Get to know Jill Foley – Board Member

What’s been the defining moment for you as a woman in your career?
There have been one or two defining moments which have shaped my career, but the most profound shifts have been gradual and quiet.

In the early years of my career, I was often the youngest person in the room and very often the only woman. Self-doubt was my companion and I spent far too much energy trying to mirror the confidence and certainty of those around me. Over time, and with the backing of people who believed in me before I fully believed in myself, I learned that my contribution did not need to look the same as others to be valuable. In fact, it was often my instinct to ask the questions others were not asking, to see things from another angle that became my strength.

One notable career moment happened during my time at PWC. I was given a significant promotion the week that I left to go on maternity leave. I was the only woman in a group of twelve promoted that year and whilst the promotion meant a lot to me, I was deeply proud of PWC for the recognition and the signal it sent to other aspiring young women. (At the time, men on the senior leadership team outnumbered women 10 to 1).

I realised pretty quickly, however, that others would now expect me to be an example of what was possible for working mothers in senior leadership, and that felt like a lot at a time when I was stepping into new roles – at home and in the firm.

Looking back, that moment prompted two important shifts; a deeper belief in my own value and the early knowing that I wanted to build something on my own terms, rather than trying to live up to the expectations of others.

What’s your own experience of the three barriers and what tips would you give women navigating their own barriers?
As a business founder, I have experienced the three barriers in slightly different ways.

Building you own business gives you the freedom to create a ‘system’ that works for you and your team. For me, that freedom massively outweighs the risks that founders face growing a business from ‘nothing’.

But it doesn’t mean you are immune from the biases that exist in the organisations you work with. I’m very familiar with the ripple of discomfort when I walk into a Board room and the client realises that I’m the CEO, not my taller, besuited male colleague. I have come to see those moments as a challenge and an opportunity to gently ‘reset’ expectations of what leadership can look like.

On a personal level – At times I have had to work harder to establish credibility than a male peer might have had to. I have a tendency to be a people pleaser and that has cost me. I have wasted too much time putting other people’s needs ahead of my own or that of my business, in the name of being a ‘generous’ partner or a ‘good citizen’.

The things that have helped me deal with these barriers include:

• Be clear about your value and what you want. Don’t shrink your ambition to make other people feel comfortable. Have the courage to ask for what you want.
• Choose carefully the things you invest your time in and set clear boundaries – for yourself and for others. Saying no is a strategic choice, not selfishness.
• Don’t wait to be noticed. I have had moments where I assumed good work would speak for itself, and it did not. Be intentional about building sponsorship, asking for opportunities and making your contribution visible.
• As a business owner, I have learned that confidence does not mean never feeling uncertain; it means acting with conviction despite that uncertainty. Back yourself before you feel fully ready. Confidence follows action, not the other way round.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
My professional life is quite cerebral and strategic, so outside of work I’m drawn to more creative pursuits.

I am a friend of the Rambert dance company and a keen follower of all forms of dance.

I have been learning upholstery for a number of years, so I am now the ‘go to’ person for family and friends who have furniture that needs an upgrade (but not in a hurry).

And I recently built myself a painting shed in the garden – which is fast becoming my new happy place – where I can lose hours experimenting with colour and shape and disconnecting from work.

Do you face the double burden as a woman with a career and if so, how do you manage it?
Yes, I do!

The balance has changed over time, but it still feels overwhelming at times. My children have now left home, so their needs are different, but supporting elderly parents has brought a new kind of responsibility and emotional stretch.

My husband shares the load, but the juggle is nevertheless very real!

That said, I am an optimist at heart, and I believe that women CAN ‘have it all’…. as long as we don’t try to DO it all.

What has helped me most is accepting support, letting go of perfection, and outsourcing the things that do not need my personal touch. Not everything has to be done my way to be done well.