Typically, I manage productions with pre-pro to distribution project contract employees of 300 people, and the vast majority are men. I really was fortunate to enjoy the respect of men and women I hired along the way.

Women make excellent multi-tasking managers, and in my case, was typically responsible for upwards of $11 million in outgo each year. I am color and gender blind when hiring talent, but often find women not courageous enough to climb the business ladder.

I sense a shift towards women finally being honored and valued in the business place, in marketing, financial world, entertainment, law, medicine and education. Politics and government seem to be absent, though, with balanced representation of our country’s population.

We need to support of men who “get it” and are not threatened by talented and capable business women. There are too many wonderful opportunities to help the small business community and society at large, for us all not to work in cooperation with all of our wonderful talents we can contribute.

The glass ceiling exists – many women do experience it. How many more though hold themselves back? How many underestimate their value, their contribution, and their potential with the result that they never put themselves up for advancement? This ’sticky floor’ syndrome is something that we all need to look out for and challenge so that everyone with talent comes knocking at the door for leadership positions.

I was saddened by the reported comment of the organiser of the Women’s Day march in Sydney, dismissing the men who had turned up to show their support with the words ‘We don’t need them’. I strongly disagree and hope men with the courage of their convictions will not be put off by such divisive and unhelpful remarks.