International Women's Day 2023 - The Women of MooGoo
In a world where we are often bombarded with the media plugging the likes of celebrities such as Beyonce, Oprah, and Gloria Steinem – the idea of an ‘inspirational woman’ is an exclusive one. Don’t get us wrong, these women are amazing, and have achieved incredible feats that deserve to be admired and respected. However, it doesn’t take being ‘Cosmopolitans Women of The Year’ to be an inspiring figure. In fact, the women in our everyday lives are often our biggest inspirations without us even knowing it.
This year for International Women’s Day, we wanted to learn from our very own. The Women of MooGoo. Women that like so many of us aren’t striving to be the best actress or the best sportswomen but instead, the best version of themselves. WGEA 2019-20 data shows that while women make up half of the private sector workforce (50.5%), women make up only: 32.5% of key management positions, 18.3% of CEOs, and 14.6% of board chairs. We were shocked to read that as here at the Australian MooGoo Head Office, 85% of our team are women, and 5 out of 7 of our department heads are women too.
We are spoiled with inspirational and encouraging women at every patch of the office. So, this year to celebrate International Women’s Day, we asked our team leaders their greatest achievements, words of wisdom, and what the fight towards gender equality means to them.
Melody – CEO
What is the best advice you’ve ever received? What I’ve learned over the years is that a big part of leadership is about humility. Which a great female mentor of mine summed up in this statement ‘seek first to understand, then to be understood. She would repeat it in every conversation we had about leadership and it has helped shaped my leadership style today.
What do you think it takes to be a good leader? I don’t believe there is one characteristic or trait that defines good leadership, each leader has their strengths. Personally, a core trait in being a good leader is empathy. Being able to relate and connect with all people to help achieve a common goal.
What women either in your life or not inspire you most? Too many to list here, but more recently Jacinta Ardern. I admire her leadership style which shone during the recent pandemic.
What is your proudest achievement? I’d have to say taking the role of CEO at MooGoo. It was equally daunting and exciting.
What’s your favourite thing about your job? I am passionate about improving people’s wellbeing, at MooGoo I get to do this every day by providing access to natural healthy products that help skin and scalp problems.
What change do you want to see for women in 2023? I’d like to see an increase in the representation of women in senior leadership roles. Women are underrepresented at leadership and management levels in Australian workplaces.
What does International Woman's Day mean to you? It’s an opportunity to reflect and acknowledge the determination, sacrifice, and achievement of all women who have paved the way for us today and all those that continue to pursue social, economic, cultural, and political equality for women.
Megan – Head of Marketing
What is the best advice you’ve ever received? The best advice I have ever received, and has taken me my lifetime to just begin to understand, is that being anything but yourself is a complete and utter waste of time.
What do you think it takes to be a good leader? Being a good leader means encouraging and empowering your team to make decisions on their own and to offer suggestions for improvement on anything they’re involved with. No one likes to be micromanaged and running a team that way not only kills a whole bunch of time with double-handling, but it also communicates a lack of trust that does a great job of deflating morale very quickly. Over the years I’ve learned that my way isn’t always the best and listening to others makes them feel more connected to the company, the team, and the project. With more connection usually comes more engagement, investment, effort, and solutions.
What women either in your life or not inspire you most? Any woman that dares to put herself out there, to not be afraid of what others think of her, to take steps towards bettering herself and bettering the lives of those around her, those women inspire me. You don’t have to be famous, rich, or influential to make a difference – having a big audience or platform just increases pressure and responsibility. But all of our experiences are relative so any woman who has felt fear about doing something but did it anyway, those are the women that make me proud to be female.
What is your proudest achievement? My proudest achievement is the commitment I’ve made to constantly work on and healing myself. Without this work I would not have been able to grow, evolve, and change as much as I needed to, especially over these last 2 years, into the person I am today and onwards to the person I want to become in the future.
What’s your favourite thing about your job? I really enjoy the non-existent dress code. Anyone can dress however they like, in whatever they feel most comfortable in. If I’m feeling fancy, then I can dress things up and if I’ve got a gym class after work, I can show up in activewear. There is no judgment or pretentiousness in the office, which is a welcomed breath of fresh air. We are also very much into participatory work activities so we can have fun together. Whether it’s a day at the wakeboard park or a Halloween dress-up party, there’s always something to look forward to. And the snack drawer.
What change do you want to see for women in 2023? In 2023 and beyond, I hope that women re-remember their worth as human beings, equals, and strong individuals. I hope that women remember to support each other instead of competing with or tearing each other down. I hope that we continue to demand the same respect and compensation for our contributions as our male counterparts, and I hope that women really see how incredible they are as the life-givers on this planet.
What does International Woman's Day mean to you? As I get older my commitment to being a proud female that positively contributes to the world increases. I also reflect on how I can better strengthen my support for other females. I hope that IWD continues to be a much-needed reminder to everyone, men and women, that it’s our responsibility to pave the way, set new benchmarks, and forge new paths for future generations of females to come.
Melissa – Head of Sales
What is the best advice you’ve ever received? There is no such thing as work life balance, only balance and it’s up to you to set those boundaries.
What do you think it takes to be a good leader? Honesty, transparency and consistency.
What women either in your life or not inspire you most? My daughter. She is fierce but kind and she reminds me that you can be both strong and compassionate.
What is your proudest achievement? My son and daughter. I am proud to be their mum and guide the little people that they are becoming!
What’s your favourite thing about your job? Having the freedom and empowerment to shape the strategy and structure for the sales field team in the retail space.
What change do you want to see for women in 2023? I’m not sure my ideals are achievable within the year! But I want women, specifically mothers to continue to lift and raise each other up. It takes a village to raise a child and somewhere along the way we have come to expect that we need to do it all ourselves without fault or weakness.
What does International Woman's Day mean to you? A day to celebrate the fantastic women around me. I also hope that gender equality continues to be a strong focus so that when my daughter is older, a specific day doesn’t need to exist!
Ashleigh – Ecommerce Marketing Manager
What is the best advice you’ve ever received? A girlfriend and past Manager once said ‘we can do it all, but we just can’t do it all at once’ and that’s really stuck with me. It’s a reminder to take time to reflect and more importantly to take time to reset. We’re here to support one another; celebrate friendships and freedoms, and believe in ourselves.
What do you think it takes to be a good leader? Being a good leader means to inspire and motivate those around you. It’s to demonstrate integrity, share knowledge and to extend your passion into your everyday life, and to offer personal and professional growth so others can be the best they can be.
What women either in your life or not inspire you most? Those that are able to offer kindness and assistance without incentive. In the last few years of major world events, the importance of checking in on those most vulnerable, to those that may never ask! A sense of community and belonging is above all what connects us.
What is your proudest achievement? The first thing that comes to mind is being the first person and generation in my family to graduate from University! Very grateful for the opportunities that have come my way over the years from hard work and determination, and it’s ultimately what lead me right here to my dream job as Digital and eCommerce Manager at MooGoo.
What’s your favourite thing about your job? The fact that I get to work for and contribute to an Aussie-made and owned company, and that I get to do it with such a great, like-minded team. Plus, we're pet-friendly - there's usually always at least one furry friend hanging out in the office with us.
Lisha – Retail Marketing Manager
What is the best advice you’ve ever received? That the person that you will spend the most time with in your life is yourself, so try to make yourself as interesting as possible!
What do you think it takes to be a good leader? Being approachable, really listening and having an open mind are all important to me when I look to leaders. Everyone knows it takes a village and we all need to support and encourage each other to grow personally and professionally.
What women either in your life or not inspire you most? My grandmother. Her name was Kitty and she died when I was 13. I have such fond memories of her warmth, kindness and husky singing voice. Her life was fascinating to me; she started her own business, was headstrong, opinionated, spoke her mind and was a total boss, which in 1950s Ireland was not a common or easy thing.
What is your proudest achievement? Moving across the world and making Australia my home away from home over the last decade. All the sacrifices that come from being away from family and friends are made sweeter by knowing that I have now made a new and wonderful life for myself and my little family here.
What’s your favourite thing about your job? Definitely the culture! What a great bunch of people we have here at MooGoo. So much of life is spent at your workplace, so having awesome, smart, and kind people to work alongside every day makes it so much sweeter. Also my commute is 10 mins, how excellent is that!
What change do you want to see for women in 2023? Equal education for all. The United Nations reports that girls are still less likely to attend school than boys. 130 million girls don’t go to school today in some countries. Its hard to imagine, and it needs to change.
What does International Women's Day mean to you? I love this day. I love that we are celebrating women across the world for all the incredible and even the simple things we do. I like to spend this day thinking of all the woman that have gone before me and the sacrifices they made that have led me to this point… having a beautiful life, in a stunning part of the world, working for a company that really aligns to my values. So, to all of you women: from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
Kodie - Customer Service Manager
What is the best advice you’ve ever received? Like most of us, I have struggled with feeling insecure in myself and my body. I was told 'everyone is to busy dwelling on their own problems and insecurities to even notice yours'. This is something that has really stuck with me and given me peace!
What do you think it takes to be a good leader? I feel a good leader should be empathetic and willing to listen. A little kindness and understanding in my experience makes all the difference and helps build a happy and productive team environment. Being open to hearing feedback from your team and your customers is such an important part of good leadership. Collaborating with your team and your customers allows you to view things differently and often leads to the best changes. I believe the best leaders are able to drop their ego and focus on the greater good.
What women either in your life or not inspire you most? My sisters, family members, friends and colleagues. I find all the women in my life inspiring. Everyone has their own achievements and outlook on life. They each, in their own way, inspire me to be a better person and a better version of myself every single day. All the women in my life are so unique and have all helped to shape me into who I am.
What is your proudest achievement? Overcoming adversity and managing to finish university and land myself an amazing job! Having a disability has caused me to struggle greatly in life. I am proud of myself every day for how far I have come and how much I have grown.
What’s your favourite thing about your job? The culture at MooGoo is unmatched. We are such a diverse bunch and everyone has so many amazing stories, life experiences and so much knowledge to share. I love learning and growing. My job allows me to do this every single day! Connecting with the team here at MooGoo and our customers has allowed me to develop so much both personally and professionally. I would not want to be anywhere else!
What change do you want to see for women in 2023? I want to see women taking up more space. I want more female voices in media, sports, politics, and corporations. Women have so much to offer. I would love to see us collectively become louder and more unapologetically ourselves.
What does International Woman's Day mean to you?International Women's Day for me, is a celebration of how far we have come and an acknowledgment of how much further we still have to go. This is a day full of opportunities to educate. It is also a day to show appreciation to all the women who are doing great things on a global scale, and those who impact our lives personally. International Women's Day is all about Women supporting Women which is something I value so highly and am so happy to celebrate!
Laura – Branch and Marketing Manager UK
What is the best advice you’ve ever received? Work hard, be kind and surround yourself with good people.
What do you think it takes to be a good leader? Trust, honesty, and a good team. Know when to let others take the lead and trust in them, own up to your mistakes (we all make some), and recognise and reward good work.
What women either in your life or not inspire you most? My mum and my sister. My mum never stops helping others and putting other people first. She will do anything for me and my sister, even though she is kept very busy, looking after children in her role as a foster carer. I hope I have the energy to do as much for my children in the future. My sister is so career-driven and constantly inspires me within work. She is the person I will always go to for advice.
What is your proudest achievement? I am proud of my career. With the support of my amazing team, we have achieved some really great things in MooGoo UK over the past few years! Last year has been particularly difficult with the UK being so badly affected by the pandemic, but I am so proud that we have continued to do well throughout, and have successfully adapted to the completely new way of working.
What’s your favourite thing about your job? My team! I am so fortunate that we have found the best team. We stick together, help each other out, and are a constant support to one another. We achieve great things together but have a laugh whilst doing so!
What change do you want to see for women in 2023? I recently read that 1 in 4 women in the UK has set up their own business during the pandemic. With many people losing jobs or being furloughed for long periods of time, this demonstrates the resilience women have. I would love to see even more of this, with women supporting women in business, and the banks investing in them too!
What does International Woman's Day mean to you? A day to celebrate women and all the great things that we can achieve, but it's also a reminder of how important it is to support other women, encourage them and be kind to one another.