Sabrina Ho

Founder of Half The Sky

Discovering that a female candidate was denied a job because she was pregnant inspired Sabrina to set up Half The Sky in 2019. With her platform, she connects talented women with corporations to ensure that they are offered an equal seat at the table.

Sabrina’s own journey has been tumultuous. She was retrenched three times during the 2008 financial crisis. “Initially, it was a challenging and emotional experience,” she says. “However, I soon realised that the layoffs were not a reflection of my abilities or worth as a person, but instead a result of the global economic situation.

“These experiences not only fuelled my determination, but also built my resilience. I saw it as an opportunity to improve my skills, and to keep searching for new job opportunities.”

She would go on to build a successful career in HR, before recognising the need to build a platform that provides equal opportunities for women, in a society that can often be biased and unfair towards the fairer sex.

Can you describe your proudest career moment?

It was when I successfully closed my first deal for my recruitment business, and onboarded my first client for my second business, Half The Sky. It taught me that with a positive outlook and the unwavering drive to succeed, even the toughest of challenges can be overcome. This experience has stayed with me as a source of inspiration and motivation throughout my career.

How have your personal mentors guided you?

Duncan Hewett, author of Accelerating Women: The Key to Growth and Innovation, advises working mothers juggling home and work to “drop the ball and be okay with it”. It’s impossible for anyone to do everything perfectly, and by prioritising and accepting that some things may not get done, we can reduce our stress levels, and focus on what’s most important.

My husband, who is also the cofounder of Half The Sky, told me that you can’t succeed by being afraid of chasing your dreams. Pursue your dreams, and you will ultimately get ahead in life.

What are some of the most common career mistakes you’ve seen?

I believe that one of the biggest mistakes people make is having a fixed mindset. This limits our growth, and prevents us from taking on new challenges and opportunities. To stay competitive for the future of work, we need to embrace a growth mindset. It allows us to learn and grow in our career, and to approach challenges as opportunities for growth and development. By recognising the value of a growth mindset, we are able to unlock new possibilities and achieve greater success in our careers.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give your mentee?

Feel the fear… but do it anyway!