Twenty years in “the real world” – what a ride. From investment banking ambitions to print media sales. Twelve years ago, I realised if I didn’t change my role and my industry, I would effectively be unemployable in a few years. I earned comfortably and life was good, but the future catches up on everyone.

So I took a risk  – and a pay cut – and called my then-boyfriend, asking him what he thought about me joining tactical. He had one employee back then. We now have over 100; and 2 children who are the real bosses.

I didn’t have a clearly defined role when I joined. I thought it would be sales, that’s what I knew. But when you’re growing a business, you are default finance (terrifying), client servicing, social manager, community manager, producer, production runner and everything in between. Late nights, blood, sweat, tears and a huge burden on our relationship.

But we persevered, hired some absolute legends, and now work with some of the biggest brands in the world, are creative partners for all major platforms, racked up some amazing awards and grown the team to over 100 people across the globe - 64% of which are female.

So what have I learnt from this experience? Hire the best people for the role.

Redefining Leadership: The best for the role, no quota-filling

Hire the best people for the role, irrespective of race, gender or any other differentiator. Then support them with an environment where they can do their best work.

I'll share a personal example of what I mean by this: Priorities naturally shift when you have a family; my children are what give me the most energy. The flexibility to be there for concerts and ballet is critical to me being able to show up successfully in the workplace. As is my 9AM Friday yoga class. My professional time, like that of my teams’, isn't micro-managed. We value collaboration and teams coming together but want to ensure we give people the time and energy they need for all the bits in between.

Policies that fight inequality and drive true inclusion

Flexible work with clear expectations and open communication sets everyone up for success. Below are some policies we implement ourselves

●      An unbiased hiring process with a pre-defined scorecard, salary brackets and role requirements

●      Flexible work - no one needs a clock-watcher

●      Benefits including but not limited to:

○      Unlimited leave

■      Sometimes you need to work late and pull a weekend shift, unlimited leave allows people to take that time back to fill their cup without having to count their annual leave days -as a working mum, this is something I really value.

○      Maternity leave

■      Ensuring mothers and fathers can take the time they need to bond with their children; tactical’s policies go way beyond statutory guidelines.

○      Work From Somewhere

■      Flexibility to travel and work remotely to maximise those family trips or otherwise

But creating an inclusive workplace isn’t just about policies - it’s about the people who champion them. True progress comes from strong allies, supportive networks, and a culture that lifts everyone up.

The power of allyship: What we can do together

Naturally, the way generations have evolved means there are more men in senior positions, and that naturally unlocks a wider network for them.

A network of like-minded females in leadership positions isn’t as readily available. I have one friend in a similar professional position to me, and conversations with her offer a level of comfort and input I don’t get anywhere else. Creating and connecting with women who speak openly about ambitions (or lack of) and how they’ve navigated critical decisions in senior roles is something we could all benefit from – But without the fluff. I don’t need another female empowerment group, I’m just looking for real leadership advice. Someone who’ll get me/you through those really dark days at work because they’ve been there and they totally get your operational pains.

The biggest advice I’d give? Stop saying it’s because you’re a woman. Whether or not your gender is the reason you didn't get that promotion, I believe that focusing on that aspect alone holds us back more than we realise. If we tell our sons and daughters that the things we have achieved are centred around our genders, we risk diluting the message. It’s a subtle but important shift. We didn’t achieve our goals “as women”, we achieved them as someone who has worked hard to achieve the best we can for ourselves, and for our families. That's the only narrative I entertain with my daughter.

The other advice; do whatever makes you happy, whether that’s working or choosing to not work. You don’t need to be a ‘girlboss’ who always has it all (spoiler - no one ever has it all). So don’t let anyone’s judgement knock your choices.

For International Women’s Day, I hope we can make an impact by focusing on what really matters and by enabling everyone, men and women, to be the best version of themselves, both in the workplace and beyond.