Woman Wednesday Issue #29

Name that Woman Trailblazer: Not only is she the founder of Women2Hack Academy, she also inspired a campaign for women’s rights when she defied the ban on women driving in Saudi Arabia and was imprisoned for 9 days after posting a video of her driving a car on social media.

👉 Click here to reveal this woman.

Hi there!

I recently did a total 180 with my career and could not be happier. I work in Finance & have a lot of great lessons to share from my previous life as a pastry chef.

I love to help others & hope my story can help someone who might be in need.

🔗 Want to connect with Michelle? Say “hi” on LinkedIn.

📚 Add this to your reading list: Bonusly’s 2022 Annual HR Leader Report.

Inside, you’ll learn:

Q: How did you get into your current role/industry?
A: I was a pastry chef for 12 years & have worked every position in a restaurant short of owning one (bartender, manager, line cook, you name it).

I pursued my MBA in 2015 after feeling like I needed a change. I graduated in 2017 and was able to break away from my traditional hospitality roles as an underwriting assistant at a boutique insurance firm.

From there I grew leaps and bounds, and ended up working in Finance where I’ve been for nearly 3 years. I could not be happier after taking a chance on myself and switching careers.

Anything is possible!

Q: What’s something you do to help boost your productivity?
A: I like to inventory my days and weeks.

I manage some pretty heavy calendars at work. Sitting with them at the end of every week to make sure I know what I’ll need really helps me.

That way I’m not overwhelmed when Monday rolls around.

Q: How do you find work-life balance?

A: I came from a work toxic environment where work life balance did not exist.

Putting boundaries in place took me a while, but I’m getting there.

I finally have stopped checking emails on weekends and on vacation. I allow myself to fully detach so that I am able to enjoy my free time & also be refreshed when I return to the office.

Q: What’s the best piece of professional advice you’ve received so far?
A: Communication is everything.

You’d be surprised at how many problems and misunderstandings you can solve by picking up the phone. I know that sounds terrifying for some — trust me, I get it!

Things can be so easily misconstrued over skype, teams, text, email, etc. If you have a question, it’s better to ask than to proceed with uncertainty.

Pick up the phone & get that clarification. It can also help improve relationships by forming stronger connections through that understanding via a quick phone call.

Q: What’s your favorite software or app that helps with your workflow?
A: Honestly — One Note.

I have my One Note on my work laptop labeled as my “holy grail.”

It holds the answer to some of the most important things I have learned & you can attach links & documents to it. Could not do my job without it.

Q: What’s a book or podcast you’d recommend to a colleague?
A: Someone already recommended The Likability Trap.

My favorite podcast that honestly really keeps me going is called “My Favorite Murder.” Hi to any fellow murderino’s out there! I find it to be really empowering. Hearing stories of how women have survived against all odds really helps me feel more confident when I go out into the world.

Might sound silly but they have some really great advice on that podcast for women & they are also pretty funny! It’s a great podcast to listen to on your commute.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time outside of work?
A: I love to sing and play my ukulele, cook, spend time with my friends & family, ride my bike, learn new languages, & go to the gym.

I really love making people laugh, too. It’s definitely needed in my opinion!

🤔 Switching Industries? Get tips on finding the right fit.
⭐ New to One Note? Check this video out to get up to speed.

We’ve compared monday.com to the Swiss army knife of project management softwares — and they’ve taken it up a notch by launching industry specific templates.

Here are some of our fave templates that you can use today (for free) —

For HR & Recruiting:

• HR Requests
• Employee Engagement Survey
• Employee Recruitment & Onboarding
• Job App Form
• Cross Company Event Planning

For EAs/Admins/Operations:

• To-Do List
• Facilities Requests
• Event Planning

See more templates

I once worked for a friend.

She stopped paying me, and I had to quit.

She said if I was really her friend I would not leave her like that — but the truth is, if someone is your friend, they will value you enough to…

A. Pay you and,
B. Not guilt you for needing to do what is best for you.

Know your worth!

💡 Read this for tips on working with friends and fam: How to Charge Your Family & Friends without Feeling like Garbage

Office Otter is the free automated to-do list you didn’t know you needed (until now).

Weve offers over 100 games you can play with your team to build stronger workplace culture.

Water Cooler Trivia is about to become your team’s fave new weekly ritual. Try it free for an entire month.

Sunsuma is the only app that helps you build “atomic habits” for success. Trial it free for 14 days.