Written By: Jillian Climie.
As we close off year two at The Thoughtful Co, I’ve reflected on what I’ve learned from our clients and community.
1. You can’t grow alone.
In my work life, I’ve historically operated quite independently. I felt working hard and executing on my responsibilities was most important, and didn’t leave much time for collaborating with others for new ideas or support. But since co-founding The Thoughtful Co, I’ve realized how essential learning from and growing with others is. I would be nowhere close to where I am today without my co-founder Sophie. I’ve learned the benefits of playing off each others’ strengths, balancing out each others’ ups and downs (a key part of entrepreneurship!), and building out ideas that we never could have created alone.
I’ve also learned the value of mentorship and sponsorship. Having someone who will put their hand up for you and connect you with others is a game changer. The Thoughtful Co’s growth has been fueled by those people who have believed in us enough to champion us. Additionally, hearing others’ stories of how they’ve navigated their careers or built their companies is invaluable. You can do things better by learning from others’ successes and mistakes.
Lastly, I’ve learned that truly supporting others around you gives you so much back. It helps you to build community, learn from each other, and fuel each others’ growth.
2. Women are ready for change.
I’ve had the privilege to talk in depth to hundreds of women over the past couple years through our work at The Thoughtful Co, and my takeaway is that women are no longer accepting the impossible equation we’ve been put in. Women are tired of taking on all the household responsibilities while at the same time working as much, if not more, than their partners. We want equal delineation of household duties, equal opportunities to promotions, equal pay and equal power.
The Nobel Economic prize winner this year was Claudia Goldin, a Harvard economic historian, who focuses on advancing the world’s understanding of women’s progress in the work force. In her interview after winning she stated, “We’re never going to have gender equality until we also have couple equity. While there has been monumental progressive change, at the same time there are important differences which often tie back to women doing more work in the home.” I think this statement reflects the next step women are taking to create more gender equity in our world – demanding equal responsibilities both at work and at home.
3. Live your priorities.
This year brought health issues for loved ones. These moments are a jolting reality check and force you to see your priorities clearly. I have adjustments to make, but for the first time in a long time I feel like I’m generally living what my priorities are, meaning I’m generally allocating my time how I feel I should be.
I've learned that when we’re not living our priorities, or in other words spending our time in a way that is out of alignment with our values, it creates significant internal tension. An ongoing feeling of unease. We must recognize what is most important to us in our lives and build our time and energy around that. If you feel out of alignment, make a change. Our time here is limited. We have to take ownership over our own lives.
4. Know your anchors.
Things get busy, in work and in life, and this year I’ve again been reminded of the importance of having anchors that bring you back to earth. For me, its my husband and running by the ocean. What is it for you?
At The Thoughtful Co, we support individual women in negotiating their compensation and advise employers on gender equity in the workplace. If you'd like to learn more, book in an introductory call with us here.