On this International Women’s Day, Working in Gratitude at the Intersection of Business, People, and Technology

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) focuses on the power of technology to create gender equality. To say this theme is one that makes my heart and soul soar is an understatement.

Driven by the purpose of leveling the global playing field so that all talent can thrive, I have been fortunate enough to spend my 25-year career working at the intersection of business, technology, and people. I have worked on the cutting edge of emerging technology to detect, prevent, and eventually eradicate the unconscious biases that hold women and other members of under-represented populations back from realizing their full potential and feeling the gratification of making a lasting and positive impact on the world. I have spoken on more stages than I can count about the importance of ethical technology usage and innovations in creating workplace gender equity and how this holds the power to scale continents, industries, professions, and generations. I have studied and published a doctoral dissertation on women in tech and life sciences business board rooms, and written articles, a best-selling book, and have appeared in multiple TV, podcasts, and news outlets about women who disrupt the world on their own terms. Yet, despite all this work, I had never experienced what it would be like to work in a truly gender balanced workplace… until now.

Over the 15 months, I have had the privilege of serving as Chief Marketing Officer at Limeade, the world’s leading immersive well-being SAAS provider. Unlike the enterprise technology industry norm of low gender representation in decision-making rooms, at Limeade, 57% of our board members are women, including our board chair, 63% of the C-Suite executive business are women, and 51% of our workforce - 48% represented at the director level and above – are female. This is something to be proud of when we consider the latest research that shows female representation is about 33% in large technology firms in 2022; a mere 2% increase from the previous year.

Make no mistake, women are not in power at Limeade because we are women. We are in power because of our company’s commitment to hire and develop the best talent in the industry.

As I think about this year’s IWD theme, I am heartened by what I see when I look around the virtual room I share with my fellow female executives in our C-Suite and the male allies who we count on everyday. And it is glorious. I am often asked what Limeade has done to achieve gender equality while so few other B2B tech vendors have? The answer lay in five key areas:

Steadfast commitment: Our Founder/Chief Executive Officer, Henry Albrecht, is steadfast in his belief that hiring and developing the best talent requires that you must consider ALL available talent and not just focus on a certain segment of the population. No exceptions. It’s not always easy. We do it anyway.

Purposeful intention: In other work environments where women have experienced higher levels of representation, there were often rumblings at every level of the organization akin to “she only got the job because she’s a woman”. My female colleagues at every level and function of our company and I are in place because we are the best people to help deliver on the purpose of Limeade: to transform work should be a source of positivity, energy, humanity and purpose.

Transformational leadership: Women are relational in their decision-making and purpose-driven in their word, resulting in a population of leaders who live the kind of leadership it takes to make healthy and resilient workplaces where all voices feel heard and all people feel seen, ultimately resulting in ground-breaking innovations. My fellow female leaders - Lauren Chucko, Liz Carver, Colette Foreman, and Sarah Visbeek- blow me away with their grit, intelligence, strategic and operational chops, and their truly human way of leading their teams to deliver exceptional and innovative employee and customer experiences. It is an honor to work alongside them every day. My favorite part of our work together is how we openly support each other in every room that we are in. Including each other and extending to every member of our workforce, we take advocacy and championing seriously and do it early and often. This has led the way for others to do the same.

Inclusive belonging: Diversity is nothing more than number counting. Inclusion and belonging are the name of the gender equality and equity game. Inclusion describes the culture where all people can feel seen and heard. Belonging occurs when each person is able to look in the corporate mirror and say “I belong here”. This type of inclusive belonging changes how we work with each other, how we make decisions, and what we prioritize and value. It takes all hands on deck, particularly those from traditionally over-represented populations. I am humbled by the allyship of our boss Henry Albrecht, and fellow C-Suite co-leaders Dave Smith, Alan Saporta, and Paul Crick- who are some of the best male allies with whom I have ever had the pleasure to work. They openly and loudly reinforce the validity of all voices, underscore and seek out voices not often heard, and prioritize the well-being of our every Limeade employee, including the unique needs of our female colleagues.

Relentless pursuit: Limeade has not solved the diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging challenges that have plagued our industry since its inception. We have a way to go in many other segments of under-represented populations. Every day, we test, measure, and learn how to navigate toward healthier and more segment balanced and inclusive workplace where all talent, regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, and differently abled can thrive. We are committed to this level of rigor and practice forever because creating and cultivating truly equitable work environments is a job that is never done.