Throughout my career, I enjoyed my work and working with the people around me. If I stopped enjoying my work or if the social environment around me changed, I forged a different path. I sought out interesting opportunities and exciting communities of people. I gave myself promotions and new skills development by changing roles and companies. I made new friends and colleagues everywhere I went as I went along my journey.
Ask people to take a chance on you
I rarely asked for a raise. Money mattered little if I didn’t have the respect and trust of my colleagues. I asked for more responsibility and for opportunities to try new things. I asked people to take a chance on me, to let me demonstrate what I could do and imagine. I asked people to keep an open mind and get out of their comfort zone. I encountered people who were working to a formula and sometimes they were risk-adverse. In those cases, I was a square peg in a round hole. That’s okay. We learn from each other and we move on.
People support me along the way because they want to. I invite people to participate in an exchange with me. I am often the first to give.
My call to action to all women is to step up to the podium. Invite people to be a part of the village, the community, or the ecosystem you are building. You are leaders. You are creating capital – invest some in an entrepreneur whose mission and values align with yours. You are creating economic opportunity and you can give others a raise.
