Critical Careers - Women Building Careers in Digital Infrastructure - Book - Page 49
Where do you think your con昀椀dence comes
from? Has it always been there, or is it
something you built over time?
A lot of that comes from my upbringing. I grew up in a very
communicative family where conversation was just part of everyday life.
There was no “kids’ table.” You sat with the adults and contributed to
the discussion. We never had the TV on at dinner, so it was expected
that you engaged properly in the conversation. I’d listen to my dad talk
about work and my mum talk about what was happening at home. Even
at family events, my sister and I were usually the ones sitting with the
adults talking while everyone else disappeared elsewhere. Looking back,
that really helped me develop con昀椀dence in speaking to people and
holding my own in a room.
Do you notice a difference
between this industry and
others in terms of how
women are perceived?
Absolutely. Finance is very male-dominated and you have to prove your
intelligence. You’re judged on how smart you are, how you think, and how
you contribute. It’s less about how you’re perceived visually, but you do
have to work to establish credibility.
Music was another big part of it. I started learning the piano when I
was about three and completed all my quali昀椀cations by the time I was
16. With that comes performance. You have to go on stage and play,
whether you feel ready or not. Music gave me more than just a skill. It
built discipline and con昀椀dence. You get used to being in front of people,
to holding your nerve, to showing up even when you’re not completely
comfortable.
In crypto, women are very visible, but not always for the right reasons. I’ve
had countless situations where people assume I’m in a support role, asking
if I’m someone’s EA, rather than recognising that I’m actually leading
marketing for a business. And I’ve found that the conversation can shift
very quickly. It stops being professional and becomes personal. You get
asked for your number, or approached in ways that have nothing to do
with work.
Another part of my life that really helped build that con昀椀dence was being
involved in a humanitarian organisation when I was younger. Besides
charity work, a lot of what we did was centred around storytelling, public
speaking, drama and performance, so it naturally put you in front of
people. I was in a safe environment where you could try things and get it
wrong, and that helps you build con昀椀dence without fear.
Infrastructure has been completely different. It’s the 昀椀rst time I’ve felt
genuinely valued for what I do. I’m not being used as a checkbox or
positioned in a room for optics. I’m there because I’m good at my job. I’m
trusted to do my job, and people value what I bring.
That shouldn’t feel rare, but it does. And it’s probably why I feel much
more settled in this space.
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