Senior exec at Etsy visits Smart Woman Securities

Executive | Apr 07, 2014 | Claire Curry

By Noelle Brennan (GSB ’15)

Smart Woman Securities Associates welcomed Katie Hunt-Morr, senior manager of values and impact at Etsy, to speak to the group on April 2. In her role at Etsy— a handmade marketplace that connects buyers and sellers—she focuses on lessening the firm’s ecological footprint and improving the company’s community engagement.

She brings to her position experience in charitable work, women’s education and environmental consciousness. “I didn’t have a straight path, and it didn’t matter,” said Hunt-Morr about the journey that led her to the firm.

When it comes to being a woman in the workplace, Ms. Hunt-Morr said she sees a difference between Etsy and other employers.  “At many firms, one type of woman succeeds,” said Morr, adding that to rise in rank women must be extremely aggressive or settle for a lower-ranking position. “That’s tough because that’s not most of us.”

At Etsy, Ms. Hunt-Morr said that women don’t necessarily need to fit into one of these distinct roles in order to get things done and be effective. She referred to the firm’s Employee Happiness Survey which proves it.

Time and time again, Ms. Hunt-Morr expressed the importance of job fulfillment and satisfaction. She said that Etsy’s fun, creative and caring environment seeks to appeal to all employees regardless of their job description. The company is decidedly transparent with their employee satisfaction initiatives in hopes that they can serve as a model for other firms and change the way that people view work, and the workplace.