#WomenWhoLead: Julia Moran, Director of Growth, PandaPay.io

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This profile is published as part of Pledge 1%’s Women Who Lead series, which celebrates women in the Pledge 1% community who are creating change within their workplace and communities.

Julia Moran is the Director of Growth at PandaPay.io.  She has been in this position for nine months.  Read the full interview below to learn more about Julia’s career journey and what inspires her.

Q1:  What inspired you to work in this industry?

PandaPay sits at the intersection of tech and social good, which I think has obvious appeal! It’s fascinating to work in tech – things move so quickly, I have the opportunity to work with incredibly smart, innovative people, and I’m always encouraged to push the envelope. When you apply that level of forward-thinking to the world of social good, you have a chance to make a real impact on the world – which I find inspiring every day!

Q2:  What would you tell women who are looking to work in tech?  Any advice on how they can build their career?

It’s no secret that tech is a male-dominated (and occasionally even sexist) industry – so I’ve definitely found it tough at times to succeed in the “boys club”. My advice is to just do what you came here for. Work hard. Take initiative. And don’t take any sh*t (can I say that??). Any decent company culture will see your value regardless of gender. And if the company culture isn’t decent, pull a Susan Fowler 

 
Q3:  Is your company a Pledge 1% member or do you personally give back to your community? If so, how do you give and to what cause?
 

Yes! We’ve pledged 1% of our equity to the Social Good Fund.

 
Q4:  Do you serve as a mentor?  What does mentorship mean to you?

I’m in the process of becoming an official mentor! I am getting involved as an advisor to the sorority I’m an alumna of.

 
To me, mentorship means leading by example – not telling people what to do, but showing them that with drive, grit, and a lot of positivity you can achieve great things. I’ve had some amazing women mentor me over the years and I think that’s why they were all so powerful for me.

Q5:  What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received to help you with your career?
 

Take risks! Especially while you’re young. I definitely wouldn’t be where I am if I hadn’t taken a few leaps of faith. You’ll probably fail at some point, but I think the scrappiness you learn from being a risk-taker will also help you pick yourself up by your bootstraps when that time comes.
 

Q6:  What’s the one piece of advice you would give to yourself 5 years ago?

Stop comparing yourself to others. You’ll get a lot further by focusing that energy on yourself!

Originally posted: March 16th, 2017