March8 Magazine - March 2022 by march8magazine

MARCH 22 | ISSUE No. 001

MARCH8.COM

THE LAUNCH EDITION

Educate Motivate Elevate

Championing women from all walks of life with one aim, one community, and one voice

From us all here at March8...

PLEASE SHARE OUR VIDEO

A BizClik Media Group Brand

Happy International Womens Day! ENJOY THE

MAGAZINE

EDUC ATE • M OT IVAT E • E LE VAT E

MEE T the TEAM

STACY NORMAN

LUCY BUCHHOLZ

MATT JOHNSON

ROSS GARRIGAN

ERIN LLOYD

REBEKAH BIRLESON

COO

Editor-in-Chief

Marketing Director

Global Director

EMILY COOK

Marketing Manager

CDO

Creative Designer

TYLER LIVINGSTONE

Videographer

March8 Magazine is published by

WHO WE ARE...

From the entire team here at March8, welcome to our launch issue. We are proud to represent a community continuously aiming to educate, motivate and elevate women in business and society. From young girls considering their career paths, to established CEOs at the helm, we are a platform ensuring that each story is heard, recognised and celebrated. We champion women from all walks of life and career paths, including outstanding athletes pushing their bodies to the absolute limit, to fearless females advocating women’s rights and gender equality across the globe. Through our social media platforms, bi-monthly magazines, short films, quarterly events, mentorship programmes and Mini March8'ers, we are here to unite girls and women with one community, one voice and one aim. We are MARCH8, and we are here to make a change.

Subscribe to our MARCH8 newsletters to receive the latest news and information about what we're doing next... SUBSC R I BE

MARCH8.COM

Climate action solutions for companies.

A holistic climate action strategy consists of 5 steps:

Corporate Carbon Footprint (CCF)

Product Carbon Footprints (PCF)

Carbon emission reduction

Carbon offsetting

Communication

We offer companies climate action solutions from carbon footprints and climate action strategies all the way to climate neutral products with the support of international carbon offset projects. For more information, please visit www.climatepartner.com

HELLO AND WELCOME An overwhelming sense of pride rushes over me when I think about everything the March8 team has achieved over the last few months. We have created a community of remarkable women, who push boundaries, conquer goals, and inspire others to dream and achieve brilliant things. And now, the first issue of March8 magazine has arrived. In these pages you’ll find stories to educate, motivate and elevate you, no matter who you are, or where you are in the world. From all of us here at March8, please enjoy our very first issue.

LUCY BUCHHOLZ

lucy.buchholz@bizclikmedia.com MARCH8.COM

�� Column

Why we champion women

�� How she got there

Mandy Hickson, Former RAF pilot

Big Picture

Hedy Lamarr

�� Fashion

Contagious confidence with ASOS

�6

�� 5 minutes with...

Kylee Hurrell, the burnout coach

�� Rising Star

Natalie Cairns, from Oh My Lash

Net zero

Race to zero: achieving sustainable goals

�� Interview

Find your voice with T-Mobile’s Stephanie Owen

��

�� How to...

achieve gender parity in the workplace

�� Meet our mentors

9�

Billionaires

The world’s most exclusive club

�� Investment

Vintage value: why you should invest in fine wine

�� The last word

PRESENTS:

Discussing how to support women in STEM, build the talent pipeline and inspire the next generation of female leaders.

June 2022 REGISTER NOW

ED UCATE • MOTIVATE • E LE VATE

Hedy Lamarr Hollywood’s Hedy Lamarr became famous for her time on the big screen, but did you know that she was an inventor, too? Her passion for innovation led her to become the pioneering mind behind the technology that forms the WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS communication systems that we still use today.

Magazine manufacturingglobal.com technologymagazine.com datacentremagazine.com constructionglobal.com supplychaindigital.com mobile-magazine.com healthcareglobal.com fintechmagazine.com insurtechdigital.com businesschief.com miningglobal.com businesschief.asia energydigital.com Weblink businesschief.eu aimagazine.com MARCH8.COM in layers

am particularly interested in fairness, but living in a world where white middle-aged men hold a disproportionate amount of power doesn’t seem very fair to me. We have a system in place that was created to let a certain type of person thrive, but we don’t live in a world that supports this anymore. We should champion women in the workplace, first of all, because it’s 2022 — it’s the right thing to do. But more importantly, data shows quite clearly that diverse companies are commercially more successful — cognitive diversity just cannot be a bad thing. When a company includes different voices around the table, there's fundamentally no way that there can be a disadvantage. One of the key ways to achieve this is by building diverse management teams, as it welcomes different perspectives and approaches that wouldn’t be achievable if everyone was the same race or gender. Before you know it, meetings are filled with interesting ideas, and solutions to

problems are being challenged in different ways to help evolve the conversation. We need people from diverse backgrounds, different ethnicities and with a range of lived experiences to make our workspaces more robust. But this all comes with education, one person at a time. The more people that open their eyes to the reality of the working world, the more they realise how much needs to change. Although diversity training may be a good place to start, motivating employees to engage with the programmes may be a challenge. The trick is to make it part of a development programme, which is integral for individuals to advance and get promoted. This way, senior staff will demonstrate their ability to hire, develop, retain and promote a diverse team, indicating that the company stands for balanced teams. If you take a look at the research, the data shows time and time again that the more diverse your company, the more successful you are going to be. So if you can't get behind the idea that it's the right thing to do, then get behind the profit side of it. MARCH8.COM

FASHION

MARCH 2022

FASHION

CONTAGIOUS CONFIDENCE FROM ASOS

From a two-man team to an international powerhouse, this is the story of how ASOS became the global retailer that promotes fearless fashion, body positivity and upcoming talent

IMAGECREDITS

tarting life as ‘AsSeenOnScreen’, the budding new online fashion retailer had a clear vision: to allow consumers to purchase products inspired by TV and film. Now, after two decades, ASOS has become a household name, committed to providing a product range that gives its customers the confidence to be whoever they want to be. But we wanted to find out how the company went from a small start-up, to an e-commerce giant that well and truly dominates the online fashion industry.

MARCH8.COM

FASHION

ASOS in its infancy The story started way back in 1999, when founders Nick Robertson and Quentin Griffiths had the bright idea of creating an online shop that specifically sold clothes to mimic pop culture trends. With help from their original tagline, ‘Buy what you see on film and TV’, ASOS allowed consumers to purchase imitations of clothing worn by big names, such as Brad Pitt’s red leather jacket from Fight Club. But the future looked far too bright for ASOS to conform to the constraints of celebrity style, especially after the company was admitted to the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) on the London Stock Exchange in 2001. The company therefore legally changed its name from AsSeenOnScreen Limited, to ASOS plc and ASOS.com — an incredibly clever move, considering a maiden profit was recorded in 2004, with sales almost doubling during the first six months. ASOS was clearly in demand and, to keep the momentum going, the company introduced its own label for women’s clothing — which is still going strong today — named ASOS Brands. Designed by a pool of London’s finest talent experts, ASOS Brands looks between the lines to bring its audience of 20-somethings the freshest clothing, shoes and accessories. As you can probably guess, ASOS’ next step was expansion, where they ventured overseas to launch online stores in the US, France, and Germany in 2010, Australia and Italy in 2011, and finally Russia and China in 2013. International offices were also opened in Sydney, Australia and New York, US, to keep up with the seemingly ever-growing demand. In 2014, the main warehouse in Barnsley, UK, was expanded to hold a staggering 20 million units. 18

MARCH 2022

We have never settled, and have always been testing, and constantly improving to make it all just that bit better every day ASOS

A clear vision To really unpack ASOS’ journey, we need to bring you to the here and now. ASOS has been alive and kicking for the past 21 years and, through that time, they’ve created a platform where customers can shop a curated edit of approximately 90,000 products, sourced from nearly 900 local and global partner brands. The brand has reported significant progress over the last three financial years, delivering a compound annual growth rate of 17.4% in revenues, improved profitability, and a strengthened balance sheet — not bad, considering we’ve all been living through a pandemic. And the pandemic lends itself as the perfect example to how ASOS has been so successful. Having quickly adapted its business model, ASOS broadened specific product ranges to fit the changing demands of consumers. An ASOS spokesperson said: “We knew that to make our vision a reality we needed to meet the fashion needs of our audience in a way that inspires, excites and engages them.

MARCH8.COM

FASHION

MARCH 2022

FASHION

“That requires us to keep evolving and to ensure we stay relevant to our customers, focusing on reflecting their needs and delighting them with greater choice, service, and engagement. We have never settled, and have always been testing, and constantly improving to make it all just that bit better every day.”

Keeping it inclusive Perhaps one of the fundamental aspects to ASOS’ success, is the complete understanding of its target market of 20-somethings. Its flexible and agile response to change has allowed the brand to curate a product portfolio that oozes individuality, confidence and diversity, providing inclusive sizing, working with a diverse range of models, and promoting body confidence. ASOS Brands boasts more than 30 different clothing sizes, all at one set price to and welcome their wildly diverse audience. “It’s super important for us to promote a healthy body image – we’re not about conforming to any stereotypes,” says ASOS, “so we work with more than 200 models to represent our audience. And we’re not in the business of digitally altering their appearance either… There's no reshaping or removing stretch marks here. Our models are part of the ASOS family and we support them by following a Model Welfare Policy.”

Small but mighty Even retailers as large as ASOS had to start somewhere, but now there’s so many competitors out there, it can be hard for ambitious young business owners to find their feet in today’s ecommerce world. Enter: ASOS Marketplace. MARCH8.COM

FASHION

All fashion lovers will be familiar with the feeling of discovering an incredible vintage boutique, or uncovering an amazing independent brand — are we wrong? After more than two decades in the business, ASOS certainly is. That’s why the brand created a team of fashion professionals to seek the world’s best start-ups, especially for ASOS Marketplace, which was launched back in 2010. Now, consumers keen to keep their style as unique and as original as possible can support small businesses, with the ease and convenience of an established retailer. “The platform’s focus has always been on championing and supporting new talent across the fashion industry,” ASOS says. “We believe it’s important to share our expertise, to help these businesses launch and support their growth in what is a highly competitive and fast-paced industry, that’s why we help small boutiques, retailers, and budding fashion entrepreneurs, both in the UK and overseas, to easily take their products to a global market.”

Conquer and expand It’s not just the small brands that ASOS has leant a helping hand to — you may remember hearing the news of Philip Green's Arcadia Group’s collapse. Well, ASOS acquired Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge, and HIIT brands, which can now be found globally on their sites. ASOS explains: “Understanding our customer was key to our decision to acquire these brands. We knew that they resonated with our customers, having sold them on ASOS.com, but we also knew that we could inject new life and love into these iconic British brands through our investment in marketing, design, and brand management.” 22

MARCH 2022

After this acquisition, it’s hard to believe that ASOS was once a small two-man start-up. Nevertheless, we're expecting to see more big moves and successful strategies from this retail giant over the coming years.

Accreditation It’s about doing more CLIC K HE RE

E DUCATE • M OT I VAT E • E L E VAT E

S HOW YOUR

business

CARES A BOUT

equality CL I C K H E RE

HOW SHE GOT THERE

MANDY

H ICKS ON former Royal Air Force Pilot

Rejection, imposter syndrome and the fear of failing are all feelings that this former RAF pilot has had to overcome – this is the compelling story of her groundbreaking career

he year is 1992. The UK's Royal Air Force (RAF) will only accept male recruits, some bars won’t serve women full-sized pints, and a woman on the front line? Unheard of. Mandy Hickson is one of the pioneering female fighter pilots who helped mould the RAF to become the inclusive and diverse organisation that it is today. After providing operational service in Iraq, completing just under 50 combat missions and as the second woman to fly a Tornado GR4 in the RAF, Mandy Hickson’s journey is certainly one you’ll remember.

This is the story of how she got there. 26

MARCH 2022

HOW SHE GOT THERE

Age 13: An inspirational hero Ever since Mandy was young, she dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot. It may seem like a slightly odd ambition for a young girl, but she was inspired by the greatest role model in her life. “My grandfather was a Second World War pilot,” she says, “and I loved hearing his stories when I was growing up. When I was 13 years old, the Air Cadets, an organisation run by the Royal Air Force, opened their doors to girls for the very first time. Attending the open day, I took my first flight in an RAF plane and knew I wanted to make it my career – although I couldn’t, as women weren’t allowed to be pilots at that time.”

Age 16 to 18: Where to go, what to do Ah, the age where we start thinking about our career options. Although Mandy didn’t quite know what she wanted to do, she did know that it had to be something physical and away from an office. “I initially thought of the police,” she says, “so I guess you could say that I have a thing for uniforms. But, I was offered a flying scholarship which gave me 30 hours of free flying; of course I snapped it up. I later gained my private pilot's licence, so now I’m 17 and I can fly a plane before I can drive – I loved it.

I realised it was important to call out behaviour – it doesn’t always have to be the woman that calls it out

HOW SHE GOT THERE

“Heading off to university I joined a club called the University Air Squadron, which offered free flying. This was a huge step up from the Air Cadets as the RAF uses air squadrons to recruit graduates. They had me hook, line and sinker, but still, female RAF pilots weren’t allowed to fly on the front line.”

Age 19: Rejection Finally, the RAF changed their rules and allowed women to join. Mandy signed up, sat the tests and failed – twice. “When I failed the second time, I was told that there was no way forward for me to become a pilot and they offered me a job as an air traffic controller, which I didn’t want to do,” Mandy says. “It's so important to have someone that believes in you, and for me, it was my mentor at the University Air Squadron. As he couldn’t believe that I had failed the tests, he looked into the system, querying why 70% of women were failing, compared to 70% of men who were passing. “Half way through my officer training, the RAF offered me a branch change to become a pilot. I was over the moon, although I did later find out that I was taken on as a test case to see why I failed.”

Age 21: The first flight What do you think Mandy felt before her first flight on the front line? If you said ‘fear’, you’d be wrong. “Imagine training your whole life to play football or netball and finally getting asked to play in the Premier League. You’d most probably be excited, and the only nerves or fear you’d feel would be through not wanting to be the weakest link and letting your team down. This is exactly what it was like for me,” Mandy explains. “My first operational mission was in Iraq. I remember it clearly as the Squadron had only been in reconnaissance missions, which is basically taking images of what’s happening on the ground. I was told that I was on a bombing mission, so the pressure was on.”

Age 22: A woman in a man’s world Imagine this: you’ve just finished university for the day, you head to the bar to order a pint with your colleagues – but the bartender refuses to serve you because you’re a woman. “I had to drink my pint in two half glasses because women weren’t

L L SE DA RVICE ME

ER A

N EE QU

'S N GO GE LDE N JUBILEE

allowed to order full pints,” Mandy says, “so I would order nine pints for my flight and then two half pints for myself. “There were just little things that took some getting used to. For example, whenever I went to the Gulf they gave me a room that had wall-to-wall pornography, which I would just completely remove. But the guys on either side of me wouldn’t have any, so I knew they were doing it deliberately – it was just childish. “My course mates were actually the ones who noticed that I got comments about my gender every day – ‘oh, she’s got to put her lippy on’ or ‘oh, must be your time of the month’. It didn’t happen vindictively, it was just tedious. But it was the men that asked the squadron boss to have a word with the trainers, because it was annoying for them, too. That was a really big moment for me, because I hadn’t been noticing it. Suddenly, I realised it was important for everyone to call out behaviours – it doesn’t always have to be the woman that calls it out.”

Age 22-48: Being an imposter

DIAM ON D B JU

E GE ILE

NERAL S

Sure, we all know what imposter syndrome is now, but when Mandy was just starting out her career, she had all the feelings, but no way to define them. “I only became aware of imposter syndrome over the past few years, but when I started reading up about it I realised that that was what I suffered from enormously,” Mandy says. “I’m a very confident person, and only my husband and close friends will know that I sometimes have doubts. And it’s an issue that needs to be spoken about, as if I feel like that – being a public speaker and former fighter pilot – then anyone can. And women are so much more prone to feel like this than men.

ER V

E IC

D AL ME

HOW SHE GOT THERE

“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know why I felt imposter syndrome – I had failed all the tests and I was taken on as a test case, so I was purely biding my time. Even when I got to the front line I was still waiting to be caught.”

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know why I felt imposter syndrome – I had failed all the tests and I was taken on as a test case

Age 48: Reflection It’s no surprise that Mandy had a challenging time fitting into the role, after all, she was the second woman to fly the Tornado GR4 on the front line. But it’s important to remember that these events took place over 25 years ago – Mandy was a pioneer for achieving gender equality within the RAF. She said: “I actually had an email the other day from a female fighter pilot who finished reading my book. She thanked me for being one of the pioneers who helped change the RAF. I’ve actually heard this a lot, as being a woman is not an issue now – it’s just part and parcel of the job.”

Now: Follow your dreams Once Mandy left the Air Force, her next natural step was to become an airline pilot. But this wasn’t quite what she had in mind. She says: “This is where the idea of ‘follow your dreams’ comes in, as after I had done one motivational speech, I told people: I am a motivational speaker. “Now, I inspire girls and women to potentially go into these male-orientated careers, while also showing that anyone can do it no matter their background. I speak about my flying career, how aviation has created a safe culture and how if you work hard, you will do well. I also wrote my book, An Officer Not a Gentleman, which has landed really well as I’ve found that people take what they want and use my stories as personal lessons.” MARCH8.COM

NET ZERO

THE RACE TO

Z E R O

NET ZERO

As pressure mounts for more businesses to set net-zero targets, Lucy Kirkup from ClimatePartner explains what these goals are and why they should be at the top of every CEO’s to-do list MARCH8.COM

NET ZERO

Imagine a bathtub, where humans are the taps, the water is carbon dioxide (CO₂) and the tub is the earth’s atmosphere. We need to find and execute solutions to ensure that the bathtub does not overflow; this means not filling the bathtub with too much water, as well as ensuring any water in the bathtub can also be removed via the drain. Although we cannot stop all carbon emissions, we can implement frameworks to create a balance, through large-scale reductions in emissions (turn down the taps), as well as carbon sequestration (let the bathtub drain). Achieving this balance is key to the survival of our planet, and all the species that inhabit it.

Understanding the target

Lucy Kirkup

Commercial Sustainability Manager, ClimatePartner

MARCH 2022

Net zero is when a company or country reduces its emissions as much as technically and financially possible, by offsetting its residual emissions through carbon removal technologies, such as afforestation or carbon capture.

Strong sustainability credentials offer businesses a competitive edge, as more consumers are seeking cleaner and greener lifestyles through their product choices MARCH8.COM

NET ZERO

[ SAIKAT BHADRA/ISTOCK EDITORIAL ] / [ GETTY IMAGES PLUS] VIA GETTY IMAGES

NET ZERO

The definitions of net zero and carbon neutral can often seem hard to differentiate, but Lucy Kirkup, Commercial Sustainability Manager at ClimatePartner, explains the difference. She says: “Net zero is when a company only emits what is completely necessary — because there are residual emissions when you run any sort of business. “Carbon neutrality, on the other hand, is when a company has measured its emissions, implemented a reduction plan, and utilised a variety of high-quality carbon offset projects, to offset these emissions, for example by investing in wind energy or afforestation.” Another way to understand the difference is to see carbon neutrality as something that companies can achieve today, whereas net zero is a long-term goal. ClimatePartner works with companies that are already carbon neutral, helping them to create a roadmap to achieve their net zero goals.

The value of zero In 2021, world leaders met at COP26 to discuss the Paris Climate Agreement, which unites all nations to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects. One of the key goals of the Paris Climate Agreement is to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, but based on current policies, we’re on a trajectory towards 2.7°C. Net zero is therefore imperative in tackling this. The earth is heating up at an unprecedented rate, and essentially, the hotter things get, the harder it will be for all living things to thrive. If business leaders continue to turn a blind eye, we can expect more extreme weather, such as hurricanes, storms, floods and wildfires, as well as the rise of sea levels, over the next few decades. People in poorer regions of the world as

measured by GDP will also continue to be hit the worst. “In Bangladesh, for example, there's a lot of crops that have been completely wiped out by floods. Humans will also see an impact on food supply, as there will be less [crop yield]. So, we are potentially looking at a food crisis where prices soar — particularly for meat and dairy products,” Lucy says. “In terms of plants and animals, if the temperature rises above 2°C, the geographic range of vertebrates will decline by 8%, plants by 16% and insects by 18%.”

Benefiting business If the idea of living in a dystopian world doesn't hammer home the importance of net zero targets, then hopefully businesses can get behind the profitability benefits. Strong sustainability credentials offer businesses a competitive edge, as more consumers are seeking cleaner and greener lifestyles through their product choices. In a recent survey, Deloitte shared that 45% of consumers purchase locally-sourced products where possible, 61% limit their single-use plastic use, and 34% choose brands with strong sustainability values and practices. Many countries, including the UK and US, have goals to achieve net zero no later than 2050. As we draw closer to the target, prices for energy sourced from fossil fuels will continue to rise, which will eat into a business’s bottom line if action is not taken. Large companies receive a significant amount of pressure to reduce their climate impact, and rightly so, yet every business — no matter the size — has a responsibility to work towards a net zero target. Having a clear goal helps companies to keep track of their progress — so when aiming to reduce emissions year on year, a detailed plan will MARCH8.COM

NET ZERO

help position the target as a long-term strategy. “Companies of all sizes should have net zero goals in mind,” says Lucy, “and although some companies are ahead of the curve with their targets, others are lagging behind. At ClimatePartner, we help companies plan short-term steps to progress, to help net zero become an attainable goal. In fact, roughly 60% of the companies we work with are SMEs.” Net zero has become a buzzword word for companies trying to strengthen their eco credentials, yet this can often lead to 38

MARCH 2022

greenwashing — the process of using false or misinformation to wrongly enhance sustainability credentials. To avoid this, CEOs and senior company leaders should ensure their net zero targets are third-party audited, while demonstrating complete transparency. Becoming net zero can seem like a daunting task for businesses that haven’t started their journey yet, but Lucy lends a few words of advice: “Net zero is not an easy target to attain, so it needs to be taken seriously. I would also recommend working with third parties and networking as much

Every business – no matter the size – has a responsibility to work towards a net-zero target

as possible, as we all need to help and support each other. “Of course, it’s also important to utilise new technologies and solutions. There are definitely a lot of quick wins for companies, such as switching to renewable energy, but some aspects are a lot harder to solve, such as decarbonising products and finding more sustainable suppliers.”

Attainable targets By setting net zero targets, CEOs will leverage the current benefits of their

sustainability credentials, as environmental, social, and governance (ESG) becomes more important to investors, and more sustainable products will gain the attention of consumers. “Businesses need to prioritise their approaches, by setting clear targets sooner rather than later,” Lucy says. “All of us at ClimatePartner would like to encourage companies to begin their journeys to net zero today. It can seem overwhelming at first, but once the first steps are taken and a plan is in place, the target becomes much clearer.” MARCH8.COM

5 MINUTES WITH

minute

sw ith

...

Struggling with feelings of defeat, exhaustion and helplessness? You may be suffering from burnout according to Business Coach Kylee Hurrell from the Threedom Coaches MARCH8.COM

5 MINUTES WITH

ylee is no stranger to high-pressure environments. While spending 14 years in the corporate world, she witnessed many colleagues push themselves to the limit in order to advance their careers. But, one day she realised that she needed a change. Fast forward to 2022. Kylee is a co-founder of The Threedom Coaches, a business that specialises in helping those who suffer from workplace burnout. We sat down with Kylee to discuss how she helps people communicate effectively while building a healthy company culture.

So first and foremost, what are the initial signs of burnout? Burnout can come in many forms, but since the pandemic has blurred the lines between work and home, it’s unfortunately become much more common. Symptoms of burnout are feeling drained, helpless and overwhelmed with life. People can often take longer to do usual tasks, procrastinate and be riddled with self-doubt. Burnout can also be very isolating, making it almost impossible to maintain a work/life balance.

Why is the topic of burnout so important to you? Most of us have experienced burnout in one way or another, either in ourselves or through our colleagues. I’ve seen many people go to the extreme with burnout – in fact, an ex-colleague of mine actually became so overworked that he suffered an angina attack. But the company’s concern wasn’t around what they could do for the individual, but rather who was going to do his work. I know that’s a unique case, but I don’t think that anyone truly gets to the point of complete burnout if they’re in a supportive environment. MARCH8.COM

5 MINUTES WITH

What would you say to those at risk of burnout? It’s so important to have breaks. If you have a mountain of work, you’re going to achieve more at a higher quality if you allow yourself some time away. For example, you should always give yourself at least 30 minutes away from your screen at lunch so you come back refreshed after being in a new environment. Sometimes it can be very hard to get this across to organisations, but they need to see that there’s a lot of productivity to be had if employees are well rested and fully charged – that’s half the battle.

When does burnout begin to affect a person and the business? So many people don't want to have this conversation or are not aware of what's happening around them. We are very much in a world where people are numbers, and that mindset boggles me. If companies addressed this, they would actually be improving some of their profit margins – there's no money to be made if staff are off. Presenteeism (which are employees who are at work in body but mentally too drained to focus) and high staff turnover can cost industries billions each year.

How does a positive attitude towards a work/life balance help to improve mental health? I appreciate, especially in the industries that I've been in, you're going to get times where projects come up with specific deadlines and extra hours are going to have to be put in. That's the name of the game in most industries, however, when it’s a regular thing or 44

MARCH 2022

it goes on for years, it can become detrimental to someone’s physical and mental health. We, as humans, are designed to have a certain amount of downtime. If you don't look after yourself and stop giving your body the things that it needs, you're going to be running on empty. So you're not going to be showing up for work with the same sort of productivity that you had if you were in good form.

Who is responsible for recognising and supporting employees? There needs to be suitable policies in place to ensure that a positive and supportive company culture can be formed. It’s also important to remember that the attitudes of senior staff trickle down on the rest of the employees. A lot of us can see the signs of someone struggling, for example, may they start to look a bit dishevelled or you can see that they look tired. Maybe they’ve stopped taking lunch breaks, they’re regularly staying late to work, and they’ve stopped taking care of themselves the way they normally would. So it’s everyone’s responsibility to spot burnout.

What are the key practises that allow organisations to recognise mental health issues? This is the responsibility of the whole organisation – so from the top, right to the very bottom. Everyone needs to be aware of the resources available to them, as each company will differ greatly. For example, some might have programmes where you can talk to someone, whereas others might have insurance policies that cover things like coaching. But, it’s also important to explore external resources, such as counselling or therapy, too.

Advancing women in transport Women in Transport is an independent UK non-profit with a mission to advance women working in the transport sector. Membership is open to everyone and provides access to events and networking. Women members also benefit from access to mentoring and a leadership development programme.

Find out more and join online at www.womenintransport.com

INTERVIEW

Finding your

voice

Being a woman in a male-dominated industry is never easy, but T-Mobile’s Stephanie Owen tells the story of how she learnt to speak up, and how she’s now helping others do the same

MARCH 2022

INTERVIEW

Stephanie Owen

Vice President, Technology and Enterprise Procurement, T-Mobile

INTERVIEW

eflective, objective and tough. That is how Stephanie Owen, Vice President of Technology and Enterprise Procurement at T-Mobile, describes herself. After sitting down with her at T-Mobile HQ in Seattle, it is also how she comes across. March8 Editor in Chief Lucy Buchholz found out more about how she’s become the successful figure we see today – managing a team of hundreds responsible for tens of billions of dollars ($US) of annual spend – and how she plans to continue driving diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) change.

So, start by telling us about yourself and the steps that led you to your current position here at T-Mobile.

Lucy Buchholz Editor in Chief, MARCH8

My professional career started in the early 90s, where I spent the first 20 years working for Microsoft, or for companies that did a lot of work for Microsoft. During this time, I was also studying for my MBA while being a young mom — you can definitely say that I didn’t take a conventional route into my role. I faced a lot of adversity during that time of my life. MARCH8.COM

INTERVIEW

Over the last decade, I’ve been fortunate to work for three other global Fortune 500 companies – Yahoo!, Dell Technologies and BHP Group – while experiencing life in Silicon Valley, California; Austin, Texas; and Singapore. These experiences gave me tremendous opportunities to broaden my perspective, but now I'm thrilled to be working for T-Mobile in my hometown of Seattle. That being said, when I’m not at work I love to unplug from technology and enjoy the outdoors. I think it’s important to switch gears and to find ways to relax that don’t rely on tech.

How would you simplify your role as Vice President of Technology and Enterprise Procurement, to make it feel like a plausible career for a young girl? Well, that's a whole lot of words for a title, isn't it? To put it simply, it's my job to find and buy things for T-Mobile’s employees to help them achieve their best work. And that's a lot of fun — it's shopping but much more. In my mind, it’s ‘strategic shopping’ that requires great negotiation skills, a vision toward the future, professionalism and clarity about the bottom line. So we may need to buy computers, insurance programmes, technology to run systems, or office furniture, but whatever we buy, we buy massive quantities.

What are the greatest challenges that you’ve faced throughout your professional life? When I started my career, I was often the only woman in a room full of men. And in one of my major classes in college, I was 50

MARCH 2022

one of three female students. Situations like these make it difficult to get your voice heard, so my biggest career challenge has been finding my voice as a woman in the workplace. It can be hard to find your voice as a leader too. When I first moved from individual contributor to a leader, I had a lot of preconceived ideas about what it meant to be a leader. Over time, I realised that many preconceptions weren’t quite accurate. We are all just doing our best every day, no matter where you are in your career journey. Releasing this earlier on would have given me more confidence.

INTERVIEW

Why is it important for you to promote DEI initiatives at T-Mobile?

THERE'S A STRONG BUSINESS CASE FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

Oh, it is very important. And the platform that I have as a female executive gives me this opportunity, which I take very seriously. When I came here, there was already a team who'd been working to improve and build our relationships with diverse suppliers and with community-based organisations. We've actually received multiple awards and recognition for that work. In fact, in early 2021, we launched a programme where we gave scholarships

INTERVIEW

YOU ALREADY HAVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL INSIDE OF YOU 52

MARCH Month 2021 2022

INTERVIEW

to underserved individuals to support them through a specific vocational school, which would lead them to a career in the telecom industry. And we don't call it done there. We ensure that they graduate, secure a job, and continue to be employed in that sector. I'm really proud to say that our NextTech Diversity Program – supported by T-Mobile and other companies in the wireless industry – graduated 50 people during its inaugural year. Even better, 100% of those women and men of colour have been placed in career telecom positions. We’re continuing the programme and have even expanded our focus to train and place three-times the number of people during 2022.

Technology is predominately a male-dominated industry. Why do you believe it is important to encourage girls and women to join the sector? It’s so important to encourage girls and women to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers, because there are still misconceptions in many parts of the world that these subjects are best suited for males. As women, we need to understand that we can be good at anything we choose. T-Mobile has a solid track record of creating opportunities for diverse employees. We say it all the time: “Diversity, equity and inclusion are part of our corporate DNA.” We also embrace what our President of Technology Neville Ray calls our

“always on” approach to work. “We Won’t Stop” is a tagline we use that I think applies to many aspects of our focus and results. When it comes to women in male-dominated industries, my career includes work in the global mining industry. Many mining and energy companies aim to have a 50/50 male and female balance in their workforce within the next five to 10 years. Well, that's a pretty daunting task when it's nearly 100% male today. So, there are a lot of fields that are opening to women, and I highly encourage girls to believe in their capabilities, to understand their worth and to know that sometimes, we can do things better than our counterparts.

How has T-Mobile worked to build inclusive teams? When building a diverse team, we have an opportunity to use the process to make objective, inclusive decisions, to check for bias and hopefully hire someone who brings a new perspective to the team — here at T-Mobile, this is very important to us. When I started here two years ago, I was fortunate to inherit a really strong team. But I’ve also learned the importance of uncovering talent within individuals across the business, by connecting them with a business problem and allowing them to find a solution. Too often we think in terms of hierarchy and set limitations on people because they may be too junior, or haven’t been at the company for long enough, for example. MARCH8.COM

INTERVIEW

I would like women to think more about the different opportunities available to them, whether that’s a new job role or a project within the workplace. When women look at job descriptions, I’d like them to ask themselves, ‘what experience and background can I bring to this team?’, and then to pursue the role whether or not they tick every box. That way, hopefully more leaders’ eyes will open and they will think about who they're selecting.

If you could have a conversation with your younger self, what advice would you give? I would tell myself, and everybody else, that you already have everything that you need to be successful inside of you. It's not about finding something else or seeking validation from elsewhere. You have things to learn and experiences to gain, yes, but that just requires dedication, discipline, and action over a period of time. But there's nothing that you don't already possess to achieve success.

Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently? Absolutely — I would have told myself: “Raise your hand earlier!” I think as women, we put our heads down, do our work and wait to be recognised, but it doesn't necessarily work that way in business. You also have to speak about your work, evangelise it and step out of your comfort zone perhaps. It took me a long time to become bolder with my actions, and I wish I would've done it sooner. 54

MARCH 2022

INTERVIEW

Raise your hand earlier! MARCH8.COM

OMEN

nspirational

TOP100 INSPIRATIONAL

COMING SOON

See it as soon as it's out! SU BSC R I B E

Ri ing tar atalie Cairns OH MY LASH FOUNDER

Following years of success, partnershipss and award partnership nominations, Natalie Cairns is definitely a name to look out for

MARCH 2022

Just over three years ago, Natalie Cairns took a leap of faith and single-handedly founded her company, Oh My Lash. Combining 10 years of beauty experience with her passion to fill a gap in the market, Natalie saw her company go from strength to strength. But we’re happy to say that Natalie is only at the beginning of her journey, as she’s definitely got lots more planned in the pipeline.

MARCH8.COM

RISING STAR

2018

Natalie Cairns created Oh My Lash, starting with 6 styles

2018

Launched on Pretty Little Thing

Launched on boohoo

2019

Launched onto Very.co.uk and Missguided

2020

Product collaboration with Missguided Launched onto I Saw It First

2021

Partnered with Pricecheck distribution Featured in ELLE magazine Pure Beauty Awards Finalist 'Best New Design and Packaging' Launched on the high-street in New Look and River Island 60

MARCH 2022

So tell us, what is Oh My Lash? In a nutshell, we’re a reusable, cruelty-free beauty brand, providing customers with affordable luxury lashes – but in reality, we’re so much more. When launching Oh My Lash, I had one mission in mind: to create a unique product that lash users would love. I wanted to design lashes that could be used time and time again — therefore saving customers money — that came in stylish but protective packaging.

Can you share the secret to your success with us? As a beauty enthusiast, I was a frequent buyer of lashes. And I think that's the important word: 'frequent’. I got so fed up with buying lashes, wearing them once and then either losing or damaging them. So, I decided to create a solution to my problem by launching Oh My Lash, which can be worn approximately ten times and can be kept in the cute packaging. So I guess you could say that my secret is the fact that I was once a customer, so I knew the market really well and I was passionate about my product.

When you think of Oh My Lash, what are the milestone achievements that you’re most proud of? Within five months of launching, we were stocked with online retailer, Pretty Little Thing (PLT), which was a huge deal. I’m a customer of PLT, and I still can’t believe it when I’m scrolling through the website and I see Oh My Lash. We’ve been working with them for over three years now, and we’re one of the best sellers – it’s amazing!

We were very lucky to create the partnership so early into our journey – especially as they’re very selective with who and what they stock. And I honestly believe that PLT has skyrocketed the brand’s success as it’s led us to even more stockists, such as Missguided and Boohoo. Another ‘pinch me’ moment was when Oh My Lash was launched on the high street. We’re now in both of London’s Westfields, Oxford Street, and in shops, such as River Island and New Look, across the country. I’m also pleased that we have now partnered with Pricecheck distribution who will help take Oh My Lash to the next level.

Looking back, what would you say your biggest challenge has been? I started Oh My Lash completely on my own, and as I had no prior sales experience, I had to learn how to push the brand and figure out how to talk to buyers. At first I was out of my comfort zone, but the more I learnt to network the easier things became. Communication is so important when launching a product, because you need to show the world not only that you believe in your product, but that consumers will buy it too.

If you could share advice with other women starting their own businesses, what would you say? Believe in your brand, and believe in yourself – if you don’t, people will see right through both. You have to find the confidence to be able to show people that you have a really great product, you’ve done your research and you’re passionate about it, because you need to love it. And advice I wish I knew before starting out? I wish I could have told myself not to let other people’s opinions influence my decisions, because there were so many people who said I wouldn’t be able to do it or that it would be too hard. But, I’m here because I’ve worked really hard on a brand that I love, and I refused to give up.

When you think of the future, what are you most excited about? I definitely have a number of big names that I’d like to partner with, such as Boots and Superdrug. Oh, and Primark, because every girl shops in Primark, and it’s become such a great place to get essential beauty bits. But I’m also working hard to break through to the American market, so I’m currently in distribution talks and I hope to be flying over to work sometime soon.

Want to know more? Visit the Oh My Lash website or check out their Instagram.

MARCH 2022

BILLIONAIRES

One billion dollars – an unimaginable amount of money. Over the past few years, the world has seen a lot more mega-rich females on their entrepreneurial journeys, and according to Forbes, we now have 241 new female faces added to the World Billionaire List. But of course, much of the world’s wealth depends on the constant fluctuation of stock markets. We take a look at three women who have earned their way to a ten-figure salary, to understand how they became part of the most prestigious club on the planet.

MARCH 2022

BILLIONAIRES

MARCH8.COM

BILLIONAIRES RIHANNA AGE: 33 NET WORTH: US$1.7BN

[STAFF/DIMITRIOS KAMBOURIS ]/[GETTY IMAGES ENTERTAINMENT ] VIA GETTY IMAGES

WE DON'T BELIEVE IN DIVISION. WE DO NOT BELIEVE IN EXCLUDING ANYONE

A woman who needs no introduction. Having sold over 60 million albums worldwide, the singer, dancer and actress may have you questioning whether there is anything she can’t do. And rightly so. But, did you know that Rihanna didn’t make her millions through music? Rihanna, born Robyn Rihanna Fenty, began her story in 2005 when Jay-Z and L.A Reid heard her sing for the first time – they literally wouldn’t let her leave the building until she signed a contract with Def Jam Records. By selling more than 215 million digital downloads of her songs, RiRi is the biggest digital-selling artist of all time. But these hits didn’t blow up her bank account as much as one might expect, mainly because she doesn’t own the songwriting credits. The composition and production of some songs can cost over US$1mn – Rihanna only gets her cut after the record label recoups their investment. That being said, producing music earned her a wage, which certainly shouldn’t be sniffed at. Billboard reported that her 2016 Anti World Tour made her a comfortable US$25mn and her Diamonds World Tour collected a cool US$140mn in ticket sales. Cue, Fenty. The beauty brand contributes an estimated US$1.4bn of her US$1.7bn net worth. In Fenty’s first 40 days, it raked in a staggering US$100mn. Since then, RiRi’s earnings fluctuate depending on the brand’s promotions and release cycles, but it typically makes between US$40mn to US$70mn per year. Her Savage X Fenty lingerie line also contributes a further US$270mn to her wealth. What makes Fenty Beauty different to all the other make-up and cosmetic brands, you may ask? Well, that one’s pretty simple. Rihanna has made inclusivity her priority, sharing that she not only wants to appeal to every type of woman, but every individual, regardless of their sex, gender or sexual orientation. Fenty became one of the first make-up brands to not exclusively target women – it also recently released a lingerie line for men. So as business is booming, is there any wonder that Rihanna left her music career in 2016? MARCH8.COM

BILLIONAIRES WHITNEY WOLFE HERD AGE: 32 NET WORTH: US$1.5BN

MARCH 2022

THE POWER LUNCH IS NO LONGER JUST FOR MEN. WE ALL DESERVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE [ STRINGER/JEROD HARRIS ] / [ GETTY IMAGES ENTERTAINMENT] VIA GETTY IMAGES

Swipe right to end misogyny, harassment and inequality. 31-year-old Whitney Wolfe Herd became the world's youngest self-made female billionaire in 2021, primarily through the launch of dating app, Bumble. But her rise to the top was littered with sexism, online abuse and a US$1mn lawsuit. At just 22, Whitney became involved with Hatch Labs where she met soon-to-be Tinder founders, Sean Rad and Chris Gulczynski, joining them on the founding team. But two years on, tensions grew within the executive team causing Whitney to leave the company and file a sexual harrasment case. Match Group Inc., Tinder’s parent company, settled the lawsuit for over US$1mn without an admission of wrongdoing. The case caused a storm of online hate and abuse towards Whitney. But by turning her pain into productivity, Bumble was born. The female-focused app only allows women to make the first move in hetrosexual matches. This simple but revolutionary idea has changed the dating scene for the better, allowing women to regain control. Ambitious singletons on the hunt for love were fond of the idea too, as during Bumble’s first year, more than 15 million conversations took place and eight million matches were made. Success continued well into 2020, as Bumble achieved over 100mn subscribers. Now Whitney owns a 11.6% stake in Bumble, giving her an estimated net worth of US$1.5bn. But Whitney is far too ambitious to stop there. After learning that one in three women using Bumble has received nonconsensual lewd photos – or to put it simply, photos they didn’t ask for – Whitney initiated a technology that automatically detects nude images. Recipients of potential nudes will receive a blurred image and a warning – the user will then have the choice to block or accept the image. As Whitney rang the Nasdaq bell with her baby son on her hip, she declared that she wanted to make the internet "a kinder, more accountable place." I think we can all agree that through Bumble, she has achieved that.

BILLIONAIRES MACKENZIE SCOTT AGE: 51 NET WORTH: US$43.6BN

[ STRINGER/MICHAEL KOVAC ] / [ GETTY IMAGES ENTERTAINMENT] VIA GETTY IMAGES

MY APPROACH TO PHILANTHROPY WILL CONTINUE TO BE THOUGHTFUL

“Behind every great man there is a woman,” a saying that couldn’t ring more true in the case of Amazon founders Mackenzie Scott and Jeff Bezos. Although MacKenzie was the vital backbone to many of Amazon’s successes, her contribution is often wrongly overlooked. Let's go back to 1994, when Whitney Houston was in her prime, Nelson Mandela was elected President of South Africa and newlyweds Jeff and MacKenzie had quit their jobs to embark on a road trip of a lifetime. With MacKenzie at the wheel headed from New York to Seattle, Jeff sat beside her frantically writing a business plan. It may not have been their most financially responsible decision, but MacKenzie had been eagerly tracking the rapid growth of internet usage and Jeff had ideas of launching an online bookstore – the two seemed to marry up well. After encouraging Jeff to pursue the online business, MacKenzie became Amazon’s first full-time employee. Now, Amazon is one of the largest online retailers in the world. But although MacKenzie provided support, encouragement and advice to Jeff, her name was often left unspoken until their divorce in 2019. As part of the settlement, MacKenzie received 25% of Amazon’s stock, which gave her a 4% stake in the company. With US$35.6bnn in her bank account, she was now one of the richest women in the world. But MacKenzie is different. She isn’t like other billionaires who use their wealth on lavish houses and trips to space – she’s more focused on giving it away. After she announced her divorce, MacKenzie shared two vital pieces of information. Firstly, she would be dropping ‘Bezos’ as her surname, and secondly, that she had donated over US$1.7bn to charitable causes. She also signed a PledgeFund to give away more than half of her wealth over the course of her lifetime. MacKenzie has gifted, sold or transferred around 1% of her Amazon stocks, worth approximately US$350mn. And of course, as the rest of her Amazon stocks skyrocket, so does her wealth. MARCH8.COM

MARCH 2022

PA RI T Y in the workplace Keen on making your workplace more inclusive for everyone? Here’s how you can do it MARCH8.COM

We’re aware that this is much easier said than done – but that’s not to say that it can’t be done. For decades, centuries even, it’s been clear that the working world was not designed for women, but rather for our more masculine counterparts. Creating a more inclusive workplace doesn’t just provide a long list of benefits for women – men are likely to benefit too. Research suggests businesses that prioritise inclusivity show higher productivity levels, increased job satisfaction and lower staff turnover rates. Here are just a few ways in which you can boost gender parity in your workplace.

1. Get the numbers up A simple, effective, but sometimes hard-toreach goal. Hiring and promoting women is a sure-fire way to improve a business' diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) statistics, but unfortunately, there’s still a long way to go. 74

MARCH 2022

The imbalance starts from the get-go, as men are more likely to be hired at entry level, despite the fact that women comprised 57% of recent college graduates in the US. And the representation of women, particularly women of colour, continues to decline at each subsequent step in the career ladder, so much so that only one in five C-suite leaders tends to be a woman.

2. Spread the word Achieving deep cultural changes within a business or organisation starts the old fashioned way – by raising awareness. Every employee needs to understand the barriers that women face, particularly those who are traditionally marginalised for their identity. Yet our perceptions of an inclusive workplace are primarily shaped by the interactions we have with our day-to-day colleagues and managers. Awareness can be raised by collecting and sharing data from women within the business, organising talks from influential speakers and actively encouraging employees to share their experiences and ideas to advance DEI initiatives. Even sharing statistics from

HOW TO...

Women of colour lose ground to White women and men of colour, at every step of the corporate ladder Representation by corporate roles, by gender and race, 2021,% of employees Entry level

SOURCE: WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE 2021, LEANON.ORG AND MCKINSEY, 2021 NOTE: FIGURES MAY NOT SUM TP 100%, BECAUSE OF ROUNDING

Senior Manager

C-suite

Women of colour

White women

Men of colour

White men MARCH8.COM

recent studies is likely to educate, and even shock, some employees. For example, in 2018, the Young Women’s Trust found that 23% of women experienced sexual harrasment in the work place, and only 8% reported it. Presenting facts like these make it hard to shy away from gender-related inequalities.

3. Set leading examples Company cultures are primarily set and maintained by senior members of staff, therefore it’s paramount that they publicly set DEI examples for the rest of the organisation. By acting as positive role models, those in managerial and C-suite positions send powerful signals to the rest of the business. But, leaders are also responsible 76

MARCH 2022

for implementing DEI policies and ensuring that the appropriate resources are available throughout the organisation. Senior leaders must therefore understand the power of their everyday actions.

4. Create a supportive ecosystem For many industries, the pandemic has blurred the line between work and home life, causing many employees to prolong their work hours in order to ‘get ahead’. To create a healthy company culture, set clear boundaries that promote flexible working hours where possible, to reduce the likelihood of employees suffering from burnout through over working.

Another cornerstone of company culture is providing continuous learning opportunities. Moving individuals forward by encouraging them to establish a growth mindset will not only benefit the business, but their personal development too. But the real secret to a happy and healthy company culture is, wait for it: communication. Promoting open and honest communication, where employees can share their woes and know that they’re being heard, will build trust and respect.

5. Educate, educate, educate Training is one of the most powerful tools for driving change. Training opportunities on

topics such as bias, anti-racism, and allyship are on the rise, however, only 14% of employees have received allyship training and 34% have received anti-racism training in the past year. These statistics show that clearly, a lot of work still needs to be done. Businesses need to actively organise workshops and encourage participation – or even make it mandatory. If done correctly, initiating bold steps and prioritising ongoing education can impact and reshape deep-rooted biases. Here, ongoing is the objective word – a one-and-done training approach will not be enough to create and maintain lasting change. Once a sufficient level of training has been implemented across an organisation, the key is to enforce it; employees need to be taken from awareness to action. MARCH8.COM

INVESTMENT

Fine wine investment was once exclusive to the ultra rich, but as the paradigm is changing and the idea has been democratised, could wine be one of the best ways to invest? 78

MARCH 2022

MARCH8.COM

THE

concept of alternative investing is far from new. From classic cars to contemporary art, more of us are looking to make smarter investment decisions, while also feeding into our passions. Fine wine is no exception and now, perhaps more than ever with global markets in turmoil, the time is right to move wine from your shopping list, to your investment portfolio.

But what’s so special about fine wine? Of the hundreds and thousands of things you could invest your money in, why is fine wine the gleaming beacon of light that you should be drawn to? Well, to put it simply, fine wine has a track record of delivering stable growth and strong returns on investment, while outperforming markets and other commodities over long periods of time. In fact, the Liv-ex 100 record reported a 14.7% rise in 12 months and a 28.8% uplift in five years — to the 31st of July 2021 — in comparison with the FTSE 100's 4.3% growth over the same period. Fine wine ages well due to a number of complex chemical reactions that take place over time, which means it only gets better at the turn of each calendar. Increasing the demand dynamic is also an important

INVESTMENT

characteristic of fine wine performance. So when fellow wine lovers break open a bottle, they’re drinking down the supply and driving up the price. Another key selling point for some investors is that fine wine is a tangible asset (like art and classic cars) that can be seen and experienced, not simply held digitally like stocks and shares.

Is it accessible? Back in the day, investors needed to set aside a good sum of money to ensure they could store their wine correctly in their homes. According to Heritage Vine, a wine cellar design company, this could cost anywhere between US$15,000 and US$180,000. But thank goodness the industry has progressed, as investors can now store their bottles in specialised facilities until the wine reaches maturity — costing a fraction of the price. Better still, investors have the options of blue-chip wine stocks and funds, while also requesting for investment companies to buy and store wines on their behalf.

What do the experts say? Over the past decade, fine wine has appreciated 127%, according to the investment MARCH8.COM

clearly outperforms other alternative investment options, including luxury handbags, blue-chip art, and even some diamonds. Expert Katie Souter from Vin-X believes that fine wine is peaking the interest of more investors who are looking for a stable alternative with a track-record of performance. Katie says fine wine’s key performance characteristic is stable growth, which does not directly correlate with volatile financial markets and has historically delivered stronger returns than other long-term investments. Wine investments also allow investors to hedge against recession, inflation and currency devaluation. “Fine wine’s ability to hold its value during recession and be resistant to the negative impact of inflation makes it a valuable means of strengthening an investment portfolio,” says Kaite.

How do you know whether a wine is investment-worthy? Less than 1% of the world’s wine production has the quality, brand recognition and secondary market interest to qualify as investment wine. Certain characteristics must be in place to ensure that a wine 82

MARCH 2022

Wine Investment compared to property in January 2022 (1 year to 31.01.22) SOURCE: PROPERTY PRICE: HALIFAX, WINE: LIV -EX.COM

9.7%

UK Property price growth

stands out from the crowd to make it investment-worthy. Here, are just a few: •S CARCITY: As supply dwindles, coveted wines become more investment-worthy •L ONGEVITY: Fine wines must reach peak maturity at least 10 years after bottling, with the ability to last for at least 25 years. They must have the correct acid, tannin, sugar and alcohol levels to develop secondary and tertiary flavours •P RESTIGE: Robust brand equity can influence investors to pay a premium •E NVIRONMENT: For fine wine to be created, great terroir is required, such as the correct environment, weather and soil during the growing season •C RITIC SCORES: Robert Parker’s 100-point scale is the most commonly used method to rate wines. The scale employs a 50-100 quality point system

Element of risk

25.2% Wine trend – Liv-ex 100

why it is important to deal with trusted experts and conduct due diligence. Cult Wines says there are numerous examples of short-term trends yielding impressive gains within the fine wine market, but an investment should be viewed as a mid to long-term one, with a period of at least five years. The wine investment market is unregulated so investors are not protected in the same way that they are when investing in regular financial products. As such, it is important for investors to do their due diligence, and only buy from established merchants and deal with reputable investment houses to ensure you get the expertise you need. But however you decide to invest, fine wines are looking like appealing additions to any portfolio, and their performance in turbulent times is reassuring as well as rewarding.

Katie Souter VIN-X

As with any investment, there is a degree of risk associated with fine wines, which is MARCH8.COM

MENTORSHIP & EVENTS

MEET the MENTORS As the March8 Mentorship Programme is well underway, we wanted to hear what mentorship means to each of our nine inspirational mentors

y carefully pairing ambitious women at the start of their careers with established female leaders, March8 is supporting the next generation of outstanding professionals. This incredible opportunity connects rising stars in the business world to the expertise and professional networks of pioneering women, by forging relationships that open doors and minds. 84

MARCH 2022

MENTORSHIP & EVENTS

JEANETTE GITOBU DIRECTOR, WOMEN IN WIND GLOBAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME

PAMELA LAIRD FOUNDER AND CEO, MOXI LOVES

“I wanted to become a mentor for the March8 Mentorship Programme as I would not be where I am without the mentors, sponsors, and supporters who took a chance on me. Mentors support growth, provide knowledge, and serve as trusted allies to their mentees. I wish to pay forward the opportunity that was given to me by helping someone else meet their intended milestones by serving as a source of encouragement and support for their dreams.”

“I’ve relied on mentors over the past few years for support, and I firmly believe that that never ends. I love the fact that I can hop on a screen to give my time and opinion on what I would do in a certain situation. Being a mentor is a safe space to give independent advice, and to speak to someone who has your best interest at heart, purely from a business perspective.” MARCH8.COM

MENTORSHIP & EVENTS

90%

of employees who have a career mentor say they are happy in their jobs SOURCE: NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH

ALMA ARZATE DIRECTOR, GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN LOGISTICS FOR APOTEX INC.

GOSIA SYTA FOUNDER, TIME TO WALK YOUR TALK “After having children, I was out of the job market for four years, and when I returned to work, my confidence was in the basement — I started to wonder, ‘how do some women come across so confident?’. Many women have a lot of inner confidence, but struggle to show it on the outside. As a mentor, I would like to teach another woman how to overcome these challenges and how to use her voice.” 86

MARCH 2022

“I have had to overcome years of cultural bias, suppression and insecurity to find my voice. Luckily, I have had kind and supportive role models to help me on my journey. These leaders have coached, mentored and sponsored me by offering very challenging but rewarding opportunities. These experiences encouraged me to join the March8 Mentorship Programme as I have seen first-hand the impact that mentoring can have on other people’s lives.”

MENTORSHIP & EVENTS

ANNA JAKIELASZEK FOUNDER, SEEN BE MEAN

ADAKU OKAFOR FOUNDING DIRECTOR, PHEONIXRIZE CONSULTANCY “Being part of the March8 Mentorship Programme is my opportunity to give back. I know the benefits, I know the value and I know that for me to be where I am today, somebody held my hand. Somebody gave me advice, somebody opened the door to their network to allow me in. They recommended me where the decision making happens — that’s the power of mentorship.”

“I appreciate the people I met on my own professional development path. There were those who saw some potential in me and gave me a chance against all odds. They were role models of what could be possible, or that asked the right questions and gave encouragement when it was most needed. Becoming a mentor made me excited about the opportunity to give back and help others see and appreciate the value they already have.”

Mentoring can boost an individual’s productivity by

67%

SOURCE: NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH

MARCH8.COM

MENTORSHIP & EVENTS

71%

of Fortune 500 organisations have a mentorship programme SOURCE: NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH

KASIA LANUCHA INTERCULTURAL TRAINER AND COACH

MONIKA CZUJ FOUNDER, VEGGIE CRUSH “There’s some things in life that can’t be explained logically, for example why a particular topic drives you — for me, it’s my motivation to support other women. If I can help just one woman, it would mean the world to me. I have a vision of what I can bring to the mentorship programme and I think if we just had more self knowledge and essential tools, we can make a massive impact on other people.” 88

MARCH 2022

“It’s great to have somebody who has been there, who knows the journey and the challenges and can support you. Mentoring is sharing knowledge to help someone achieve their goals, and at certain stages of my life, it helped me a lot. I can really see the value of mentorship, and if you have a great mentor, you want to give back and support others.”

MENTORSHIP & EVENTS

94%

FRANCES HOLMES

of employees reported that they would stay longer at a company if they were given more learning opportunities SOURCE: NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH

CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, SPEAK OUT REVOLUTION “When I started at my workplace, I realised that I was the only woman in nearly every meeting, and that there were only three women in my office. These women supported me as my mentors as they’d already been on my journey, which really helped boost my confidence. That’s why it’s important that I’m able to give back to others who were once in my situation.” MARCH8.COM

We took to our social media platforms to ask the MARCH8 community their thoughts on some of today’s most current topics

This month’s question:

What does International Women’s Day mean to you? “International Women's Day is about showcasing accomplished women from various industries to inspire, drive change, and #BreakTheBias. For me personally, it is important to show my 11-year-old daughter, and young people in general, that there are no limits to what can be achieved with the right mindset and drive.” “There is a magic and power that fills a room when women come together — we move mountains when we are aligned with the same objective. International Women's Day is a reminder of our power.”

Kamales Lardi

Natalia Nicholson "International Women's Day means intentionally taking time out for yourself and giving yourself a pat on the back for your contribution to this world."

Rajdeep Sandhu

MARCH 2022

EXPO

7th & 8th September

›

Sponsor

›

STREAMED & IN PERSON BUSINESS DESIGN CENTRE