Barrier Breaking Success
All of the latest news and pieces from the world of success and business.
Focus on…
The automotive world may traditionally be seen as a man’s game, however many will be surprised to know that it’s a woman at the top of the US’s biggest automobile manufacturer. General Motors CEO, Mary Barra, has been at the helm of the company for 5 years now and has worked there in various roles since graduating university.
Following in her father’s footsteps, who himself worked at a GM factory, Barra first began checking panels and hoods at 18 to pay for tuition fees. After graduating from the General Motors Institute with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering, she then went on to earn a Masters of Business Administration from Stanford.
Barra then went on to work for GM in engineering and administrative positions and in 2008, became vice president of Global Manufacturing Engineering. This was followed by positions as VP of Global Human Resources and Executive VP of Global Product Development, before she was promoted to her current position, becoming the first female CEO of automobile manufacturer.
She is known for making significant investments in electric vehicles and self-driving cars, recognising this as the future of the industry. She is the highest paid CEO of any leader in Detroit’s motoring industry and GM has no gender pay gap, one of only two global businesses to do so.
Top Image: General Motors
Open Office
For those who run their businesses at home, working in an unchanging environment for days on end can make you a little stir crazy. Getting out of the house can be a great way to spark creativity or clear your mind, but finding a separate office space doesn’t always fit in the budget. New app YOWO is the solution for those looking for a changing work environment, without having to fork out on an inner-city office space. Rolling out across 30 locations last month, YOWO connects flexible workers with cafes and bars across Auckland that welcome this new way of working in their space. Whether its for a full day of work or just a couple of hours, a monthly subscription of $99 will get you access to high-speed WiFi, powerpoints for your laptops and phones, and discounts on food and coffee. Better yet, the first 200 members will get a lifetime special of only $50 per month – now that certainly beats Auckland office rent!
Barrier Breaker
Need a little inspiration to push through to the next level? Take it from someone who learned that she had to rely on herself to make it happen. Former Teen Vogue Editor, Elaine Welteroth, has just released her memoir, More Than Enough, chronicling her rise through the ranks in the fashion industry and the ceilings she had to shatter to get there. Lauded for bringing social consciousness into the pages of the fashion magazine, Welteroth faced the challenges of being a young boss and the only black woman in the office and fought through this to find that she was enough. If you’re looking for a reminder of whether you can face your next challenge, a read of More Than Enough will help to remind you where to find your strength.
More Than Enough by Elaine Welteroth. Published by Ebury Press. RRP $40. Out now.
