I’ve never thought much about being a woman in my career. Sure, in college there were only a handful of girls on the ‘creative track’ of our advertising major. And, we all know about the old days of male dominated agencies, referenced in Mad Men. Great show by the way. But really, none of this ever meant anything to me. I surf, so I guess I’m used to being in a male-dominated environment. It didn’t phase me. I liked design and I liked psychology, so the path was obvious.

But lately, it does mean something. And I’m not talking about the all to common “why don’t I make the same as my male counterparts?” I’m talking about the way women lift each other up. It’s incredible. It can be seen in the success of blogger networks, women design retreats and networking opportunities. There is even a women-only coworking space here in San Diego. And while, I admit, I think it can be a bit overboard and counter-productive (I’m not a ‘girlboss’), I do think it marks a time in history where change is happening and women are more respected in the world of business. I am proud to be a part of that narrative.

I also think the design and branding world needs us. We understand the female mindset, of course. More importantly, we think and feel differently. We nurture by nature, run on empathy on practice active listening. Brands need nurturing. Clients need empathy. Users need to be understood.

I am honored to be a woman in business and in branding today, running a company built on mutual respect, radical candor, and collaboration.  When we lift each other up, we all rise. Here’s to seeing more women in our industry, not just as the designers and illustrators, but in the leadership roles as well.