Moms in Tech: How these Mothers at Shopee Unlocked Success in a Fast-Paced Industry
With
the rapid growth of e-commerce, more women are exploring the tech industry and
finding success online. Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast
Asia and Taiwan, continues to provide members of its platform with the support
needed to thrive in tech. In time for Mother’s Day, three mothers share their
experiences on how they ventured out of their comfort zones and into
e-commerce. Karen, Primarose, and Glenda are a testament to what working
mothers in tech are capable of achieving –
whether they are riders, livestream partners, or employees of Shopee.
 |
Karen: Homegrown Shopee Leader |
Karen: Homegrown Shopee
Leader
Having
previously worked in the operations side of the FMCG industry, Karen Perez, a
wife and mother to two daughters, made the switch to join Shopee and become its
first employee in the Philippines seven years ago to lead its Operations Team.
She had hesitations, but she knew that being part of the tech industry would
help her develop even more as a professional. “I already had one daughter and
was pregnant with my youngest by the time I joined Shopee, and I had
apprehensions about joining a young company. Eventually, I accepted the
opportunity because I was excited to be part of the growing e-commerce sector.”
She
recently took on a new role as the Head of People at Shopee Philippines. For
those around her, this comes as no surprise as she has always approached
leadership by building personal relationships in the workplace. She went from
dealing with the backend aspects of the business to focusing her time to caring
for people and their well-being. Karen shares, “I am grateful that my unique
skill sets are recognized and I am given all these opportunities to grow within
and lead the organization.” Despite the differences between the two fields,
Karen believes that her experience both as a mother and wife helped mold her
into the leader that she wanted to be. She credits the culture of Shopee for
allowing her to be that. “Being both a mother and a department head has shown
me what it means to be a good leader. Much like motherhood, leadership, at its
very core, is caring for one’s people.”
What
is most rewarding for Karen is getting the admiration of the people whose
opinion matters to her the most: her children. “Recently, I asked my eldest
daughter what she wants to be when she grows up and she simply said, ‘I want to
be like you.’ I am grateful to be doing meaningful work, and I hope my children
strive to do the same someday.”
 |
| Primarose: Rising to the challenge at Shopee Express |
Primarose: Rising to the
challenge at Shopee Xpress
Primarose
is a wife, a mother to three children, and a Shopee Xpress rider. Her unique
journey with Shopee Xpress first began in June of 2021 after the pandemic
forced her to close her souvenir store.
Being
one of the few female riders in her line of profession, Primarose knows she has
to be determined, and she has no regrets. She shared “Iba na ang panahon natin ngayon, hindi lang lalaki ang pwede
magtrabaho. Nais ko ipakita sa mga ibang ina na kayang kaya rin nila makamit
ang kanilang mga hangad.” (We live in a different age where women also have
the opportunity to work. I want to show other mothers that they are capable of
reaching their aspirations.)
She
is now reaping the rewards of her efforts as she is now able to help provide
for her family, and even take them out to eat in restaurants and go on outings.
“Sa lahat ng nangyari mula sa pandemya,
nagpapasalamat ako ng lubos na nagkaroon ako ng pagkakataon na magiging Shopee
Xpress rider. Naging makahulugan ang pagiging ina at asawa ko dahil nabigay ko
sa kanila ang pangangailangan nila mula sa trabaho ko bilang rider.” (Of
all the things to have come out of this pandemic, I am most grateful that it
gave me the opportunity to become a Shopee Xpress rider. I feel fulfilled as
both a mother and wife knowing that I am able to provide for my family through
my job.)
 |
| Mommy Gee: Finding balance as a working mother |
Mommy Gee: Finding balance as
a working mother
Prior
to becoming a Shopee livestreamer, Glenda, also known as Mommy Gee, started her
journey in creating online content by posting about what means most to her: her
children. She is a single mom working multiple jobs to support her three
children, and struggled with something most moms would know about: time
management. Besides doing online content, Mommy Gee is also a licensed real
estate agent and entrepreneur as she owns a Korean food franchise. When the
pandemic struck, her real estate job experienced a hit which is why she chose
to become a Shopee livestreamer. She shared, “As a single mother to three
children, I felt the need to take on as much as I could to make up for the many
lost opportunities I faced during the onslaught of the pandemic. ”
Mommy
Gee chose to persevere doing livestream. At first, she wasn’t confident doing
it but as time went by, she became more confident and eventually began to enjoy
it. She loves helping people find their Shopee budols, and more importantly, connecting and making friends online.
“As a single mother, I feel very blessed to have a job that allows me to spend
more time with my children at home while also also giving me the opportunity to
connect with a supportive online community.” shared Mommy Gee.
She
encourages other working mothers to venture out of their comfort zones and
persevere. Mommy Gee said “Starting out as a Shopee Livestreamer did not come
easy for me, but I stuck with my decision and persevered. Seeing how much I
have grown and learned since then is what pushes me to continue challenging
myself.”
Download the Shopee
app for free via the App Store or Google Play.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
