This letter from Emma Lo is part of Pavilion’s International Women’s Day 2025 collection, where the women of Pavilion share heartfelt letters to their younger selves. Through these reflections, they explore the lessons, challenges, and defining moments that have shaped their careers. Read more inspiring stories here.
Dear Emma, 
When you were young, your father filled your bookshelves with biographies of great women scientists. Marie Curie, Rosalind Franklin, Ada Lovelace. He spoke about them with reverence, as if their stories held a secret formula for success. You learned early that intelligence and hard work mattered, that discovery was a noble pursuit, and that your path—though unconventional for a girl—was possible.
But what those books never told you was how often these women had to fight to be heard. That part, you learned on your own.
In school, you excelled. You asked questions, explored ideas, and thrived in spaces where knowledge was the currency. Your father believed in you, and in his eyes, that belief was enough. But as you stepped into adulthood, something shifted. You started waiting.
Waiting to be called on in meetings. Waiting until you were absolutely sure before speaking. Waiting for permission to take the next step in your career. Somewhere along the way, the confidence to question and explore had been replaced with the pressure to be perfect.
I wish I could tell you to stop waiting sooner.
You will sit in rooms where your ideas are valuable, but you will hesitate. You will watch others speak with less experience, less insight, and more certainty, and you will wonder what they have that you don’t. The answer is nothing. The difference is they go first.
My advice for you is this. Go first. Say the thing. Take the opportunity. No one is going to tap you on the shoulder and tell you it is your turn. It already is.
You once admired the women in those biographies for their brilliance. But now, you admire them for their persistence. They did not wait for a seat at the table. They built the table.
And so will you.
Love,
Emma
The Women of Pavilion Community is a dynamic subcommunity dedicated to fostering belonging, knowledge-sharing, and professional growth for women in go-to-market. Led by Anne Pao, Founder and CEO of Ignite Consulting, and Lindsay Tjepkema, Founder and CEO of Human Brands Win, this group empowers members to break barriers, advocate for themselves authentically, and advance both personally and professionally through curated content, exclusive events, and a supportive network.
Curious to learn more? Explore Pavilion membership.
