Why I built my own organisation for mentoring women

MSc Marketing & Strategy alum, Neha Rajesh, took time to chat to us about this year's International Women’s Day, how businesses can help accelerate action and launching her own mentoring organisation for women in tech.

I was born in India and immigrated to the UK at the age of 20. Despite having a Master’s degree and fire in my belly, I realised how inequitable the world of work can be, especially for someone starting out.

This is why I have made it my mission to unlock opportunities for young women in my stream of work.

What gender equality means to me and my female role models

Gender equality isn't just a lofty ideal; it's the bedrock of a just and thriving society.

It matters profoundly to me because it's about unlocking the full potential of every human being. Can you imagine a world where everyone feels empowered to contribute their unique talents and perspectives? That's the world gender equality promises, and that's why I'm so passionate about it.

My mother is a huge inspiration to me. My mother embodies all the qualities I value in a human; strength, resilience, compassion, morality, selflessness and unconditional love. 

Another huge inspiration is Michelle Obama! Nothing beats her grace, passion for doing the right thing, and just general coolness!

Taking action to drive change

I realised the value of having strong mentors and coaches early in life. In times when I was struggling to get a foot in the door or grow in my career, my mentors made a world of difference.

I am deeply passionate about the woman in tech agenda and amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, I launched my own organisation, WonderWoman.

This platform matches mentees to female role models with the goal of furthering gender equality, particularly in technology fields. Through my work, I am proud to have supported 600+ women from the UK and all around the world. Through mentoring, founding my own platform, volunteering and raising my voice, I am striving to drive representation in tech careers. 

My efforts took me to 10 Downing Street to meet the Prime Minister, City Hall to meet the Mayor of London and even earned me a Royal Platinum Champion Award in honour of Her Majesty the Queen and her 70 years of service in 2022. 

How businesses can accelerate action

One of my favourite quotes is “Women are over-mentored and under-sponsored”.

Whilst I strongly believe in the power of mentoring, it also needs to be supplemented with clear, tangible ways women can enter and grow in the workforce in every field. "Accelerate Action" conveys urgency, focus on impact, and accountability.

In a world where EDI efforts are somewhat being scrutinised, this is not the time to slow down progress. It's about building on the progress that has been made and generating even greater momentum for change. This requires collective effort from individuals, communities, organisations, and governments. It means taking bold steps to address the root causes of inequality, not just treating the symptoms.

Businesses need to continue reinforcing, and not cutting back on inclusive policies and practices such as equal pay and opportunity, flexible working and measurable targets and reporting. Investing in leadership development programs specifically designed for women can help to build a pipeline of female talent for senior positions.

Advice to anyone struggling with self-confidence

Even though the viral TikTok trend of "Meeting your younger self for coffee” has received some backlash, there is some merit to it! It shows you there is no better mentor or role model in the world than yourself. It shows you that even though in that moment life may have seemed scary, when you look back you realise how some of those fears were baseless.

You get to look at how far you’ve come and how much further you can go, if you just believe! You trust that time will heal everything and life will find a way.

My advice would be to worry less and take more chances - at worst you will have a small mis-step and at best you will make a positive decision that will change your life.