When I was at school, if you’d told me I’d end up working in tech, I’d have laughed. I didn’t have a single tech bone in my body! I studied psychology at university and somehow found myself in the tech world almost by accident. But what’s kept me here — and helped me grow through some of life’s biggest moments — has been something I never expected: genuine, lived flexibility.
A winding road to Cisco
My career hasn’t followed a straight line, and I love that about it. After graduating, I joined a grad scheme at a cyber security company, getting stuck into channel and partner marketing. I later spent a year on the partner side, effectively working for Cisco from the outside in.
That experience taught me I’m a vendor person at heart — but it also gave me a real insight into Cisco’s culture. It just breathed through everything; even from the outside, you could feel it. Cisco was always somewhere I wanted to be.
It wasn’t a smooth landing, mind you — I didn’t get the first role I applied for. But I was moved forward for a marketing account manager role, did that for two and a half years, and then moved into a more strategic service provider role.
When life and work collide
Then I found out I was pregnant with my first son. I was in a global role with calls morning and evening, and I knew I wanted something more UK or EMEA-focused.
I joined a new team when I was eight months pregnant. I kept feeling like I had to apologise for coming in and then leaving for maternity leave so quickly — until my manager sat me down and said, “Stop apologising — this is a life moment for you.” That support set the tone for everything that followed.
My husband and I did shared parental leave, so he took three months at the end of mine. It made coming back after such a huge change so much easier, because I knew my son was in the best hands.
Flexibility when it mattered most
Most recently, I returned from maternity leave with my second son to a brand-new setup and a new manager — and a baby who was very different from my first. He really struggled to settle into nursery; he cried every day for three months.
With everything happening at once — moving house, changing nursery, both of us returning to work — I spoke to my manager about going down to four days, just temporarily, to give my boys a smoother transition.
It felt so smooth and easy to have that conversation. There was no friction, no sense that I was asking for too much. Having an end date in mind helped, too — it meant I really appreciated that time and could focus fully on my family, knowing they’d be in good hands when I returned full-time. I’m now back to five days (it’s my first week!), and it’s all worked out beautifully.
The support around working a shorter week has been just as powerful. There’s never been an expectation that I take a Friday call. Once, when a set of meetings was scheduled for Fridays, I felt a wave of panic — but the moment I explained I couldn’t do that day, the answer was simply, “Absolutely, I’ll change it.” No questions, no “but this works better for everyone.” My manager even tells me off for messaging people on a day off!
What’s struck me is how rare this still feels. I didn’t expect it, because I didn’t know many people who didn’t work five days. But hearing other people’s stories — colleagues, friends, other nursery mums — showed me how successfully it can work. It’s been a genuinely new experience for me, and one I wish more people knew was possible.
Bringing your true self to work
That same spirit of flexibility runs through my work with Women of Cisco, too. One of my core values is fairness, and that drives me to want to make a positive difference — whether through community, through openness, or through creating space for people to bring their true selves to work.
I went through a really difficult time in 2023, losing a baby at eleven weeks. I was a complete mess – but I was so supported. I took time off, the leaders were so understanding, and I’ve since spoken about it openly, because I believe being open helps others feel less alone.
That belief shaped the Let’s Talk About It webinar series, covering everything from women’s health to grief, caregiving, and menopause. The ripple effect was incredible — it opened the door for everyone to listen, understand, and lead with more empathy.
Because so often, people are quietly carrying things we can’t see. Flexibility and understanding go hand in hand: when workplaces give people room to be human, everyone shows up better.
Raising the next generation
As a mum of two young boys, the way I work matters beyond just me. My husband and I share everything equally — he’s the main contact for our youngest at the doctor, takes him to physio, does nursery pickups. It’s important for the boys to see that balance modelled at home.
And the flexibility means I’m around on a Friday, more present, more available. Hopefully that’s a progression that continues, so that by the time they’re grown, some of these issues aren’t even on the table.
Where we are now
We’re in a great place — though there’s still plenty of work to do. But when a company gives people the flexibility to thrive through life’s biggest moments, that’s when you see the best in everyone. I feel genuinely lucky, and I hope more people come to see this kind of flexibility not as a perk, but as the norm.
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