2023 was another fun year for me in the consulting world getting to work with a global range of clients in different B2B sectors. It may sound strange to call work “fun”, and call me a nerd, but between brand audits, stakeholder interviews, marketing plans, content writing, and of course, LEGO® Serious Play® workshops, I can’t complain about the time I spend working.
I would sum up my 2023 in 3 words: Risk, Growth and Humility.
Risk and growth are natural in an entrepreneurial environment. But why humility? One topic I paid particular attention to this year throughout my work, especially in the second half, is the need for more inclusion and opportunities when it comes to gender roles in the workplace.
Gender equality, especially when it comes to professional opportunities, has always been close to my heart. In 2016, I founded a non-profit organization in Verona, Italy for professional women to bring them together to network and create relationships and possibilities - possibilities that will help women succeed.
Because when women succeed, we all succeed.
And that is where I want to focus some of my ambitious efforts in 2024: a women-first marketing approach that gives female entrepreneurs and professionals a better chance of being successful.
My “Why”
As a woman with about 17 years of professional experience on her resume, I have no doubt faced the challenges of a male dominated environment.
Did you know that women only make up 47% of the global workforce? Did you know that in Italy, only 49% of women participate in the labor market? The U.S. doesn’t fare much better, in 2022 the government reports 56.8% of labor force participation by women.
But did you know that women obtain 4-year university degrees more than men?
So, what exactly is going on?
The answer obviously isn’t clear cut, but culturally across the globe, to varying degrees, women are pushed into stereotypical roles of mothers, caregivers and housewives as primary roles, and even in the professional world they tend to be pigeon-holed into low paying, indispensable jobs.
Major global phenomena like Covid-19 take a devastating toll on female employment. More importantly, when women aren’t financially independent, they often risk subjecting themselves to forms of subordination by their partners.
Around the globe, we just recognized November 25th which is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. I launched a company-wide campaign in my employer company to unite and say stop to gender-based violence. The important thing to remember is that violence is not just physical. Violence can also be psychological, economic or cyber. In Italy, one in three women don’t even have a bank account.
All of this being said, I believe there are solutions that can help women succeed one step at a time. Once women get going, their potential is limitless. The data even confirms it:
Companies with gender diverse executives are 25% more likely to have above-average profitability.
Female-founded businesses outperform those founded by men by 63%.
Women just need the tools to succeed and a community that has their back!
Time to get Ambitio(us) in 2024!
So coming in 2024 is an exciting initiative around “women-first” marketing consulting - as well as a component for sharing resources and building community. The project is called Ambitio, and I can’t wait to tell you more about it in the new year!
The long-term vision for Ambitio is to create more inclusive work environments where women have an equal seat at the table based on their merit because they’ve had the same opportunities.
Ambitio itself derives from the Latin word meaning "ambition" or the verb "ambire" which literally means "to go around" someone, or "to turn" from one person to another in order to obtain something.
And that’s the goal for 2024!
While M7 Social Project was born with the concept of social impact in mind, my ambition now goes beyond business: to help women succeed through the right combination of tools, opportunities and community.
Keep an eye out for more info on Ambitio soon.
2024 and Beyond!
So while I am beyond grateful for the numerous clients, collaborators and network I have built, there is still more work to be done! Thank you to everyone that contributed to my 2023 - both professionally and personally. Let's shoot for the stars and make sparks fly in 2024!
Are you ready for an Ambitio(us) New Year?
Interested in learning more? Ask to see the pitch deck! info@m7socialproject.com
Comments