Pledge 1%'s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Tiff Ng
Founder, The Social Story
Sydney, NSW, Australia
What is your current role? Briefly describe in 1-2 sentences.
I'm the founder and chief storyteller at The Social Story - a social media agency helping purpose-driven brands share their impact. Our mission is to empower people to demystify social media and utilise its power as a force for good.
What’s the best part of your job? What do you enjoy the most?
It is easy to get frustrated with the perils of social media. And yet I remain innately optimistic about its potential to create social change. Being able to combine both my passion and excitement of the dynamic platform while also doing something that leaves a positive impact on the world is truly fulfilling. I feel lucky to be able to use my years of skills and experience in this way and putting my purpose first. And being able to share that beyond and see the impact our clients are able to make is just the cherry on top.
We’ve all faced personal and professional challenges, especially during these past two years - what motivates you to keep going?
It definitely has not been easy to stay afloat as a small business during the pandemic. And with social media, it's definitely been a rollercoaster! But I'm motivated by my mission and the opportunity to pursue it, however many pivots we need to make. Impact, empathy and communication remain salient and I'm proud to see them take a greater role in the public consciousness as we all move to more sustainable and positive practices.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
Be brave enough to look at the people who say things can't be done and say 'watch me'
What does generosity mean to you?
Generosity means giving without expectation of return. That could be giving your time, your expertise, your money or whatever you have to offer. But it is mainly around the intent - to share what you have with the world, help and inspire others and not for something in return.
How do you feel businesses can play a larger role in solving today’s biggest challenges? Do you have any specific stories or examples from your work or colleagues you can share?
In making moves towards a better world, evert step counts. Not just in the small actions we can make but a conscious mindset to think about how we do things differently to make it better. Whether that's in our personal habits or how we run a business, we have an opportunity to take steps towards a better world. For us as a business, that was from every decision we made as we were building - from the bank that we chose to the partners we bring on. But also in how we position ourselves and are unwavering in our conviction to do things different for our clients as well. It hasn't been easy to shift through all the information and, as a small business, go for the more convenient option. But taking on the advise of like-minded advisors, we were able to devise a business plan that made the most sense for where we are as a business but also in our place in the world to be as progressive and sustainable as possible.
If you could describe yourself in one word what would that be and why?
Idealistic - in the best sense of the world. I see what our world could be like, whether it is in how we operate our businesses or how we share on social. And it might overlook some of the crucial flaws in our society to count on the inherent kindness of people, but it doesn't mean we shouldn't constantly be striving towards it.
If you could pick a song to guide you through 2022, which song would it be?
Lights Up by Flight Facilities (ft. Channel Tres). It's really just the soundtrack of my life. After a crazy couple of years, it's the exact vibe of groove, excitement and goodness to inspire me to pick ourselves back up, have a little dance and keep going!
