Celebrating Women's Leadership: Insights from the female leaders at GCommerce Solutions

GCommerce Solutions is a digital marketing agency specializing in driving direct bookings for hotels and resorts. GCommere is committed to fostering diversity and promoting women's leadership within our organization. Our commitment is reflected in our initiatives to empower women in leadership roles, ensuring equal opportunities for growth and contribution.

Women's History Month is a crucial time to celebrate the remarkable achievements and contributions of women in business, including their innovation, leadership, and resilience. It serves as a platform to recognize the pivotal roles women play in shaping industries like hospitality and digital marketing, inspiring future generations to break barriers and achieve their fullest potential.

To celebrate Women’s History Month, we want you to hear from some GCommerce leaders.

Each leader of the GCommerce team will be answering the following questions:

• What are some challenges you believe are unique to women in leadership roles within the digital marketing industry?
• Can you share strategies or personal experiences that have helped you overcome these challenges and thrive in your leadership role?
• What are some of the most significant achievements and milestones you've reached at GCommerce Solutions?
• What practical advice would you offer to women who aspire to take on leadership roles in digital marketing?

Meet the female leaders of GCommerce Solutions 

Click on the links below to see what each leader had to say.

Lindley Cotton, President

"You don’t have to know everything. Try to approach every situation with curiosity and an open mind. Many women struggle with imposter syndrome (myself included), and you just have to remember that being a leader isn’t about being all-knowing. You should be actively seeking out opportunities to grow and learn every day, which will help you become a more emphatic and well-rounded leader in the future.

Also, seek out mentors. I’ve had several over the years all of which helped me grow different skill sets. A lot of times, you naturally find mentors, but don’t be afraid to speak up and ask someone to help coach you if you know they have expertise in an area that you’re looking to grow."

Read more here

Lisa McGivney, Vice President of Marketing

"Take on challenges you don’t think you’re ready for or know how to do. Trust in yourself that you have the ability to figure it out and work hard to achieve it. In the words of Phish, it’s “time to put your wingsuit on.”

Once you realize everyone is out here just “winging it” you’ll realize you’re more qualified and deserving than you think. Then, once you get there - remember to advocate for yourself and others along the way."

Read more here

Kara Lange, Vice President of Business Development

"Transitioning from an individual contributor to a leadership role can be challenging, but my biggest advice is to seek out opportunities beyond your core responsibilities. Volunteer for projects, take initiative in cross-functional collaboration and develop a strategic mindset beyond your day-to-day role.

Finding a mentor is also invaluable—whether it’s your boss or another senior leader, learning from someone who has navigated leadership can provide critical insights."

Read more here

Erin Fischer, Director of Marketing

"Dream big and vocalize those dreams to anyone who will listen, and then dive in head first. I say all the time that you don’t know what you’re capable of until you are put into the position to do something big. Take any negative or difficult situation and turn it into an opportunity to prove yourself and grow. Be a team player, but speak up for yourself and others.

Challenge everything, but also understand that it’s okay to sit back and give yourself a break too. Find your community and the people who are going to support you."

Read more here

Abby Rosenberger, Director of Account Services

"Pursue your passion rather than simply chasing a paycheck. True success comes from doing work that excites and motivates you every day. When you are genuinely passionate about what you do, that enthusiasm becomes evident in your creativity, decision-making, and leadership. It fuels your drive to continuously learn, innovate, and push boundaries.

Passion not only leads to personal fulfillment but also inspires those around you, helping to shape a meaningful and impactful career. When you love what you do, success naturally follows."

Read more here

Women's History Month serves as a vital reminder to celebrate these achievements while continuing the push for gender equality in the workplace. It is a time to honor the contributions of women who are shaping industries, breaking barriers, and inspiring positive change.

As we reflect on these stories, let’s reaffirm our commitment to supporting and uplifting women in leadership. Their voices, ideas, and expertise are crucial in shaping the future of digital marketing and beyond. Together, we can foster an environment where every woman has the opportunity to thrive and lead.

2024 Equity & Advocacy Team Impact Report

In 2022, GCommerce produced a company survey to gather team member insights on
its Cultural Pillars. While the primary goal was to evaluate which pillars needed to be
updated in a post-pandemic world, GCommerce also found that many team members
requested more education and discussion around Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

Survey respondents were proud of the company efforts towards a more equitable workplace,
but they wanted those efforts to be more formal and institutional. In response,
GCommerce decided to incorporate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion into its foundational
"Cultural Pillars."

The company didn't stop there. Formalizing DEI as a culture pillar was an important first
step, but GCommerce was looking to make an impact, both within the company and the
community.

And that is how the Equity & Advocacy Team was formed.

At the onset, the team drafted a charter to guide the goals, strategies and desired
outcomes of the group. Now, the company presents a recap of the work that has been
done and the outcomes it has generated over the past year.

View our 2024 Equity & Advocacy Team impact report here.

Celebrating Womanhood: GCommerce Traditions

Womanhood is an incredibly diverse experience, with each culture and each family having a unique approach to the journey. From quinceañeras and bat mitzvahs to Sweet 16 parties and menstruation celebrations, people from across the globe celebrate womanhood in all kinds of ways. 

And GCommerce is no exception! Each member of our team comes from a different background and has a unique experience with the concept of womanhood. Here are some of the GCommerce team’s cultural and family traditions for celebrating womanhood.

Alex Scharpf

In our family, we don’t really celebrate “womanhood” any differently than “adulthood” more broadly. However, we do have some minor traditions for “motherhood.” 

The entire extended family always comes together for Mother’s Day, and we make sure to write the name of every mother on a cake. (Though when your family is as big as mine is, it’s definitely a challenge!)

Once you’ve had your first child, you also get upgraded perks at family events. Your Christmas check is larger, you get to sit on the chairs that don’t fold up on you, and you get first dibs on holiday meals. None of these perks apply to the fathers in our family, so it’s really interesting that we specifically celebrate the moms.

Jael Dugdale

I come from a non-traditional family, so we don’t necessarily have a “tradition” to celebrate womanhood. However, what I am doing is passing on my experiences and the spirit of exploration and resilience to my daughter. As she begins to chart her own path, I'll be there for her through the twists and turns of life, cheering her on and empowering her to go after her dreams.

Jaylene Van Lin

Womanhood is a journey passed from my grandmother, through my mother, to me – a story of strength and growth. It starts with my grandmother being raised in the confines of a traditional household. She went on to enter a controlling and abusive marriage, a narrative that dictated her entire life.

But my grandmother always held onto hope for her daughter. She made sure my mother knew her worth, laying the foundation for a different life. While my mother still takes on many domestic duties that she feels obligated to do, her experience of womanhood is a world apart from my grandmother's. Sure, she still cooks my dad dinner every…single…night…but overall, she's treated with respect.

Maybe you know where the story is going now. Yes, my mother also wanted a better life for her daughter – me. Now, as I embrace my independence, I celebrate womanhood each day. I'm grateful for the sacrifices of the women before me, which have given me the freedom to define womanhood my own way. 

Kaylin Long

In my experience growing up in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there hasn’t been any explicit celebration to acknowledge womanhood. But at certain age milestones, people in the religious community would begin to apply different gender roles to you.

At 12 years old, we become a “young woman” and begin attending a class at church that is only with other girls. At 16 years old, we are then encouraged to go on group dates (without steady dating). At 18 years old, “young women” become full-fledged women and move on to a different class, still segregated by gender, called “relief society.” At 18, we’re also expected to begin courting someone seriously with the intention of getting married. Once you’ve gotten married, you’re expected to begin having children and are expected to have as many as you and your spouse can physically support.

Kenyon Cotton

As a father of two daughters, this is a topic near and dear to my heart. In our household, I don’t like assigning gender roles to hobbies and interests. Our main focus is simply trying to build character and resilience, and instill moral values. 

The result is two girls who are fully enabled to explore all facets of the human experience: sports, both organized and extreme; science, mostly in the form of bugs, animals, mud, and exploration; glamour and fashion; being a leader, a follower, or somewhere in between; being a hero and a protector and knowing how to ask for help when they need it. Both transcendence and immanence. 

As I see it, one of our most important jobs as parents is to ensure that they understand that the full spectrum of possibilities is available to them as they work on figuring out how to find fulfillment and happiness, and how to provide value to the world. 

Lisa McGivney

We don’t have any family traditions that I can recall, but I’m excited to start a new one this year! I’ll be going skiing with my daughter for International Women’s Day.

Sharing Traditions

Every woman is unique, so individual traditions of womanhood are equally special. Talk to your coworkers and friends, and see what their own experiences have been. You might learn something new!

2023 DEI Impact Report

In 2022 GCommerce produced a company survey to gather team member insights on its current Cultural Pillars. While the primary goal was to evaluate which pillars needed to be updated in a post-pandemic world, GCommerce also found that many team members requested more education and discussion around Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

And that is how the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Study Group was formed.

Now, over a year after establishing the study group, the company presents a recap of the work that has been done and the outcomes it has generated.

View our 2023 DEI Study Group Impact report here.