November 23, 2022
Finding Your Voice
This past weekend, I joined some of the industry’s top leadership professionals in Nashville at Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum. Hundreds of women of various backgrounds and ages gathered with the same vision: to make the industrial sector a safe and promising place for women to grow their careers.
The first day was filled with anticipation. Walking in, my head was flooded with the thoughts that greet so many women when they are faced with a challenge. Will people like me? Do I look okay? Am I really qualified to be here? Just as quickly as it came, those worries and fears washed away as the first presentation began.
Our first speaker, Teresa Schell President/Owner of Vive Marketing, started her presentation with a brief introduction on what lead her to this conference. Her story deeply resonated with me as she touched on themes in her life that completely paralleled my own. From growing up in a lower-income family to trying to heal someone you love through the battle of addiction. Teresa made me feel that I was not alone and that I had the power within myself to create the life I know is meant for me. I felt as though I was looking at a future version of myself, someone who at times, when we are in the middle of our own confusion and storm, cannot see.
In between sessions, we had the opportunity to introduce ourselves to our group. We touched on professional and personal accomplishments, as
well as the struggles women have faced in trying to reach those milestones.
I will never forget a personal conversation with Dr. Jasmeet Kaur, Senior Sustainability Manager of The Coca-Company. We discussed the challenges and reality of what it takes for women to climb the corporate ladder, the sacrifices it takes to get there, and the importance of the people in our lives seeing us happy and fulfilled in something we work so hard to accomplish.
The influence of women in the workforce is more than just a seat at the table. In our discussion with Anoosheh Oskouian President & CEO of Ship & Shore Environmental, Inc. we learned the necessity to advocate for the less fortunate women in the world who may never have the opportunities we do. Everyone must do their part and be a voice for the voiceless who may never have the chance to be heard.
Often, women find themselves put in a box. No matter the size, it’s up to us to fight our way out. Women are put in positions of power because we are both creative and analytical beings, with ambitions to take our companies as far as they can go.
Women Breaking the Mold taught me how to be the voice of women around the world who are pursuing their dreams, as well as make sure to take time for myself in order to accomplish my goals. It is a reminder for us that self-care is not selfish, even though at times it feels we may not be taken seriously as we juggle prioritizing family, health, and career. The vast majority of women are STILL the primary caregivers to their children; they shop, cook, and clean, as well as have full-time, fulfilling careers. There will always be times when personal care takes precedence over professional responsibility, and that’s OK. It is up to womankind to demand that we are not seen as less, but as equal when professional opportunities arise.
To everyone I met at Women Breaking the Mold, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you. Thank you for sharing with us your truth and confiding in your peers about the struggles and milestones you have faced along the way. I look forward to seeing you all again when we reunite in Scottsdale in 2023.
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