When you think of design professions, does a specific gender come to mind? Women make up 50.2% of the graphic design industry, while men account for 49.8%[1]. With the industry pretty evenly split, and women just taking the lion’s share, one would think compensation would be equal as well. As it turns out, women earn .95¢ for every $1.00 that their male counterparts make. In honor of Women’s History Month, and as an ongoing effort to shine a light on these issues, we’re featuring two women in leadership from our design departments. Meet Hailey McMullen, Design Team Lead, and Maria Duffey, Manager of Customer Design.
Hailey McMullen: Design Team Lead
What does it mean to you to be a woman in leadership?
Being a woman in leadership is something I’m immensely proud of. Leadership itself is not easy; leadership, as a woman, means constantly remembering that your voice, your perspective and your ideas are important & impactful. It requires you to be confident and believe in yourself.
I love being in a position where I can lift others and guide them to success. I truly work with the most talented people here at Vagaro, and I’m thrilled to be in a place where I can help them grow and witness that journey each day.
Which women inspire you?
I feel very lucky to have many women in my life who inspire me. Working at Vagaro, I often look around a conference room and realize that some of the smartest, most qualified and confident people in the room are women.
I was raised by two people who always exemplified a very hard work ethic. When I was in high school, my mom decided she wanted to advance her career even further, so she went back to college. All at once, she was taking night classes, working a full-time job, being an attentive mother and even taking care of other members of our family. With all this on her plate, she never stopped striving for what she wanted or deserved in life. She is a wonderful example of a woman who works hard and fights for growth in her career.
What did your journey to success look like?
As a woman in leadership, I’m still full-steam ahead on my journey to success. As proud as I am about how far I’ve come, I see so many opportunities to learn more about myself as a leader, my team members and the industry I’m in.
Early in my career, I remember moments of being in a room full of loud, important people and being extremely nervous or even questioning what I was doing in the room. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t take me a while to find my voice and gain the confidence that I have today. I think it’s okay that I took time to grow into the leader that I am now. I learned a lot along the way and I’ve developed a bring-it-on attitude and I’m now confident that I can take on any challenges I may face.
If you could give career advice to another woman reading this, what would it be?
I’d tell them to be empowered to speak up no matter who is in the room. The more you break out of your comfort zone, the easier it gets. Someday, you’ll reflect on how far you’ve come.
I know this seems like a given but, if you want something, work hard for it! As women in the workforce, we’re bound to face obstacles and sometimes that means we have to work twice as hard as others. But hard work pays off, one way or another. We grow and become better from each challenge we face.
What does gender equity mean to you in the workplace, and why is it important?
For me, gender equity in the workplace comes down to showing respect for all the humans you work with. It’s important to be aware that each person’s journey has been different, each outlook is unique, and different voices are worth hearing. The growth of yourself & your company is greatly hindered if you don’t realize that each perspective matters. A single voice or opinion does not rule all.
Being a woman has not limited the things that I can accomplish professionally. If anything, it’s brought light to things that I can help improve in my workplace.
Maria Duffey: Customer Design Manager
What does it mean to you to be a woman in leadership?
It’s first encouraging that, as a woman, I have been able to grow into leadership because the glass ceiling is still very much a reality for so many others. That’s why it’s also important to me that, as a leader, I support and elevate other women, embrace their talents & expertise, and help them develop and grow in their own careers.
Which women inspire you?
It’s really difficult for me to identify individual women, or even types of women, who inspire me because I think that every woman has her own inspiring qualities, whether that’s setting & maintaining healthy boundaries, balancing a career and family, or having the drive & determination to chase down an ambitious goal.
What did your journey to success look like?
The journey to success rarely happens overnight or follows a straight line, which is very true for my own journey. After I received my graphic design degree, I struggled for years to find the right career, and at times I started to think that there was no such thing as a “dream job.”
Four years ago, I was proven wrong when I joined Vagaro as the first designer hired to specifically focus on providing design services to Vagaro businesses. Since then, I’ve discovered my talent and passion for helping our business owners develop their brand and build a strong foundation for their future success. I’ve been able to use that to grow an entire Design Services Team dedicated to helping set business owners up for their own success.
If you could give career advice to another woman reading this, what would it be?
Every “failure” comes with an opportunity for growth. As humans, we’re all destined to make mistakes, but it’s the ability to learn and grow from those setbacks that makes someone successful.
What does gender equity mean to you in the workplace, and why is it important?
We all come to the table with a unique perspective that’s been shaped by our own life experiences. To me, gender equity in the workplace means valuing, respecting & holding space for everybody’s unique perspectives, regardless of how they may identify.
Stay tuned to the Vagaro Pro blog for part 3 of our Women in Leadership series in honor of Women’s History Month! Want more now? Check out part 1 of our Women in Leadership series here, and our International Women’s Day article! If you’d like to learn more about Vagaro, visit us here.
Source:
[1] https://www.zippia.com/graphic-designer-jobs/demographics/