Grainne Arif

Job:

Founder | Operations Director

Company:

EmergeCyber

EmergeCyber is a small business, meaning it's all hands on deck. I look after marketing, design, operations, and generally getting everything and everyone to work more productively and efficiently. My aim is to translate complex technical information into clear, accessible formats.

I am...

Organised

Empathetic

Friendly

The skills I use most in my job...

Graphic Design

Website Design

SEO Analytics

Operations

Marketing

The most interesting thing I've worked on in my career so far...

SEO - I like seeing how different content and mediums can have an impact and how we can constantly improve. The analytical side of me likes to see how everything plays out, and the visual side of me likes it to look good.

What inspired me into digital and tech...

Honestly, it was luck, a sliding doors moment and a willingness to teach myself and give it a go. I didn't overthink it. I just did what I enjoyed and worked on improving it.

My educational background is...

I have a BA (Hons) in Business Management, and I fell into tech, which then led to design and operations. I was an IT Manager for a surveying firm back in the days when you had to buy email addresses and I took down the server on one of my first days! I'm self-taught and was lucky enough to have a boss who gave me free rein and encouraged me to learn as I went along. After having children, I started working on websites, graphics, SEO, I preferred it to the technical side of the business, and it enabled me to be more flexible.

What advice I'd give to girls thinking about a career in digital and tech...

There are so many options in digital and tech, don't let the old-fashioned (male) image put you off - the field is vast and opportunities are endless. Think how much progress could be made if more women/girls were involved, and don't let imposter syndrome get in the way.