Jules Hall-Goode is a Digital Marketing & Ecommerce Manager who completed a Level 5: Women In Leadership Apprenticeship and has worked at Selco Builders Warehouse for 6.5 years.
As a Digital Marketing & Ecommerce Manager, I manage the company’s online presence across multiple digital channels, ensuring projects, products and services are clearly communicated to existing and prospective customers. I help to plan and execute digital marketing campaigns, manage the website and overlook SEO efforts to generate traffic, oversee paid media and social media channels, and create content that showcases our products, services and expertise.
For Jules, her apprenticeship supported her to develop her skills: I’ve moved into a bigger role with more responsibility, changing from SEO & Content Manager to Digital Marketing & Ecommerce Manager. I believe a lot of this can be attributed to the skills that I developed during the apprenticeship and the confidence I gained to try new things and not be so afraid of failing, knowing that there will be a learning to take from everything.
On what it feels like to be a woman in a male-dominated industry, Jules said: It feels like the landscape is full of potential and opportunity. While progress is being made, there are still a lot less women than men in leadership roles to look up to and learn from. The lack of women leaders can make the path feel less visible to other women – which is exactly why representation matters. I think seeing women in leadership doesn’t just change perceptions – it changes what feels possible too.
As well as honing her people management & coaching skills, Jules’ apprenticeship helped her confidence grow: I have gained a lot of self confidence, becoming more assertive and assured in myself and trusting my own ability to make informed decisions and think strategically. We learned a lot about emotional intelligence and I feel that although this is an inherent skill of mine, I have become conscious of how necessary it is when leading a team and dealing with a diverse range of stakeholders.
The women in leadership course has also been instrumental in helping me overcome imposter syndrome. I’ve gained the reassurance that my ideas, experience and voice are valuable. It’s helped me step into opportunities with greater self-belief, manage pressure, advocate for myself and feel comfortable leading with authenticity.
On Role Models and mentors, Jules credits those closest to her: The women I work with day to day were my biggest role models and inspiration. Seeing how they lead, make decisions and support others had a huge influence on me. I was also heavily influenced by Sheryl Sandberg’s ‘Lean In’ theory to proactively pursue leadership opportunities by taking chances to build confidence, take risks, and challenge internal and external barriers in the workplace.
Jules has seen positive changes since joining the industry: There’s been a strong push for diversity and inclusion supported by initiatives, apprenticeships and spotlight campaigns recently. There’s also been a noticeable increase in female influencers taking up space on social media. At the same time, it’s been nice to see a focus on sustainability and green building becoming more of a focus within the industry as well as slowly starting to embrace digital transformation.
Finally, within Selco specifically, there is a growing emphasis on modern leadership and skills development, with leadership training, mentorship programs, and professional development opportunities becoming more widely available along with the introduction of a diversity network and women’s network.
On advice for other women considering entering the industry, Jules says: Don’t underestimate what you bring to the table. The building industry needs diverse perspectives, strong communication and modern leadership. Seek out allies and mentors, ask questions without hesitation and trust that your voice and ideas matter. There is absolutely a need for more women to get involved in growing, leading and shaping the future of the industry.
Jules shares her aim of sharing her story with others: I hope my journey shows that the building industry is open to all women, regardless of background, culture or life experience. Intersectionality reminds us that women face different barriers depending on their identities and I hope my experience encourages more women from diverse backgrounds to step in take on leadership roles, and shape a more inclusive and innovative industry.
