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In the lead-up to International Women's Day (IWD), which takes place on 8th March, we look to the women around us to celebrate what being a woman means!
IWD is a time for us all to reflect on the achievements of women and acknowledge how far we have come.
This year, we asked the women of our team how they have been inspired by other women, and what's been the most empowering moment of their career.
Tatjana - Customer Service Executive
What was your dream job when you were younger? My Dream Job was to become a Teacher or a Nanny. My love for children and my passion for learning drew me to it. I would always volunteer to babysit at any chance I got.
Who are the women that have inspired your journey or empowered you during your life and career? My Mum and Best Friend - they understand me like no other; they always say, "do what feels right" or "follow your gut", making me feel like whatever I do, I will be on the right path; the only difference is my mum will give it to me in more of a tough love kind of way.
What has been the most empowering moment in your career? Being a part of and contributing to female-focused businesses. There's something so special about being around like-minded women who uplift each other and share ideas to make the workplace better for women.
Merve - R&D Manager
What was your dream job when you were younger? I wanted to be a dancer. I guess I liked the glam of it.
Who are the women that have inspired your journey or empowered you during your life and career? Throughout my life and career, I have been fortunate to have many inspiring women who have empowered me in various ways. I looked up to my managers as role models and learned a lot from their leadership and work ethic.
What has been the most empowering moment in your career? The most empowering moment in my career was winning the Pure Beauty Global Awards for Best Serum. The Pure Beauty Global Awards is a globally recognized event in the beauty calendar. It was a proud moment for me to see my vision and expertise recognized in the industry, and it motivated me to continue to strive for excellence in.
Rebecca - Head of Marketing at ManukaRx
What was your dream job when you were younger? I wanted to be an actress! But, I sadly realised that in order to be an actor, I needed to be able to act, dance and sing. Three things I still to this day can’t do.
Who are the women that have inspired your journey or empowered you during your life and career? Early on in my career, I was incredibly lucky to be managed by many women who were both inspiring and incredibly supportive. Currently, I sit on the board for the Auckland affiliate of the Dress for Success and in this position, I’m very fortunate to be surrounded by inspirational women who all have very successful careers. There are so many incredible women here in Aotearoa, building socially minded businesses, balancing incredible careers and juggling the responsibilities of motherhood.
What has been the most empowering moment in your career? I’m proud of my last three years at ManukaRx. I joined the company during the first week of New Zealand’s national Covid lockdown in 2020. The brand back then looked very different to what it looks like today. I’ve brought a complete brand re-fresh to life, grown the marketing team to quadruple the size it was, watched revenue skyrocket, launched the brand into Farmers (New Zealand’s largest department store), and now, we’re making headway in the US market. It’s been a wild, exhilarating ride, but the most empowering part of the job is watching the team thrive in their role and enjoying every moment of the day-to-day.
Joy - Senior Digital Content Executive
What was your dream job when you were younger? I always wanted to be famous and in front of a camera or followed by the paparazzi! I grew up in the era of Paris Hilton which could be the reason haha!
Who are the women that have inspired your journey or empowered you during your life and career? I am fortunate to come from a family with powerful and inspiring women. From my mother's resilience and pursuit of her dreams to the support and guidance of my sisters and best friends, I am constantly learning and growing from their examples. I feel truly blessed to be surrounded by such amazing and strong women who have played an integral role in shaping who I am today.
What has been the most empowering moment in your career? There was actually a specific moment. I had completed a day of shooting and I received the footage, when I had a moment to reflect on the journey and it hit me that everything I had done prior had led me to that point. From cutting out magazine clippings to directing friends and family in photoshoots and films; I've always been drawn to expressing myself through visual media. In that moment, I felt empowered and fulfilled, knowing that my work had aligned with my true passion. I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, doing what I love, and making a difference in the world by empowering women through my visuals.
Teresa - Graphic Designer
What was your dream job when you were younger? I wanted to be a doctor. A lot of my family members are doctors and I loved the idea of helping people.
Who are the women that have inspired your journey or empowered you during your life and career? My Grandma always said “If you’re comfortable then you’re complacent. If you’re uncomfortable then you’re growing!” This has been my mantra for the past 5 years - get comfortable with the uncomfortable. Disruption can be a sign of important changes about to present themselves and I’ve found good things often come in unexpected ways.
What has been the most empowering moment in your career? Growing up, I had people around me saying I could never make money off going to art school. The day I started working as a full-time designer was a moment of empowerment for me - designing my career objectives based on my needs, not the needs of others. Too many people become reliant on the wrong advisers when pursuing their dreams.
Kim - Digital Marketing Manager
What was your dream job when you were younger? My dream job was to be a nurse. I remember sitting in doctors' clinics as a child and admiring how caring and empathetic they were.
Who are the women that have inspired your journey or empowered you during your life and career? I am continually inspired by working mothers! As someone with no children, I am honestly amazed by women who work 8 hours a day and then go home to look after their children - I just think ‘where do you find the time’ I feel like I barely have enough time for myself! It’s very inspiring to see how hard mothers can push themselves and in the most selfless, resilient way.
What has been the most empowering moment in your career? I’ve been very fortunate to work with some amazing young women in my career. Building genuine and close connections with these women and instilling confidence in them has by far been the most rewarding aspect of my career to date.
Tasha - Manuka Bioscience - Business Development Manager
What was your dream job when you were younger? I wanted to be an art curator. I always thought it was fascinating to be able to preserve art in different forms through chemistry. Why I dedicated my studies to chemistry.
Who are the women that have inspired your journey or empowered you during your life and career? My mum - I've been lucky enough to have some amazing women in my life who have inspired and empowered me in different ways. One person who immediately comes to mind is my mom. Growing up with 5 brothers as a single mom was not easy, but she managed to hold down the fort and raise us all to be respectful, hardworking, and kind individuals. She truly is a superwoman in my eyes. In the essence of it all, It's empowering to see other women succeeding and breaking down barriers, and it motivates me to strive for the same.
What has been the most empowering moment in your career? One strong recent moment I’d like to share - Was the moment when I was given the opportunity to lead a chemical portfolio that I truly believed in - A manuka-based ingredient portfolio. As someone who is passionate about chemistry, sustainability, and innovation, I had always been drawn to this particular portfolio, which focused on developing eco-friendly and high-performance chemicals.
