Flywheel Marketing’s CEO on why sponsorship, pay transparency, and risk-taking matter for women in leadership

Carrie Mott reflects on the role of sponsorship in career growth, the barriers holding women back from leadership, and the urgent need for pay transparency in tech.

Building a successful career in technology requires more than expertise—it takes strategic risk-taking, stepping beyond your comfort zone, and knowing when to speak up for yourself.

Carrie Mott, CEO of Flywheel Marketing, has built a career across sales, marketing, and customer success, working with global technology brands and high-growth companies.

She credits her success to mentorship, sponsorship, and a willingness to challenge conventional thinking, especially when it comes to leadership and diversity.

As part of ADAPT’s International Women’s Day 2025 celebration, we spoke with Carrie about the value of sponsorship, calculated risk-taking, and why self-advocacy—not self-promotion—is key to career growth.

Mentorship, sponsorship, and the power of advocacy

Carrie has benefited from both mentorship and sponsorship, but she emphasises the critical role of sponsors—leaders who actively advocate for talent, rather than just offering advice.

“I lean more towards my sponsors than I do my mentors. Those sponsors take a much more proactive role in pushing me out of my comfort zone, helping me take on projects I wouldn’t have considered, and ensuring I have visibility in leadership conversations.”

While mentorship provides valuable guidance, she sees sponsorship as essential for advancing into leadership.

Organisations serious about gender equity must focus on fostering sponsors, not just mentors, to accelerate career opportunities for women in tech.

Why women need to take more risks

Carrie believes that one of the biggest barriers holding women back is their hesitation to take calculated risks.

She has observed that women are less likely than men to step into roles they don’t feel fully qualified for, despite having the skills to succeed.

“Women are much less likely to take calculated risks than men are, and that’s where so much of the reward lies.”

She encourages women to rethink their approach to risk-taking—whether it’s volunteering for a high-stakes project, advocating for a promotion, or stepping into an unfamiliar leadership role. Growth happens in discomfort, and embracing new challenges is what opens doors.

Diversity targets vs. real change

For companies looking to improve diversity, Carrie believes transparency is the first step. Diversity targets, when used correctly, highlight inequities and create accountability for change.

“I don’t believe diversity targets are superficial. If we’re not tracking gender representation and publishing that data, how do we expect to fix the imbalance?”

Beyond targets, she sees pay equity as the most urgent issue. With the gender pay gap still affecting women at every career level, businesses must commit to pay transparency and correcting disparities—not just in hiring but in ongoing career progression and leadership appointments.

The importance of self-advocacy

Carrie challenges the notion that self-promotion is uncomfortable or unnecessary. Instead, she reframes it as self-advocacy—an essential skill for career growth.

“Self-promotion can feel like a dirty word, but every team, every business function, and every professional needs to advocate for their work. That’s how we secure funding, gain recognition, and create impact.”

She encourages women to actively share their achievements, whether through leadership discussions, industry recognition, or internal awards. Visibility is not about personal gain—it ensures that the contributions of women in tech are acknowledged and valued at the same level as their male counterparts.

What keeps women in tech?

Carrie is passionate about not just attracting women to the tech industry, but ensuring they stay and thrive. The challenge, she notes, is that many women exit the field at key career stages due to a lack of support, flexibility, and long-term growth opportunities.

“Every company is a tech company now, so this conversation isn’t just about ‘women in tech’—it’s about making sure women have the same opportunities to lead, innovate, and grow across industries.”

To retain women in leadership, businesses need to offer better career pathways, more inclusive cultures, and policies that enable long-term success—not just entry-level representation.

Equal pay is the priority

When asked what one action Australian businesses should take to accelerate gender equity, Carrie is unequivocal.

“Equal pay. Transparency. Correcting the gap. Equal pay.”

While cultural change takes time, pay equity is a tangible and immediate step organisations can take.

She believes that public reporting, clear accountability, and ongoing adjustments are necessary to close the gender pay gap within our lifetime.

Carrie Mott shared insights on achieving digital product excellence and creating seamless digital experiences at a Digital Edge panel.