Oncue’s Women in Leadership

Did you know that our leadership team is over 65% female? We’re celebrating the amazing women at Oncue this Women’s History Month!

In our final interview, we talked to Clair Simpson. Clair is the Director of Marketing and she’s been with Oncue since July 2020. She’s based in Toronto, Canada with her partner Heather, an independent filmmaker, and their two dogs, Tobi and Poofa.

Originally from Scotland, Clair has lived and worked in the UK, Australia, Canada, and the US. An avid traveller, she spends her weekends exploring the beautiful forests and lakes of Ontario, discovering new recipes, and in a pre-covid life, going out to restaurants and the cinema.

Clair began her career in journalism, and quickly discovered a love for all things digital marketing. She has over a decade of marketing experience in a variety of industries, from global corporate law firms to small tech startups.

Clair, what has been the most satisfying moment in your career so far?

When I made the decision to move to Canada, my aim was to find a company where I felt like I was doing some good in the world. If you’d asked me then, I would never have guessed that I’d end up living in Toronto while working for a Bay Area company, with a team that I’d only ever met through Zoom. Through a series of unexpected covid-related events, I joined the team at Oncue and it has truly been one of the best things that has happened in my career to date. We’re making a big difference in the lives of so many small business owners, and it’s incredibly satisfying to be part of this team and company as it grows.

How would you describe your leadership style?

Over the years, I’ve had managers that created environments where I could soak in an incredible amount of marketing knowledge and leadership skills. I’ve also had managers that have shown me exactly what not to do as a leader. As I continue to build out the marketing department at Oncue, I strive to create a collaborative environment where everyone in my team has the freedom to develop into exactly the kind of marketing professional that they want to be.

What advice would you give yourself just starting out?

If you have days where you feel like you’re a little out of your depth, remember that almost everyone else will feel the same way at some point. Even those who come across like they always know exactly what they are doing have moments of uncertainty. And that’s totally normal.

Who are your role models?

A manager from the early days of my career was a woman in a very challenging, toxic, and male-dominated environment. I learned a lot from her about how to remain calm and focused in an extremely stressful environment. Outside of work, it would be Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She wasn’t perfect, but her relentless pursuit of ending gender-based discrimination had a momunemntal impact on women’s rights over the decades. We named our car RBG.

What would you say are the disadvantages of companies that do not have women in leadership positions?

As a child, it’s incredibly important to see yourself represented in the world, whether that’s on television, in films, or in the workplace. For many people, particularly people of color and LGBTQ+, that still does not happen. It’s imperative that these people hold positions of leadership so that the generations following can see themselves represented. Diversity within the workplace encourages an environment rich with different life experiences, perspectives, and ideas. It is essential to creating a productive, innovative, and successful company.

Finally, how do you see the moving industry changing in the next 5 years?

The moving industry is growing exponentially, and that isn’t going to stop. People have been given a taste of the freedom that comes with remote working, and that isn’t likely to end when the pandemic does. As people continue to move more frequently than ever before, the moving industry is going to keep growing. With this growth, comes digital transformation. We’ll start to see more and more changes to the systems and processes that moving companies employ to help streamline the customer experience. I’m excited to be part of the team at Oncue as we continue to help moving companies around the country to grow.

To learn more about the other incredible Oncue women in leadership we have highlighted in this series click here: Kassie & Erica & Falisse.