thortful’s Managing Director urges women on IWD “to make room at the table. If you’re in a room where you think other women should be there, invite them in.”
International Women’s Day, this Saturday, 8th March, is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day is an opportunity to reflect on the strides made towards gender equality, while recognising the work that is still needed to create a more inclusive world.
To celebrate International Women’s Day, greetings card marketplace thortful have spotlighted the female members of their senior leadership and management team, who work in roles that are typically male dominated, to highlight their achievements and journey to working their way to the top.
The team discussed how leadership has changed over the years, who inspires them and what changes still need to be made in the workplace.
Katherine Macklin, Head of Product
“You can be a human first and a business leader second”
Katherine is a University of Oxford graduate who had around ten years working among various charities in London before joining the thortful team.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
“Don’t stay in jobs that make you miserable. There’s been a few jobs that I’ve known aren’t right for me, and I think when you’re working in a culture that doesn’t feel right, sticking it out and staying somewhere that makes you unhappy, will make you miserable. You shouldn’t be doing it to prove a point. It doesn’t mean that you’re resilient; it’s a waste of time and energy to stay somewhere you’re unhappy. So, move on. There’s always a better opportunity out there!”
What advice would you give to young women aspiring to be in leadership positions?
“I think ‘leadership’ is a broad term. Having leadership qualities, acting as a leader within a business, and having a leadership position are all different things. It’s important for people to think about what it is that they want in their own aspirations and not feel that they have to be a manager of a really large team. So, think about what you want, what are goals that you’ll enjoy and work well with your skill set, and then go after them.”
Tell me about a role model that influenced your career path?
“I’ve been lucky to work with lots of fantastic leaders of all genders and had some really fantastic female managers. I’m not going to single one out, but they have all demonstrated a real sense of empathy with their leadership and shown that you can be a human first and a business leader second that you can be emotionally vulnerable, bring humour, and other sides of yourself into the role. It gives a raw sense of authenticity and allows people to connect with you and build respect and a rapport.”
What’s one small change workplaces could make to be more inclusive for women?
“I think lots of workplaces are really moving in the right direction, but I would really love to see more progress made on parental leave and the subsequent return to work. It’s not one change, it’s everything; from supporting women who breastfeed at work, to flexible working policies, to leadership pathways for parents. It’s a significant life change, and the more aware and flexible workplaces can be, the more likely they’ll retain some brilliant people.”
What’s one thing you wish more women knew about climbing the career ladder?
“The classic phrase: it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Really think about the roles you enjoy, that give you different skills and that allow you to work with different people. Try not to just see career progression as just a set of promotions.”
“Allow yourself to step sideways or step out of something that you might not enjoy. You’ve got a potentially 40–50-year career ahead of you; you’ve got time to do that. Don’t feel boxed in, and don’t feel like you must climb the ladder as quickly as possible, give yourself the time to enjoy it.”
How would you say the perception of women in leadership has changed since you started your career?
“This is an interesting question, and one I recently asked a few friends who’ve been working for the same amount of time as me. One thing we all said was that the perception of what it is to be a leader has changed. There’s more value and acceptance given to a broader set of skills now than before. If we’re going back 20 or 30 years, diversity in leadership has really helped with that. People no longer have one fixed idea of what a leader looks like and understand that different people will bring different things to that role.
Pip Heywood, Managing Director
“Make room at the table. If you’re in a room where you think other women should be there, invite them in.”
With over ten years of experience in FMCG and ecommerce, Pip is the Managing Director of thortful.
What advice would you give to your younger self, or young women aspiring to be in leadership positions?
“Just go for it, you will never be 100% ready for it. I see that a lot in women, they wait to be fully qualified 100% ready. Whereas with some men, perhaps they take the leap of faith in themselves a bit quicker. So, I would always suggest that you say yes, and then you figure out how to be brave and how to challenge yourself to do it.”
Tell me about a role model that influenced your career path?
“I’d say my dad, and whilst clearly not a woman, he has been such a coach, an ally, and an advocate for me, I’ve been lucky in having access to him. He had senior leadership roles all his life, and he impressed upon me some key sort of mantras about confidence in the moment, being empathetic.”
How do you think women can uplift and empower each other in the workplace?
“I think calling out great work publicly, often women don’t get the right amount of credit, or their work goes unnoticed. I think making room at the table, if you’re in a room when you think other women should be there, invite them in. I’d say, push on biases when you see them in the moment. If another woman is being discriminated against, or you think being treated in a way that’s not reflective of your values, make sure you call that out and do something about it.”
What’s one small change workplaces could make to be more inclusive for women?
“I think for everyone, normalising flexibility in the workplace. I think if we continue to think of flexibility like reduced hours, or part time working as a woman’s need, it subtly undermines women. And why shouldn’t men have the same access to that flexibility when often they play just as a key role in caring for family members. So, let’s make flexibility more normal, more human, and hopefully it benefits us all.
What’s one thing you wish more women knew about climbing the career ladder?
“First, that women should trust themselves more. Instincts are incredibly powerful things. If your gut says there’s doubt, there’s actually no doubt, as our friends at precision Proco (our printers) would say. If a role seems off, if a manager seems off, then you’re probably not in the right place. And do something about that. And as I mentioned earlier, I think it’s important that women shrug off this need to be ready and just go for things and figure out how to absorb that challenge and take that step up when you’re in the moment when you said yes.”
How has the perception of women in leadership changed since you started your career?
“I’d say that when I first started out, most female leaders were trying to emulate men, and that didn’t sit well with them. It just wasn’t who they were. Now we can see that emotional intelligence and empathy have come to the form as desired leadership style, I can certainly see that playing out as a strength for female leaders.”
Alisa Padhiar, Finance Director
“The Biggest influence is the women in my family”
Alisa is an ACA qualified accountant, with nine years post-qualified experience and has worked in finance for various luxury brands across London.
Can you tell me about a female role model that influenced your career path?
“So rather than a single female role model, the biggest influence has been just the women in my family, they shaped my perspectives in ways that have been invaluable. So, teaching me to follow my own path, focusing on what truly matters to me and just not getting caught up in comparison and beyond that, they can show me the power of resilience, trust in my instincts, working hard and just kind of being who I am.”
How do you think women can uplift and empower each other in the workplace?
“I think one-way women in leadership can really help empower and lift each other up is mentorship, but just in the formal sense. So, mentorship programs are great for things like sharing experience and help you kind of progress your goals faster, but also just the informal networks we have around us. Leadership can sometimes be a bit isolating, and I think it’s important to have that kind of network of women to lean on, whether it’s mentors, peers or just simply sounding thoughts. For me, it’s about kind of lifting each other up on our way to navigate that part.”
How do you think organisations can better support women in achieving leadership?
“I’d say first and foremost, gender diversity kind of has to be a strategic priority at the top levels of companies, leaders need to model the right behaviours, and they seem to advocate for women in leadership roles.”
