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One of our favourite things to do is to celebrate all women. So even though International Women’s Day has come and gone, we have another conversation to share with you that shines a light on another phenomenal woman in our world.
Rebecca, ManukaRx's Head of Marketing, touches on the women who inspire her the most and the power women have – empathy, kindness, and resilience to name a few. Read Rebecca's full interview below:
Name: Rebecca Anne Hunter
Age: 29
Role: Head of Marketing, ManukaRx
What does International Women’s Day personally mean to you?
To me, International Women’s Day is a time to be grateful for the women who walked the hard path before us. These role models have shown us what’s possible as they have helped to reduce the gender gap with each step. It’s also a time to celebrate women and reflect on how far we’ve come, while also looking forward to how we can continue to improve equality for all people.
Women are worth celebrating, not just today, but always. What’s one (or multiple) things that make you proud to be a woman?
What makes me proud to be a woman is that I can do anything I put my mind to, that my gender is a strength and not a weakness, and that women continue to make history, despite the odds being stacked against them.
If you could meet one woman in the world, who would that be and why?
I would love to meet Melanie Perkins, founder, and CEO of the billion-dollar company Canva. I’m constantly inspired by socially-minded, female entrepreneurs. Melanie has pledged to give away most of her fortune via The Giving Pledge fund and has sustainability at the forefront of Canva’s mission. The company is already carbon neutral and plans to be carbon positive by 2023. I’d love to meet her and pick her brains about how to build a sustainable multi-billion dollar company from scratch.
What woman/woman in your life has inspired you in some way? How did they do that?
I’m very lucky to have a multitude of incredible women in my life who inspire me on a daily basis. My housemates, my friends here in New Zealand and back in the UK, the Directors of ManukaRx’s parent company Manuka Bioscience, and of course (and most importantly), my mum! Each of them has something special to offer and teach others, be it empathy, resilience, determination, kindness, or joy, and I feel blessed to have them all in my life.
When do you feel the most empowered?
I feel empowered when I’m confident in what I’m doing and when I’m helping other women to succeed. I am on the board of Dress for Success Auckland. The charity’s mission is to empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional clothing, and development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. The charity’s clients show how intertwined empowerment and confidence are. Many of the women who are dressed by the charity go on to get work, which helps lead to economic independence and empowers them to live a life on their own terms.
Lastly, what golden nugget could you share to empower other women?
Mindset is everything. If you can dream it, you can make it happen. Surround yourself with supportive and inspiring women and you might just surprise yourself with what you can do.
