The women behind Symph: Our Product Owners

Men tend to dominate product management roles, the same as they do other roles in tech. According to Mixpanel's blog, women hold only 35% of Product Manager jobs. McKinsey and Company found that when an organization has gender equality and women in higher positions, profit performance increases by 15%, customer experience improves, and the company keeps more of its skilled and talented employees.

At Symph, 3 out of 4 Product Owners are women. We give everyone who wants to lead or own a product the same opportunity, and we hope some of them spin off into start-ups where they become the CEOs.

Women's month is almost over, so we asked our product owners about their wins and challenges in managing and growing our products, and about women empowerment and women in tech. Here is what they said.

Which woman do you look up to and why?

"The woman that I look up to is a public servant in the Philippines who advocates for transparency and accountability. She is also an advocate for women's empowerment, anti-poverty programs, and anti-corruption policies. She inspires me to become a better leader, a better friend, and a better person every single day. She has always been a target of disinformation, but it never discouraged her to perform well. I believe that she deserves utmost respect and recognition, as she is able to encourage communities to contribute to a meaningful cause."

How can you voice out concerns, ideas and opinions, especially in a male-dominated industry?

"There are aspects within my stay at Symph where I need to voice out concerns as soon as possible. Although tech companies are relatively male-dominated (wherein it may hamper an inclusive or open space), fellow Symphers and the founders are always supportive and they are open to listen to my thoughts and opinions. I believe that it is possible to voice out concerns, by making sure to look at different angles and weigh the ideas ahead. Decisions based on concerns may not always be perfect, wherein we may also not be mindful immediately of every decision. On the other hand, it is encouraged to talk more to fellow women, to have a clearer perspective and to gain fresh insight."

What is women empowerment to you?

"Just about every day last week, I prayed that my best friend in London gets her license. And earlier, I gave away a speaking opportunity to another woman who I know can share and learn so much from it. I think, no, I know. I know it's about that - knowing that everyone can have a stage while I also have mine and we can all clap for each other. More than ever, that's empowerment may it be to women and to our allies."

What advice can you give to fellow women who are in the tech industry or will consider a career in tech?

"Well for context, I don't have a tech background and I sell tech for a living. I would say it's still an ongoing learning road for me up until now, considering tech is a fast-paced dynamic industry. All I can advise is, for all genders mostly for women – grab all opportunities to learn and take up space. You will feel scared and doubtful but do it anyway. Learn it, do it, and teach it."

Which woman do you look up to and why?

"My mom. It's interesting how many people look at kindness and softness as weaknesses (and they can be, in some cases) but when I look at my mom and see the things that she does out of the kindness of her heart, I am only thankful and inspired. She's a teacher, and it's amazing how I hear so many of her students even from the distant past speak about the positive impact that she has made in their lives that go on even today. I want to create that kind of impact on the lives of the people around me too."

What advice can you give to fellow women who are in the tech industry or will consider a career in tech?

"Surround yourself with people who inspire you to fulfill your dreams. This is one of the biggest things I am most thankful for as I work in Symph. I've always had big dreams, but I wasn't really convinced I had any chances of achieving them because they seemed too far-fetched. When I got to work with people in Symph, I started believing that I can actually do something to make my personal visions come true. Their desires to make the world a better place and the evident hard work that they exert to make those come true continue to inspire me now. If you can find a team, a mentor, or a buddy who you get this kind of inspiration from as you grow in the industry, make the most out of it."

You can also read about the women who are our project managers and our full stack developers and UI/UX designers. If you want to work with them, we're looking for people to join our team.