Aug 16, 2017
Alaina Shearer faced sexism throughout her media career.
In her early radio jobs, male co-hosts complained when she didn't laugh at their sexist jokes. Then she was fired without cause.
In an interview, a hiring manager at a big radio station asked if she planned to get pregnant soon. Why? Because pregnant hosts got great ratings, he said.
The big boss at a marketing agency came on to her — then asked via email that she stay silent. HR did nothing — despite the documented transgression — and Shearer was required to keep working under the man. Then she was demoted.
A couple years after founding Columbus, Ohio digital marketing agency, Cement Marketing (which will do $3 million in business in 2017, Shearer says), Alaina's husband Seth Gray urged her to apply for Women Owned Business status from the Small Business administration. She refused. "'I don't need it!' she recalls arguing with her husband. "I wanted to build this business on my own merits." Her husband pointed out how often she was discriminated against by potential clients.
She started bringing a tall, handsome male colleague to pitch meetings. Close times were cut in half. Sales rose 40 percent. "I know how to sell — I've been in sales my whole life," says the Ohio mom of four. "But when I'd be doing my presentation, the client would be looking at my male colleague and looking for his affirmation."
- Alaina Shearer, founder Womenin.Digital
Finally convinced of institutional sexism, Shearer launched in
February Womenin.Digital, a member
community for women in the digital marketing industry. Since then,
she has hosted launch events in 15 cities nationwide, attracting
340 members. Membership costs $40 per month, or $430 per year, and
includes access to the group's Slack, local events, discounted
ticket to the annual conference, and participation in 'peer
circles' — smaller breakout groups similar to masterminds that
Shearer benefited from earlier in her career. Some tenants of the
organization include sharing income and salary numbers, a
regimented 'ask/give' practice, in which each member is required to
both ask for something they need for their business, and a specific
offer of something they can give — such as an introduction. Shearer
also promotes the practice of tracking your hours, to truly
understand how you spend your time and energy. After doing so
herself two years ago, she realized she was spending 20 hours
weekly caring for her long, dark mane. Today, she wears her hair in
a salt-and-pepper chic, layered bob.
Members include Nina Lassam, director of Ad Product at The New
York Times, Kristi Daraban, Abercrombie & Fitch head of social
media, Breonna Rodriguez, lead digital designer at Sesame Street,
and Shannon Coulter, Grab Your Wallet cofounder — all of whom are
speaking at the first Womenin.Digital Conference Oct. 25-27.
Just 4 percent of tickets are available to men — a figure
representative of the the number of female CEOs
of Fortune 500 companies. "I thought it would be controversial
to exclude men from Womenin.Digital, but the women to attend the
meetings can share their stories openly when there are only women
in the room," Shearer says.
Womenin.Digital is a for-profit organization, aimed at offering quality services and events. Shearer is unabashed about her desire to pay herself and other women on staff high salaries. Once WomeninDigital is up and running, Shearer plans to replicate the community in other industries. "I want every woman who experienced the discrimination that I experienced to have a network she can instantly tap into for help," Shearer says. "The crazy part is, we're almost there already."
Learn more about Womenin. Digital here.