International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated annually on March 8th, and it’s a day dedicated to celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women while also advocating for gender equality. The day represents an opportunity to raise awareness of the challenges women face globally and to push for women’s rights and empowerment. Women’s History Month is the entire month of March. The National Women’s History Alliance has announced the 2023 theme for women’s history is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.”
We want to take a moment to recognize the incredible women in our office. Norma, Taylor, and Blake are talented and dedicated professionals who make our workplace a better place. They are hardworking, creative, and inspiring individuals who bring unique perspectives and skills to the table.
Interview with Norma
Can you tell us about your journey as a female businesswoman and the challenges you faced along the way?
Like many women from my generation, I faced challenges advancing in what was then a male-dominated workplace. After receiving my degree from Salisbury State University, I entered the workforce. Soon after that, I started my own business, all while raising a family and taking care of a home.
It’s great to see the progress that has occurred since then, with men and women taking active and equal roles in family and work.
I learned a lot about overcoming challenges and valuable skills while working in the restaurant industry. Those skills included building solid relationships and learning to communicate effectively. Those skills and lessons I learned while working in the restaurant industry provided a strong foundation for my business, helped me overcome challenges and obstacles, and enabled me to balance my work and personal life. Happy International Women’s Day to all!
What is one thing you would have done differently when starting your own business if you had the opportunity?
Laugh more and stress less.
Running a business is 24, 7, 365 and can be incredibly stressful. It’s important to prioritize your mental health and well-being, as stress and burnout can have negative effects on both your personal and professional life.
Interview with Taylor
Can you tell us about your journey as a marketing manager here and the challenges you faced along the way?
I started working at DatAchieve in January of 2022. Funny enough, my dad (who was the mail carrier at the time) is the one who told me about DatAchieve. It’s crazy to believe it’s already been a year with them. I was really nervous starting out because I was fresh out of college with no experience yet. I was scared to let them down or feel like a fraud.
This was a new role at DatAchieve. I’m a perfectionist at stuff, so when I didn’t excel immediately at running the social media or understand why certain campaigns weren’t working that’d I come up with, I would feel doubtful of my skills. The team, especially Norma and David, would remind me constantly that I’m doing a great job.
Days would turn into weeks and weeks into months, and I made the decision to trust myself and feel confident in taking the lead in my work, gaining a better understanding of effective marketing strategies for our business.
Everyday you learn something new and I can’t be more thankful for DatAchieve to allow me the creative freedom and room for growth. I know I don’t have much experience, but they have allowed me to grow so much and truly remind me I do have a passion and understanding for marketing.
What influenced you to take this career path?
Throughout my entire adolescent days I always had a passion for being creative. Senior year of high school, I accepted attending Salisbury University and originally had my career field as pursuing an Art major.
One day I was randomly looking at the business majors and Marketing peaked my interest. I quickly changed my career path to marketing on impulse and stuck with it. Little did I realize how much math was actually involved in marketing and the 3 accounting classes I was required to take beforehand lol.
I am glad I pushed through all my economic classes (and tears) to get the side of marketing that I truly love. Getting to be creative, while understanding the consumer’s needs was my calling.
Interview with Blake
Can you tell us about your journey as a design intern here and the challenges you faced along the way?
I found out about the opportunity to be a design intern here at DatAchieve from my high school art teacher. Shout out to Mr. Edwards for being in a meeting he wasn’t really supposed to be in, and calling me right after to convince me to apply.
I wouldn’t have had this opportunity without him. Come October I started working and I was very nervous at first. It took me a little while to adjust to my new schedule and a new work environment, but I’m so happy that everything happened the way it did.
Months have passed and I have learned A LOT since then. I really feel like I was meant to be here, surrounded by the amazing people that work here at DatAchieve. I’m so grateful for everything they have taught me. This is truly the beginning of my future and Norma, David, Matt, Shannon, Taylor, Zander, and Braxton will always be a part of that for me.
Who is the most influential woman you know? How does she inspire you?
I would have to say that the most influential woman in my life is my grandmother, Shirley Mills. She has been through so much over the years, and is the strongest woman I know. No matter what life has thrown at her, she handles her challenges with grace and additionally provides so much love to the people around her. She has always worked for what she has, and values the importance of hard work. As I’ve grown up she’s taught me so many lessons. Her perseverance and love for others will forever inspire me.
Well, Blake. You know you made me cry. I’m so very proud of you!! God bless you on your life’s journey ✨