International Women’s Day 2022: Breaking the Bias.

International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the achievements of women—and one that we feel passionate about honoring each year. We strive to foster an inclusive and equitable environment for our employees, more than 50% of whom are female. And we’re proud to be home to some of the best and brightest women in advertising—including our CEO!

This year’s International Women’s Day is all about breaking the bias—whether deliberate or unconscious—in our communities, workplaces, and schools. So we asked the women of JK to talk to us about their experiences and to tell us how they’re breaking the bias. Here’s what they had to say.

We asked the women of JK, how has being a woman given you a uniquely valuable perspective or contributed to your success?

“I think it gives me a uniquely valuable perspective because of the different challenges women have to go through to overcome. It helps me view life in a more empathetic lens and to prioritize making sure that every voice is heard.” -Chloe Orr

“Women have an innate ability to multitask when needed, a skill that’s had a profound impact on my ability to succeed (both in and out of work).”

“It’s made me ‘lean in’ harder and as a result, I’m not afraid to stand up for myself.” -Martha Marchesi

“I believe caring comes naturally to many women, and in a business where relationships with colleagues, vendors and clients are critical, I often feel like I have an advantage in maintaining and nurturing those relationships because I am a woman.”

“I think as a woman I’m more empathetic. This helps me build connections with my colleagues and clients. I’m also very organized and on top of things which is something that is expected of women in society. However, this has helped me be successful in my career—I’m easily capable of prioritizing my workload, staying ahead of tasks and projects, and multi-tasking.” -Hannah DuPont

“My deeply empathetic and nurturing qualities have always allowed me to connect with people and understand points of view on many different levels.” -Lauren Dehrone

“I have had to work harder to prove my worth, which ultimately has strengthened my work ethic.” -Sarah Freid

“As a woman, I find that my ability to be empathic and vulnerable makes me an excellent listener and communicator. As a copywriter, there is nothing more valuable than being able to understand your audience and connect with them on a deeper, emotional level.” -Katie DeGennaro

We also wanted to know, if you could give one piece of advice to the “you” from ten years ago, what would it be?

“Work hard and stop trying to be liked by everyone, that’s not the point of life. Be a good person, keep your head up, and it’s a good thing that you speak your mind.” -Chloe Orr

“Be your authentic self, not who society teaches you to be.”

“Study harder!”

“Start your own business.”

“Take more chances and push yourself to try more new things!” -Chris Milan

“Try to embrace your flaws and learn to be confident in yourself! (still pertinent today).” -Christine Potkul

“Don’t let yourself be intimidated or tolerate sexist or inappropriate behavior.” -Martha Marchesi

“Be confident in who you are, where you are from—you bring a lot to the table with your perspective.”

“Know your skills, worth and be confident. People will only believe in you as much as you believe in yourself.”

“Trust your gut, take risks…then learn from successes AND failures.”

“To have more trust and confidence in myself. “ -Hannah DuPont

“Shoot for the stars and don’t let anyone else get in the way/determine your future!” -McKayla Newsome

“Be more present and live in the moment.” -Sarah Freid

“Don’t ever let anyone make you feel small or unimportant. Only you know your true worth and it’s up to you to let everyone else know, too. Your voice is your most powerful tool, so don’t be afraid to use it—to advocate for yourself and for other women who haven’t found their own voice yet.”

“Know your worth, be strong, and don’t stick around if they don’t value you!”

And then we asked them to tell us how they see themselves breaking the bias.

“By continuing to try to be the best advocate for myself and others as I can be.” -Chloe Orr

“I try to be an advocate by encouraging women to speak their truth.”

“Negotiating salary and making my voice heard.”

“Trying to call out bias when I see it, and checking my own assumptions about other people.” -Chris Milan

“Working as hard as I can and producing exceptional results that are comparable with anyone and everyone on my teams! Collaborating well with others and being a team-player.” -Christine Potkul

“By empowering younger women and helping them find their power, and their voice!” -Martha Marchesi

“Mentoring junior colleagues and taking the time to teach them things I am fortunate to know and be able to share.”

“Providing  mentorship and empowering other women to have a voice through empathy and humility.”

“I put my all into everything I do every single day. I try to be uplifting, encouraging and a listening ear to other women when they need to bounce ideas around, need a sounding board or just someone to listen. I’m also actively working to make my voice more heard.” -Hannah DuPont

“I am breaking the bias by being confident and owning who I am, regardless of if I feel intimidated.” -Lauren Dehrone

“Being more mindful of opportunities to foster inclusivity and equality. And leading by example, empowering women and celebrating their accomplishments.” -Sarah Freid

“We can break the bias by working hard and continuing to reach new career goals.”

We asked our male JKers the same: how are you helping to break the bias?

“First, I acknowledge that gender bias, whether intentional or unintentional, is real. I don’t think one can be truly committed to addressing bias without that foundational acknowledgement. It exists in the world. Period. Second, as a male in a leadership position, it is critical that I check in with myself before making decisions. As unbiased as I may think I am, this “check in” is critical to ensuring I approach any given situation in an equitable way. Third, I am committed to hiring, promoting and paying talent equitably. Today, women make up a majority of our talent at JK (currently 26W and 21M), our majority owner is female, our CEO is female, and women hold many leadership positions at JK.” -Chris Pierson

“I have worked in a field that is predominantly female (college to present) and treat all coworkers with respect. Additionally I help counterparts with resumes and job prep so they can best advocate for themselves.”

At JK, we believe that everyone deserves to feel equal, valued, and embraced. And while our agency is home to a majority of women, we know that there is always room for improvement. To learn more about our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, click here.