader, Mumbition Ambassador, commentator and mentor. With a focus on networking and upskilling, we equip working mums with the resources, emotional support and introductions to achieve their personal and business goals.
How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.
I started Mums & Co when I was pregnant in 2016, backed by Australia’s largest general insurer IAG, to create a safe online space for business-owning mums. I fit the bill, partly because I had successfully founded and grown the popular digital lifestyle guide, Daily Addict, partly because I was passionate about mentoring female business owners in the early days of their business journey.
In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?
I recognised that to be a successful business owner, learning the craft of pitching your business was a fundamental skill. I started my career in marketing and PR, so I understand the importance of leveraging brand exposure, the media and partnerships to share the important work we do.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?
At Mums & Co we call it “Digital Serendipity”. It’s achieved by using online introductions and networks to connect with people you wouldn’t normally cross paths with. This works well for so many women working from home, running their own businesses and juggling motherhood. Networking is so valuable but COVID has limited the chances to increase the size of your professional network. We need to embrace digital serendipity opportunities to find spontaneous connections, knowledge sharing and creativity.
What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?
Women shouldn’t have to choose between their families and their careers, however, the competing modes and time pressures of the equally demanding tasks of motherhood and business ownership are undeniably challenging. I’ve learnt to rely on routines and rituals and identify transferable skills in managing business and home life. I’ve learnt to ask for help and recognise the important role men, my family and my support network play.
Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?
I’ve had the fortune of some great mentors that have helped me along the way. Mentorship is a two-way street and a great mentor partnership allows both parties to contribute and continuously learn. Business-owning mothers are passionate about their product or purpose, but are not necessarily experienced in marketing and business operations. Mentorship can provide the helping hand they need to achieve their goals. At Mums & Co we have 35 experts that our members can access for immediate help, and to grow and learn.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
It is challenging and scary to establish a new business and it takes courage and determination to do so. You are unsure of the market, reception to your product and what lies ahead. I would like to say to aspiring business mums that you don’t have to choose between career and family, and just go for it! At Mums & Co, we label it mumbition: the unapologetic blending of motherhood and ambition.
What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?
A Mums in Business research report completed by EY Sweeny for Mums & Co found that flexibility was a key motivation for Australian mothers to consider alternatives to a corporate career and start their own business. Companies need to drive change around flexible working arrangement and entitlements, eliminate the culture of parental guilt, address childcare and other care responsibilities, and dissolve the gender pay gap.
What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?
We are excited for the return of our annual Be MPowered conference on 2 June, this year with a new format set to lead the future of events. The hybrid face-to-face and digital conference is specifically designed to suit working mothers and will be broadcast nationally in real-time.
Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?
At Mums & Co we advocate for women to harmonise their ambition, livelihood and wellbeing. We promote self-care and confidence to help women feel empowered and practice kindness and positivity as a mindset to achieve wellbeing.
When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?
Since April 2018 if I recall correctly. Paying it forward has been ingrained as a way of being since my teen years and has echoed throughout my two businesses and pro bono mentoring work.
At Mums & Co, our team make their domain expertise available to small business owners through brief coaching sessions – we know that the vast majority of these women doing incredible work don’t have the dedicated support of big teams. We work hard every day to advocate for her specific needs and strongly believe that we all have a duty to make our families and communities stronger, and impact lives in positive way.
What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?
If I have an opportunity for some time to myself, I love a good spa or massage. I enjoy skipping and have this routine that I do in my head involving a combination of speedy cross-overs. If I’m spending time with my family you’ll find us beach-combing for our shell collection jar. My youngest (4.y.o) loves doing our local trail walk together.
Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!
I recently started reading Maternal Optimism by US academics Jamie Ladge and Danna Greenberg. It’s filled with research and stories that support the notion of women owning and feeling confident in the choices they make, as they navigate a complex series of work and family transition. The Founder Coach with Dave Bailey podcast has some great interviews and insights I’ve found useful as a founder.
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?
During COVID, Mums & Co moved from about 75% digital to 100% digital. We introduced a Chatbot feature and monthly online events, like ‘Practice your Pitch’ and small-group member meet-ups. Many business mums work from home, work on their own, or have flexible work arrangements, so it’s important to find ways to stay connected, feel supported and build confidence.
All Pledge 1% members are warmly invited to join Mums & Co and experience the networking and business features via our free 14-day trial, it only takes a minute to sign up via www.mumsandco.com.au.
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?
Parul Nagpal, Director of Customer Success at DemandBlue.
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
I work with customers on understanding their business needs and translating them to build effective technology solutions on the Salesforce platform. I act as an Advisor to ensure they are able to achieve tangible business value from the use of Salesforce & help improve customer adoption, engagement, growth and utilization of the platform to its strengths.
How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.
I was an SAP CRM Web UI developer, working from India. In 2015, when I moved from India to United States, I got the opportunity to be a part of a large Global CRM Transformation program. That’s when I almost stumbled my way into a career in Salesforce. Very soon I became the Subject Matter Expert for the CRM Business Processes that were to be built in Salesforce and the entire ecosystem with the integrations and associated apps.
I think that’s when my Journey in Customer Success began. I played Product Owner roles in various Salesforce implementations, including the ongoing development, optimization, and support of Salesforce. I also spent time doing change management, enablement, and adoption of the platform for end users in the organization.
In 2019, I officially switched to the Customer Success Manager role @DemandBlue. Since then, I have worked with a myriad of customers. My experience has been very enriching in terms of the variety of IT transformations, domains, apps and technologies that I have been fortunate to work with. It has been a very rewarding journey in terms of discovering my strengths in this career of Technology Leadership.
In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?
I believe it has been the decision to come and work in the United States and pursue a career in Salesforce, that has catapulted my career. The opportunities that I got in my career, as a woman leader of technology have been amazing. And obviously the decision to move forward as a Customer Success Manger, has been in line for what I envisioned for my career.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?
Being meticulous, organized, planning diligently, being nimble and laying a clear path for success for yourself and your team is critical for the success of any project or initiative.
Having a plan, a back up plan and a plan C, to make sure all paths lead to success is very important.
What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?
Working really hard to prove myself, breaking the barriers of cliched opinions about women has been the number one challenge. Dealing with people who think that women should simply do what they are told, won’t have an opinion, are not intelligent enough, initially took some time and patience to navigate through. It is very important to not get bogged down and just believe in yourself and your abilities.
Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?
My mom is my #1 mentor, she has always taught me to strive for excellence. It was her vision, her continuous encouragement that has helped me become what I am in my career and as a person today . She taught me how to work hard, how to be sincere at what I do & the meaning of being responsible.
I have had the opportunity of working with some great mentors , during the formative years of my career. These are the people who recognized my raw talent, showed tremendous confidence in my abilities, helped me hone my skills. I am thankful for their confidence in me and encouragement. Because it has helped me forge my career path every step of the way.
Mentors are invaluable for so many reasons. They are vitally important for the right guidance, helping you navigate through tough career calls and times when others don’t believe in you.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Be meticulous, stay focused, have realistic goals for yourself & stay accountable to your goals. Don’t judge yourself by the standards set by others, Create your own standards, compete with yourself. Figure out what you enjoy doing the most, figure out how to be efficient, and find your work life balance, understand the importance of your time, use it effectively.
What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?
A Gender neutral environment that is based on meritocracy and not driven by the fact that you are a man or a woman really important. Career progression should be purely based on talent and abilities of an employee and not their gender. Mentorship programs, leadership and career coaching programs are very important. Companies need to play fair, and judge people on their performances for what they are able to achieve in their normal working hours.
What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?
I hope to be able to build the stamina to lead and influence my teams by example. I want to mentor and support members of my team and help them navigate complex technology projects, by using frameworks & methodologies that work really well in my experience. Hopefully, help them be more efficient and reduce stress in their work life and offer my help wherever I can.
Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?
Increasing awareness about lifestyle diseases, and helping people manage them is a cause very close to my heart, since I have seen some really dear ones suffer from them. Eating right and spreading awareness about food choices are causes I really care about. It can go a long way into helping someone live a longer, healthier life.
When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?
DemandBlue joined Pledge 1% about 6 months ago. Dedicating 1% of our product, equity and employee time for the betterment of nonprofits, and making the community a key stakeholder in every community is really important for us. Demandblue has always been dedicated for this cause and by aligning our efforts with Pledge 1%, we are really excited to officially join this network of founders, entrepreneurs and companies around the globe that are committed to giving back. We have recently launched our official Non Profit Practice for Salesforce at DemandBlue to further our cause for the Non Profits as well.
What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?
I love to travel and I am a big foodie. I love to try out try out authentic local food in the places I visit. Love to paint, read books. I learnt to write in mirror images when I was young and I really enjoy doing that sometimes. Training myself to write in mirror images with my left hand when I get a chance.
Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!
Reading a book called Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari at the moment. It is a really interesting read on the evolution of our species. How homo sapiens survived and procreated and ultimately emerged the strongest race to survive the race of evolution. How the spread of the homo sapiens took them from Asia, from Siberia to Alaska, coming down the Bering strait, spreading into North America, Mexico and then South America. And in all of this, what an important role women have played in the evolution of mankind.
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?
Don’t be shy to reach out to people. Frankly switching on your video during a meeting and encouraging others to do the same, helps build more effective relationships and reduce the distance one feels while doing remote work. Find your work life balance. Find time for yourself, have a schedule, find time to cook, run, spend time with your family, it’s not that bad after all, working from the comfort of your home!!
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?
Kathleen Egan, CEO & CoFounder of ecomedes.
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
Growing ecomedes in a way that creates stakeholder value and transforms the sustainability of buildings and building products. I set our vision, strategy, and operate the execution plan to achieve our goals.
How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.
I have worked in retail tech for about 20 years – starting with early ERPs at Chanel and Calvin Klein in NYC. While getting my MBA at Harvard, I learned about startups and became addicted. I have worked at 7 startups prior to ecomedes, yielding four successful exits via acquisitions. I spent five years on the sales team at Oracle after ProfitLogic, a pioneer in price optimization was acquired. Being a women in software has not always been easy or comfortable. I spent much of my first 20 years extremely frustrated by conscious and unconscious bias. It has been like a second career birth to be in an organization free of that constraint.
In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?
To focus on people over anything else.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?
To block time for deeper thinking away from the screen by meditating, biking, and surfing.
What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?
The bias toward male CEOs in growth stage capital (i.e. Sand Hill Road allocates ~97% of capital to male led startups).
Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?
Tim Connors – Managing Partner at PivotNorth. He understands how many successful SasS companies have grown. He has an amazing ability to translate his broad knowledge into relevant factors for me to consider. He is incredibly encouraging and positive while being very direct and clear with constructive suggestions and targets. He is filled with endless ideas and creative approaches to our multi-persona marketplace market.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Find smart people who are ahead of you on a similar trajectory as you would like to follow in your career. Build a long-term relationship with them, help them, nurture the relationship.
What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?
Hire female CEOs.
What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?
Build a team and processes that are able to establish repeatability in our value proposition (and revenue) to a user segment that large enough to pave the way to our Series A. My current Focus is the manufacturer segment.
Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?
5 Gyres. They use science related to plastic pollution to drive policy and products. I knew the founders from the beginning of the plastic movement, and now serve as the Chairman of their BOD. I would love to add them to the Pledge 1% family, so they can benefit from corporate donations and help solve plastic pollution.
When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?
Jan 2021. Sustainability is in our DNA as we strive to transform the sustainability of buildings. Our impact program allows us to donate time and software services to non-profits and trade organizations that need to digitize but have limited budgets. We also give every employee a day of service to be used at their discretion. The recommended activity is a beach or neighborhood clean up. I live at Ocean Beach in San Francisco and clean up the beach everyday, so this is already part of my life. It’s great to share this passion with my team!
What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?
Eco-Art. I make mosaic artwork out of beach plastic that I recover from surf spots all around the Pacific. My retirement project will be to visit about 50 surf spots, collect plastic, and make an eco-sculpture.
I love to surf and ski, anything that changes the “channel” for your brain into adrenaline mode. I think that there is an unlock for this that all female leaders (and future female leaders) could benefit from. Someday, I’ll run a surf clinic for women to help teach them about calculated risks and control.
Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!
“The Brain That Changes Itself” by Norman Doidge. For podcasts, I love 20 Minute VC, NfX, and SaaSter.
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?
Family, advisors and getting outside!
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?
Hayley Rubins-Topoleski, Chief Accounting Officer at Addteq.
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
Manage the accounting and HR departments at Addteq.
How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.
I was recruited for the Financial Analyst position in 2016, and was promoted several times as Addteq grew.
In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?
Remain valuable to the company and you’ll always be needed.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?
In the past year, I have learned the importance of interpersonal relationships within a company and the need for work life balance.
What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?
Overcoming societies expectations of women.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Be confident. Even if imposter syndrome is knocking at the door, fake it until you make it.
What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?
Offer flexible work schedules.
What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?
Schedule an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?
There are many causes that I advocate for, however social justice has been at the top of my list the past few years. I am a strong proponent of reproductive rights, and rights for the LGBTQ community. Lately, I have added racial equality to my top causes and tried to educate myself with further DE&I training. I have always been someone who signed petitions for causes I cared about. However, after the 2016 election, I felt that I needed to do more. I started volunteering with a local Planned Parenthood Action Committee, which is how I discovered Princeton’s first pride parade in 2019. I then became more involved with the non-profit that organized the pride event, the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice.
When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?
I believe Addteq joined Pledge 1% in 2016. Their impact program is refreshing since I spend a lot of my time advocating for social justice in my local community. It has helped me broaden my focus.
What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?
In addition to social justice advocacy, I am heavily involved in local community theater. I am on the board of several non-profits, and enjoy performing on stage. I also host a monthly (virtual) open (& out) mic night with the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice.
Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!
The last book I finished reading was “The Black Friend: On Being A Better White Person” by Frederick Joseph. Prior to that I read “White Fragility” by Robin DeAngelo, which really struck a chord with me. I also enjoyed the TedTalk by Kimberle Crenhaw on Intersectionality.
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?
Always have a steady supply of clean sweatpants to get you through the workweek. Also, ensure you have a separate space in your home to complete your work.
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 Lindl, VP of Social Impact at Unity.
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
As the Vice President of Social Impact at Unity, I focus on empowering Unity creators and employees to make the world a better place.
How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.
My life’s work has been focused on leveraging the power of technology to positively impact the world. I was lucky enough to run a company, powered by Unity, about ten years ago that taught me the potential of connecting game players to social impact – and I’ve been hooked ever since.
In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?
Focus on my principles and values, and find fun people who share those.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?
I am a horrible 2nd grade teacher. More importantly, we urgently need to shift our approach to capitalism from a focus on shareholder value to stakeholder value.
What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?
How to get more underrepresented people into our industry, and how to empower them with more resources.
Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?
Yes, I’m lucky to have a personal advisory board made up of long term and more recent mentors. Mentorship means a shared growth opportunity for both participants and mentors.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Think about the change in the world you want to make, and define your career based on your vision versus career ladders.
What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?
Ensure the board of directors and the executive team has significant representation from underrepresented leaders – and give those leaders resources and decision-making power.
What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?
Give my parents a hug and a kiss. I also hope to significantly increase the number of underrepresented Unity creators who make a great living off of the Unity platform.
Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?
Investing in people of color. Innovation comes from everywhere, and I think we’ve over-indexed investing in white men. Also, growing up in a systemically racist country that has given me unequal privilege, it’s important to me that I actively re-distribute wealth.
When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?
As part of our first wave of social impact initiatives, we announced that Unity was joining the Playing for the Planet Alliance, a group of video game companies convened by the UN Environment Programme. By joining the Alliance, member companies pledge to take action to aid the environment in a number of ways, ranging from green activations in games, to reducing emissions and plastics in video game products.
As part of this alliance, our specific Unity social impact commitment is to elevate and celebrate the Unity experiences that are made with an eye toward a positive impact on the environment or particularly eco-friendly. Not only does this align with our overall goals for the social impact division, but it ensures Unity is taking an active role alongside other industry leaders in tackling the climate crisis.
What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?
I love card games – cribbage and sheepshead are my favorites if anyone wants to play!
Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!
Too many podcasts to list. “How it happened” by Axios is my favorite this week. I read Isabel Wilkerson’s “Warmth of Other Suns” and “Caste” back to back over the New Year. I am so grateful she was born in my generation. Her incredible gifts may have been lost if she were born earlier.
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?
Our team – their talent, tenacity and laughs have been huge gifts. They’ve also let me take half of our calls on my cell while walking in nature.
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?
Nancy Cooper, CEO at Servio Consulting.
How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.
I was part owner of a PeopleSoft consulting firm, sold my shares and started a woman-owned IT consulting firm focusing on all things Salesforce within education.
In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?
Embracing innovation.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?
With the challenges we faced as a country, I learned to check in more often with our employees and customers to make sure they are taken care of.
What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?
I am in a male dominated industry, and have learned it is definitely hard for your voice to be heard at times.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Make a plan, execute it, stay focused, keep pushing forward and do not give up.
What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?
Hire more woman and create career paths for them that will get them to a leadership position.
Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?
I have always been involved in the Chicago Southland Chamber as a Board Member and Chairman. This has always been near and dear to my heart because of my passion in business, and my desire to help other small business succeed.
When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?
Four years ago and it means a lot to me and my company. I am all about giving back and I offer our employees VTO time to give back as well.
What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?
I love to be outside, I walk everyday on walking path except for extreme weather. I also love to swim, bike-ride and travel.
Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!
I am currently reading Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey.
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?
Setting up 3 mandatory staff meetings a week to make sure the staff has everything they need to complete their tasks and make everyone feel like they are still a part of a team and connected.
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?
Mousumi Behari, Senior Director, Strategy Practice Lead at Avionos.
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
I leads the Digital Strategy practice at Avionos. With more than a decade of experience in ecommerce strategy and implementation in both the B2B and B2C space, I’m focused on helping clients enable their digital journey through prioritized, data driven decisions. I focus on helping businesses define their strategic goals, create an actionable roadmap and ensure the adoption and engagement of technology for a successful project. While strategy is technology agnostic, I have experience in the Adobe and Salesforce environments.
How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.
I was one of the very few women who graduated with a Computer Science degree in 2001 from SMU, and right away I got into the digital world. I continued to work hard through several consulting companies. I realized my niche was in defining the people and process side of technology, and determining how business could evolve and achieve higher revenues.
In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?
I’ve always been authentic. I’ve chosen the roles that I can make a difference in, learn from and ultimately pay it forward.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?
Meeting the 2020 goals I had set for myself was tough given the pandemic. I realized it was much more about setting my intentions daily and living my life with purpose.
What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?
I find that I have to work harder, be more vocal, and ask for the promotions and projects I want. Nothing is ever handed to women in this business.
Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?
I do have a few mentors and they represent different aspects in my life. Mentorship is extremely important to me and I always take the time to mentor young women in my industry. I believe that representation matters, as well as leading by example.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Understand your strengths and find your niche. In any industry there are all kinds of opportunities. It’s up to us to take them, use our strengths to make an impact, and further not only our careers – but our personal development.
What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?
Creating a mentorship program and a safe space for women to ask questions is important. Often women don’t think they are qualified enough for a particular role and need the confidence and encouragement to apply. Enabling women to have the right conversations and creating an open, transparent environment goes a long way.
What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?
I’m starting a podcast called Overworked which aims to create a platform for women to foster community and connection where they can bravely tell their stories, learn from others and thoughtfully define a balanced and fulfilled new future with purpose and intention. I would love for this to be successful in starting a conversation and helping women.
Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?
I’m passionate about Women in Technology and founded the Avionos Women’s Leadership Network which connects women with supportive and diverse allies to build personal and professional relationships driving growth, inclusivity and innovation. I also founded Little CEOs, a virtual marketing camp for girls ages 7-12 where they learn how to concept and market a business idea.
When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?
I think Pledge 1% is an important way to give back and be part of a bigger cause.
What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?
Currently I am spending a lot of time in getting my podcast up and running. But in my free time, I love to dance and draw. I grew up performing Indian classical, tap, jazz and ballet dance, and I try to keep in touch with it when I can.
Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!
I’m reading Cassandra Speaks by Elizabeth Lesser right now. I also love any podcast by Brene Brown or Super Soul with Oprah. So much to learn!
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’ve starting meditating in the mornings and that really helps set my day off well. With remote work, I always finish at a certain time and then I don’t work again till the following day. It’s so important to set boundaries.
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?
CEO & Founder at EstateBox.
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
Currently, I have the pleasure of leading a team of talented individuals as we build a life and legacy planning platform.
How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.
I’m a lawyer by training and have spent the last decade working in technology and startup companies. I was finally inspired by life circumstances and career experiences to take a chance on my own idea.
In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?
I’ve always listened to people I respect and taken their advice to heart. I may not always agree with what they think, but my respect for them gives me pause to deeply consider their advice. This has served me very well and has had tangible effects – saving us money as we launch our own startup!
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?
Trust is everything. Due to my limitations as a cancer patient, I needed to find people I trusted deeply to help bring my vision into a reality, with as little input from me as possible at times. Without trust, this would not have been possible.
What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?
Tech is known to be a male dominated industry – and fintech even more so.
Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?
I do! I have a wealth of great mentors and relationships that I’ve built up over the years. Mentorship means listening and guiding. Not giving answers or telling which direction to go, but listening to the problem and helping find the path out of it. I like the theory of the 5Q leader. I think this process embodies the concept of mentorship.
1. Ask “what’s on your mind?”
2. Ask “whats the real challenge for you?”
3. Ask “what else?”
4. Ask “what do you want?”
5. Ask “what was most useful about this chat?”
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Know yourself. Learn as much as you can about your strengths and weaknesses and learn how to leverage your strengths and build up the weaknesses so you can optimize your performance. Spend time reading – about the industry you’re in, about its challenges and innovations. The more you read, the more you know!
What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?
Foster women to help develop their talents and strengths. If we can spend more time teaching women how to promote themselves, they’ll be better able to do so!
What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?
Build up a team of amazing people and launch our company!
Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?
I’m on the Board of Directors of the Central Okanagan Food Bank. I think our mission is critical to the success of our community. Without healthy meals, brains cannot develop properly – this can rob children of their potential.
When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?
We joined because we embody a spirit of service. We have so much to be grateful for and can honor this by giving back to our community.
What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?
Does doing endless puzzles with a 2 year old count as an interesting habit?!
Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!
Neither a book nor a podcast really, but a friend and I are participating in a program called A Year of Living Brilliantly. We watch short (3-5 min) videos on brief (obviously) leadership topics once a week and then regroup on what the video meant to us. We’re a few weeks in and already its been so beneficial! It’s free and a program I’d highly recommend it to leaders!
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?
Wow – that’s a big question. I think having a sense of control over one’s life has gotten me through the past year.
In terms of dealing with remote work, my teams and I try to over-communicate. We use email and slack so much, that sometimes things get lost in the shuffle. Over-communicating seems to have been our way through it.