Today, March 8th, is International Women’s Day. This is a very special day for us at Barn & Willow because we are so proud to rep a predominantly female team! Our employees weren’t hired because of their gender, though. They were hired because they are the best fit for the position and excel at what they do. We are so honored to be working with such inspiring ladies in higher positions and see each other grow every day.
We asked our team a few questions about what it’s like to be a working woman, and here are a few of their answers.
What makes you most proud about being a successful female professional?
Trisha Roy, CEO & Founder: I've always had a passion for creating new things. In my day to day running a business what makes me feel good is the endless possibilities of creating new products, categories, new customer demands, new partnership opportunities and of course being able to create new jobs in my capacity as a founder.
Have you ever faced resistance in the workplace because of your gender?
Tracy Massaro, Marketing Strategy Consultant: I have been fortunate to have not faced any strong resistance in the workplace and have many men who have been advocates and mentors to me. However, there have been many times where I feel like I have had to work harder to prove myself as equal to my male counterparts at work and even back when I was in college in male dominated classes. People, including those in leadership positions, have made sexist comments to me. I have always noticed that females are interrupted much more than men in important meetings and conversations, but I don't let that bring me down or affect my ambitions. I keep on moving forward and make sure I have a seat at the table to be heard.
How is it balancing work life vs. social/family life, and do you feel that you have a different experience with this than men do?
Tracy: I don't like to make overly broad generalizations but in a lot of families, women do more of the housework and are the primary parents, which makes it nearly impossible for women to focus on their careers as much as men do. However, I am seeing more and more men step up to their share of household and parenting duties which I think benefits everyone (relationships, children, employers, etc). I think the two things that will have the largest impact on this is 1) Work flexibility for both men and women so that it is possible to have two working parents and still prioritize your children and other obligations 2) For people (women included) to treat woman and men equally and stop having double standards. When a man works hard and late hours it is many times viewed as a positive: "He is a hard worker." When a woman works hard or late hours, some might judge her for not being a present mother. That inequality is not serving anyone. Another example-- when I drop my kids off at school in mismatched clothes, I get judging looks. When my husband drops kids off in mismatched clothes, people say "Wow, what a great dad-- he is doing drop off duty."
How do you define success?
Trisha: When people to whom you have no relation are inspired by you and what you're doing.
What do you think is best the quality women have compared to men in relation to their work strategies?
Taylor Conran, Marketing Coordinator: The combination of their reasoning and intuition. I feel like women’s decisions are often watched under a microscope more often than men; if they make the wrong decision, they are criticized for “letting their emotions come into play.” Because of this, we’ve gotten very good at looking at situations from all angles and taking into account all possible variable. But when the time comes, we are also very capable of just following our gut. This is why more females need to be in executive positions.
What advice would you give to any other female employees/entrepreneurs out there?
Andrea: Find a female mentor in the position (or related position) you want! Often times women are surrounded by male mentors who aren't able to understand and empathize in the way a female mentor can. It'll make all the difference having someone who went through the same journey that you're embarking on.
The path to becoming a successful, professional woman is sometimes difficult and presented with barriers, but we are so happy to be working within such a supportive community. Happy Women’s Day to every lady out there; we’re excited to see us continue to succeed.
Sadly, we don’t have a group photo to show off our dream team, but we’ll update as soon as we do!
