At Taboola, no single person’s work experience is defined simply by their role. The value they bring to the company stretches far beyond the work that they do, and deep into the ideas they have, the causes they care about, and the momentum they create.
To round out 2019, we worked together with Sonya Barlow, founder of Like Minded Females, to put together a series of special events. Like Minded Females is a vibrant community for women to empower, celebrate, and connect with one another.
This was exactly the type of energy we wanted to bring into our very own Taboola offices, and the perfect organization to help us up-skill attendees on topics that aren’t often discussed. It was also critical that the experience be completely inclusive and open to people of all genders from all walks of life. . After all, we do have some of the best female leaders in the industry, as well as fantastic male allies who draw inspiration daily from the women in their lives.
That was the impetus behind the three events we held at our London office. The first was centered around self image and overcoming negative thought patterns. The second took a look at finding balance in a world with so much room for burnout. The third shared important advice and fostered conversation around the hard-to-master art of money management. All three events delivered value of their own, and featured a Taboolar on the panel.
Event 1: Overcoming Negative Thought Patterns
For our very first event, we opened up an honest conversation around mental health, staying positive, and fighting a lack of confidence, especially in the workplace. Marc Thomas, a Managing Director at Taboola, spoke on this panel and shared some of his own experiences with self-doubt.
Through our conversation, we busted the all-too-common myth that people in senior or manager roles are confident and sure of them 100% of the time. By sharing collective experiences, we were able to crack the code that everybody feels self-doubt at times, and everyone is capable of shifting the narrative in their own mind to overcome that.
Event 2: Balance vs Burnout : How to Manage Life, Technology and Work
Our second event highlighted the increasingly important topic of finding balance instead of burnout. We talked about financial, mental, and physical wellness, and how to best approach each. The panel featured people from all walks of life, including Taboola’s own Ben Jones, a dedicated father and Director of Publisher Sales. Panelists fostered discussion around how people balance work, life, family, and fun in their own lives.
“It was heartening to be a part of this panel and hear the questions that people asked, many of which I’ve been asking myself over the years too. It felt good to know that I wasn’t alone in my concerns. I found the whole panel experience, and the audience participation to be immensely supportive. I felt so comfortable sharing my thoughts and difficulties,” says Ben of the event.
Event 3: Money Matters 101
Our third event opened up a discussion on a topic that can all too often feel taboo: money management. We didn’t shy away from discussing some shocking facts about the financial disparities between men and women, and older and young generations.
Once the floor was open, it made it easier to share tips, tricks, advice that all of us had picked up over time. We talked about the different tools and technologies that exist today to help facilitate money management, and collectively created a space where the topic of money was not only no longer taboo, but actually enjoyable to talk and learn about.
Closing Thoughts from Like Minded Female’s Founder
To sum up exactly what these events stood for, Sonya Barlow said it best.
“The series with Like Minded Females and Taboola felt like a great fit when we originally spoke. At Taboola, people, community and inclusion are at the forefront. Like Minded Females works to elevate that type of company culture and encourage open discussions and diversity of thought. The events themselves were a great success from the marketing to the execution. Over 250 people in total attended these events and interacted with one another. We heard from many attendees about how much they enjoyed these workshops, and the value that they delivered. The topics were simple by design––real pain points around life skills felt by real people. We received great feedback on the flow, the panel guests, the action points and most importantly the safe space which we created. Like Minded Females was proud to partner with Taboola, and we look forward to continuing to work with Taboola in 2020.”