Meet The Libby: A Look Into The Expansion and People of InnovateHer

Me: So, I’m the Digital Marketing Assistant, and I’d say my interests and passions are mainly writing, film, TV, and recently getting into art, as well as social issues- I like to stay up to date with what’s happening in the world.

Me: I think it’s hard because they are all, I think we’re all interested in all of them. So, I think I kind of cheated and went for courageous because I think the rest of them kind of all, in some way relate to being courageous. I think to be curious you need to have the courage to go ahead and dive into something completely different, and then you need the passion to do it.

So, I did courageous and collaboration because I think courage it’s quite a big thing, especially for women because I think we kind of come into this world knowing that things are against us, so it takes the courage to go ahead and be like ‘Oh I want to do this, do that, no matter what’. And collaboration because I just think it’s nice to work with people who come from different backgrounds, lifestyles, have different interests, and just put that difference together and make magic essentially.

Me: I think for me, what, I finished uni in June, and I was surprised by how I felt afterwards. I thought I’ll be fine you know, I’ve prepared for this, I know how it will feel. Then I left and I was just like okay that kind of security net you get in education has gone and I think obviously because of the way the last year was in educational terms it didn’t feel real in a way. So, when I left, I felt kind of unstable and daunted by what was to come next. I wanted to do something that I knew I would feel comfortable and enjoy.

Anyway, it took a few months, which you know that’s normal, and when I found the role, I thought ‘okay yeah’ it felt special, something kind of ignited in me. I was like this is the path I’m meant to take and just hope I got it. Yeah, I guess it was just about finding somewhere where I felt comfortable to kind of rebuild myself in a way. In going from that journey of what once was, to what it is now, just find out who I am (as a worker) in a nice environment, but also do a job I enjoy. 

Me: I think for me it’s kind of shown me how a workplace should be and it’s special because I think we can safely say that not every workplace is like this. So, it shows how it’s rare and it needs to be more widespread. For me, I’d say that community and communication are two of the strongest things in the team, and I think it’s a safe space whilst also getting the work done.

So, it’s a nice balance and it just, you know I look ahead in the future and I would want to run a company, and seeing Chelsea and Jo, and the team itself, and how we are with each other, how we feedback, how we interact, support, uplift, it’s just really comforting, and nice to see that this does exist and it can exist as well. I wonder if we were in person if it would be different, but because you’re virtual you’re kind of I suppose more willing to be open because it seems less intense. Where if you’re in a room full of people it does seem more intense, so I do wonder if it would be any different.

Me: I think for me it wasn’t something that initially I was highly aware of. I knew that it existed, but I didn’t have much experience with it, and it wasn’t until I started the job I realised what it actually was, and what it felt like to have flexible working hours. I think it just gave security and confidence that I wouldn’t be overwhelmed, or get anxious about doing certain things, so I think it’s just nice to be able to have that balance. You feel secure coming to work and also outside of work, yeah you’re busy doing the job and it can be overwhelming, but it’s not overwhelming to the point where it kind of stays with you when you’re not working. It’s just really nice to have an openness and a comfortableness with your job. 

Me: It’s just like a natural trust that you’re going to do the work, do it well, and do it properly, but also it’s flexible you can do it when it suits you as long as you get it done.

Rhiannon:  Yeah and support as well. If you’re struggling then there’s an openness to saying it rather than it getting too late, which I think in other cultures I’ve been in, you mask if you’re struggling because you don’t want, if you’re unsure about a task, you don’t want to ask for help sometimes because you either feel that the time’s passed to ask for help or that you think there’ll be repercussions for it. I think having that open and honest culture, well obviously we’re still at the very beginning, but I think it does remove that because I feel like if I needed help I could immediately ask and rather than feel that I was going to be told off for that, which is good because you’re an adult you shouldn’t be told off.

Me: Yeah, it’s a very safe space to ask for help, you don’t feel nervous asking for that. When we first joined, we had that ‘How We Communicate’ session which we all know how each other likes feedback, how best to deliver it, and that immediately provided that sense of “okay I’m not going to feel demeaned or put down or put off”. You just felt safe to ask for help.

Me: I’m looking forward to when we all meet up, it’ll be a weird transition from just seeing the top half to the full bodies (Group laughter and joking). But, I think I’d say the growth in general of us as people, as a team, the company, what it can achieve and what it will achieve.

Just hopefully getting more students involved next year to bridge that gap in the tech industry, and show young students what they’re capable of, what they can do, show them new paths they didn’t think about. Even because we’re getting new boys involved through allyship just bringing that all together to help make the world better I suppose.