Women in web design – how to succeed in a male dominated industry
Web design is a male dominated industry, and it can be daunting for women wanting to succeed in it. Kim Leary, Managing Director of web design and branding agency Squibble, shares her insight.
If you’re a woman who wants to make it in web design, the chances are you’re aware that it’s an industry greatly dominated by men. While this might be a driving force in your mission to succeed, it can also make doing so seem – at times – impossible.
With years of experience in the industry, and now Managing Director of my own web design and branding agency for almost a decade, I hope I can shed some light on how women can make it in web design.
Over the years, I have been lucky enough to receive mentoring from some of the most influential and successful business owners in the UK. The time and advice they have given me has proved invaluable. In this blog post, I will share some of the things they’ve taught me along with what I’ve picked up during my time in the web design sector.
Believe in yourself
I can’t stress this enough. Everyone around you can support you in your work, but if you don’t believe in yourself you simply won’t make it. From complete conviction in the work you produce to confidence in your ideas and potential, belief is a big part of being successful as a woman in web design.
In an industry where standing out and bringing something new to the table is key, having the confidence to think outside the box, offer new ideas and consistently work outside your comfort zone is the key to getting to where you want to be.
Believing in yourself isn’t easy, and I’ve had my own struggles with this. But always trying to take a ‘sky’s the limit’ approach is what has got me where I am today—working with huge clients all across the globe, including Abu Dhabi, Australia and New York!
Take risks
No one gets to the top of their game without making some big leaps. From making bold business decisions which leave you vulnerable to set backs to saying yesto challenges when your head is saying no, taking risks is vital to succeeding.
Although taking risks can be scary, weighing things up and taking calculated risks is a sure way to get your name out there and what you’re doing noticed in the industry.
When I started Squibble almost ten years ago, I couldn’t be 100% sure how things would go. But after comparing the risk against the potential payoff, I decided to take the leap—and safe to say, I haven’t looked back since.
Never stop learning
When your career trajectory is heading in the right direction, it can be easy to adopt a tunnel vision approach and turn a blind eye to lots of crucial learning opportunities. Even at the top of your game, I think that you should never stop learning!
From people skills to sector knowledge, there’s always more you can do to boost your skill-base and become a better version of yourself. From management courses to keeping up with the latest industry news and developments, succeeding in web design—or any profession, for that matter—is about constantly exploring new options and expanding your knowledge base at every given opportunity.
Kimberley Leary is Managing Director of web design and branding agency, Squibble. For more information about Kim and to find out more about Squibble, get in touch with her today.
Photo by Christina
