Equivalent Too

This week on Scilence, my badass female guest escaped into video games and reading, to avoid her drug addict parents.  Having faced the chauvinistic attitudes in Hollywood  my guest believes that the tech industry is relatively tame towards women in STEM.  Women still struggle to be heard in Tech, but that can be effectively tackled by the attitudes of women themselves.  My C-Suite guest reveals her secrets on how to make empowering choices so you can be successful in a working environment and the importance of  support network, no matter how small.  We discuss the essential differences between mentorship and sponsorship. 

You just have to show up, in spite of your fear and do it anyway.  Put your feet on the road and see where the journey takes you.  Play to win.  Her advice is that if you really love something, you’ve got to figure out a way to make it happen.  Courage and confidence are two separate things.  Its not about women 'growing a pair' - as my Women in STEM points out - Balls are the weakest part of any human body, its about knowing your worth.

On this episode, my female guest is a self-confessed narcissistic extraction of her parents, having been home-schooled and determined to fulfil her fathers wishes for her education.  

She believes wholeheartedly in curiosity and never could have pursued her PhD in Neuroscience without it.  Her key to happiness in life, is to have other things going on besides STEM.  We discuss the perils of keeping your inner artist in the closet and how she has learned to carry herself with dignity, when everybody else thought she was an upright prude!   

My guest had to rebuild her self-esteem after people-pleasing for far too long; and part of that process for her, has been to redefine her understanding of failure.  We've taken life far too seriously for too long, so in this episode we share a loads of giggles, an honest stream of consciousness, and so much more this week on Scilence.  

This week on Scilence, my guest, talks about the long-term consequences (both good and bad) of having been bullied at school.  Being unpopular when young, gave her the space and time to focus on her passion for zoology, resulting in her excelling in her field.  

Today, she continues to challenge stereotypical roles, traditions and mindsets, particularly as a woman in STEM; aiming to be a leader rather than a follower.  As a woman she's aware of her tendency to second-guess herself; and of her sensitivity towards what other people think.  However, awareness of oneself, is the first step towards overcoming our shortcomings and hence our emotional wellbeing.

On this week's episode, my guest, a passionate physicist at heart and woman in STEM, working in emerging telecommunications technology, is completely comfortable in her own skin.  After battling through some major life challenges, she is not afraid to take some time out for herself, no matter how demanding her job is.  She describes how life hasn't gone according to her plan, but she has emerged stronger and more assertive in life and her workplace, as a result.  She believes that some of the ultimate keys to happiness and serenity have been in truly getting to know herself.  All this and more and more on Scilence.    

On Scilence this week, my guest (originally qualified in accounting and finance), describes her curiosity and insatiable appetite for learning; yet was brave enough to leave university early to begin her own thriving tax business.  She champions reading widely, believing it gave her the ability to establish her own values and principles and the ability to stand up for herself. 

As early as she remembers, she lovingly questioned authority, following her enthusiasm to see where it took her.  The success of her business was built from courage, bravery and the inspiration of others peoples triumphs.  My guest mastered the art of living without the fear of failure thanks to a strong network of role models and always remains driven and hardworking to get what she wanted. 

This week's woman in STEM also talks about the power and goodness of just listening to people and how pressurising women to 'have it all' is, in her opinion, a very unhealthy message.  In terms of childcare, career structures and gender pay gap, my guest, believes women are completely setup to fail, firmly resolute that despite all challenges against us, we should always follow our hearts and allow our heads to plan out the destination.

All this and so much more, this week on Scilence.