Wednesday 8th March marks International Women’s Day. And here at AxisBiotix, we have so much to celebrate on this day!
- In a team of just 11, 7 are women - that’s over 60%
- Our Chief Science Officer, the person responsible for the pioneering science behind our products is a WOMAN
- 40% of the board are also women
Not bad for a dynamic healthcare startup, eh!
To celebrate, we’d like to shout out some of our fantastic team members and introduce you to the ladies who make AxisBiotix happen and share a little bit about women in STEM in particular and why our team is proud to be working in the industry.
To get things started, and to highlight the importance of this topic, here are some facts and theories about what is happening with women in STEM and what the key driving factors are for these issues:
- Women make up only 28% of the STEM workforce
- Engineering and computer science — 2 of the most lucrative STEM fields — are heavily male dominated.
- Girls have fewer role models to inspire their interest in these fields, seeing limited examples of women scientists and engineers in books, media and popular culture. There are even fewer Black women role models in maths and science.
- Nearly 80% of the health care workforce are women, but only about 21% of health executives and board members are women, and only about a third of doctors (US).
Meet our Chief Science Officer, Dr Cath
The person responsible for developing the science behind our products is Dr Catherine O’Neill. Not only has Cath discovered the unique blend of bacteria that make up AxisBiotix-Ps, responsible for helping those with psoriasis look after their skin, she is also a professor of dermatology at the University of Manchester.
What advice have you got for fellow women entrepreneurs?
My advice for any aspiring women entrepreneurs is simply be very honest with yourself and outline exactly what it is you want from not just your career but your life as a whole. Once you’ve got this, it’s about having the confidence to implement those choices and just simply back yourself!
The best piece of advice I’ve received would be from a friend who said ‘play the game as it is, and not how you’d like it to be’. By that, I mean meet and engage with people on their own terms. For me, you can’t apply a one size fits all approach to people or situations.
How do you feel about the future for women in leadership and, in particular, entrepreneurship?
I’m absolutely hopeful about the future of entrepreneurship for women here in the UK. A lot has changed in my lifetime as only a few years ago, 5% of patents had inventors that are women but that figure has since increased. Women are incredibly entrepreneurial, not only in terms of inventing things but also with how they juggle all of the various commitments they have.
Meet our Social Media Manager, Claire
As the Social Media Executive at AxisBiotix, Claire is responsible for managing the brand's presence on social media platforms. This includes creating and publishing engaging content and monitoring and analysing the brand's performance on social media. Additionally, she is responsible for managing the email marketing campaigns, as well as coordinating with other teams within the company to ensure a consistent brand message across all digital channels.
What are you celebrating this IWD?
As a recent Business Management graduate, my passion for marketing and social media has always been evident. Starting my career at SkinBioTherapeutics as their Social Media Executive is something that I am immensely proud of, and I feel fortunate to be surrounded by many confident and inspiring women at the company. I am particularly grateful to my line manager, Vanessa, who has shared her confidence and experience with me, helping me to build my own self-confidence in the workplace.
What do you love most about working at AxisBiotix?
I love creating content for our brand, AxisBiotix, and I feel an increasing sense of pride as I lead our social media marketing efforts, knowing that each customer whose life we impact represents a significant achievement.
What women have inspired you most throughout your career so far?
Grace Beverley is a particular source of inspiration for me. Despite studying full-time at university, she managed to establish her own personal brand on social media through content creation and later went on to launch multiple successful businesses. Her achievements not only demonstrate the possibility of succeeding in different areas of business but also highlight the importance of building an online community.
Meet our Customer Service Manager, Vanessa
Vanessa is the Customer Service Manager who is responsible for handling all customer interactions and building relationships with our customers. She is passionate about her job and takes pride in ensuring that the ordering process runs smoothly and that all customer orders are sent out on time.
What does IWD mean to you?
Having worked in the fashion industry for seven years, I have had the pleasure of working alongside some truly exceptional women. These women have been inspiring role models, demonstrating resilience, creativity, and leadership in their respective roles. In an industry that has traditionally been male-dominated, it has been inspiring to see women thriving and making significant contributions.
I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked alongside these incredible women in the fashion industry.
How did you begin your career with AxisBiotix?
After having a deep interest in all things related to health, I made the decision to transition to Skinbio Therapeutics, the company behind AxsBiotix. What intrigued me the most about this company was the scientific basis of its product, AxisBiotix-Ps and the positive impact it had on people's lives.
What do you love most about your job?
I love speaking with our customers and providing them with a comfortable space to discuss their skin concerns. The science that supports our product continues to fascinate me, and I'm eagerly anticipating what lies ahead for us.
We would love to find out who your most influential women are. Be it in STEM, business, or simply life in general.
Follow us on social media to join the conversation and let us know.
P.S. Are you a woman considering a career in STEM? Check out this resource.