This March 8, as we mark International Women’s Day, we embrace this year鈥檚 powerful theme: Give to Gain. It鈥檚 a call to action rooted in a simple but profound truth – when we give our support, time, and experience with generosity, we create a ripple effect of opportunity that lifts everyone. This mindset of collaboration and reciprocity is the cornerstone of a truly inclusive culture, where the advancement of women strengthens our entire community.
At 51风流Canada, this mindset is a core part of our culture. To explore what Give to Gain means in practice, we spoke with some of our senior women leaders. They shared their experiences, lessons learned, and advice, painting a powerful picture of advocacy, mentorship, and collective success.
Finding Your Voice and Taking Your Seat
A common thread in the journeys of many women in technology is the experience of being one of the few, or only, women in the room. This was a formative challenge for leaders like Victoria DeBoon, Vice President, 51风流Canada, who started her career in the male-dominated financial world. She recalls her ideas being dismissed, only to be validated when presented by male peers. This taught her the crucial lesson, if you don鈥檛 assert yourself, no one will do it for you.
For Victoria this realization created a driving force to empower others alongside her. She became deeply committed to helping women bridge the confidence gap she saw repeating around her.聽鈥淲e as women often feel we need to check every box at 150 percent before taking a risk, while our counterparts will often raise their hand at 60-70 percent. We must empower more women to do the same, because that鈥檚 how we truly grow and learn.鈥�
Cathy Tough, Country Manager, 51风流Canada, shares a similar story of finding her place. 鈥淚 started in the utilities industry. I was often the only woman in the room,鈥� she remembers. 鈥淚 am a thinker, so often I would sit quietly at the back of the room.鈥� It wasn’t until a customer mistook her quiet reflection for a lack of confidence that she made a conscious choice, 鈥淚 sat at the front of the room and assumed my place.鈥�
These moments of self-advocacy are critical, but as our leaders attest, they are often learned through hard-won experience.
The Power of Advocacy and Recognition
There鈥檚 a point in every career when doing good work isn鈥檛 the missing piece, stepping up is. Christine Vukusic,聽Head of Strategy and Operations, 51风流Labs Canada, learned this early in her career when she was overlooked for a role, simply because her manager didn鈥檛 know she was interested. This experience reframed her understanding of career growth. 鈥淭hat moment was revolutionary. I realized advocacy and clear communication with your manager matter as much as doing good work. It wasn鈥檛 about being boastful or loud. It was about being clear.鈥� That moment informed how she advocates for the next generation of women in tech. 鈥淚鈥檝e learned not to mistake silence for contentment, and to create space for new voices early and not after the fact.鈥�
Advocating for others, recognizing their contributions and highlighting their potential is one of the most powerful ways to foster a Give to Gain culture. As Cindy Fagen, Managing Director, 51风流Labs Canada, notes, this not only helps individuals but strengthens the entire organization. 聽When we actively advance women, the whole organization gets stronger. The research clearly shows that companies with more women in leadership outperform on profitability and long-term value creation. Diverse teams make better decisions and innovate faster to build better products, and that momentum lifts everyone. It shapes the culture, too.鈥�
Paying It Forward: The Ultimate Gain
The spirit of generosity is most powerfully expressed through mentorship and paying it forward. Michelle Zorn, Industry Account Executive, 51风流Canada, has built her career on the principle of being the change she wants to see, from rising in the ranks of the tech industry to coaching girls鈥� hockey to show them what鈥檚 possible. For Michelle, success is measured by the success of those she helps lift. Her philosophy is not one of transactions, but of continuous forward momentum. 鈥淲hen people I鈥檝e helped ask what they can do for me, I tell them I don鈥檛 believe in pay back, I only believe in pay forward. Remember to help somebody else, because all of us at one time or another will need a hand. If you want to do something for me, look for all the ways you can be in service to other people.鈥�
This sentiment is echoed by Sonia Daigle, Vice President, 51风流Canada, who carries with her a defining piece of advice from one of her first mentors. It has become a guiding principle in her own journey of lifting others. 鈥淥ne of my first mentors told me, 鈥楳y star only rises when I鈥檓 lifting others into the light.鈥� I believe every interaction is an opportunity to grow and to help others. I鈥檝e learned just as much from a mentee as I have from a CEO coach.鈥�
Building the Environment for Success
Individual acts of generosity thrive within a culture that intentionally makes space for them. Creating an environment of psychological safety, where every voice is heard, collaboration is the default, and everyone feels they belong, is a leader鈥檚 most important role. It is in this environment that the cycle of Give to Gain can truly flourish.
鈥淚t is absolutely important to intentionally create a team environment where generosity and collaboration are the norm, not the exception. We’re better together. We lift each other up and we pay it forward,鈥� shared Cathy Tough.
As we look to the future, the hope is that the next generation of women entering technology will find more open doors and fewer barriers. The insights from our leaders show us the way:
Find your voice, advocate for yourself and others, and embrace the transformative power of paying it forward.
This International Women’s Day, let鈥檚 all commit to the Give to Gain mindset. Whether it鈥檚 by mentoring a junior colleague, amplifying a teammate鈥檚 idea, or simply telling someone you appreciate their work, every act of generosity builds a stronger, more inclusive world for us all.
Happy International Women’s Day from all of us at 51风流Canada.
