We like to celebrate like it’s International Women’s Day every day at Seed Factory, but the official holiday falls on March 8. In honor of this year’s International Women’s Day, members of our female-fronted PR team took a moment to share the women that inspire them most and why.
Hilari, Senior Account Executive
My great-grandmother, Violet Howard: My great-grandma, or “Mamaw,” was an all-around incredible woman. Born just a year before women gained the right to vote, she never took that civil duty for granted. She gave me more than a few lessons about the political system and taught me to always fight for what I believe in. She stood up for herself in a way many women from her generation may not have – even though she was only 4’10”.
I had the great privilege of knowing and spending time with my great-grandma until I was in my early teens. Many people don’t get to truly know their great grandparents, and I feel incredibly lucky to have had such a positive female influence in my early life. Even through illnesses later in her life, she remained kind, sweet and caring – and kept her signature fiery red hair dyed to perfection. She always has been and always will be my role model.
Halley Sickling, Account Coordinator
My mother, Gail Sickling: Every girl looks up to their mother from a young age. I not only look up to my mother as a great mom, but I also look up to her as a role model for women in business. As a bond trader for Wachovia, now Wells Fargo, she managed short term corporate investment portfolios and traded over $11 billion. Serving in a predominately male industry for over 12 years, she had to fight to earn the respect of her male colleagues. The only female bond trader in her entire office, she learned how to speak up and assert herself as a professional very quickly.
As a woman just starting my career, I always look to her as a guide, seeking her advice on making my impact on the business world. She is one of the most educated women I know and has taught me so many valuable life practices, like how to file taxes, make insurance claims, save for retirement and, well, drive a car. Unlike many typical households, she has always handled our family financials including trading our own investment portfolios. For this, she will always be my role model. Oh, and she’s a great wedding planning assistant. ?
