Traditionally, it hasn’t been the easiest task for women to get ahead in the tech industry. If we’re being honest, the same could be said for most [all] industries, past and present. In 2013, Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg published her book Lean In as a framework to inspire and encourage women to become the leaders they are capable of being. Fast-forward to February 2016, and the women of Spyder Trap are taking that message—and the movement that followed—to heart. I chatted with Lead Client Strategist, Sabrina Bolin, about her choice to start a Lean In Circle for her and her colleagues. We get into the origins and inspiration for the group as well as her hopes for what it can become.
Why did you want to start your own Lean In Circle at Spyder Trap?
You know, one thing that was really interesting that came out during our first meeting was how hard it can be for women to feel confident (especially in an industry that is typically dominated by men). One member described an instance of feeling like they didn’t deserve to feel confident in their work. The entire groups’ jaws DROPPED. This individual is one of the most talented people most of us have worked with—and dammit she deserved to hear it! This is one of the many reasons it is important to have groups that not only support, but also encourage women in this industry.
Personally, as a female in the sales world, not to mention the tech sales world, I’ve come up against my fair share of stereotypes and sought a group that I could lean on to help me through situations that may not resonate with some of my male counterparts.
Why the name <develop=“us”>?
<develop=”us”> is a play on code. Because we are a digital marketing agency as well as a web development shop, we wanted a name that would not only represent our goals, developing ourselves, but also where we come from—the world of technology.
What was the process like starting the group? How was it received in the office/by leadership?
Spyder Trap is incredibly supportive of the group (our CFO is a member!). Mike [Founder and CEO] immediately asked me what I needed in order to get started and then followed up with me when I didn’t have the kick-off meeting scheduled after a week.
What do you hope to accomplish with the Lean In Circle?
Our overarching goal is to empower individuals (women and men) to be in the driver seat of their careers, to Lean In[to] what they want out of their career, not necessarily into what others think their careers should be, and then to support it.
Describe what a typical meeting might look like. Or describe why there isn’t a typical format.
We plan to vary the meetings. I ran the first meeting according to LeanIn.org’s suggestions, but kept it open-ended going forward. I hope that we can run the group more like a co-op than a sole-leader-run-group. It is my hope that each month we can pick a topic and have a topic expert run that meeting. We’ve decided to include a book club component into the group, so our second meeting is going to be a discussion on the book Lean In. Month three could be anything from hosting a public speaking expert who can teach the whole company a thing or two about talking to a crowd, to a more in-depth discussion on Power & Influence – TBD!
How was your first meeting?
Awesome! The LeanIn.Org material is so great. I was a bit nervous about how the group would feel about some of the items that were on the docket for discussion, but everyone was very open to trying, which meant that we all were able to get something out of the meeting.
Are meetings open to the public or just an internal meet up for Spyder Trap’s women?
The Lean In Circle is going to be for Spyder Trap only, but we hope to host a few meet-ups that are open to the Minneapolis community as a whole. We’re also looking to be inclusive, meaning men are welcome to join as well—sometimes. We want to balance being inclusive with keeping meetings a safe place for sharing our experiences and supporting each other.
Are there MN groups or individuals that inspire you? Inspiration elsewhere?
Several. We are very fortunate to live in a community that backs equality and women in tech. Girl Develop It, Team Women MN, as well as the Women’s Club of Minneapolis are all very accessible for events and support. In terms of inspiration beyond Minneapolis, Lenny Letter is a great read.
What’s the coolest thing you can think of that could come out of these meet ups?
Honestly? I don’t have a clue, but I know there is potential for some AMAZING shit. We’re fortunate enough to have EVERY department represented in this group – no joke. Ideally, I’d like to find the time to build something really cool for the women of Minneapolis, whether that’s a new website with marketing for a women’s organization or charity or an app that builds upon our group that allows us to reach beyond the walls of Spyder Trap. More to come on that one too.