Let’s Celebrate Women’s History Month! How We’ve Built An All-Star Team At RedTree Web Design

Women’s History Month always makes me reflect. As I mentioned in a LinkedIn post kicking off the month of March, women have helped shape me into the leader I am today:

• A strong, independent single mother raised me.
• My first professional break came from another woman—Pauline Connelly of PiCon Web Design & Marketing.
• I’m regularly inspired by women leaders while hosting the W.E. Talk Podcast, which celebrates women entrepreneurs. 
• I advise inspirational women through Chatham University’s Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship.
• I married a woman. 
• I’m raising a woman. 

All of those factors have helped me form an incredible all-women team at RedTree Web Design. 

In honor of Women’s History Month, let’s explore the philosophies that have gotten us this far—and celebrate the women who’ve made it possible:

 

3 Leadership Lessons That Help Our All-Women Team

I’ve learned plenty while leading RedTree Web Design over the last eight years, and I recently shared many of them through a blog post on Equality Careers, an organization and job board connecting the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies with progressive employers committed to forward-thinking DE&I initiatives.

Here are three of the biggest lessons that have helped fuel our growth more than anything else:

1. Prevent Burnout At the Source

Research shows anywhere from 60% to 89% of American workers suffer from some level of burnout, and I know from experience that it can be especially common in the agency world. 

But I’ve always emphasized creating a workplace that celebrates the individual’s talents and puts them in a position to succeed. 

That philosophy was recently reinforced by an W.E. Talk interview with Lisa Story, the founder of Hope Grows. Her perspective was simple but impactful: “Burnout is the result of value misalignment.”

When everyone on your team buys into the vision, has clear objectives, and can complete those objectives in a timely manner, you can completely eliminate burnout. 

With that in mind, I have to give credit to Michelle Bauerschmidt, our fearless Project Manager, and Debbie Clinton, our eagle-eyed Administrative Coordinator. 

2. Make Sure Every Voice Is Valued

RedTree Web Design has always thrived on creativity and big ideas, and that can’t happen unless we have an environment where everyone has a voice and feels respected. 

That’s why I’ve always focused on ensuring everyone is heard—and has a chance to speak. 

My tactic is simple: I ask for each team member’s perspective starting on day one. Whether it’s a private check-in meeting or a group brainstorming session, I want to hear everyone’s ideas. 

Eventually, even the most timid team members feel comfortable enough to offer their unfiltered perspectives. 

Two of the best people in that arena are Kristen Gerhart, Director of People Operations, and Hailey Semchee, our SEO Specialist. 

3. Foster A Community of Collaboration

We value communication, so it’s natural for us to value collaboration. 

And our focus on collaboration goes well beyond successfully completing projects together. All team members are tasked with continued training and then teaching what they’ve learned to the rest of the team. 

This collaboration then feeds directly into our culture of learning and investing in our talent. 

Two of our very best collaborators are Nina Musser, our innovative developer, and Alicia Faivre, our thoughtful and creative UX designer. 

Building A Future With A Great Team

Thanks to the brilliant women on the RedTree Web Design team, I’m confident we’re poised for success throughout Women’s History Month and beyond.

With our three core tenets guiding our team forward, there’s nothing we can’t do as a company.

If you’re ready to learn more by working with us, contact us!