"Propelling women to the forefront," is the motto of Women on Stage, an Israeli "for-profit" organization, founded four years ago by Moran Weber. It positions itself as a professional development platform where women in the technology sector can learn, network, and grow together. The goal is to highlight the leadership potential of women to lead in the high-tech industry. A field where they often struggle to assert themselves and fully thrive.
Based on this observation, Moran drew inspiration from her personal story and decided to give women the place they deserve through a space dedicated entirely to them, where they have the opportunity to advance their careers in a spectacular way. In Israel and internationally.
"I worked as a software developer for ten years at Wix, and I was one of the few women on my team; as a result, I faced a lot of difficulties. I thought I was the only one in this situation, but I quickly realized that the majority of my peers felt the same way. However, until the 1980s, it was more of a female-dominated profession. Then, with the advent of laptops, everything changed. Today, due to social norms and the messages being conveyed, we are few in this sector," observes Moran Weber.
A career accelerator
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Moran and her team launched a "Speaker Platform" that quickly became a huge success with hundreds of registrations. It brings together female speakers and organizers of high-tech conferences and events. Each participant can create a profile with the type of conference she wants to organize and thus be invited to take part in major technology events. This platform acts as a real catalyst and gives a real boost to these women. "We have welcomed many smart and interesting women who just need support to have more impact and attract a larger audience," says Moran.
The goal is also to make them known to influential personalities in the sector who have a wide selection of highly qualified professionals to choose from for their next event. It is one of the largest databases in the world for professional female speakers in technology, with a network of nearly 1000 individuals.
"The women who approach us are very talented and full of good will, but in their field no one knows it or acknowledges it. So we are here to highlight their abilities. Through various workshops and courses, both online and in person, we teach them how to develop quality presentations and regain confidence. They are all diamonds that just need to be polished," Moran says.
Women on Stage not only helps women to build a network but also to express themselves in public, something they may not be used to doing in an environment mainly led by men. This female platform also allows women to identify with successful role models of the same gender. "It is easier for them to dream big if they have a successful woman with a similar background in front of them, it motivates them a lot," says Moran.
A big springboard
The women who had the chance to be part of the adventure confirm that Women on Stage literally "changed their lives". They saw their careers take off in a very short period of time.
"The program is truly very enriching, stimulating, and very informative. Whether it's for public speaking or engaging in conversations in daily life. It focuses on how to convey a message and make each conversation interesting, with concise and impactful phrases to captivate the audience. It gave me a real boost as a developer and team leader. In November, Wix's big developers' conference will take place, for which I was selected out of 250 candidates. I will deliver the speech that Moran helped me build and that I presented at the end of the course," says Evelyn Moadi, Engineering Team Lead at Wix, who completed the program in March 2024.
Moran added, "At the beginning of my career, I was rather reserved, I didn't speak up much and I was afraid to speak in public, fearing that I was there by mistake. Over time, I realized that most women experience the same thing to varying degrees. They don't ask enough questions and don't assert themselves enough, even though they are capable and have many exciting things to say. It's the whole society that loses out."
In the near future, Women on Stage wishes to export its model abroad but also to other sectors. Moran is also working on developing software to create content and enable women to sell their expertise on social networks and on YouTube. A "digital coach" of sorts.
Photo of the Day: "Empowering women on stage" @ Women on Stage