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!
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.
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?
Erin Angerer, Co-founder & COO at Floodlight Invest.
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
Floodlight is an early-stage fintech startup, which means my co-founder and I wear many of the hats required to operate the business. My background and passion have led me to focus extra attention on our product and customers.
How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.
I spent more than 10 years in banking, first in wealth management and later in corporate banking where I covered fintech and enterprise software companies. I spent my time in wealth management trying to innovate around impact investing, but I like to say, I was in the right place, but at the wrong time (I can tell you many stories of pitches I made to management). After wealth management, I started covering venture-backed startups which landed me a job with a fantastic team at Silicon Valley Bank. Working for the bank of innovation made it all too tempting to join the entrepreneurial party. I left SVB in 2019 and launched Floodlight with my good friend and co-founder.
In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?
It took until I was well into my career to own my personal brand. It took me a while, but once I leaned in and allowed myself to voice my opinions things really took off.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?
With hardship comes resilience, and when you make it to the other side the feeling of satisfaction is incredibly powerful. And that feeling will carry you through the next hurdle you encounter. #theyearof2020
What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?
UNCONSCIOUS bias. I capitalize unconscious because it is the people who say they are huge supporters of women, but who act in opposition to that statement that creates the biggest challenge because they really think they are supporters. It takes a really special person to break down their bias and learn how to support women and act accordingly.
Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?
Mentors/friends/confidants. I’m incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by inspiring, thoughtful and ambitious people. The best mentors in my life aren’t the people who celebrate everything I do. The best mentors, in my experience, point out my missteps and challenge me to do better.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Be confident and be yourself. The tides are changing in corporate America and the highest value you bring is your unique perspective. Don’t be timid, the world needs to hear from you.
What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?
Get women in the room where decisions are made. If you have an MD meeting at your company and you don’t have any female MDs, bring a female Director or a VP into the room, count her vote and listen to her.
What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?
As an early-stage company in the middle of the Barclays Techstars Fintech program, my goal is for Floodlight to find product-market fit.
Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?
Best Buddies. This organization holds a special place in my heart because of the incredible people it serves, who I’ve been fortunate enough to meet. BB is dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). I originally learned about the organization through Silicon Valley Bank who sponsors the annual century bike ride fundraiser in California.
When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?
Floodlight officially joined Pledge 1% when we were accepted into Techstars in Q1 2021. Pledge 1% is a perfect complement to our corporate mission to leave the industry we serve better than we found it. One way we are committed to this mission is to actively engage communities with less access to resources and do our best to share the prosperity afforded to our company.
What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?
I absolutely love spending time outside, I ride bikes, play tennis, golf, and love long walks. But as a new mom with a 3-month-old baby, many of my hobbies now include staring at him for awkwardly long periods of time
Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!
A Promised Land by Obama (must read). A friend recently turned me on to the Smartless podcast, and those guys are hilarious. I want to be their friend to just hang out and laugh at all their low key jokes.
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?
Ha! Be pregnant during the pandemic, it means you can work in sweats and have your feet up during all calls. But more seriously, I couldn’t have survived this last year without my village of amazing women.
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?
Masami Sato, Founder and CEO at B1G1 (BUY1GIVE1).
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
I am the founder and CEO of B1G1, a social enterprise and a global giving initiative that helps businesses around the world integrate effective giving into their everyday activities and create great impacts in the world. Founded in 2007, B1G1 has worked with thousands of businesses and those businesses have created more than 200 million giving impacts to date.
How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.
20 years ago, I became an entrepreneur. Travelling around the world, being touched by the spirit of people, and discovering the joy of sharing food with others, I decided to start a food business. My first business was a fast-food takeaway shop in Christchurch, New Zealand. And over the next 2 years, I managed to purchase another food business, improved those two businesses, sold them and moved to Australia to start a new business. I wanted to have a food company that made a positive difference in the world. My food company in Australia eventually became a wholesale frozen meal producer, and we were distributing packaged frozen meals to over 150 stores in three states. But as an owner of a growing business, I had no time or sufficient funds to do what I really wanted to do — to help feed and educate disadvantaged children. We wanted to build a soup kitchen when we become more ‘successful’.
One day, a simple idea came to me: “What if we just gave one meal for every meal sold?” I discovered that it costs only about 25 cents to give a meal through a school lunch program through an experienced NGO in India (India was one of the countries I used to backpack in and was confronted by the fact there were so many street children). With this approach, we could start making a difference every day instead of waiting for a grand success in the future. Several months later, we decided to sell our food business and move to Singapore to start B1G1 (which stood for the idea of “buy 1 give 1”). We imagine a world where everything businesses did make a difference.
It’s been more than 13 years since then. And today, the world of B1G1 is no longer just an imagination. We have coffee shops that give access to life-saving clean water or nourishing meals for every drink and food they serve. We have accounting firms, consultants and coaches that help educate children, support social entrepreneurs or help women start their own businesses. We have health practitioners who provide access to life-saving medication or access to good hygiene for every patient they care for. And these are just examples. The real stories are endless.
We see this as the ‘power of small’. We cannot change the world alone. But together small businesses can help transform many things in the world.
In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?
Realising that I don’t have to do it alone. Instead of always trying to do big things (what’s not achievable for a long time), we can start something small today and do it everyday. Having a big goal can be important but appreciating our everyday progress is also very important. At the end of the day, we never know what will happen tomorrow.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?
Evolving quickly whenever circumstance challenges us to change. It’s important to have clear plans. But sometimes, our plans don’t work out as expected. So, balancing between having great goals, good strategy and solid plans with being flexible and adaptable is important (and critical too).
What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?
I don’t think I experienced much discrimination or disadvantage because of being a woman. If anything, I think I somewhat benefitted from the fact that I’m a woman. But this is probably because of the industry I’m in (‘giving’ industry ), the countries I’ve lived in and the type of companies we’ve worked with. If anything, being a mum while running a business created more challenges for me. Juggling these two major responsibilities can be very challenging for many women who have children.
Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?
Yes. I used to think I didn’t really need a mentor (or a coach) and I thought I just needed to keep learning from every experience, mistakes and lessons. But in the past few years, I started to actively reach out to people I really admire and look up to, and asked them to mentor me or be an advisor to our initiative. Since I started that, the pace of progress became much faster because these advisors and mentors helped me question my own thinking and approach. And it’s not so much about receiving specific input for the challenges we face. But it’s more about creating a new level of accountability – to keep growing to become a better leader by learning from all different positions, perspectives and unique experiences.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
If a new entrepreneur tried to do everything alone, it can be really overwhelming. Until you have a team, you really need to wear so many hats in your business and it can be stressful. There are days you feel lost, discouraged and defeated. So, breaking down your goals into small steps and setting priorities matters. And it is also good to operate with a sense of joy and gratitude everyday (rather than frustration and guilt) no matter where you are at in your journey.
If you can appreciate your everyday small progress, the entire journey can be much more meaningful and rewarding. Knowing that you are on the right path makes you feel ok about failures and unexpected challenges.
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 good for businesses to understand the real value of having female leaders. Many companies today try appointing more female leaders because of the fear of being criticised. But I think more businesses would naturally create diversity in their workforce if they simply understood the value people with different backgrounds and circumstances bring to the mission of the company. And it’s not just about gender diversity. Having diverse perspectives and contributions from people with different cultural backgrounds, personalities, experiences, and circumstances are very important in holistic business development. In order for that to work, we need to create a culture of understanding, open-mindedness and empathy. This is the way companies can also create long-term sustainability within their own business AND in the world. And perhaps female leaders can bring more of these perspectives naturally because of the background of being ‘nurturers’ in their families and communities.
What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?
We have worked with 3,000 businesses so far and these businesses have created more than 200 million giving impacts together. While this is a great feat, we are looking at scaling our work much more over the next decade. Our goal is to reach 1 million businesses by the end of 2030 and make a big dent toward all of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. In this coming year, we are looking at some important partnership development, working with various businesses networks and establishing specific regional models.
Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?
Initially, I wanted to ensure that all the children in the world have access to resources like nourishing food, medical care, education and opportunities to thrive. And fundamentally, that’s how I got into business.
I also deeply care about the bio-diversity and the eco-system of the environment. But there are so many issues I care about too. I think that the level of trust and caring in our communities really matter. I believe that there is nothing we cannot achieve together if we felt connected and came together to help each other. And I’m sure everyone cares about something. Working on B1G1 is a perfect way I can help every business and every person in the world to be part of the solution for many important issues in the world.
When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?
We already allocate a budget to give to different causes for every business activity we have. For example, every book we publish (even as a digital book) plants trees or helps educate disadvantaged children. We work on carbon offset for our activities and want to make these things easy for other businesses to do. We also engage our team in important debates and giving activities. We talk about how to improve our own business activities and resource management so that we can make our company more socially responsible and environmental too. Being part of other social movements is important for us to keep improving our standards. And we look forward to connecting many more like-minded businesses and causes in the world through that.
After all, we cannot do it all alone. But together we can make a huge impact.
What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?
I love running. So, I run every day. I particularly love running in nature. It gives me time to connect with the surrounding and I get lots of ideas while running. I also do things like growing hydrophobic herbs and veggies inside the house because I love nature (I used to do farming in Japan) and we cannot have a house with a garden in Singapore. My hobby changes over time too because I’m not really attached to anything specific. I enjoy life quite simply.
Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!
At the moment, I’m reading Jim Collin’s “BE 2.0 – Turing Your Business into an Enduring Great Company” and it’s great.
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?
Having a group of new mentors and also taking on a business degree in Leadership. Last year, our team worked remotely most of the time (and we saved our travelling time), so I actually had more time to work on my own personal development. It was GREAT.
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?
Joni Roberts, Founder and Chief Evolution Officer at Evolution University.
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
My role is to empower changemakers to evolve our world through education, everyday actions, and entrepreneurship. I help people make meaningful change for themselves, their companies, and the world by aligning their purpose and actions to social and environmental sustainability initiatives such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.
Education became a surprise love of mine 13 years ago after returning from an entrepreneurial venture in Romania. Now I combine both of these passions into creating a more joyful, prosperous, and sustainable world with my startup school for changemakers.
In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?
To keep learning and growing even when your career isn’t where you want it to be. Diversify your skill set and be agile and adaptable to new opportunities when they arise. Sometimes saying “yes” came from necessity and those experiences made me better by pushing my boundaries. Embrace what shows up and see where it goes.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?
That the world can come together to solve tough problems. We witnessed and experienced how from the top down and the bottom up, nations and citizens participated in managing and solving one of the biggest health and economic crises humanity has faced.
I believe this is the beginning where over the next decade we will draw on the best of humanity to reimagine and recreate a world that is much better than the one we have now. It will be hard, and it will also be the most exciting thing we will have ever achieved as a global community.
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?
Mentoring is the way we spread knowledge and uplevel humanity. We see this happening in the natural world all the time. Educators have many opportunities to influence others in positive ways and I enjoy it immensely. I look to people across many fields for inspiration and knowledge. Personally, I would like to have a mentor to help guide me and my company to the next level.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Surround yourself with people who see the best in you and help you to cultivate your passion and purpose. Receive feedback from people whose opinions you value. Not everyone is qualified to give constructive feedback. Some people are dealing with their own unresolved stuff and may be projecting that on you.
What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?
Whenever I see an executive team or board of directors that is all or nearly all men, it’s a red flag for me because the decision-making will be based on a narrow set of perspectives. We all need to think like this, then do something about it where we can.
What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?
Evolution University is a startup. I balance goals and intentions with what I cannot plan for that emerges. For example, my goals for the summer were to develop two new courses. Instead, I developed a new EVOLVE Framework in sustainability featuring a Compassion-Centered Stakeholder Approach. The ideas were sparked from a blog article I wrote. Another example is a comment I made on a Simon Sinek post, which led to sharing out a leadership practice I created a few years ago. That became a book I just published called Celebrations, Appreciations & Frustrations: A simple, yet powerful practice for bringing MORE connection and authenticity to our relationships. I am very happy with these developments, although I did not plan for them. What I did do is create a foundation of knowledge cultivated over years from where these ideas can spring forth.
Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?
I believe compassion is the foundational mindset for creating better relationships and a better world. It’s not just about being kind as compassion can also be fierce by taking a stand for something you believe in. I got involved in compassion training in 2012 by founding MOREcompassion after going through some challenging personal relationships. I wanted my relationships to be better. A compassion mindset is what I believe will transform our experiences with one another and the world we share.
A MOREcompassion course for people and the planet is available for free on Evolution University as part of our spirit of giving and provides a way to generate discussions and competencies for individuals and teams.
When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?
Being a member of Pledge 1% is automatic for any company I am a part of or when advising others. Evolution University was incorporated in January 2020 and joined Pledge 1% in February 2020.
From experience, I know that when you give, you grow. It’s a reciprocal energy exchange.
What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?
I am all about nature immersions. This is how I decompress, get grounded, and ready for the next project. I live in Florida on the St. Johns River and near to the ocean, springs, and forests. I go for hikes, swims, and love to camp. It’s magical.
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 worked remotely most of my career. What I love about 2020 is how the world got onboarded with Zoom meetings and virtual conferences. I was able to attend conferences in the past year that I otherwise would not have due to time constraints and travel costs. It’s opened up more opportunities for global knowledge sharing and collaborations. This is part of the upside of 2020 that we can take with us into 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?
Rachel Mellers, Co-Founder at Apéro Label.
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
I am the co-owner and director of Apéro and drive the creative spaces of the business including Art Direction and all of our Design & Production.
In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?
Before starting Apéro I worked for a small fashion business, which was an invaluable experience, as I was thrown in the deep end and wore a hundred different hats in a day, meaning I had to learn a lot of different areas of the business. This sort of understanding was pivotal in helping me grow my skill set. From there I got a job working under a really strong mentor, which helped me perfect some of my more specific skills in design and production. Getting a strong mentor in an area that I was wanting to focus on, helped me go to a new level in my confidence, knowledge, and hands-on abilities.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?
After developing and dealing with a chronic illness for most of 2020 the biggest lesson I learned was to never take health for granted. It is one of the most important gifts we have and we should be grateful for our good health every day.
What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?
I often feel the need to justify how hard I work and how much I do in the day to day to men in my world, and this mindset of striving just to be “on the same level” as men and justifying how much women are capable of is something I am working on breaking.
Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?
A mentor to me is someone I admire, not only for their skill set but for their general character and attitude toward the things they do. The people I want to mentor me and be around are those that ignite a greater passion in me and push me to want to be better at my craft and as a person.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Where possible, intern as much as you can in different sectors of the field you are wanting to get into. The more you do this the more you will learn about what you like and don’t like doing before you even hit the workforce. It will give you more of a clear path and clarity in your career and help you connect with people in the industry that you can call on later down the track. If you can find a mentor or someone you admire working in the industry, take them out for a coffee and pick their brain as much as possible too.
What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?
First and foremost companies need to make sure they have women in those leadership and senior positions. I have had discussions with girlfriends (as recent as this year) who work with all-male bosses and this has led them to feel they can’t aspire to one day have one of the more senior leadership roles in that business. Subconsciously it made them feel they would be disqualified from the running and if they wanted to progress they would need to move to a new company – how crazy is that?
Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?
I am super passionate about a million different things but particularly focused on causes that empower women. We have been giving a percentage of our sales to Women’s Community Shelters since we started Apéro and I see it as a real privilege and joy to get to do the donation every month. WCS helps women in need, particularly those who are homeless or have suffered from domestic violence situations and helps provide them with a safe environment and practical/emotional support. It’s an amazing cause to be a part of.
When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?
2020
What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?
I have recently started swimming and love it. I wouldn’t say I have unique hobbies, but love going out for a good meal, spending time with friends, going to the beach, running, bingeing a good tv series, shopping, morning walks with my dog, painting, going for saunas…
Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!
I love listening to the How I Built This podcast every week. Its stories about entrepreneurs and how they built these amazing businesses from the ground up. It’s very inspirational.
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?
Slack – I have found this channel an awesome tool for easy communication with staff and creating different channels for different areas in the business, that can be easily looked back on.