As a brand founded by women, for women, International Women’s Day is a very important day for us to celebrate and observe here at Rawbought. We’ve all been shaped in one way or the other by the women in our lives, and we’re thrilled to be able to bring that sisterhood to life in the form of our brand. International Women’s Day is a day for us to celebrate the power and strength of women all around us, while striving for equality for all, around the world.
This year, we’re highlighting the key members of our global team, who help to make our dreams at Rawbought come true.
Sarah Tebbett, Head of Design at Rawbought
What does equality mean to you?
A world where equal opportunity is celebrated and valued.
Did you face any barriers in your education or career because you were a woman? If so, how did you overcome them?
I’ve been very fortunate to have not faced any such discrimination in my education ad career thus far.
What does it mean to be a woman in leadership at Rawbought?
The all-women leadership at Rawbought proves that we “break the bias”, of traditionally male roles. As individuals we can run both families and an empire and prove gender equality is possible. We support and celebrate each other’s successes which makes it an honour to work alongside other Strong equality minded females.
Who is your biggest inspiration?
For me, inspirations are taken from everyday women who are breaking the mould and empowering women and themselves to break the bias.
What does International Women’s Day and its theme, ‘Break the Bias’ mean to you?
#BreakTheBias means inspiring and being a role model to our future generation of women to allow freedom of voice. To me, it also means empowering others build a gender equal world where difference is valued and celebrated.
What message would you like to send out to women who might be struggling against bias and discrimination at the workplace?
No matter what, always be true to yourself and let your light shine. Women at Rawbought are a living testament that building a gender-equal work team where women empower each other and illustrate equality is possible and celebrated.
Deborah Vywers, Head of Product and Technical Services
What does equality mean to you?
It means to be even or the same level in all aspects.
Did you face any barriers in your education or career because you were a woman? If so, how did you overcome them?
Yes, I did and not only because I was a woman but because I was a woman of colour in South Africa. I never see my next promotion because men have taken over the clothing industry in masses. And the excuse for that was men don’t have babies and don’t go on pregnancy leave.
What does it mean to be a woman in leadership at Rawbought?
It feels empowering in a way, because all the directions are coming from ladies.
Who is your biggest inspiration?
I would say my mother is my biggest inspiration. I am what I am today because of her.
What does International Women’s Day and its theme, ‘Break the Bias’ mean to you?
Take over and run the world. Breaking the bias is a constant work in progress as it is something that is hard to shake off in people. Supporting and uplifting our fellow women is absolutely crucial.
What message would you like to send out to women who might be struggling against bias and discrimination at the workplace?
Empower yourself with knowledge you don’t need to speak the loudest to be heard, but you speak with confidence and speak the truth. Nothing can go past that.
Steffi Wong, Senior Digital Experience Manager
What does equality mean to you?
Equality is being able to share my opinion in an honest way. Where I do not have to fear for my safety and security, if I do share opinions that is less popular or simply different.
Equality is also knowing that while my opinion matters, others’ matters just as much.
Equality means that there would be differences, but differences that will be accepted and (hopefully) celebrated.
Did you face any barriers in your education or career because you were a woman? If so, how did you overcome them?
I’m very fortunate to grow up in a modern society like Singapore, while we have strong traditional roots, we also have very diverse cultures. It’s because of this diversity that we all understand and respect differences, this includes more than just race and religion but also gender.
That said, there still are social ‘norms’. Certain careers are still dominated by men, others by women. I’ve worked in areas known to be male-dominated and find that I can work just as well and as efficient. There might have been chatters that I don’t know of, but at no instance that I felt any barriers continuing working.
There was one occasion though while interviewing for a mid-level role, the female hiring manager asked me if I plan to have kids after knowing that I’m married. I gave a standard answer (because who can really plan such things?) but walked out of the interview knowing I will not accept the role even if it was offered to me. This was a bit jarring especially coming from a fellow woman.
What does it mean to be a woman in leadership at Rawbought?
That opinions will be shared openly and taken into consideration. That growth as an individual is as important as growth as a team. That balance is key for our professional and personal life.
Who is your biggest inspiration?
I’d like to tweak this question to “What” is my biggest inspiration, because I don’t find inspiration in people, I find them in the smallest, most mundane everyday thing.
I run often, and in that, I understand deeply that even though we are all running towards the same goal, we will run at our own pace or style. What’s important is consistency and there’s no point in competing, it burns you out even earlier.
I’ve also recently re-picked up doing jigsaw puzzles recreationally. In that, I learned to take time in understanding even tiniest little things. Sometimes, when I’m lost and don’t know how to move on, I’ll just go through the whole stash again and try to figure out the pattern again. Worse come to worst, I’ll just have to take a single piece and try to fit it with another. I know that if I don’t stop, I will be able to figure out the full picture.
What does International Women’s Day and its theme, “Break the Bias” mean to you?
It means that everyone, not just women, can share the stage with anyone else even if they have a different opinion because they know it is safe to do so.
What message would you like to send out to women who might be struggling against the bias and discrimination at the workplace?
Stand up against the flow, because only then your opinion will be heard and as a movement, it will soar. Aeroplanes fly because their wings are lifted by air flowing in the opposite direction.
Share the stage with people whose opinions that are different from yours. Understand the difference then agree and celebrate it. That’s what makes our world interesting.