Editor’s Note: March is Women’s History Month. Proclaimed each year by presidential decree, the month honors women’s contributions to American history. The theme this year is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.” Racers are all storytellers who shape conversations that matter for tech-forward brands and four of them agreed to tell a bit of their own stories and what propels them in life and work.
By Hannah Bezdek, senior account executive
Who empowered you in your youth and how?
1,000%, my mom. She was the first person in her family to go to college, and she worked two jobs through school to make it happen. She taught me early on that it’s “cool” to be different, to strive to be unique. And when the going gets tough, as it inevitably does, she taught me how to look at “failures” as opportunities. With a positive attitude and hard work, anything is possible.
When do you feel most capable?
I feel the most capable when I let my instincts take over and don’t hesitate or dwell on if I’m right or not.
What’s the toughest balancing act you face?
We all know the saying, “Growth happens when you step outside of your comfort zone.” I find it hard to balance the vulnerability it takes to try something new (e.g. taking on a new role) with the confidence that you know what you’re doing / capable of.
Even though I have a few years of work under my belt, I sometimes still feel like it’s my first day and I have something to prove. Insecurity creeps in and I start to fret that my age is the first thing people see: Does this impact their trust in my counsel? Trust is everything in our business. For me, it’s balancing that the trust isn’t dependent on my age, but my skillset.
What is one change that could improve the future for women?
I saw a Tweet recently that really resonated with me. When asking a question or making a valid point, it’s like women start with the assumption that they’re either asking too much or likely wrong from the onset. I’m guilty of it. Women have a seat at the table, so it’s now about how we can all feel comfortable sitting at the table, embracing our power. The change I want to see is for us to dismiss the need to apologize for having feelings, an opinion, or confidence.
About the Author
Hannah Bezdek is a senior account executive at RPG. Hannah is responsible for supporting her teams' day-to-day execution of media outreach and social media support, emphasizing that the ‘B’ in “B2B” doesn’t need to stand for boring. Hannah prides herself in crafting unique angles for her clients and is of the philosophy that the moonshot story is always worth telling. When she’s not talking about a new meme on social at work, Hannah can be found enjoying the outdoors with her dog Archie by her side.