Allyship in Action ft. Lev Perlman
As part of our ‘Allyship In Action’ series, we caught up with Lev Perlman, Founder & CTO of Metamindz UK.
The purpose of our 'MotherBoard’ content series is to highlight incredible working mums within tech & data, as well as individuals and businesses that are supportive and progressive within their approach to creating more inclusive tech & data teams for women.
Amber: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your current role?
Lev: Absolutely. Would love to start by saying that it is a privilege to contribute to this series! It is so important, especially considering the fact that it looks like women’s rights are going a bit backwards in today’s world. And that is horrible! So this activity is really crucial, and I’m pleased to see this programme and network scaling up and delivering change that the industry needs!
About me - I’m the founder and CTO of Metamindz UK - we’re a company dedicated to early-stage startups (preseed -> series A), whom we provide with a free CTO, and offer software development & design services. Specialising in e-commerce, consumer apps, and B2B SaaS.
I’m also a co-founder at PhaseOne.tech - a series of micro-incubator events in London, empowering aspiring founders to meet their co-founders, receive mentorship, conduct customer research (in search of product-market fit), and launch a startup in a weekend.
Amber: What does being an ally for mums in tech mean to you?
Lev: Personally, it means promoting the change that companies ought to implement in order to make their workplaces more accessible to women. Providing equal opportunities.
In practical terms, it means leading the conversation on that topic (not just publicly), advising startups on implementing the right culture and workplace practices, and showcasing why it’s the right thing to do.
Goes without saying that it also means having the right culture and practices in my own companies and ventures.
Amber: What are the most important traits it takes to be a good ally?
Lev: Not to sugarcoat things, and to be very direct (yet respectful) about the current state of things and the required change when speaking publicly. Not be afraid to name things accurately and say things how they are.
To me, it also means focusing on a specific issue, and not trying to mix it with other issues simultaneously. Seems to be the case that women’s rights have suffered a degradation in their perceived importance and protection due to completely different movements in today’s society, and that is simply unacceptable and unfair towards women.
Amber: Why do you think it’s important to make the tech industry more inclusive of mothers and working parents?
Lev: I think it is important to do so in every industry, not just tech. However, tech is the one industry where such a change is really easy to implement; The absolute majority of roles in tech can be done fully remotely, and using flexible hours - these are the two most basic requirements for working parents.
Looking at it from a utilitarian perspective, tech is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world and has one of the biggest effects on the S&P500, FTSE100, and other indices on the stock market. This is a blessing - one of the most impactful industries is also one of the easiest ones for improving inclusivity for women in general and mothers in particular.
“Tech is the one industry where such a change is really easy to implement; The absolute majority of roles in tech can be done fully remotely, and using flexible hours - these are the two most basic requirements for working parents.”
Amber: What do you think is the main hurdle stopping employers from being more inclusive?
Lev: Let’s look at it as it is - companies still struggle to adopt remote & flexible work (surprisingly, we’ve seen an increase in companies forcing their employees to go back to the office on a full-time basis, now that COVID is practically over).
It is important to respond to this hurdle, and not to just dismiss it, as that’s the only way to shift public opinion. Obviously, from a moral standpoint, it would be absolutely unacceptable to deprive women from the opportunity to participate in the workplace as equals. This is true for whichever hurdle that might exist.
Looking at it from a purely practical perspective, there’s endless research on remote & flexible work, and the associated benefits in productivity when implementing such policies. It comes down to execution. If you’re able to do it well - it will pay off, no ifs and no buts. If you’re not able to do it well, you should hire a team that does. Simple as.
Amber: What do you think the priority should be for creating tangible change for working mums in tech?
Lev: Publicity, loud conversations on the topic, as well as a practical and financial analysis of the associated benefits. Business owners often operate using quite dry, purely operational, and financial concerns. That is often the nature of running a business, and that’s OK. So, to succeed in driving a change in such environments, it is necessary to provide ‘dry’ proof of why promoting this change is the best way forward.
“I think it is up to us, as society, as business owners and employees to drive this change… I’m a strong believer in personal responsibility, so let’s take that responsibility and drive this change - each to the best of their abilities.”
Amber: Who do you think is responsible for making the change?
Lev: I think it is up to us, as society, as business owners and employees to drive this change. Government is there to serve the public interests, so it is up to the public to define what those interests are. I’m a strong believer in personal responsibility, so let’s take that responsibility and drive this change - each to the best of their abilities.
“Listen to women describing what they have to go through on a daily basis and understand what their life looks like. This will give you the energy you need to drive the change. Make it personal.”
Amber: Any final words of advice for other people looking to better support mothers in the Tech Industry?
Lev: Think about your mother. Give her a call and ask her about her experience at work. Think about your wife, your daughter, your sister. Make it personal to you.
Listen to women describing what they have to go through on a daily basis and understand how their life looks like. This will give you the energy you need to drive the change. Make it personal.
MotherBoard is a Business Charter, Community & Event Series, driving tangible change for mums working in the tech industry.
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