Being a female executive isn’t always easy, women still make up the minority in the Australian business world, but that’s starting to change.
Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows women make up 34 per cent of all small-business operators (668,670 women). This number has almost doubled in the past two decades
This year the theme for International Women’s Day is “Press for Progress” and it’s that persistence that many female leaders credit for their progression.
Natalie Goldman is the CEO of FlexCareers, a women-first job site that offers tailored programs to large corporates, as well as smaller companies, that help them focus on flexibility at work, getting more women into the workplace and more.
Natalie is an expert with some 20 years’ experience in gender diversity and flexible working, and is dedicated to helping women in leadership careers. She shares her advice with young females aspiring to follow in her footsteps.
“A lot of female grads tend to under-estimate their own capability, as they have a lot of great skills and creativity that’s well sought after, they also have a lot to give and they often don’t back themselves enough, my advice to them is to keep going, and doing so with confidence.
“If you feel like you have an opinion make sure you make it heard…be bold be brave and don’t hold back, put your hand up for opportunities and try and ask for extra projects, it’s very important to be seen as somebody who’s always willing to go the extra mile.’’
Medical Media’s COO, Alexis Rouch, agrees with being proactive for progress. She shares some advice she wishes she could have told her younger self.
“Stay in touch with people you connect with along the way, some people call it networking, I call it making friends. It might seem like you don’t have time for it, and that you should be focused solely on delivering good results, but it will make you’re work so much more rewarding in the long run and, as it happens, it will also help your career.
“Continue to help others, it is your natural instinct, but don’t forget people like helping you too. Don’t be afraid to branch out into entrepreneurship…and always, always remember, girls can do anything.”
The next generation of female entrepreneurs have a lot to look forward to as their role models have shown that the best way to success is to pave your own way.
Zena Chamas, Account Manager, Media & Capital Partners
