I Want Her Job The Podcast Meet Romy Newman

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ABOUT GEORGENE AND ROMY:

Imagine you are two months pregnant and you are let go from your job. You begin to search for jobs with decent maternity leave policies, but you notice companies are not clear on this information. What would you do knowing you have a baby on the way?

Little did Georgene Huang know that this life-changing moment would allow her the opportunity to help make the workplace better for women. Partnering with Romy Newman, the two would soon found Fairygodboss, a community that provides women information about the ‘hard-to-ask’ questions when interviewing with a potential company.

In episode 26 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Editor and Host Polina Selyutin speaks with Romy about how she and Georgene started Fairygodboss, their business model, insights from the reviews they are receiving and key career advice.

TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S SHOW:

  • Making An Impact: When Romy and Georgene started developing Fairygodboss, only 6 of 100 large companies publicized their maternity leave policies. Today, the site has over 100,000 active users a month, and even big companies are using the site to develop policies that are attracting professional women.
  • On Growing Fairygodboss: Even more impressive than the site’s dramatic growth is the fact that it’s been created through the founders’ own hustle. Like many young companies, PR and marketing just weren’t part of the budget – so the ladies dove in with gusto. Sure, they make mistakes, but that’s part of the startup thrill. That dedication to grassroots hard work also makes it way to sales. “Don’t be afraid of pushing your business,” Romy suggests. “You should expect one sale from every 100 cold calls.”
  • The Top Skills You Need as an Entrepreneur: “Number one, is persistence,” they say. Beyond that, Romy suggests women learn to manage rejection. She offers the simple advice to email someone twice to get their attention. Don’t be afraid to hear a no!
  • Romy’s Favorite Business Tools: Hubspot and Yesware have changed her email life. And Evernote is Romy’s must-have for keeping track of anything and everything from conversation notes to favorite websites.
  • Cost of Churn: We discuss the mistake companies make when they underestimate the costs associated with not having an eye on employee retention and engagement. Hint: it’s expensive to hire new employees!
  • Work/Life Balance: “We have to fix work life balance in this country,” says Romy. “Work has become too all-consuming and we need to reprioritize families.” Check out some of Anne Marie Slaughter’s articles on this topic in The Atlantic and The New York Times.
  • Revenue First: Romy discusses the importance of focusing on revenue as a startup. Don’t let the product come before establishing a revenue model that connects with your customers.
  • How You Can Get Involved: Fairygodboss’s impressive – and ongoing – growth is dependent upon a community of engaged users. Start by leaving a review and telling your HR department about how Fairygodboss can help them create value.
  • Connect: Facebook + Twitter