Interwoven Episode 16 - Beyond the Glass Ceiling: Becks Yelland’s Path to Founding Female Product Lead

Before launching Female Product Lead, Becks Yelland spent years navigating male-dominated industries, often finding herself without examples of women in leadership. That absence was both a daily frustration and a formative force. The lack of visible female role models left her questioning not just how leadership should look, but how authentic, confident leadership could develop in environments not built for her.

The seed for Female Product Lead was less a lightning-bolt idea than a quietly insistent need—one Becks Yelland could no longer ignore. She saw women “who need lifting up every now and then” and realised that thriving individually wouldn’t be enough if others remained isolated and unsupported. The initial community wasn’t born with grand ambitions; it grew from curiosity, persistence and the simple urge to test if others felt the same. Achieving traction took over a year—proving that even experienced professionals are forced to “put something out there” and wait for uncertain feedback, all the while questioning whether it will connect.

Throughout, Becks Yelland drew on her confidence and capacity to encourage others, but also faced doubt and learned by doing. Event planning, mentorship models, and standing against burnout all came with setbacks, shifts and decisions made in real time. Her definition of success changed, too: from individual achievement to serving as a catalyst for collective growth and equity. For listeners, her story is a gentle reminder that becoming a founder is less about already having the answers and more about responding to needs, experimenting with support, and being willing to grow—again and again, often from the beginner’s seat.