In this edition of Women in Business, women were interviewed who are employed in typically male-dominated industries or in a position that was historically filled by a man.

These women share their stories of being underrepresented in their field and leadership roles 鈥� in the hope that their perseverance and success become the guiding light for the next generation of women in business, so they continue to break glass ceilings and meet their goals.

Women in Business shows who the movers and the shakers are in 琉璃神社 and that there is always a space to share stories of successful women.

Pete the Cat, Hotel Transylvania animated series or Max and Ruby might sound familiar as programs you or someone younger than yourself watches, but did you know that these shows were made and produced right here in 琉璃神社 by Okanagan artists at a local animation firm?

Ashley Ramsay鈥檚 Yeti Farm Creative, based in downtown 琉璃神社, has produced internationally-recognized children鈥檚 shows and is poised to do more. As the COVID-19 global pandemic hit, people stayed home and used streaming services more, which Ramsay said increased the demand for content resulting in Yeti Farm thriving rather than diving.

But before it became a success, Yeti Farm actually started out as a 鈥渟ide hustle鈥�, according to Ramsay.

鈥淢y husband was doing freelance animation work at different agencies, and I was on maternity leave for our first child,鈥� she said.

鈥淚 had started a baby product business at the same time, and so it started out as our side hustle and over the years, we were able to grow it here at home in 琉璃神社.鈥�

Founded in 2007, Yeti Farm didn鈥檛 fully take off until 2013, beginning with five employees and now, the studio employs 175 producers and animators. As a woman leading a team in a traditionally male-dominated, Ramsay said it has had its challenges.

鈥淚 think there鈥檚 always a struggle when you鈥檙e a female entrepreneur, especially when you鈥檙e trying to raise capital. There鈥檚 a lot of preconceived notions about women鈥檚 roles as a natural bias when we walk into a room with a company that鈥檚 got a kickass balance sheet and revenue that鈥檚 going up 300 pre cent,鈥� she said.

鈥淚 sometimes wonder what is the biased lens that they鈥檙e looking through. Sometimes you can鈥檛 even really put your finger on it, but that鈥檚 been the most challenging thing. But as a woman leader, I don鈥檛 really walk in the door every day and think 鈥榦h I鈥檓 a woman鈥�, I just feel like I鈥檓 doing the best I can as a leader for the company no matter my gender.鈥�

Ramsay said one of the keys to her success is persistence.

鈥淚 honestly think it鈥檚 persistence. When you have a vision and a goal, which for us was to create as many jobs as possible in this industry and being able to put 琉璃神社 on the map, you just have to keep going. You don鈥檛 really overcome something unless you see a goal through and you see it happening. You just got to keep going. You can鈥檛 let anything take you down.鈥�