You are not behind, just on your own path

Every year on International Women's Day, we celebrate progress. And rightly so, more than ever are women entering the tech and SaaS space, stepping into leadership and building businesses. But progress does not mean the journey has become easy, or that the internal doubts have disappeared. For many, the question is not just "can I get there?" but rather "do I belong there in the first place?"

I know that question well. My career has not followed the 'textbook' path. I did not map out a strategy or reach for a title. I learned by doing, trying different roles, making mistakes and trusting momentum when there was no obvious next step. Today, I lead the marketing team at Tellent, a European HR and recruitment software platform. Alongside that, I run Made by Marí, a platform connecting established brands with local crafters. Two different worlds and yet they feed each other in ways I could not have planned.

The myth of the perfect route

One of the most persistent barriers women face in technology and leadership is not a lack of capability, but the belief that there is a correct path, and that they are somehow not on it. The expectation that leadership comes to those who follow the rules, earn the right credentials and wait patiently for their turn.

But leadership rarely works that way. The women we most admire did not arrive at their roles through perfect execution. They arrived through curiosity, resilience, and most of all the willingness to act before they felt completely ready. If you are waiting to feel ready, you might as well keep waiting.

What technology needs from women

The technology sector has made significant strides in recognising the value of diverse perspectives. However, recognition alone is not transformation. Real change happens when women are not just present in the room, but are genuinely getting the work done: building products, leading teams, defining culture, making decisions.

The organisations that are getting this right are the ones investing in the conditions that allow growth. That means creating environments that feel psychologically safe. It means leadership that is honest, human, and encourages people to take ownership. It means measuring success by impact, not by visibility or volume.

On the workfloor at Tellent, these conditions are the foundation of how we work. People decisions are the most important decisions leaders make. We help organisations attract, develop, and retain talent more effectively, which means understanding that the best people need more than a job offer. They need a culture worth staying for. Internally, that same philosophy applies. It is why I find the work meaningful: what we build is consistent with how we operate.

Role models do not need pedestals

When I think about the leaders who shaped my own development, they were not the ones with the most impressive titles or the most polished presence. They were the ones who made leadership feel within reach. Who gave feedback with care. Who created space for people to try, fail, and try again.

That is the kind of leadership that gives birth to the next generation of female leaders. And it is precisely what the technology sector needs more of: leaders who inspire through proximity. Who model values in the small, daily decisions that no one is watching, not only in the moments that are.

Choose environments that give you energy. Find people who see your potential, and let them. Trust your own voice, even when it is uncertain. And reach higher, not because someone told you to, but because you are genuinely curious about what you are capable of. You are not behind. You are on your own path, and it is a valid one.

Rinke Adema is Head of Marketing and a member of the Benelux Leadership Team at Tellent, a European HR and recruitment software platform. She is also the founder of Made by Marí, a platform connecting brands with local crafters. She participates in the Equals role model campaign for International Women's Day 2026.