Territory Celebrates International Women’s Day: Q&A with Head of People Traci Kaplan

At Territory we know that women of all backgrounds impact the world every day, and we are so proud to have a majority female executive team to lead us through thick and thin. To celebrate these incredible women, and all women on International Women’s Day and throughout Women’s History Month, we sat down with our female executives to speak about their journeys and how they got to where they are today.

How long have you been with Territory and what do you love most about working here?

I started with Territory on March 2, 2020 so I am coming up on my 1 year anniversary. 

There are so many things I love about Territory – of course the mission and vision of what we do as a company and in serving our customers. For me, it goes much deeper. Because we are a fully remote company, there is a level of trust that must be inherent in all of us and in what we do. This makes the culture special – knowing that there is trust among the team, and a genuine passion from everyone to see Territory succeed. 

What is your role at Territory and what do you do?

My role is Head of People and it’s my responsibility to ensure we are hiring the best people for our team, shaping and cultivating our unique culture, and creating programs and policies to enhance every employee’s experience at Territory.  I am focused on ensuring we have the best recruiting strategy, performance management, compensation and retention plans, training and development, and making Territory a great place to work.

To celebrate International Women’s Day, can you tell us who your female role model is?

Working moms of 2020!  Last year was like nothing we had ever seen, and we certainly couldn’t prepare for it. As a working mom myself, I was challenged with figuring out a “new normal” when the pandemic hit, and then watched as friends, colleagues, and women all over the world had to function in a completely different way.  We got creative, we had lots of ups and downs, but at the end of the day, we made it work in the best way possible for our individual needs. Sometimes that came down to making tough decisions, but there was a feeling that we had each other’s backs, and we had to do what was best for our unique personal situations. 

What advice would you give women who want to be leaders?

Go for it!  We can have it all, it’s just about balance and prioritization. There will always be competing priorities, so it’s important to focus on making a difference, treating people with respect, modeling great behavior, and holding yourself accountable. It won’t always be easy, but it will be worth it! 

Thank you Traci, for all the hard work you do for the people of Territory!