Own Who You Are and What You Deserve — Women Leaders in Design Weigh in On Rising to the Top and Empowering Others to Do the Same
In honor of Women’s History Month this March, Bellow Press reached out to female leaders in the design and manufacturing industries to weigh in on the challenges women face and the inspiration they find to bridge the gap of gender disparity. We asked the following questions:
- How has your experience as a woman
shaped your career? - What is the importance of moving beyond bias? How can we do this in the workplace?
- How have you been inspired, within the architecture and design industry, to support gender equality?
- Do the challenges vary within different sectors of design — workplace versus hospitality for instance, or contract furniture manufacturing versus textile design
- What advice would you give to younger professionals entering the field?
Kait Paradowski, Design Director,
Artaic
As Design Director, Kait Paradowski serves as the leader and visionary of the brand’s design Department, overseeing the conception of in-house collections and the design proposal process for new clients. In addition to her work with interior designers and architects for custom design projects, Paradowski also oversees the conceptualization of in-house collections, expanding the brand’s existing award-winning offerings, as well as delivering on the custom capabilities for which Artaic is best known.
Paradowski believes moving beyond bias will make sure the best ideas will be heard and adopted and allows for employees to create impact. It also helps with engagement and retention.
“I’ve been lucky to have had many female role models and leaders throughout my career,” she said. “Many of my professors at FIT were women, and I’ve been supported by female leadership within both my textile design and tile design experiences. I feel privileged to be in the interior design industry, where many leadership roles are held by women. Being trained and mentored by other women has provided me with a great sense of comfort in the workplace.”
Advice: “Be curious,” she said. “Try out different opportunities, read articles and books, and visit museums. Write down what brings you excitement throughout your day. This is a great way to self-assess and figure out what path makes the most sense for you. The ultimate goal is to find work that energizes you.”
