Nice Girls Finish First: Redefining Strength Through Kindness and Courage
- 21 hours ago
- 3 min read
By Giada Sabatini
In 2013, I made one of the most defining decisions of my life: I left Italy and moved to the United Kingdom. I didn’t just change countries—I stepped into the unknown. A new culture, a new language, and a completely new career path awaited me. What I didn’t realise at the time was that this journey would shape not only my professional life, but also my understanding of what it truly means to succeed.
I chose to build a career in IT, a field where women are still underrepresented. Walking into that world for the first time was intimidating. I often found myself as the only woman in the room, navigating environments where I had to prove my worth more than once. At the same time, I was learning English, studying for certifications, and trying to build a stable life in a foreign country. It was not easy—but it was worth it.
There were moments when I felt like I didn’t belong. Moments when self-doubt crept in, whispering that perhaps this path was too ambitious. But I held onto something stronger than fear: my determination to grow while staying true to who I am. I didn’t want to succeed by becoming someone else. I wanted to succeed by becoming more of myself.
As my confidence grew, so did my purpose. I realised that my journey wasn’t just about building a career—it was about opening doors for others. That realisation led me to join the Women in Tech global community, where I found not only support but also a shared mission: empowering women to find their voice in the technology space.
Through this community, I began supporting other women who were at the beginning of their journeys—women who, just like me, doubted themselves, questioned their abilities, and wondered if they truly belonged. I shared my experiences openly: the struggles, the setbacks, the small victories. And in doing so, I saw something powerful happen. Confidence started to grow—not just in me, but in them.
Mentorship became a natural extension of my path. I had the privilege of mentoring women in India and Egypt, helping them take their first steps into the IT world right after university. These women were talented, driven, and full of potential—but often, they just needed someone to believe in them. Someone to say, “You can do this.”
What I learned through these experiences is that leadership is not about authority—it’s about impact. It’s about showing up with authenticity, leading with kindness, and creating space for others to rise. You don’t need a title to be a leader. Sometimes, leadership looks like a conversation, a piece of advice, or simply being there when someone needs encouragement.
Of course, the journey hasn’t been without challenges. Building a life in a new country required resilience. Learning a new language required patience. Growing in a demanding career required discipline. But perhaps the greatest challenge was staying true to myself through it all.
There were times when it would have been easier to adapt by hardening my approach, by becoming less empathetic, less open. But I chose a different path. I chose kindness. I chose authenticity. And I chose to believe that these qualities were not limitations, but strengths.
Today, I look back and realise that success is not defined by titles or achievements alone. It is defined by the lives we touch, the people we uplift, and the paths we help create for others.
“Nice girls finish first” is not just a phrase—it is a truth I have lived. Kindness did not slow me down; it strengthened me. Authenticity did not hold me back; it guided me. And supporting other women did not divide success—it multiplied it.
Because when one woman rises with kindness, she doesn’t rise alone—she brings others with her.
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