Atomic Inspire Founder Amy Green On Inspiring Women In Tech
The COVID-19 economic crisis has seen almost 1 million Australians losing their jobs since social-distancing measures ramped up (new official ABS data). Women have also been affected more in terms of job losses, with an 8.1 per cent fall compared to a 6.2 per cent fall for men. While this percentage might not seem significant, because of the volume, it actually represents a major gap.
Atomic Inspire founder Amy Green says now is the perfect time for women to consider launching their career, or transitioning their career into tech, with America’s largest tech companies looking to attract more talent. The latest data (Statista Feb 2020) shows that female employees make up between 28 percent (Microsoft) and 42 percent (Amazon) of the total workforce. This percentage drops even lower, with women taking up fewer than 1 in 4 technical roles.
“We need to inspire more women to enter into tech, and communicate the exciting career opportunities available, particularly for those who might not have considered it before” Amy says.
Typically, women are less likely to apply for tech roles, often due to perceptions about the industry being for the “male geek stereotype,” the “old corporate boys club” or simply that the roles are too technical she says. It’s about making successful female role models visible to the next generation, and changing the outdated 80’s stereotype. As a mentor and coach to young women in tech, Amy inspires individuals to be unstoppable in their success by helping them to develop a growth mindset, owning their personal brand narrative and “thinking big” about what can be achieved. She is known by her peers to be perpetually optimistic, and inspires those around her through her energy, passion and drive to make a positive difference.
Atomic Inspire has recently launched new virtual training programs during the Covid-19 crisis, on subjects such as personal branding, leadership, communication and professional image to young women in their early to mid-career stages. The company’s events and workshops will be re-commencing again in August here in Australia!
What were the challenges you faced as a woman in tech that inspired you to start Atomic Inspire?
When I started my career in London, I was always challenged by the fact that I was either the only woman, or one of three women present in a meeting that was filled with ten or fifteen men. I used to find this ratio intimidating, especially as it would make me question myself, was I in the right role, did I fit in, was I being perceived as “credible enough” as a young female coming into the industry? I didn’t have many female role models who I could aspire to at the time, or who I could ask for guidance to be a potential mentor/sponsor within the company. I quite often felt that I had to confirm, or be someone else to fit into what was a male dominated industry. That was, until I realised the power of personal branding! I learnt that by actually owning my strengths, values, skills and visual identity and crafting out my own personal brand narrative, this would help me to stand out and differentiate myself against everyone else. Personal branding, when done correctly, can be our biggest differentiator!
Where did the idea come from to launch bespoke training programs?
After gaining experience in executive boardroom situations, I began to realise the importance of adopting a number of success strategies at work including building presence, negotiation, leadership skills, networking, and a need to develop “executive presence”, an important quality which according to a study by the Centre for Talent Innovation, accounts for 26% of what it takes to get promoted. Often, we have the view that success will speak for itself, or we think "oh, my boss will promote me if they see the great work I'm doing", I used to think this too, until I realised no one will look out for you except yourself. You have to take full ownership of your personal brand, your career and ultimately your own success. Our programs are aimed at equipping emerging female leaders with the knowledge, tools and strategies to enable them to be successful in their careers.
Do you think the tech world has changed since you started 15 years ago?
Yes, definitely. It’s fantastic to see how many talented women we now have in the industry and how many more female role models are visible to inspire the next generation of young women. However, there is still a large gap and we are a long way away from where it needs to be. According to the World Economic Forum, it'll take us 117 years to achieve global gender parity across the world! But we are already seeing changes, and I would love to see it happen in my lifetime. Our mission at Atomic Inspire is to help drive more transformation at an accelerated pace through our structured training programs and personal brand consulting services.
Is there a key area that you believe women struggle with the most?
I would say the biggest struggle I have seen is self-doubt. I have worked with many talented women, who have the skills and experience to push forward into leadership or executive roles, however a lack of self-confidence and belief often holds them back. Research shows (and I am guilty of this too!) that when women apply for a job, they apply only if they believe they can do 100% of the job description and have the right experience. Whereas men will tend to apply based on future potential, for example, if he can do 60% of the job description, he will learn the rest on the job. It’s an interesting statistic and shows a real difference in mindset!
Atomic started out as a business helping women with their professional image? Is this still a focus for you?
Absolutely yes, this is still at the heart of what we do and a core offering. We have a dedicated team of professional stylists who help to create and design a visual identity that is in alignment with an individuals personal brand strategy. If you think of successful brands like Steve Jobs (Apple) or Naomi Simson (Red Balloon) you will relate to the fact that they all have a personal image strategy to remain consistent and true to who they are. Steve Jobs developed a unique visual identity for himself: his jeans and turtleneck uniform conveyed the message that he was interested in simple, effective approaches (aligned to the simplicity of Apple). Naomi Simson consistently wears red to help people identify what she stands for. People take nanoseconds to work out who you really are. If you are consistent, that reinforces trust and people recognise what your brand stands for.
Do you think image is really that important now that we have more relaxed dress codes at work?
Having a personal image that aligns with your personal brand strategy is the key. For me, it’s not about shopping or spending a lot of money on fashion. It’s about empowering women to feel confident in what they wear, and to create an authentic visual identity. In the styling world, there is a term coined by Hajo Adam and Adam D. Galinsky called “enclothed cognition” in their experiment from 2012 which relates to the effect which clothing has upon a persons mental process and the way they think, feel, and function, in areas like attention, confidence, or abstract thinking. It’s the best feeling in the world to help a woman feel more confident in the way she dresses, shows up and represents herself. It has an overall positive impact on self-confidence and performance in both business and life.
What inspires you?
I am continually inspired by the power of technology, and how it can make a positive difference to our world socially, culturally and economically. I feel very lucky to have a career where I can work with organisations to drive transformation and help businesses to leverage cloud technology, digital transformation and data analytics to make a significant change and a positive difference to the way they do business. Technology is continuing to develop at an accelerated pace and it’s an exciting time to be working in it! I set up Atomic Inspire alongside my corporate job because of my desire and passion to see more women enter the industry and benefit from the same incredible opportunities that I have been fortunate enough to have.
What advice would you give to women coming into the tech industry today
Firstly I would say, always be curious, open minded and think big about the potential you can achieve no matter what industry you are entering into. You probably have a lot more transferrable skills that you realise! Think about the “potential” that you can bring to the role. Secondly, invest time in developing your personal brand because there is only one YOU and the world needs the unique qualities you bring. Don’t be afraid to stand out. Be authentic, purposeful and consistent with your personal brand message you will be successful. Thirdly, be confident in your endeavours and never give up on your goals. Sometimes life will throw curveballs at you, but by adapting a resilient and growth mindset, you will be unstoppable!
Article by Atomic Inspire. Interview by Michelle Sutherland (National Vice President Arbonne & Co-Founder of Gen S) Image by Simona Janek Photography
