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Breaking the Bro Code: Women Reboot Tech in 2025
This is your Women in Business podcast.
Welcome to Women in Business, the podcast where we showcase drive, ambition, and hard-won victories for women in boardrooms, labs, and coding sprints. Today, we dive head-first into the realities and opportunities that women are facing in the tech industry as the economic landscape shifts in 2025.
Let’s get straight to it: the tech field is undeniably influential and fast-evolving, but it’s also where the **gender gap remains stubbornly visible**. While women make up about 26% of the STEM workforce in the U.S. and around 25 to 30% globally in tech roles, fewer than 20% hold leadership positions. Think about that: less than one in five leaders at tech firms is a woman, and only 8% of chief technology officers are female. Not a single Big Five tech company—Google, Apple, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft—has ever had a woman CEO. These numbers aren’t just data points. They represent a challenge, but also a clarion call for change.
But the gender gap isn’t just about titles and roles. Women in tech report persistent *“bro culture”*—in fact, a whopping 72% have said it persists in their workplace. This isn’t just anecdotal; it’s a signal that workplace dynamics and inclusion policies need a harder look. Many women share stories of microaggressions, invisible labor, and the exhausting dance of being the “only” in the room. Despite this, women-led startups and communities, like the WomenTech Network and StrongDM, are fighting to redefine the narrative—making diversity a business strength rather than a checkbox.
Economic headwinds, layoffs, and venture funding challenges have hit women in tech especially hard. The pandemic saw more women leave the sector, but remote work also unlocked new opportunities for flexibility and resilience. Yet, half of all women who start in tech leave by age 35. Disproportionate burnout, lack of mentorship, and pay disparities remain considerable obstacles. Men in tech earn, on average, $15,000 more per year than women in similar positions. In some technical roles, the gap widens even further.
Despite these setbacks, there is surge in momentum. Remote work, targeted education programs, and diversity initiatives continue to open doors for more women seeking entry—or re-entry—into tech. Forward-thinking metro areas like Columbia, South Carolina and Little Rock, Arkansas are proving that accelerating gender diversity isn’t limited to Silicon Valley anymore. Companies are starting to realize that boosting female representation and promoting pay equity isn’t just ethical—it fuels productivity, creativity, and innovation.
Let’s consider actionable strategies and discussion points for this journey:
The first: How are mentorship, sponsorship, and visible role models changing the tech landscape for future generations?
Second, what does genuine pay equity look like, and how can women advocate for themselves and others in negotiations or policy conversations?
Third: What are the most powerful ways women-led networks and startups are helping each other break the glass ceiling, especially beyond the biggest tech hubs?
Fourth: How can remote work, online education, and flexible policies serve as catalysts instead of just coping mechanisms for women looking for opportunity?
And finally, what does it mean to navigate—and dismantle—the lingering “bro culture” still present in many tech workplaces, so the next wave of talent doesn’t have to?
So, whether you’re coding your first app, spearheading an engineering team, or building a business from scratch: the tech industry needs your leadership, innovation, and perspective more than ever. Together, with intentional action, we’re transforming a landscape that has for too long failed to reflect the drive, talent, and potential of women.
Thank you for tuning in today. Don’t forget to hit subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Thi
Published on 3 months, 2 weeks ago