International Women’s Day 2020
28 Feb 2020 / Nadia Nyaz
We’re celebrating International Women’s Day by introducing you to some of the wonderful women of Roubler. We’ll be updating this post each day between 1 – 8 March to showcase their views on what it means to be women in tech.
- What is your name?
Balvinder Batra. - What is your position at Roubler and what do you do?
Payroll Specialist. I manage payroll for a few clients in London and make sure they are compliant with the UK Legislation. - Where are you based?
In Roubler’s London office. - What is your favourite film and why?
Love Titanic! - Do you have any hidden talents?
Beauty and makeup. I wasn’t aware myself that I could be so artistic in it. - If you could learn to do anything what would it be?
Learning a musical instrument. Music gives me happiness and relieves me of all stress. - What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
I believe that it means taking the time to celebrate the achievements of women in every field. - What change do you want to see for women in the world?
I would really like to see women being able to walk safely anywhere in the world, at any time. I would like a safe environment for women to travel freely and do what they want to do. - What advice would you give to a woman wanting to pursue a career in the software or tech industry?
I would like to advise the women who want to pursue a career in this industry that the main key requirements are confidence and willingness. I love what I do, so I believe if you have the determination and interest, nothing is difficult or impossible. - Which woman do you look up to most or would you most like to meet, and why?
I look up to Oprah Winfrey and I would like to meet her one day. She inspires me!
- What is your name?
I’m Leah. - What is your position at Roubler and what do you do?
My position at Roubler is Payroll Implementations Specialist, which is basically implementing the software for customers. - Where are you based?
In Brisbane, Australia. - What is your favourite film and why?
I can’t choose! It’s between Bride & Prejudice or Transformers – all of them! - Do you have any hidden talents?
I can use a drill. I’m really good at it and I’ve got a knack for renovating. - If you could learn to do anything what would it be?
I wouldn’t mind learning how to drive a boat or jet ski, even though I actually hate the outdoors. - What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
International Women’s Day, I believe, is about celebrating women’s diversity, their accomplishments, and achievements. - What change do you want to see for women in the world?
For women all around the world, I would like for the glass ceiling to be gone. It’s still very prevalent in the workplace, I’ve seen women in the past not get certain roles because of their gender, even though they were capable of doing the job. - What advice would you give to a woman wanting to pursue a career in the software or tech industry?
Just go out and do it! I’m a big believer that you really have to try something once before you can pass judgement. - Which woman do you look up to most or would you most like to meet, and why?
Oprah Winfrey and Coco Chanel, because they’re both women that were first told they weren’t able to do something, but they still went out and did it. I often tell my son that all the time: if you want something badly enough you’ll persevere and you’ll get it.
- What is your name?
Kathryn Charge. - What is your position at Roubler and what do you do?
I’m the VP of Sales and Operations for the ANZ region. - Where are you based?
Brisbane. - What is your favourite film and why?
Remember the Titans. - Do you have any hidden talents?
I can play the ukulele. - If you could learn to do anything what would it be?
Fly a plane. - What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
For me, it means taking a pause to recognise how far we have come in such a short time. While I am incredibly lucky to live in Australia and have the rights I have, there are still women around the world who are considered less than equals or lack access to such basic things such as education. Western society has evolved so far in the last 100 years, and as women we can now chase careers our great grandmothers wouldn’t have even had the opportunity to consider (that goes for men too!). We still have so far to go in some regions of the world, some countries where women can’t choose who they want to marry, let alone walk by themselves at night. Every day we are taking steps towards gender equality, it’s healthy to pause and remember where we’ve been. - What change do you want to see for women in the world?
I want to see what most people I know want to see, which is for women to be treated as well as their male counterparts. I want to see the wage gap disappear. I want to see more female executives. Women are often overlooked for leadership roles because they are constantly considered to be too emotional or not as competent but it’s simply not the case. I want to see more women fighting for the roles they deserve. - What advice would you give to a woman wanting to pursue a career in the software or tech industry?
Hustle hard and shoot your shot. You might have to work a little harder than someone else but if you find yourself with the right company with the right values it is so so worth it. When the opportunity arises don’t shy away, ignore the little voice inside your head that says “you can’t” and keep pushing forward. - Which woman do you look up to most or would you most like to meet, and why?
Audrey Hepburn, for her humanitarian work in the 80s & 90s. She used the influence of her acting career and gave a voice to those who were suffering. She opened a window for the world to see what those less fortunate were going through. She taught us that it never hurts to listen and empathise with someone.
“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others” – Audrey Hepburn
- What is your name?
Rachel Lehabe. - What is your position at Roubler and what do you do?
I’m a Customer Support Specialist. I assist customers via the call centre globally and handles any complaints. I communicate important information about our product and the services we provide. I also respond to customer inquiries, make recommendations and resolve technical concerns. - Where are you based?
The South African office. - What is your favourite film and why?
Maid in Manhattan starring Jennifer Lopez because I love romantic movies. - Do you have any hidden talents?
I know that my talent is organizing, as I have organized lots of events with my friends and family and they’ve been successful! - If you could learn to do anything what would it be?
To speak multiple languages. I love travelling so it will be easy if I know more languages. - What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
To me, I think it’s about recognising and empowering every woman’s contributions to their industries. - What change do you want to see for women in the world?
To be the change that we wish to see in the world. No individual can solve the world`s problems. To be the change, you only need to live to the example in your own life. Be proactive and teach others to do the same. Have the courage to speak up against things that don’t feel right to you. Take time to practice empathy and compassion, so you act from a place of forgiveness and love in your life, rather than from anger and judgements, and believe in self-love. - What advice would you give to a woman wanting to pursue a career in the software or tech industry?
I’ll say ‘’go for it’’. It is a very exciting industry to build your career. Technology doesn’t have to be a male-dominated industry. The truth is being a woman in the workforce has challenges, but you have to take risks and face challenges. Never be afraid to ask questions if you don’t understand something, it’s a great way to learn. The levels of potential are huge. - Which woman do you look up to most or would you most like to meet, and why?
Michelle Obama. She is one of the most powerful women in the world. A good motivational speaker. I love the way she pushes women to be educated. Also for being a devoted mother.
- What is your name?
Jocelyn Ma. - What is your position at Roubler and what do you do?
I am a Customer Success Manager at Roubler. I onboard new customers and ensure that they get the best optimum usage of our software for their growing business needs. - Where are you based?
I am based in the Singapore office. - What is your favourite film and why?
I don’t have a particular film that I call my favourite but I generally like reality shows and contests which help to build people’s dreams. - Do you have any hidden talents?
I love to sing! - If you could learn to do anything what would it be?
Driving. Haha, I’m supposed to be taking up driving lessons this year. - What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
To me, I think it’s about recognising and empowering every woman’s contributions to their industries. - What change do you want to see for women in the world?
I would love to see less stereotyping and more trust towards women. - What advice would you give to a woman wanting to pursue a career in the software or tech industry?
My advice is to be bold, be willing, and take the first step. - Which woman do you look up to most or would you most like to meet, and why?
I look up to my pastor a lot as she leads by example on how a real woman should be. I would also love to meet Sanna Marin, the newly crowned “world’s youngest woman Prime Minister”.
- What is your name?
Fleur Murphy. - What is your position at Roubler and what do you do?
I’m the Marketing Manager and am responsible for spreading the word about Roubler, globally. - Where are you based?
Brisbane, Australia. - What is your favourite film and why?
Do I have to pick just one? Labyrinth, maybe? I was a child of the 80s. - Do you have any hidden talents?
In my spare time I do aerial hoop and silks, like what you see in Cirque du Soleil, despite the fact that I’m not very good with heights. - If you could learn to do anything what would it be?
Fly! I’d like to get better at public speaking too. - What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
It’s a time to reflect on how far we’ve come, and how far we still have to go, when it comes to gender equality. - What change do you want to see for women in the world?
There are so many. In some parts of the world women are still not allowed to drive or work or express themselves – they can quite literally be imprisoned for dancing at a concert they’ve had to fight to attend. Breaking down the gender pay gap and removing the glass ceiling is also high on the list. - What advice would you give to a woman wanting to pursue a career in the software or tech industry?
Just go for it, it’s so much fun – especially if you’re in marketing! I think the perception is that software isn’t sexy, but it’s such an exciting space to work in because everything is evolving so fast. You think you know something, and the next day everything is different. I thrive off that. - Which woman do you look up to most or would you most like to meet, and why?
I’d love to meet Phoebe Waller-Bridge who wrote and starred in Fleabag. She’s incredibly articulate, creative and unafraid of showing the world exactly who she is, and it’s absolutely working for her – she won a bunch of Emmys last year and is now working on the latest Bond movie. Australian author Bri Lee is also a huge inspiration – she’s making a real impact advocating for updates to legislation around consent.
- What is your name?
Sharon Ciranni. - What is your position at Roubler and what do you do?
I’m a payroll officer at Roubler. I basically do managed payroll services such as pay runs and superannuation, and make sure businesses are compliant to their taxation obligations. - Where are you based?
In the Brisbane office. - What is your favourite film and why?
The Horse Whisperer, because I love Robert Redford and I’m passionate about horses – always have been since I was 5 years old. - Do you have any hidden talents?
I have a not-so-hidden talent which is cooking. My favourite things to cook are beef stroganoff and lasagna. - If you could learn to do anything what would it be?
Since about grade 10 I’ve always wanted to learn to be a Jillaroo because I love working with animals and being outdoors. - What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
I believe that it is a celebration of the achievements of women around the world regardless of their culture, ethnic background, political views and the likes. - What change do you want to see for women in the world?
I’d like to see everyone continue to treat women as equals in all fields. For example, the armed forces which is typically a male-dominated field have seen a lot of headway in recognising women’s abilities to contribute. If someone feels strongly about an area they’d like to contribute towards, it shouldn’t matter what gender they are. - What advice would you give to a woman wanting to pursue a career in the software or tech industry?
I think that for this industry, the main thing is to be confident in yourself and your abilities. Being confident and having a can-do attitude really makes a difference. Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions and to let yourself be comfortable communicating with people of all levels. - Which woman do you look up to most or would you most like to meet, and why?
The woman I’d most like to meet is Dame Judi Dench! I just feel that she has a strong personality that I’d get along well with, and she’s got a really good sense of humour. Also, I’d love to meet Janine Allis, who most people don’t realise is the founder of Boost Juice, a “shark” on Shark Tank, and was a strong contestant on Survivor. I find her strength and business abilities admirable.
