Shine is a business that was founded by a woman, is owned by two women and is primarily staffed by women.
This #IWD2024 we asked Meg Jones, Shine’s Business Partner, for her thoughts about #InspireInclusion.
In the 30 years of my working career, I’ve worked across many sectors – primarily all dominated by men. Diversity at c-suite level was pretty much unheard of back in the early 90s – it was extremely rare for a woman or a person of colour to get a seat at the table, especially if they were only a 20-something.
As the seasons have changed, I’ve seen a shift in Aotearoa New Zealand, bringing a kaleidoscope of diversity, which has added unique perspectives and contributions from women of all walks of life.
Aotearoa has got strong national role models, entrepreneurs like Teresa Gattung, Brianne West and Ranjana Patel, business leaders like Carrie Huriahanganui, Sharon Zollner and Therese Walsh, journalists like Annabelle Lee-Mather, Susie Ferguson, and Paula Penfold, a plethora of female MPs and many other women just doing ‘cool shiz’, bringing diverse opinions, backgrounds and lessons that add up to a richer, more healthy society.
Having strong female voices like those above provide a pathway for other young wāhine to follow and be empowered by. My own experience is that inclusivity and diversity brings with it a myriad of benefits – robust decision-making, increased empathy, greater trust and more innovative working environments – what Aotearoa needs!
I’m not naive – I know that we’re in a blessed bubble in NZ – and that as a well-educated white woman, my bubble is even more privileged. There is more progress to be made. I encourage other women to share their stories to inspire others and for the men in our lives to champion inclusion and speak out against micro-aggressions and subtle sexism when they see them.
I’ll end by saying, that I know how lucky Jacky James and I are to have the wonderful team we have – women (and one man) spanning almost forty years apart in age who show up every day for our clients, who can happily debate the merits of a range of topics in an informed and educated manner, and who raise up others in their personal lives.
Ally Armstrong | Niki Ash | Stephanie Bennett | Tegan Church | Sahana Jones | Vittoria Nevin | Eva Wolf | Hamish Utteridge – you ladies (and chap) rock!