10 women in leadership positions give their best career advice

“Someone once told me that if you find yourself hesitating when presented with an opportunity because you doubt your capabilities, just jump into it and do it. Someone believes in you, and you might just be underestimating yourself. That’s the best career advice I’ve received.”

“To other women out there who are facing similar challenges, don’t let the roadblocks ahead discourage you. Get past them, prove yourself, and be an inspiration for the next generation of women entrepreneurs.”

“When I first joined SPS, I found myself in a male- dominated environment. I thought I had to be like one of them, to appear tough and fierce, so that the inmates and staff would listen to me. But I realised after a while that I don’t have to try and be like a man to gain the respect and trust of the inmates and other officers. I just had to be fair but firm, and show genuine concern for the people around me.”

“Starting your own business will always come with its own set of challenges. When it comes to securing funding or entering into any partnership, it is crucial to first have clarity on your purpose and values, as a leader and a business, to ensure that you build an ecosystem of partners who are aligned with your vision.”

“One of the biggest changes I see in myself is that I am now able to get past taboos and speak openly to other people about what I went through.”

“Throughout my career, I’ve found women always asking for a lower pay or negotiating against themselves, not realising that they’re probably the most qualified person for the job. I’ve also seen women apologising for things that they shouldn’t be sorry for. Stop judging yourself, and don’t say no to yourself before someone else does – this is something I say to the students, trainees, and juniors that I work with.”

“Never let someone convince you that you’re too young to start a business. The biggest advantage of starting young is the wealth of growth opportunities available, since you’re able to learn as you go along. Starting young also means you are less anchored towards assumptions or preset notions than a more experienced person.”

“If you’re in the midst of starting your own business, my advice is to always remember why you embarked on this journey. When the going gets tough – and it will – remembering what got you started in the first place will help to keep you going.”

“As women, we need to support and mentor each other as well, and not compare or compete with others and become victims of imposter syndrome. We have to be the drivers of change. That’s crucial.”

“I mentor a set of young female professionals, and I notice that their husbands are helping out in that aspect. It’s so important to have a supportive spouse who does an equal amount of heavy lifting. It really helps to take a load off when there’s equal footing in the marriage and family, and the husbands help out with the household and caregiving duties too.”

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