Today kicks off a collaboration our friends at W by Worth. Both companies were formed on the founding principle of creating opportunity to empower women professionally and financially. We are hosting an event tonight at their showroom at 570 5th ave @ 57th street from 6-9pm in NYC. Please stop by if you are in town.
A conversation between The Second Shift Co-Founder, Gina Hadley, and President of apparel company, W by Worth, Courtney Denby…
GH: Hi Courtney! We are so excited to be working with W by Worth and helping to spread the support for flexible at work for women!
GH: Can you describe how W by Worth supports women and the balance of work and home life?
CD: W by Worth offers a flexible business that can be conducted from home. It is flexible in two ways: first, the Stylist can choose the dates of her four traditional weeklong shows to work around her family’s schedule; second, the Stylist can add income by layering Travel Trunk events or Virtual Sales between shows, but this is, again, totally optional and can be scheduled to work around what is happening with her family at the time. W by Worth offers a flexible business that can be conducted from home. It is flexible in two ways: first, the Stylist can choose the dates of her four traditional weeklong shows to work around her family’s schedule; second, the Stylist can add income by layering Travel Trunk events or Virtual Sales between shows, but this is, again, totally optional and can be scheduled to work around what is happening with her family at the time.
GH: I love that W by Worth allows each woman to schedule the Travel Trunk events and Virtual Sales based on the time constraints and needs of her personal life and to create the balance for herself! That is exactly in-line with the goals that The Second Shift is based upon.
GH: How do you personally balance work/life/family as a working mom and the President of W by Worth?
CD: It can be tough! I have worked from home for this company for 14 years. What I love about it is that I can easily pop into or out of work mode based on what is happening with my family. If they need me then I can be available. I can also work early in the morning and late at night. I do have full-time help at home that allows me to either work or be with family. The fact that we pay someone to clean, cook and run errands is very helpful. I also use Green Chef for the nights that I’m responsible for meals. This is a company that ships me ingredients and recipes for three complete meals each week. I love to be in the kitchen with the kids and to prepare the meals but I don’t love to pre-plan and think ahead of time about recipes and ingredients. So Green Chef is perfect for us.
CD: How about you? How do you stay balanced?
GH: Right now, it is not easy. But I feel like we are in a sprint which will ebb and flow as our work progresses. Work out, time with family, DATE NIGHT!!!…That is how I reset.
CD: Can you tell us how you started The Second Shift?
GH: Jenny and I knew each other for several years prior to starting The Second Shift and similarly, kept having the same conversation with amazing women who had built successful careers but had so much trouble figuring about a way to balance all the responsibilities in their lives. Jenny had the epiphany that we should solve this problem, and now we are! Pushing the envelope and encouraging companies to hire women in non-traditional ways while still getting the work done by top career women.
GH: How would inspire and encourage other companies to create more flexibility for women in the workplace?
CD: I really like the idea of women staying involved in work at some level through their childrearing years. Instead of off-ramping completely and then needed to on-ramp later, it makes all the sense in the world to me to work in some capacity. It is a benefit to the company if it can figure out a way to delegate projects to an Independent Contractor. It is very cost efficient for the company and gives the company more flexibility.
GH: We agree! The Second Shift is working hard to change the way women think about going back to work once they have children and changing the way the companies think about staffing.
GH: What tips do you have for women who feel they have to choose only one path?
CD: The important thing is that each woman is happy with her choice and that she knows that she is free the make a different choice or tweak her choice in the future. I think we have to learn as we go and be prepared to make adjustments to keep our family and ourselves happy. There are flexible work options for those who want them.
CD: What does flexibility mean for you?
GH: Being able to make choices that enable us to have a more balanced life.
CD: Do you think women can “have it all?”
GH: No one gets to have it ‘all’ – But, it’s important for women to recognize what their ‘all’ is right now in a particular moment? That, I believe, is a better way to think about it and way for goals to be met.
GH: What types of questions should women ask when interviewing for a job to ensure it will be the right fit for their lifestyle needs?
CD: I wouldn’t advise that anyone interviewing for a job ask a lot of questions about vacation or paid leave. That is always a red flag for me if I’m interviewing someone. Instead, I would tell women to create value for the company first and then to work to create some flexibility once you are considered a valuable member of the team.
CD: I agree! Why do you think it¹s important for women to work?
GH: Just the fact that we ask that question when no one would ask that of a man, is the reason we need to keep working!
GH: So now on the subject of apparel, what’s the most ideal outfit for women running from the boardroom to the soccer field?
CD: That is challenging, but I would probably recommend a jacket that can be removed after work and a skirt or Capri pants because you can change your heel height without affecting the length. This is my strategy when I am in meetings in New York and then flying back to Dallas.
CD: What is your go-to outfit?
Ballet flats, black trousers, a boxy top and a leather jacket are a staple for me.
