We’ve talked a lot about the immense growth has seen in recent years. Throughout our growth we’ve had people from all walks of life, all over the world, and of all kinds of perspectives work side-by-side (well, roughly 6’ during peak pandemic). We have always felt we benefit from introducing new viewpoints and engaging with our team on their experiences to make our workplace align with the values we hold as a company.
This Women’s History month Biomeme wanted to hear from some of the women leaders at our company on what empowers them and what aids in their success. We interviewed three women nominated from different departments across our companies to learn a little more about their experiences, including: Brenda Hall in Accounting, Lauren Poster in Quality Control, and Sepideh Naderi in Biology at our subsidiary company, One Health Labs.
Here’s what they had to say...
Lauren: For a majority of my time here, the Bio R&D / QC labs have been predominantly women! It is empowering to see that Biomeme has continuously put women in leadership positions across all departments, as well as in many STEM positions.
At Biomeme, I have always felt that I am evaluated on my work performance, with other factors (gender, race, religion, etc.) never coming into play. Additionally, Biomeme has always been supportive and flexible with my obligations outside of work, especially during the pandemic. Being a single mom of three kids, this has been incredibly important to me and knowing that I have my company's support has given me the confidence and ability to succeed.
Brenda: I feel confident and appreciated.
Sepi: I have been with Biomeme for almost 7 years now and one of the best things about working here is that they have always provided a platform and space for me to speak up and learn.
It’s refreshing to work here as a woman and knowing that there hasn't been a moment that I have felt like someone at the same level as I got more attention because they are a man. It also makes me feel so empowered to work alongside all these incredible women in the office!
Lauren: I think some my biggest attributes are my work ethic, determination, critical thinking skills, and willingness to learn. If you give me a problem, I will not stop until it is solved! While working to get my PhD, I learned (over and over and over again!) how to methodically work through developing questions based on what is known, figuring out how to test those questions, and then analyzing the results to compile meaningful answers, which has been extremely useful in developing QC methods.
I am very detail-oriented and have high expectations for myself, plus I love to learn new things! I think being proactive about pitching in wherever I can and doing whatever is needed to help the company succeed has been important as well... no task is too big or too small to help with. And there is always something new to learn from all the brilliant people working here!
Brenda: Being adaptable, honest, reliable, and competent has allowed me to be successful in my role at Biomeme.
Sepi: I think my independence and learning how to be on my own has been my biggest attributes. I learned that I need to challenge myself and not get comfortable.
Lauren: To me, it means continually learning how to communicate with your team and other departments and leading by example. As Biomeme grows and responsibilities shift, it's important to figure out how to communicate most effectively and efficiently with people who may think, and function differently than you do. It's also about managing expectations, planning, and thinking ahead with the company's best interests in mind, and modeling a strong work ethic to motivate others. It's about knowing and owning your part of the process and working hard to make sure you fulfill it as best as possible.
Brenda: A great leader is supportive and has a way of making other more productive and effective. They also respect and trust the people they work with.
Sepi: Not gonna lie it’s been tough at times. But I have learned being a leader is not only about what you and your team wants and needs but how to work with others to make things happen which means interacting with different people all times that might have some different opinions.
Lauren: Work hard, go above and beyond, and don't give up when things get hard! But know when to let go if something isn't helping you develop into a better, stronger, more knowledgeable person. Believe in yourself and aim high because you are capable and deserve it!
Brenda: You got this! Don’t be so hard on yourself.
Sepi: Be ambitious. Don't settle for things just because they are easy and convenient. Push yourself enough to fail multiple times because at the end you will get what you put your mind to it.
We appreciate getting an inside look at the experiences of these accomplished women during a month that celebrates representation and equity in the workplace! Biomeme pledges to continue to stay committed to sharing the insights and stories of the brilliant and diverse members of our team.
Happy Women’s History Month!