In this episode of the Critical Careers podcast, recorded live in London as part of a collaboration with the Women’s Tech Forum (WTF), Joyce Wady is joined by Jess Simmonds from Google, Ilona Koprowska from Meta, and Simisola Bryan from Megaport for a conversation about creating communities, building meaningful networks, and finding belonging in digital infrastructure. The conversation explores why building a career is not a solo activity. It is shaped by the people around you, the networks you build, the communities you join, and the spaces where you feel able to be yourself. Ilona reflects on her early experience of entering an industry where there were very few women, and how the emergence of women-led communities helped her feel more comfortable and confident. Jess discusses the importance of creating safe spaces where women can connect without pressure, sales agendas, or the need to perform. Simisola shares her perspective on authenticity, success, and the importance of redefining what career achievement looks like. Together, the discussion explores community, informal mentorship, allyship, visibility, personal definitions of success, and the role women’s networks can play in helping the digital infrastructure industry become more diverse, inclusive, and supportive as it continues to grow. “My goal here is to make sure that no one feels how I felt when I started.” - Ilona Koprowska “People can just be authentic and be themselves and create meaningful connections with other women.” - Jess Simmonds “Success is not about a job title. It’s about whatever is important to you, what inspires you, and what makes you happy.” - Simisola Bryan ----- Key Takeaways - Building a career is not a solo activity. Networks, communities, and relationships play a major role in shaping confidence, opportunity, and belonging. - Ilona Koprowska reflects on entering an industry with very few women and how women-led communities helped change her experience of digital infrastructure. - Becoming an active participant in a community can help turn discomfort into confidence, while also creating a more welcoming space for others. - Jess Simmonds explains that WTF events are designed to be safe, authentic spaces where women can connect without pressure or sales agendas. - Community creates room for people to show up as themselves, make meaningful connections, and build support systems that last beyond a single event. - Simisola Bryan highlights that not everyone is trying to become a CEO, and that success should be defined personally rather than only by seniority or title. - Redefining success allows people to build careers that reflect their values, family lives, ambitions, and personal priorities. - Informal mentorship can be just as powerful as formal programs, because guidance often comes through conversations, shared experience, and trusted relationships. - Strong communities provide people who can challenge you, support you, and help you see strengths you may not yet recognize in yourself. - Paying it forward is an important part of community building: the support someone receives can become the guidance they offer to someone else. - Women’s networks help normalise conversations around career development, caregiving, women’s health, confidence, and the realities of working in a male-dominated industry. - Male allies also have an important role to play, particularly in an industry where many senior leadership positions are still held by men. - The guests encourage women to step outside their comfort zones, attend events, speak on panels, be present, and trust that they belong in the room. ----- To learn more about Critical Careers, or to get involved with the Critical Careers community, head to the Critical Careers website or search “Critical Careers”. Thank you to our founding partner, Kao Data, and our season sponsors: CBRE, AVK, JLL, Eversheds Sutherland and Mace Construct.
