Mar 5, 2024 — Would we have created a Barbie card if not for the blockbuster movie? Probably not. Are we glad we did? Absolutely! And we’re especially pleased to feature it here today given March is Women’s History Month and Friday is International Women’s Day. As a matter of fact, we believe affirming the amazing women in our lives is such a vital thing to do all year round that we’ll be automatically adding a FREE Barbie card to every order placed this week.
According to IWD’s site, Friday is a day to celebrate “the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements” of women around the globe, and is also designed as a call to action for accelerating women’s equality. We’re asked to “do what you can to truly make a positive difference for women.”
While you know I generally enjoy sharing with you how so many of our cards originate from members of this Cardie Community, today I’m here to say that the Barbie card is one I wrote from my own experience. You’ve heard equality defined as “having a seat at the table.” Well, to me, it can also mean sometimes stepping away from the table …
Although it was decades ago in Chicago, I remember like it was yesterday sitting in a conference room with five men in top management positions at the large PR agency where I worked at the time. As had happened many times before, hours of discussion had gone by and it seemed I was the only one at the table who had nothing of value to say. Whenever I chimed in, five male heads turned my way, then immediately back to facing each other, as if to convey, “We’re going to pretend we didn’t hear that.”
After too many tries, I stopped offering input and let the Barbie in me have her say. Full of optimism, infinite possibilities, and concern for me, she asked, “How many more times, in how many more meetings, do you intend to chime in when it’s clear they don’t give a hoot?” Hmm. “And you do realize that you can continue to sit at this table for the rest of your career — feeling more diminished by the day — and not one of these fine men will ever see, much less be interested in, your point of view? You don’t think like they do.”
It felt so true. And pointless. And sad! When I sat back (and probably sighed), my wise inner Barbie tried, “You also know this is not the only table in the world, right?” At that, I’m sure I smiled conspiratorially as I finally saw the world opening a little wider for me. “What if you were to find another table,” she mused. “Better yet, build your own!?! Conduct business with people who genuinely want to hear what you have to say just as much as you want to learn from them.” This revelation had been such a long time coming that, that very night, I called the former colleague who’d begun freelancing the year before and proposed, “Let’s join forces, build an agency of our own, and do things the way we know they should be done!” She readily agreed.
I’d say it was about a year later that I ran into the highest-ranking man who’d been in that momentous meeting. Our paths crossed on the Michigan Avenue bridge, where he stopped me midway to say, “I’m glad to see and be able to congratulate you! My son works at Miller Brewing Company and tells me your firm has landed a great piece of Miller’s business. I hear you’re collaborating with Mothers Against Drunk Driving on a campaign to help teach kids the dangers of underage drinking. Good for you! That’s quite an accomplishment for a young firm like yours. Congratulations.”
What felt so good about hearing his gracious words that day was not that he had offered them or finally acknowledged me and my abilities. It was that I didn’t need to hear his words at all! In my heart of hearts, I had already fully embraced the message that our Barbie card now carries: “It doesn’t really matter what or how the world might want us to be. It’s living our own beautiful truth that counts.”
Here’s to you being undeniably You every loving day, Cardies! And to the sisterhood affirming each other along the way.
Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative
Mar 5, 2024 — Would we have created a Barbie card if not for the blockbuster movie? Probably not. Are we glad we did? Absolutely! And we’re especially pleased to feature it here today given March is Women’s History Month and Friday is International Women’s Day. As a matter of fact, we believe affirming the amazing women in our lives is such a vital thing to do all year round that we’ll be automatically adding a FREE Barbie card to every order placed this week.
According to IWD’s site, Friday is a day to celebrate “the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements” of women around the globe, and is also designed as a call to action for accelerating women’s equality. We’re asked to “do what you can to truly make a positive difference for women.”
While you know I generally enjoy sharing with you how so many of our cards originate from members of this Cardie Community, today I’m here to say that the Barbie card is one I wrote from my own experience. You’ve heard equality defined as “having a seat at the table.” Well, to me, it can also mean sometimes stepping away from the table …
Although it was decades ago in Chicago, I remember like it was yesterday sitting in a conference room with five men in top management positions at the large PR agency where I worked at the time. As had happened many times before, hours of discussion had gone by and it seemed I was the only one at the table who had nothing of value to say. Whenever I chimed in, five male heads turned my way, then immediately back to facing each other, as if to convey, “We’re going to pretend we didn’t hear that.”
After too many tries, I stopped offering input and let the Barbie in me have her say. Full of optimism, infinite possibilities, and concern for me, she asked, “How many more times, in how many more meetings, do you intend to chime in when it’s clear they don’t give a hoot?” Hmm. “And you do realize that you can continue to sit at this table for the rest of your career — feeling more diminished by the day — and not one of these fine men will ever see, much less be interested in, your point of view? You don’t think like they do.”
It felt so true. And pointless. And sad! When I sat back (and probably sighed), my wise inner Barbie tried, “You also know this is not the only table in the world, right?” At that, I’m sure I smiled conspiratorially as I finally saw the world opening a little wider for me. “What if you were to find another table,” she mused. “Better yet, build your own!?! Conduct business with people who genuinely want to hear what you have to say just as much as you want to learn from them.” This revelation had been such a long time coming that, that very night, I called the former colleague who’d begun freelancing the year before and proposed, “Let’s join forces, build an agency of our own, and do things the way we know they should be done!” She readily agreed.
I’d say it was about a year later that I ran into the highest-ranking man who’d been in that momentous meeting. Our paths crossed on the Michigan Avenue bridge, where he stopped me midway to say, “I’m glad to see and be able to congratulate you! My son works at Miller Brewing Company and tells me your firm has landed a great piece of Miller’s business. I hear you’re collaborating with Mothers Against Drunk Driving on a campaign to help teach kids the dangers of underage drinking. Good for you! That’s quite an accomplishment for a young firm like yours. Congratulations.”
What felt so good about hearing his gracious words that day was not that he had offered them or finally acknowledged me and my abilities. It was that I didn’t need to hear his words at all! In my heart of hearts, I had already fully embraced the message that our Barbie card now carries: “It doesn’t really matter what or how the world might want us to be. It’s living our own beautiful truth that counts.”
Here’s to you being undeniably You every loving day, Cardies! And to the sisterhood affirming each other along the way.
Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative
Jodee – I think this is probably my favorite column ever. Getting to know you, piece by marvelous piece, over the last few years has been my pleasure. But this story about how you began by making your own table at which to sit — is the best story of all. Thank you for sharing this. It’s hard to believe we could love you more than we already do — but we do!
Here’s to all the great women in our lives who see our worth and shine a light on it. Sometimes the light helps us see it ourself. In addition, here’s to amazing women whose names we know: Barbie, Jodee, Taylor Swift, Caitlin Clark and Cole Brauer. Cole is a 29-year-old who right now is the only woman in an around-the-world solo sailing competition. Later this week is the finish line for her journey. So many amazing women to admire both past & present.
Holy cow, Jodee, what courage and confidence it must have taken to make that move and look at you today. Bravo. It’s frustrating that it has been so hard for women to break that ceiling but little girls today will have more role models than I had at their age and hopefully that upward trend will continue. A toast to the women who know what they are capable of doing and don’t let the naysayers get in their way.
I met Jodee during those early “table times” when our careers intersected at the Michigan Ave. PR firm. Like her, I advanced onward and upward to new seats at different tables. That was 37 years ago, and I have never regretted those career moves. Today, I am a devoted Cardthartic Brand Ambassador (e.g. Cardie), extremely proud of Jodee — and everything we strong and capable women have achieved.
Three cheers — and thank God — for the Barbies and SHEroes among us! ♡
Thank you for sharing that piece of your history, Jodee! Good for you for having the courage to take a chance on yourself at a time when all those men around the table didn’t take us very seriously.
Love this! Here’s to you…walking your own way, Barbie-thartic!!
Jodee,
How I enjoyed reading your history and recall sitting around such a table, among mostly men in earlier years. We persevered and waited our turn, occasionally in the same or different arena…learning how valued we were all along.
Thank you for sharing…I admire and value you so!
I just love this! Kudos to you, Jodee! The “What We Dream We Can Do” card is actually in my stack to be sent to my soon to be 12 year old great niece!
What can I add to all these wonderful comments from your Cardie fans? I can only say that they are true! We can only be thankful that you realized what you had to share! You are a credit to all women everywhere! Thank you, Jodee! PS Your Dad is so very proud of you!