About the Founder
Meet Eily Hickson
Originally from Australia, Eily has also had the privilege of working across Malaysia and Canada. Over an 18yr+ career Eily has had exposure to a number of industries and roles. “I’ve always found my happy place within Innovation, Tech and Digital Transformation. I’m a natural change agent and I’ve always had a disruptive nature to the way I work. This nature hasn’t always been appreciated or accepted, and when I pushed my career direction into the world of Tech, as a woman, this made my path even harder.”
Why I started Women Squared?
Today, 7.4% of women CEOs make up the Fortune 500 Companies. We recognize that not every woman wants to be a CEO, but we must significantly increase the representation at our tables at all levels, industries and companies. Our future in a digital world depends on it and Women Squared is on a mission to change the equation.
I started Women Squared for a few reasons. One, the more exposure I had to tech industries, roles and companies the more I realized how much tech will be the next great divide in an already segmented socio-economic landscape. If we don’t bring everyone into the digital age, and enable everyone to build future-proofed skills, they will be left behind. This knowledge is usually afforded to the privileged, so those in already underrepresented communities will fall even further behind if we don’t act now. This knowledge should be afforded to everyone. This is why I am passionate not just about equality, but equity. Not everyone starts from the same place and for women in particular, they must be represented at every table, if we as a society are to thrive in a digital age.
Secondly, as a woman mentoring other women over the years, I noticed alarming patterns and trends in my conversations. All these women shared the same concerns, similar experiences, dealing with micro-agressions, sexism and racism, particularly in the workplace, yet they were all trying to tackle these challenges on their own. Women have so much to give to this world and are constantly surrounded by people who don’t believe in their abilities, don’t hear them and don’t view them as equals. There is nothing more powerful than a woman’s ability to amplify and multiply others around her, and if she focused that energy onto herself also, then the world will be a better place for it.
So I wanted to bring all these amazing women together, surround them in community, amplify their voices and their gifts they have to offer the world, and Women Squared was born!
I want to create a safe space that women can go to have difficult conversations about the challenges they are facing without consequences. I want to amplify women’s support networks and remind them they are not alone. I want to build kinship, strength and goal-orientated communities who are going to make the world a better place.
Lastly, I had a really rough start to life and it took me way too long to figure out the secrets to having a successful and fulfilling career. If I, as one woman, can share that knowledge with others earlier in their career, or with many women, imagine what hundreds of women could share with each other, to advance other women! #womensquared #multiplication #powerful