While everyday can be a chance to celebrate young women, March 8 is recognized as International Women’s Day It is a global celebration of girl’s and women’s social, economic, political and cultural achievements, that goes back more than 100 years (the very first celebration was in 1911!) The theme for IWD 2023 is #EmbraceEquity. We asked some of the incredible women on our Mydoh Leadership Team to share their advice on money, career, and life in honour of IWD 2023.
Here’s what they had to say:
Tonya Currie, CEO
If you could go back to your 13-year-old self, what advice would you give her?
At 13, my mother had recently died and it was a very difficult time. I felt alone. I felt a burden of responsibility. I worried about the future. I would tell myself that no matter how hard it feels right now, life gets better. Yes, continuing to earn good grades in school will pay off and open doors. Don’t lose focus.
What’s one thing you weren’t taught about money but wish you’d known?
The only thing I was taught about money was through an allowance. Work hard and earn money. Going back, I wish I knew about the power of investing sooner so I could get my money working for me.
What’s the best money advice you’ve received?
People love to give advice about money! The best advice I have ever received was from a Certified Financial Planner. It’s not how much money you have, but what you choose to do with your money. Often people earn more money and this results in spending more money, therefore they’re not really moving forward. Always ensure you spend less than you make, and create a plan to achieve your goals.
What would you say to young women who are thinking about starting their career?
As you think about starting your career, try out new things. Try new areas of work, new ways to work. By trying new things you will gain important transferable skills that will serve you well throughout your career, and it will help you narrow down what you want to do. Understanding what you like is just as important as understanding what you don’t like. I originally thought I would be an oncologist, yet here I am with a successful career in a FinTech company. You never know what the future may hold—so be ready for change!
This year’s IWD theme is #EmbraceEquity. What does that mean to you?
Treating everyone the same is not the same as ensuring equity. I value diversity of thought and experience and truly believe everyone’s voice deserves to be heard. Ensuring everyone’s voice is heard may mean providing help to someone to get them a seat at the table.
Think of it like this: I have $20 for two people. I put $10 each into two jars and placed those jars on a very high shelf. But only one person can reach the shelf to get their $10. Is that fair? I set aside $10 per person. But without providing a ladder, only one person benefitted.
My job as a leader is to ensure everyone is able to reach their jar.
Angelique de Montbrun, Head of Marketing
If you could go back to your 13-year-old self, what advice would you give her?
It was a weird and hard time to navigate so I have a lot to tell her, but I think the biggest thing would be, trust yourself, and keep fighting for what you believe in, and who you believe in.
Also maybe try not to be so hard on your mum. She is doing her best too.
What’s one thing you weren’t taught about money but wish you’d known?
How to invest money at an early age. I would have loved a crash course when I was a teenager so that I could have been prepared to start as soon as I was able to. A lot of times you are taught to spend and save, but no one really teaches you that you should do something with your savings, and what to do with it.
What’s the best money advice you’ve received?
Always save enough for first and last month’s rent. When I was younger it was good framing for how much I should have in savings, and ensured I felt prepared in case I needed it (whether that was for rent or something else).
What would you say to young women who are thinking about starting their career?
Your path doesn’t need to be linear, don’t be nervous to pursue your interests. Take your time to discover what you want to do every day and who you want to surround yourself with every day.
This year’s IWD theme is #EmbraceEquity. What does that mean to you?
For me, embracing equity is the acknowledgement that we need to work towards greater access for all people. This doesn’t mean that it is the same or equal, but rather that we understand the unique circumstance of the individual and work towards a particular set of actions for them. It is an important shift to consider a more human-centered and led approach to change.
Sammer Haq, Head of Data and Analytics
If you could go back to your 13-year-old self, what advice would you give her?
Have faith in your abilities! You are capable of so much more than you think. Trust your gut instinct and listen to your inner voice; your inborn truth. You need to trust yourself first, before others can trust you.
What’s one thing you weren’t taught about money but wish you’d known?
Understand compounding returns. As long as you keep investing, your returns can compound. Over time, compounding interest helps your money grow faster.
What’s the best money advice you’ve received?
Never invest in something you don’t understand. Whether it’s a startup venture or a sophisticated financial instrument, learn the risks first.
What would you say to young women who are thinking about starting their career?
Oftentimes you’re going to be in a position where you question yourself before sharing an idea, or speaking up or taking a chance. Just take the moment—don’t let thoughts like “I don’t feel like I’m ready” get in the way. There’s never going to be a precisely right moment to speak, share an idea, or take a chance.
See if you have the main things but don’t let the opportunity pass you by. Don’t let perfect get in the way of really, really good. The reality is that in chaos, there is also opportunity. Major career accelerations can happen when someone steps into a mess and makes a difference. If you are sure there is an opportunity or a cause you’re passionate about and strongly believe you can make a difference, then you need to believe wholeheartedly in it— because when you do, everyone else will follow.
This year’s IWD theme is #EmbraceEquity. What does that mean to you?
#EmbraceEquity means a commitment to building equitable opportunities and empowering young women and girls from all backgrounds to pursue their dreams. As the founder of BridgeTO Youth, I am strong advocate for providing access to opportunities for youth in under-served communities. It is not only having a seat at the table but also having the community of support and resources to succeed in the role.
Lisa Hong, Head of Design
If you could go back to your 13-year-old self, what advice would you give her?
I would tell her that her story and her culture are just as valid and important as the ones she sees every day in the media and in school.
What’s one thing you weren’t taught about money but wish you’d known?
When I was in Grade 7, I took a business course and was only taught the concept of active investing. I wish we had instead learned about passive investing. The power of compound interest and a regular cadence of “un-emotional” investing could have paid incredible dividends by now.
What’s the best money advice you’ve received?
Seek contentment over wealth.
What would you say to young women who are thinking about starting their career?
There is something incredibly unique to how you see the world and how you solve problems. So stay true to that part of you that makes you you and find a place of work that honours and respects that part of you.
This year’s IWD theme is #EmbraceEquity. What does that mean to you?
To me, embracing equity means acknowledging inequity and accepting that a disadvantage does exist in our society. It means not ignoring it and using anecdotal stories to assume everyone is on the same playing field. But diving into deeply uncomfortable and vulnerable spaces so that we may spark real change.
Faria Rahman, Co-founder and Head of Revenue & Brand
If you could go back to your 13-year-old self, what advice would you give her?
Be open to trying new things. Like that strange smelling, weirdly textured vegetable or that art class you hesitate taking, thinking you’d be bad at it. We aren’t always aware of our potential. Trying new things broadens our outlook and can help build that confidence and resilience in ourselves!
What’s one thing you weren’t taught about money but wish you’d known?
That money is a medium of exchange that shows our willingness to pay for something. That’s why it means different things to different people. Should you run out the door to buy an item because it’s on “sale” or buy it in bulk because it costs less? It depends. What’s important is knowing YOUR willingness to pay based on YOUR perceived value of that item, not how it’s marketed.
What’s the best money advice you’ve received?
Growing up in a family of entrepreneurs, this was ingrained in me: Buy low, sell high. You can pretty much apply it to anything in life, especially with your savings and investments. Another is the time value of money. Should you take $500 now or $550 a year from now—what’s the difference? This concept applies to savings, investments and purchasing power. It can help you build your wealth.
What would you say to young women who are thinking about starting their career?
Dream big! Dream the most outrageous dreams. Our realities are only as big as our dreams. Passion, hard (and smart) work will get you there, but we can only go as far as we set ourselves to go. Be a generalist and gain all sorts of skills at the start of your career. You can always specialize in something over time. We live in a super interconnected world and having a broad background at the start can really help make you an integrated thinker. And don’t ever be afraid to speak up!
Megha Sharma, Co-founder and Head of Technology
If you could go back to your 13-year-old self, what advice would you give her?
You’re going to meet some incredible people who will believe in you more than you believe in yourself. Hang on to those people, let them guide you, and prove them right.
What’s one thing you weren’t taught about money but wish you’d known?
Compounding interest is ma(th)gic and it needs time to work. The best time to start saving was yesterday, the second best time is now.
What’s the best money advice you’ve received?
Set it and forget it. Again, compounding interest takes time to work and investment FOMO can be very real.
What would you say to young women who are thinking about starting their career?
At the beginning of your career, no one expects you to have the right answers. Use that to your advantage. Use this time as an opportunity to learn lots of new things and get comfortable making mistakes.
Rina Whittaker, Head of Product
If you could go back to your 13-year-old self, what advice would you give her?
To put less emphasis on what or who others think you are … or want you to be. Stand up tall (figuratively and literally), embrace what makes you different and don’t be afraid to carve your own path.
What’s one thing you weren’t taught about money but wish you’d known?
How to take more calculated risks earlier on—particularly around making money work for you.
What’s the best money advice you’ve received?
Pay yourself enough to cover your expenses (plus some reasonable fun) and put the rest in savings. Even if it’s a little each paycheck, it adds up over time. Use credit products carefully: If you don’t know how you’ll pay for it, you shouldn’t buy it.
What would you say to young women who are thinking about starting their career?
It’s okay not to have your whole career mapped out. Focus on what you enjoy and where you want to grow. Industries evolve and you could be at the centre of something new and something you never imagined.
This year’s theme is #EmbraceEquity. What does that mean to you?
To me, #EmbraceEquity means acknowledging as well as understanding the origins of the social, economic, structural and environmental imbalances, and how it impacts the people who face them. It means shining a light on the stories of individuals and communities. Finding meaningful ways—big of small—to impact the root causes, and the behaviors that reinforce them.
How kids and teens can participate in International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day is a celebration of women’s achievements and a reminder that we have the power to achieve equality for all of us! If you’re a parent with kids or teens, what would YOUR answers to these questions be? Share your wisdom and advice with the young women in your life! Kids and teens can also show their support by wearing purple, or celebrate IWD on social media by posting what they’d do to #EmbraceEquity.