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?

Netta Dobbins, CEO at Mimconnect.

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

I’m the CEO of Mimconnect. We’re a diversity consultancy and tech-enabled platform helping diverse professionals navigate their careers.

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

Mimconnect started from my personal journey. I moved to NYC to work in entertainment, PR, and eventually advertising. Throughout those careers, I found myself as “the only” in a bunch of rooms — the only woman, the only black person, the youngest, etc. I created Mimconnect as a way to create a community of people who understood the nuances of navigating corporate America. In less than 3 weeks, that group chat grew to over 300 people. Today, we’re reaching just about 10K professionals nationwide.

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

Understanding that anything is possible and you should go after what you want. I never dreamed of being an entrepreneur. But quitting my job 2 years ago and hopping into entrepreneurship head first has been the most rewarding experience.

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

You can have the best strategy or ideas in the world, nothing ever goes as planned. So don’t get caught up in the details. Focus on executing the vision and be comfortable iterating/going in a different direction when needed.

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

Understand that you belong in every room you enter. Often times women are dealing with imposter syndrome and have a tremendous amount of anxiety depending on the room we’re in. Remember that you were hired because of your perspective. In order to advance in your career, you need to put it on display. Feel confident in speaking up, stay knowledgable on the industry you’re working in, and be sure to bring other women up with you.

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

Start with the data. Understand where women currently rank in positions within your company and then create an action plan to implement more women. Find where the gaps are and partner with organizations to help you fill in those gaps. Additionally, create a safe environment for women to be vocal about their concerns – and then be open to implementing changes to address those concerns.

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

I’ve been tuned into the Earn Your Leisure podcast pretty heavily recently. They focus on different ways to build wealth, but in a culturally relevant way that’s easy for anyone to understand.

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?

Therapy! I couldn’t have started therapy at a better time. Having someone to work through issues with has made all the difference in both my personal and professional life.

Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.

What is your name and title?

Geraldine Gray, CEO at Endiem.

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

I am the founder and CEO of Endiem, a partner trusted to deliver brilliant Salesforce solutions for the energy sector.

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

In my first role in the Salesforce industry, working for top consultancy Appirio, I became known as the “consultant to put on hard projects”. My travel schedule from coast-to-coast was grueling and some of the business challenges I was asked to solve for Fortune 50 companies brought difficult days and long, long nights. I led teams with fun, flair, and finesse – always striving to deliver excellent work that brought real efficiencies to those companies’ bottom line. All of this experience set me up for my role as CEO of Endiem. Being an entrepreneur is not for weaklings.

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

Prioritize building a support network of mentors, colleagues, and like-minded professional women. I can’t tell you how many times my network has guided me through challenges and pitfalls with superb advice. They have shared ideas, content, and best practices with honesty and transparency. Just knowing that I have a safety net of knowledge under me is a comfort as I make decisions that impact Endiem.

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

I never stop learning, and that includes from my customers. I was lucky enough to work with Dulce Borjas, CIO of ENGIE North America for a couple of years – she has a magical way of getting the best out of her team while giving them encouragement, responsibilities, and her time. She’s always ready with a smile or joke and is never intimidated by being the only woman in the room. Dulce’s vision of “IT as a Service” at ENGIE inspired the Endiem Team to work on our own digital transformation project last year. The changes we made contributed massively to our ability to succeed and deliver successful projects in 2020, even as COVID-19 impacted us all.

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

I’ve been working for a long time and been lucky enough to have had several women guide and inspire me.

Meredith Williams was the CEO of Citibank UK in London when she hired me to run her office and her projects for the consumer business side of Citibank. As a technology driven organization, they were the first to offer true online banking in the UK. She instilled in me a love of tech, process, and technology that always put people at the heart of the results.

Lori Williams (not related!) hired me in my first “big” role as a Salesforce consultant. She was always available to chat and serve actionable advice when I was on some Salesforce’s most challenging projects for household names such as eBay, PayPal, and Time Inc. – which I needed as I grew into someone known as being able to handle the hardest technical challenges. I am so lucky to have her as a mentor and she has been pivotal in guiding me to build an organization where we can make decisions driven by data without losing sight of the humans who work here. Endiem has excelled in spite of COVID-19 because her guidance over the last few years ensured we had a solid financial foundation and a rockstar delivery team that wasn’t going to sway or rock in tough times.

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

Even though I have 20 years of Salesforce experience and have grown a multi-million-dollar, self-funded business, I often look around the room while on projects and wonder when I am going to be uncovered as not smart enough. It hasn’t happened yet, but it always niggles at the back of my mind. It amazes me how I get to work with such clever colleagues – I’m still waiting to be found out! My bravado covers up my wonder at being where I am today. My advice to women just starting their careers is to realize that you don’t need to be 100% perfect, no one else is. Just work hard, have courage and be nice to people.

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

Endiem gets 90% of new business from existing customer referrals. In the next year, I want to ‘bottle’ the methodology that has got us this level of recognition so that we can roll it out at scale to even more customers. However, I want to do it without ever losing the quality of delivery, ‘white gloves’ service and fun and flair that we offer to our customers now.

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

Endiem supports a long list of causes, both local and national. However, one cause that has been really close to our hearts this year and more important than ever through the pandemic has been Houston based charity Kids Meals Inc.

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

I have two kids, one husband, one dog, one cat and one business to run. So, while I wish I could give you a list of elaborate hobbies and sports, that’s not on the agenda! If I want to unwind out of the office then it’s likely to be a pumped up kitchen disco with spangly lights and a couple of hilarious, highly excitable five-year-olds! The dog loves ABBA too.

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

I have a plans to read “No Forms. No Spam. No Cold Calls: The Next Generation of Account-Based Sales and Marketing” by Appirio alumnus Latane Conant.

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?

Betsy Walker, Vice President, Business Systems and Processes at Appfire.

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

I lead the team that manages my company’s internal IT systems, servers, corporate applications, and data warehouse.

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

I’ve been in many technical roles throughout my career – such as developer, systems analyst, consultant, project manger, manager, and IT operations director. Each of those roles gave me valuable perspectives and broad experience as both an individual contributor and as a manager.

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

When considering a job change or role change, my #1 priority has always been to choose based on my future boss. Working for someone who inspires me and from whom I can learn is essential.

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

The last year has made social connections more important yet harder to maintain. With everyone now being a Zoom expert, there are creative ways to connect. I host a weekly happy hour call with relatives, my friends, and my friends’ friends which has been very fun. I also play mah jongg each week as I have done for years – except now it is online while we’re on a Zoom call so we can chat.

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

I have not had any mentors, but I support others as they advance in their career and encourage them to do the same. There is so much that can be gained through learning from another’s experiences as well as your own.

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

Hard work should always bring you recognition and visibility. If it doesn’t, then you may be in the wrong place.

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

Allow for representation at all levels. Diversity of all kinds leads to more innovative and creative thinking.

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

Stay healthy!

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

As the mother of a daughter who was blind since birth, I am very interested in how technology levels the playing field, so to speak, by making the world more accessible. I follow technological trends and advocate for accessibility through organizations such as Perkins School for the Blind, which my daughter attended.

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

Appfire joined Pledge 1% in 2015. Our founders sincerely believe in the philanthropic mission and impact that our Pledge 1% commitment can accomplish.

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

I love cooking, because it’s both relaxing and fun to cook for others. One day after I’ve retired, I plan on cooking all the recipes in the Great British Bake Off show’s cookbook.

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

“101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think” by Brianna Wiest.

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 found it’s essential to lighten up at work and share with each other about the irony, stress, and boredom of working through a pandemic. It gives my team the permission to not neglect their work/life balance, despite have a blurring-of-the-lines between what constitutes the work day.

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?

Anneke Forzani, President and Founder at Language Lizard.

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

I oversee all aspects of Language Lizard, a small business that publishes and distributes children’s resources in over 50 languages to schools, libraries and literacy organizations. We support multicultural education and culturally responsive teaching.

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

I spent several years working as a marketing manager for a large telecommunications company, serving immigrant communities that spoke Arabic, Russian, and Polish. I recognized that most companies were not focusing on these communities and, as such, often their needs were not being met. At the same time, I was studying children’s writing and graphic design to engage the creative side of my brain “for fun”. These two experiences led me to develop a business that would provide children’s books in home languages for communities that did not have high quality literacy materials in their languages.

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

For several years, I worked with a professor of education and some graduate students on a book that would support teachers in developing culturally responsive classrooms, helping diverse students thrive both academically and socially. The book was a culmination of years of working with teachers of diverse students, and the book was published at the end of 2019. This book has helped to position our company as a leader in promoting diversity education.

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

If sales are slow due to circumstances beyond your control, find important work to do to set your company and yourself up for success when things get back to normal.

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

I interact with many women educators and literacy professionals, so being a woman has not been a hindrance in my current career. What has been a challenge, is being a working mother, particularly during a year like this – when children do not have their regular routines, and normal support structures are unavailable. This year has forced me to focus and prioritize more than ever before.

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

I had a great mentor for many years in my previous company. She was a senior executive and helped me to move to many different, interesting positions throughout the company. She is an amazing example of strong, female leadership, and showed me how to lead successfully with high expectations AND compassion for members of your team. I think a good mentor or role model can help you learn how to lead, and can provide opportunities for success.

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

You can learn from both great managers and from those who are not so good. Find traits that you want to emulate as well as those that you want to avoid. Also, make sure you are always learning. If you are not learning, then see if you can move to a new opportunity (even if it’s in the same company) where you will learn and grow.

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

Offer an ability to move through different roles in the company to grow and learn new skills. Also, allow women, and all employees, to manage their schedules flexibly so they can succeed at work and at home.

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

Provide books in some new languages, including some indigenous languages.

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

Room to Read – they support global literacy and girls education, two causes that are close to my heart. They also have a program where they mentor writers and illustrators in developing countries to help develop talent around the world. I learned about the organization from a friend who is the head of a NJ chapter.

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

Early 2020. We support an organization that promotes diversity in children’s books, and also Room to Read and some smaller programs. It is extremely meaningful to support literacy and educational initiatives throughout the world which will help bring people out of poverty, and also will help build community in diverse classrooms.

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

I love to visit national parks, hike, and challenge myself physically. Two years ago, I hiked up half dome in Yosemite National Park which was a huge accomplishment for me as I have a fear of heights. I also try to train once a year for sprint triathlons.

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

I just discovered a new podcast called the Superhuman Project Podcast. The Superhuman Project is “an effort to help individuals become the best version of themselves & live their full potential.”

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?

Breath. I began meditating and have been learning to become more present in the moment, focusing on the here and now rather than worrying about the future.

You can learn more about our company with this 5 minute video.

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?

Deena Tearney, CEO at Pacific Point Inc.

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

Pacific Point is a Salesforce consulting firm, rooted in Honolulu, Denver and Sydney. My role is to lead the strategy and growth of the company.

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

To always be learning. I have realized that I have so much to learn, every single day.

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

Despite the pandemic, Pacific Point had the incredible honor to be recognized by Inc. 5000 alongside so many impressive businesses. This ranking is not only a testament to excellence of our consulting team, but also highlights the growing need for technology solutions that strengthen businesses and enable personalized customer experiences. Now, more than ever, we are hyper-focused on delivering valuable Salesforce solutions and business results for our clients.

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

As a woman in technology, which is male dominated, I work hard at finding the balance of being an empathetic leader as well as a boss. However through my leadership style, I am proud to say that once people join our company, they rarely leave unless its personal reasons or moving cities. I am very proud of building this work family.

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

Mentorship has been an important part of my career development. My primary approach to mentorship is through indirect mentors. I felt that I would gain the most value by watching closely how leaders and peers handled situations in my day-to-day job and situations I knew and understood well. I would ask colleagues their perspectives on things that were happening right in front of us. For me, it is a very practical form of mentorship in what to do (and what not to do) without those people even realizing they were mentoring me. I think what is key in mentorship is that you still trust your own intuition.

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

Starting your career is the time to focus on learning and build skills and experience. Hard work and taking ownership are essential throughout your career. I like this quote on Instagram, “Instead of begging for a seat, build your own table”.

Seek opportunities and work hard, you got this!

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

I founded Pacific Point with the goal of bringing CRM and Salesforce to the Hawaii market. Seven years later, Pacific Point is the state’s leading Salesforce consulting firm and is currently Hawaii’s only consulting firm that is a certified Salesforce partner. Growing nationally and internationally has been extremely exciting, although there was definitely a learning curve. Because of the challenges with traveling to our Sydney and Singapore offices, my goal for this year is to focus on our growth in the Denver area, and to connect with community in all of the cities we have offices in.

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

I have a passion for encouraging youth to pursue careers in business, leadership, and
technology. I support various youth programs that are focused on topics such as STEM, Women in Business and Leadership, and Women in Technology. My career in technology has been really rewarding for me, so I want to encourage young women to consider careers in this field.

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

Pacific Point joined Pledge 1% in December of 2019. We actually have had our impact program running for several years but felt it was time to “make it official.” We love volunteering our time to inspire students, especially girls, to pursue careers in technology through hands-on workshops and professional mentoring. Recently, we taught a hands-on workshop to junior high women on building a lemonade stand on the Salesforce platform.

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

In my spare time, I love to golf – it’s a great mental game for me. I get distracted with a lot of things throughout the day and many different things happening at once. I love clearing my head when I play golf and focusing on one thing – hitting the ball. Fresh air and playing with a friend is also a huge plus!

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

I’m a huge fan of Gary Vaynerchuk and listen to his podcast in the car if I’m not on calls or with family. He is such an inspiration to me with his raw communication on positivity, gratefulness, and kindness, yet counter-balanced with his grit to work hard and fight for the win. His insights on marketing bring me a lot of value as well!

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 sent special packages out to our employees with a Pacific Point trucker hat and a bottle of wine. (Many thanks to 1813 in Australia as well as Empathy Wines and Darioush in Napa Valley, CA for making it happen!) Then we put on our company hats, poured ourselves a glass, and signed on for some much-needed (re)bonding. It was a great chance to rehash old office jokes, nerd out about shared interests, and generally reconnect with some of the people we’ve been missing. As an added bonus, we strengthened our international bonds that in the past relied on long plane flights to build and maintain.

I know logging into a meeting with no agenda can seem daunting for some teams. If that’s a concern for you, sending items for the meeting can help break the ice or have a few non-work topics ready just in case. Once the ball is rolling, your team will remember what it’s like to…well… be a 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?

Renee Barker, Food System Sustainability Manager at Postmates Civic Labs.

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

As part of the Civic Labs social impact team, I positively impact neighborhoods through community engagement and innovative technology solutions. I head up our work that tackles food security and sustainability across the communities we operate in.

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

I have been involved in various aspects of sustainability in my career, but really honed in on food security in my role at Postmates. I believe it is important to look at a broad view of how we can affect the food system as a delivery company and make an impact in the environmental, social, and economic sectors. Recently, I was really excited to work on our partnership to purchase and donate meals from Black-owned restaurants to those that are feeding the hungry in their communities. We have also been working to empower restaurants to donate food easily through our FoodFight program to assist their neighbors in need.

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

Being open to learning from others has been incredible! Engaging with other companies on their social impact programs and learnings through Pledge 1% has been extremely helpful. Also, having the support to pursue my continuing education in Product Management through General Assembly has helped inform how I tackle projects and interact with our team.

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

The importance of community. Many of us faced a challenging year both personally and professionally, and it is so important to come together virtually to keep the connections we have to support and uplift each other. It can be challenging to engage with others while staying at home – but the connection is what a lot of us need to stay motivated, happy, and ready to tackle anything.

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

There is still a lot of room for improvement in terms of equity for women in the tech industry – from equal pay, to funding, to representation in senior leadership roles.

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

There are so many people that I look up to and seek advice from as mentors! To me, mentorship is about listening and guiding, and offering expertise to help you find the answers yourself.

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

Be open to change and seize opportunities when you see them! It’s okay for there to be some uncertainty in your career path – I never thought I would have ended up where I am today when I graduated. Always value learning and growing, and remember that the world is always changing and your priorities may change as well.

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

Be supportive of each other and advocate for clear career pathing and opportunities for advancement at your company. Invest in the women at your company to grow into leadership roles.

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

A lot of my professional goals are centered in making a positive impact at a large scale. I hope to continue to grow and strengthen the programs that I work on, and grow my own professional skills in more technical aspects.

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

My passion for sustainability stems from my love of nature and the outdoors. Systems and connections in nature is well studied, but in our complicated globalized economy it can be hard to see the links and ways to increase equity and reduce waste across so many sectors. I hope to bring more clarity to building a more equitable and circular economy that brings resources to those who are in need.

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

I am so proud of Postmates for joining Pledge 1% and for tackling so much with such a small team. As our company grows in new markets, our potential impact is also growing to meet the needs of communities we operate in across the country.

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

I’ve reinvigorated my hobby of embroidery! My knots are messy and it doesn’t look great, but I am enjoying learning new techniques and working on a new creative outlet!

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

Untamed: The Wildest Woman in America and the Fight for Cumberland Island by Will Harlan is an amazing story that I hope everyone can check out and be inspired by!

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?

What helps me is to be deliberate at setting aside time to be away from technology and staring at a screen. It is easy to be connected at all times and always looking at my laptop, but I feel so much better when I can go for a walk without my phone notifications or play with my dog in the yard for a break every day.

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?

Peggy O’Flaherty, Co-Founder & Chief Community Officer of Mavely.

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

As CCO, I bring together over 25,000 women and 300 plus brands, mostly female-founded, to empower growth. The women are creating income and content, and the brands are acquiring customers at a lower cost and gaining a higher lifetime value of a customer from trusted referrals.

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

Mavely is my 4th company. I have spent my entire career building up women and women businesses, as well as women’s faith. I strongly encourage women to reach out and offer a hand to support another women on their journey. I admire men that do that for women as well. My last investor and I made an enormous impact in the church and tech space, and we took those learns to build Mavely – with the goal of empowering everyday women and brands.

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

Making a decision to take the gifts and talents that have been given to me and use them as a channel of love to build others up. Living with a spirit of generosity has helped me advance my career. As well as being transparent about the fact that for me, work comes second to raising my 5 children.

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

In the midst of 2020, that old saying of hindsight is 2020 couldn’t be more true. Looking back, living life with childlike curiosity and vulnerability has really helped me persevere through personal challenges. It also helped me build trust in my team, foster better relationships with customers, and ensure trust with my investors.

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

Maintaining my voice and standing tall in my strengths.

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

Yes, I have several mentors in various areas of life. Mentorship is huge for me as a way of giving back. I have 13 interns right now, and through Pledge 1% we are working with Technovation, assisting teen girls in STEM to build apps that change the world.

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

Build a business and life that you are passionate about, stay true to your North Star, run your business focussed on KPI and OKR, understand the numbers, and learn quickly how to trust your gut.

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

Ensure that everyone has an equal voice across all areas of the organization. When women are using their voice and strengths, they will naturally rise to the top.

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

A mission trip to Africa.

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

Watts of Love brings solar lights and economic stability to the poorest regions of the world, replacing kerosene. The money they save on not buying kerosene (an extremely toxic and fire hazard) is used to purchase pigs, goats and supplies for their farms. Extra light extends their day for learning and family time.

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

We joined Pledge 1% in Fall 2020. Having our entire team rally around an organization that we can impact has brought great momentum and helped us increase the spirit of giving back.

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

Building experiences with my 5 children, cooking, travelling, and being active and in nature.

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

The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership and Draw The Circle.

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?

Meditation.

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?

Julia Robinson, Sustainability Program Manager at Atlassian.

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

As a founding member of Atlassian’s Sustainability Team, I work on projects that deliver measurable, meaningful impact across the issue areas that we’ve prioritized as a company – climate change, human rights, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. I lead our sustainability reporting strategy and human rights and ethics focus area.

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

I’ve always looked for roles where I’m trying to change the status quo or work within systems to change them for the better. I started my career in women’s empowerment and global health in Sierra Leone and South Africa, before coming back to the United States to work on corporate sustainability and responsibility. I’ve done a lot of searching in my career! Every job I’ve had has helped me hone my purpose and my “theory of change” – basically how I want to make a difference in my small corner of the world.

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

My privilege has given me access to opportunities that absolutely helped me advance my career. So, I don’t want to imply that one lucky move got me where I am today. The decision to join a tech company after only working at nonprofits very much felt like a leap of faith – one that I’m glad I made! It’s given me the opportunity to learn about entirely new ways of working and thinking, in addition to being able to make a tangible difference within and beyond my organization.

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

It’s OK to ask for help – whether that’s time off, seeking out therapy, or support from a loved one or colleague.

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

As a white, cis-gendered woman in sustainability and tech, the challenge is always asking whether what I’m doing or how I’m going about things is holding up systems and structures that continue to perpetuate discrimination, bias, and inequity against BIPOC and people of under-represented identities. This is an ongoing conversation I have with myself (and others!).

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

For me, mentorship is about an exchange, and it comes in many forms. I learn from peers, from people I mentor, from leaders and managers, and from loved ones.

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

Don’t be afraid to spend some time searching for what gives you meaning and purpose. Also, set up strong work/life boundaries – once you get into the “grind culture” mindset, it’s really hard to stop.

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

Companies should look at the data first to understand where the issues are. Likely what’s required is going to be deep structural shifts, and it might not be something that immediately feels good or can be turned into a positive news story. And companies need to challenge themselves to think intersectionally. It isn’t enough to only advance the careers of cis-gendered white women.

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

I’d like to keep seeking out joy and intention in both my career and my personal life.

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

Although I get a lot out of my job, I also have volunteered for political campaigns and causes, especially in the past four years or so. Lots of phone banking, door knocking (when that was safe to do!), and other forms of organizing to get out the vote. I think civic engagement is a vital responsibility. A lot of people undervalue how much of a difference it can have.

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

Atlassian is a founding member of Pledge 1%, and it was one of the top reasons I joined the company. I’m really proud of the contributions of the Atlassian Foundation and our employees.

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

I love cooking, and that’s been a great hobby to pick back up in the past year of social distancing and sheltering in place.

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

I just finished Interior Chinatown by Charles Wu. It was one of the most inventive novels I’ve read in a while.

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?

Back to the work/life boundaries thing – I make a phone call, usually to my dad, at the end of every work day. This gives me a hard stop to shut down the laptop, and it means I get to hear how he’s doing. It’s something I’d like to continue once we’re past the pandemic.

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?

Neha Sampat, Founder and CEO at Contentstack.

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

As CEO of Contentstack, I represent the company and our interests, facilitate sustainable growth, and unblock and rally to help my team move our vision forward. Our vision is to use technology to break down barriers for better human connection.

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

In 2007, I left VMWare to found Raw Engineering to help enterprise brands adopt new technologies. We offered a service. In offering that service over time, we became digital trend spotters. Content was critical to building customer relationships, but it could no longer be confined to a website alone. Also, enterprises needed to be liberated from all-in-one suites, which hampered business and tech teams’ creativity and productivity.

The need defined the product. That product is Contentstack. We launched in 2014, created a stand-alone company in 2018, and raised capital in 2019. Since launch, we have partnered with over 100 brands to modernize their storytelling.

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

Splitting my companies. In 2018, we had a profitable services business and several product lines, but limited resources. I spun out Contentstack and sold Built.io to Software AG. It allowed us to scale Contentstack as far as we have. Running Contentstack – building relationships with employees and clients and delivering on a better way to tell stories – has been the most meaningful role of my career.

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

Over-communicating is a must during tough times. In a year of so many things feeling out of control, transparent communication is very much in our hands. No surprises should be the goal – except for the fun kind.

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

1. Be authentically you. Work on understanding the unique value you bring to the table and own that value.
2. Be curious. Use every learning opportunity that comes your way.
3. Build allyship by focusing on what you can give rather than what you can get.

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

Pay women equitably and make workplace flexibility the norm.

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

I relentlessly work toward achieving equity in the workplace. I do this through committing to initiatives like Pledge 1% and Insight’s ScaleUp DE&I pledge, and hiring talent through Gainsight & SVA Academy’s CSYou – which helps underrepresented groups enter the customer success industry. I also focus on broader strategies like looking for talent in undiscovered places and mentoring aspiring female founders on their path to entrepreneurship.

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

We took the pledge in 2018 for all Surfboard companies (Built.io, Raw Engineering and Contentstack). Today, Surfboard companies pledge a combination of 1% Time (Raw Engineering) 1%+ Product (Contentstack) and 1% Revenues $$ via donations (Surfboard) to the communities we serve.

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

I’m a certified sommelier and I like to find ways to share that passion with others. I host virtual wine-tasting networking events and fireside chats with employees and customers that include tastings.

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

My podcast, Dreammakers, of course. I host candid conversations with women that focus on profit, purpose, and what it takes to bridge the two. My guests fuel my creativity. I’ve spoken with a Founder and CEO of an online payments company that also runs a foundation that relocates victims of domestic violence, a product manager writing a second novel and obsessed with creating psychological safety at work, and a founder who facilitates allyship between professional women in Austin. I’m constantly in awe.

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 elevated the value of fun. Cultivating happy cultures has always been core to what I do and how I operate. So, while it was a bit of a shock to be physically isolated from my tribe this year, it was also a fun challenge to keep the heart of our culture beating virtually.

Technology helped us do that through: Awards for best pandemic hair and best Zoom backgrounds, a David Hasselhoff Cameo during our QBR, team fitness via Zoom and customer-themed trivia and prizes.