A new report reveals one in four women are downshifting their careers because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Courtney Campbell knows how to get creative.
"I pretty much Craigslisted my way into a company," Campbell said.
Campbell founded Campbell Creative 10 years ago, shortly after the Great Recession.
"The first year I broke even with my salary, and every year I’ve more than doubled on that and kind of added staff and grown," Campbell said.
Campbell not only grew her business but also her family — then a pandemic hit.
"All of our large brands went on pretty major budget freezes and our smaller brands didn’t really have any money," Campbell said. "Definitely the most stressful moment of my day was my 4-year-old’s Zoom calls. Those were much more intense, and missing those seemed way more life-altering than any other actual business move."
Women in corporate America are at a critical crossroads, according to a recent report by Leanin.org and Mckinsey and Company. The report shows that one in three women may be forced to opt-out of working or scale back because of the pressures of the pandemic. The challenges are even greater for Black women, mothers, and women who hold senior positions, according to the report.
"Employment for women has always been an issue here in the state of Florida," said Takeata King Pang, the executive director of the Women’s Foundation of Florida. "In one of our 2018 reports it actually grades Florida at a D+ for women’s employment."
The group has held panels to help women navigate these stressful times, addressing topics like childcare, paid leave and mental health.
"Really providing that resource of information as much as we could, so they knew what the opportunities and responsibilities were for them," Pang said.
Campbell’s business is back on track, and she credits patience, perseverance and most of all flexibility.
"Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re doing great. You’re showing up and that’s the most anybody can ask right now," Campbell said.
For more information on the panels held by the Women's Foundation of Florida, click here.
