In 2023, female-founded startups faced a significant disparity in venture capital (VC) funding, securing just 2% or less of the total investment in both Europe and the United States. 

This alarming statistic highlights a broader issue in the world of business – female founders typically receive only a quarter of the funding they seek, while male founders receive about half. 

Despite these challenges, research consistently shows that female business leaders outperform their male counterparts, yet only 6% of CEOs at publicly listed companies are women. Women in leadership often embody core values essential for running successful companies, but they continue to face significant hurdles and bias in the entrepreneurial space.

Digital Voices Founder and CEO, Jennifer Quigley-Jones, is currently the only active who is currently the only active female CEO of an influencer agency in the UK with over $10m in revenue. Jennifer founded the company in 2017 with just $700 in business investment, and has since scaled the agency to reach eight figures in annual revenue! 

With an 86.2% female work force, and 75% female C-Suite, we believe in transforming perceptions and championing women’s equality in the world of work. So in honor of Women’s Equality Day on August 26, we will be highlighting female figures breaking the bias, and hearing from some of our team about how they feel empowered as a women in their job and beyond.

Equality in the workplace and beyond

Why is an advanced maternity package essential for mother’s and expectant mother’s to thrive in their career? 

“Having an advanced maternity package not only gives you far more options to spend more time with your child in a world that is getting so increasingly expensive, but also empowers you as a working parent. It’s great when your employer doesn't see you getting pregnant as something that will hinder or effect your career. It makes you feel valued as parent to be,” – Amelia Mandeville-Marinaro, Account Manager. 

How many of our team are female, and how do we support women in leadership positions? 

“At Digital Voices, we are proud to have developed a culture rich in inclusivity and belonging.

Learning and growth are key values here and we pride ourselves on the knowledge sharing and mentoring we're able to provide across the business, in addition to inclusive policies and behaviours that support women throughout each stage of their career.

We actively challenge biases and barriers that traditionally hinder women's progress in business,  and offer generous parental benefits and flexible working options to enable true work-life balance. Lastly, we have an open culture that genuinely values diverse perspectives and challenges traditional gender roles, which is essential for sustaining women's success in leadership.

All of these actions have contributed towards ensuring the women in our leadership team feel empowered and supported in their roles. Our leadership team also reflects our commitment to diversity and supporting female leaders, with 77% identifying as women, mirroring our general employee population,” – Oju Williams, Head of People.

How does flexible working allow you to balance motherhood and work? 

“Flexible working has had such a positive outcome for me with balancing motherhood and my career. It has allowed me to not miss any of my children's milestones. With my son starting school in September and my daughter in nursery, it allows me to be present for school drop-offs and all those little moments in between, whilst still staying on top of work.,” – Becky Edwards, People and Culture Manager.

Have you faced any challenges as a woman working in the finance field? 

“I feel fortunate to be able to say that I don’t think I’ve faced many challenges in my career in finance due to being a woman. Here at Digital Voices, I feel empowered to grow professionally with the support and guidance from incredibly inspiring successful women who are fantastic mentors.” Aga Majka, Finance Team Lead.

What’s your biggest career highlight as a female founder and CEO? 

“Building a culture and team that empowers people to think differently, improve this industry and based on empathy.” – Jennifer Quigley-Jones, CEO and Founder.

Who is a woman that inspires you and why? 

“A woman who inspires me is my friend Isabella. She’s always juggling multiple things but never lets it affect her positive outlook. Her resilience and cheerful attitude, no matter what challenges she faces, are qualities I really look up to!”  – Montserrat Elías, Campaign Coordinator.

Which inspiring female influencer does everyone need to be aware of? 

“When I think of an inspiring female influencer, I immediately think of @kw.ok as someone who showcases perseverance throughout her page and ensures that her audience understands that every rejection is misdirection. Being able to see someone who wasn’t afraid to post their failures was not only refreshing but so important to note that rejection – in all aspects – shouldn’t be the reason to shy away from your goals,” – Jasmine Cubillan, Campaign Coordinator. 

Be inspired

In our series, Visionary Voices, we chat to industry leaders about their journey’s, both personal and professional. We’ve had the opportunity to chat with some incredible women in the Influencer Marketing space, and all of these women have worked to gain respect in the industry, succeed in their careers, and look positively towards a more equal future for all genders. 

Our CEO Jenny set the pace for the series as she emphasized her drive and determination to be respected for her business acumen in the way that her male counterparts are. Her journey hasn’t come without its hurdles, but her vision for creating an empathetic workplace and shaping the influencer entrepreneurs of the future has lead to Digital Voices becoming what it is today. 

Jessica Joseph is the Founder of talent agency, Season 25. She joined us on the beach in Cannes to chat about her goal of creating a space in the Creator Economy to support Black creatives. Her business is still new, but her talent roster is growing, and she’s already partnered with huge names including Netflix, Nike, and Tinder. 

Emily McDonnell is the Head of Creator Partnerships for the UK and Europe at Snapchat, with over a decade of experience in Influencer Marketing. Earlier in her career, she revolutionized influencer partnerships for companies like Bumble and Google. Now, she serves as an advisor for Antler Global and OK Mentor, and has been recognized as one of the Top 30 Trailblazing Women in Influencer Marketing.

As a female-founded agency, we are committed to ensuring that women receive equal opportunities and our dedication, passion, and focus on this mission will always be a top priority. If you're seeking a tech-driven, female-founded agency that guarantees results for your next influencer campaign, send us an email at hello@digitalvoices.com.