What the Women of Calendly Want to See for Women in the Future

Meet some of Calendly’s talented women and what they want to see for the future of women as we look beyond Women's History Month.

Women representation in leadership positions is slowly growing to about 20% in 2020. Men still continue to dominate leadership positions and C Suite roles. How are you advocating and supporting women in the workplace OR how has a woman advocated for you in your career?

“My women mentors and managers have all encouraged me to pursue my passions, coached me into articulating what I am worth, helped me understand my value and reach for what I have earned and deserved.”

-Arielle Duperval

“I think it's incredibly important to surround yourself with people who advocate for you whether you're in the room or not, and that's what I try to do for other women. I love mentoring other women and giving them an additional boost of confidence in themselves as so many women mentors have done for me. Giving clear credit for impactful thoughts, projects, etc. of other women is also incredibly important, as we're not always the best advocates for ourselves and it is very easy for someone else to steal that recognition.”

-Mallory Blaszczak

“I think it is important to set the women up on your team to have the opportunity to showcase their talent and be the face of their work. I try to step out of the way and ensure the women on my team feel out in front of their work. I try to serve as a sounding board and road block remover.”

- Julia Betts 

What woman's Calendly link would you want and why?

“Bozama Saint John - she has made it to the C-Suite as a Black woman and has demonstrated an inspiring presence that all women can relate to. I am in awe every time I hear her speak and how unapologetic she is for being who she is and trusting that.”

- Arielle Duperval

“Oprah! But not just for regular, "duh, she's Oprah!" reasons, but because she has lived this incredibly successful life and has gained the respect of so many without bending to society's expectation that you need to want/have children to be a noteworthy woman. I have never had a desire for motherhood and I can't express how impactful it is to me to see the accomplishments and respect toward a woman like Oprah.”

- Mallory Blaszczak

“Sheryl Sandberg because she teaches women to be fearless. Her journey is really inspiring and with her guidance I have tried to continue to "Lean in" to be seen and heard.”

- Katee Vallad

“Serena Williams. One of the best athletes in the world who showed how you can balance that AND be a mom, I want her secrets! And proud to see she is stepping away to focus on her family. That could not have been easy but a reminder if she can do it WE all can.”

- Kelsi Chlovechok

What do you want to see for the future for women?

“That we truly support one another and our advancement regardless of race or creed. We don't need to compete with one another but rather stand on each other's shoulder to continue to break ceilings otherwise male dominated.”

- Arielle Duperval

Leadership is typically associated with traditionally masculine traits. You have to be the loudest voice, the most aggressive, hyper competitive, and immune to emotions. I want a future where leadership can also be kind, empathetic, and vulnerable regardless of the person's gender identity and that they can be celebrated and looked up to for those traits.”

- Becca Scherff

“Women cannot do all of the work themselves, which is why we cannot neglect the importance of having strong male ambassadors in our lives and careers. If that 20% of women leaders are only relying on themselves to advocate for each other, that percentage will hover there for way too long. I want to see/hear more men shouting women's names into rooms of opportunities. I want to see more men advocating for women by doing things like stopping conversations where someone is talking over a woman and directing it back so she can finish her thought, or making sure clear credit is given to a woman whose contributions may have gone unnoticed. Male allies are, in my opinion, incredibly important to how we start repairing the struggles and stigmas that surround women. Family leave is a huge area of opportunity. Women are expected to return to work far too soon in many scenarios and the negative impact that has on a parent (let alone a child) can be devastating. I also think that it's easy to say that maternity leave needs to be so much more significant, but paternity leave needs to be just as much. I think women are under a veil of luck because they can get more time "off" than men to bond with their baby, when in many realities this only puts more stress on a woman for not only having to take on being the main caregiver, but also time away from a career that so easily moves on without them.”

- Mallory Blaszczak

“I have a daughter. When I think about what I want her to be as she grows I want her to have confidence which is so much easier said than done. I lacked confidence growing up, we all do but I then found myself finding confidence through validation from others, not from within. I hope women learn to build confidence from within earlier and more often.”

- Julia Betts

On average in the United States, women make an average of 82% of what men earned in 2022. This is less for women of color and those with disabilities. In your opinion, how can we as a society change that?

“Transparency: Transparency in pay, in the reasoning behind pay philosophies and awareness of biases and/or prejudices that impede women from getting paid what they are worth.”

- Arielle Duperval 

“I'm hoping pay transparency laws will be a huge help for this, but surely won't be the simple answer. With pay transparency there will come judgements on how much others are earning vs. themselves, and I worry that will negatively impact the above mentioned groups the most. I can't say that I know the solution, but I do think that this is an opportunity to lean on personal advocates the most. Earnings tend to be attached to personal egos, and as difficult as it may be to put those egos aside, we need to make sure we are ready to shut down any question of qualifications for other women, especially those in underrepresented groups.”

- Mallory Blaszczak

“Level the playing field for men. Women are often conscripted into helping with care work before they even leave their childhood home. Teenage girls baby sit, become camp counselors, or are asked to help with chores earlier and more often than teenage boys are. Provide equal paid parental leave policies, regardless of who gave birth. That would allow fathers to lean into family life more. Provide training for men on how to handle social pressure to work more hours, or decline helping with sick kids, or to travel for longer to network.”

- Stephanie Joyce

“We can start with listening to and believing women. If a woman is doing the job, there should be absolutely no difference in pay or benefits in comparison to when a man of the same experience and skill level does said job. We need to stop acting as though women are a lesser class of people — nobody is a lesser class of people. As a disabled woman I have experienced this inequality. I’m proud to work somewhere that pays everyone in the same role the same salary regardless of gender.”

- Kelsi Chlovechok