Happy International Women’s Day: Meet Abby, Marketing Manager 👋

Happy International Women’s Day, 2024 💛

A day to celebrate women’s achievements; raise awareness about discrimination; and take action to drive gender parity. At Orca Scan, we take advantage of these days to celebrate our colleagues so this year, we took the opportunity to chat to our Marketing Manager, Abby 👋

A little bit of context: Meet Abby 💛

Name: Abby

Age: 27

Degree: BA Journalism and MA Marketing and Digital Communication

Current role: Marketing Manager

Orca-Anniversary: September 2021

What does International Women’s Day mean to you?

International Women’s Day is a celebration of everything it is to be a woman. I have been surrounded by strong, independent women my whole life who have constantly inspired me. I love having a day where we can celebrate our wins, recognise the challenges and support each other to progress even further.

Why do you think it is important to celebrate this day?

As I write this in 2024 as a woman in leadership, I have to recognise how much progress there has been over the last 100 years.

However, in the UK, the gender pay gap is still at 14.3% (Clark, 2023), which means that women work, in comparison to their male counterparts, 52 days a year… for free 🤯 Women are also still continually underrepresented in leadership business positions; in 2022, only 9% of FTSE 100 companies had a female CEO (Clark, 2023).

There is so much work to be done, and days like International Women’s Day bring awareness to pressing issues so that in another 100 years, we can (hopefully) celebrate true equality.

You were once one of two female members of staff at Orca Scan, did you find it hard to be heard amongst the men?

Absolutely not. The team at Orca Scan has always been supportive. For a few months, I was the only female in the company, and I was always respected and heard.

You’ve worked your way up to Marketing Manager; how did you do this?

Roman philosopher Seneca once said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”, and I feel like that describes my career perfectly. After university, I worked in Digital Communications for four years, but during COVID i decided to get my Masters degree to upskill. This put me in a great position to accept my first role with Orca as a Digital Content Creator back in 2021 when it was a small team of 6. As the team grew, I was able to climb the ladder and build a marketing team with John’s support.

I’ve worked hard to get here, but it was the right thing at the right time, and I feel really lucky to be a part of the Orca Story.

What’s your favourite thing about your job?

The people - from the Orca Team to the users that I speak to and visit. I used to be a journalist, and I absolutely love discovering the stories people have to tell. I get to do that every day in this job, which is awesome.

Does Orca Scan provide a supportive, inclusive work environment?

100%, every single person in the team is supported to be the best versions of themselves. Whether that’s through travelling, volunteering, studying or upskilling personally or professionally. Orca’s mantra has always been that if the team are happy, we’ll be more productive and successful - it’s a win-win.

Do you feel empowered as a female in management at Orca?

John, our founder and CEO, is fantastic at empowering leadership and management skills regardless of gender. A few months ago, Veronica (our Lead Designer) and I went on a ‘Rising Women Leaders’ programme at the Judge Business School at Cambridge University. The course was full of women of all ages and backgrounds who were in or about to be in management positions. I learnt skills that have been invaluable to how I run my team now and how I conduct myself within a management structure. I now have a host of mentors and peers I can exchange ideas with, and I think it’s empowered me to be a female in management but a good manager, too.

Is it challenging working in a male-dominated industry?

It definitely can be. Since I’ve been at Orca, I’ve only had a handful of challenging experiences, and most of them have been with external peers. It can be frustrating and tiring when you feel you need to prove why you’re in the position you’re in.

What do you think employers can do more to support women’s equality in the workplace?

It’s about recognising and calling out misogynistic behaviour and ensuring you’re giving women in the team the same opportunities as men. I feel lucky to be constantly supported by the people I work with, who build me up and are willing to have difficult conversations to champion the women in the team - this should be the bare minimum in every workplace.

There are also some great female membership organisations that employers can look into, like Girls in Marketing; Women in Tech; MET, Media Chicas and more that provide a space for women to share ideas, upskilling opportunities and network.

How do you think employers can #inspireinclusion in the workplace?

One of the simplest ways employers can #inspireinclusion in the workplace is by speaking to the women in their teams. What do they feel they need to be supported? Are there any policies that could be introduced that would benefit them and their lives? Do they feel there is enough representation at all levels of the organisation? Listen to what they have to say, and take action.

How can employers inspire young women to work in the tech industry?

I think it’s about being seen. They say that 65% of people in school today will have a job that doesn’t exist yet (British Council), so we need to show young women what opportunities are out there and highlight those who continue to break the mould and smash that glass ceiling.

How will you celebrate IWD?

This year, International Women’s Day also falls on the same week as Mothers Day in the UK, so this year I’m going to be celebrating by spending time with the most important, and influential, women in my life - my mother, grandmother and sisters.

If our interview with Abby has peaked your interest and you’d like to work at Orca Scan, please contact us today with your CV, or check out our job opportunities, and let’s talk business! 📩🚀