Women's Representation Really Matters

As a child, my family and friends always told me that I was different, even awkward. I constantly asked questions, sought more information about everything, and challenged and taught others. This type of behavior was not common for a woman in the ‘90s.

Growing up with the idea of being different made me think I should be more like a man. People would often say to me, "You drive great, just like a man!" or "I know you won't be like other women, you will be a great professional." Although these comments could be taken as compliments, they really sucked. 

The reality is that, even though there are more women in the world, we are often seen as a minority. In business and even as customers, we are not always the decision-makers. In my 20s, I would attend meetings with 20 people making decisions, but there were only two women, and we were not the louder ones, obviously. However, this is gradually changing.

Over the last decade, there has been an increase in the number of women in various fields. This has helped more women to step up, voice their opinions, earn higher salaries, and become leaders in top positions and roles. Yet, we still need more women to drive change.

Don't get me wrong, this is not an article about women versus men. It's about the importance of women setting an example by achieving great things so that other women can follow suit. This is how we can empower others. 

Let's talk about women in sports. Serena Williams is the biggest example of an outstanding athlete. She is the best tennis player in the world, with 23 grand slam titles in her 27-year professional career. She triumphed against all odds, even playing just weeks after giving birth to her baby. What a queen! It's inspiring to see how many girls are following in her footsteps.

Another great example of an outstanding athlete is Lorena Ochoa, the best Mexican golfer ever. Girls in Mexico are following in her footsteps. She even has a foundation and is very interested in supporting women golfers in our country, and she has succeeded.
These two women have made a tremendous impact on girls and women in sports. Before them, many girls couldn't even imagine that they could become the best tennis player or golfer in the world. Serena shattered that perception with her incredible talent and work ethic. Lorena's success as a Mexican golfer inspired a whole generation of girls in Mexico to take up the sport, challenging stereotypes and proving that they too can excel in a male-dominated field. Their legacy is not just in their remarkable achievements but in the thousands of young girls who have been inspired to follow in their footsteps.

But what about women in leadership roles, specifically in Latin America? 

A few weeks ago, we were searching for a candidate to fill a C-level position at a tech startup, specifically a Head of Technology. We went through hundreds of LinkedIn profiles and resumes, and — I'm not lying — maybe 2% of them were women.

This mindset needs to change. Let's stop pretending that leadership roles for women are limited to human resources, marketing, or fashion. Women can be whoever they want to be. Take examples like Katya Echazarreta, who went to space; Maria Ariza, who is the CEO of BIVA; or Mayra Gonzalez, who serves as the global Chief Commercial Officer of Nissan.

So, let's inspire others. Instead of telling a woman that IT is difficult, encourage her to become the best software developer she can be. Instead of telling a working mom that her kids will be negatively affected, remind her that kids learn more from examples, so she can encourage them to be the best they can be.

Yes, being a woman is tough, but we can't let that stop us. We must focus on what we're good at and push ourselves to be successful, even if it's hard. When we do that, we can motivate other women to do the same. Let's uplift and encourage each other in our pursuits, and demonstrate to the world that women can achieve anything we can imagine.

If you're a woman who has achieved success, don't be afraid to talk about it and share your story. Don't worry about what others may think about your ego, because we need more examples of women who have overcome obstacles and achieved great things. Let's shift the conversation and inspire every woman to be the best she can be by sharing our own stories and accomplishments.