When people talk about gender equality in business, the conversation often focuses on representation. Yet according to PR strategist Samantha Dybac, the real issue runs deeper.

For Dybac, the UN Women  Australia  IWD theme of “Balance the Scales” is ultimately about something less obvious.

“For me, it’s about influence,” she says. “Who gets funded. Who gets believed. Who is trusted to lead before they’ve had to over-prove themselves.”

As the founder of a PR agency that works with ambitious, technology-driven and founder-led businesses, Dybac spends a lot of time in investor meetings, strategy sessions and media conversations. Over the past decade she has seen how the right narrative can open doors, while the wrong positioning can quietly slow a business down.

“I’ve seen firsthand how narrative shapes access to capital, partnerships and traction,” she says.

According to Dybac, the scales begin to balance when women are supported.

“The scales start to balance when women aren’t just present in those rooms, but are backed with the same clarity, confidence and strategic positioning as their male peers because visibility isn’t ego. It’s leverage.”

The funding gap still tells the story

One of the clearest examples of imbalance remains access to capital.

Dybac points to the 2025 State of Startup Funding report, which showed that startups with at least one female founder secured 24 per cent of total capital this year. While that figure represents a strong rebound from 15 per cent the year before and the best result since 2019, the deeper data tells a different story.

“When you look deeper, all-female founding teams still received just 2 per cent of total capital,” she says. “So while the headline suggests progress, the structural imbalance has not meaningfully shifted.”

Dybac also sees the gap play out in more subtle ways in day-to-day business life.

“I’ve had female founders tell me they hesitate to step into the media spotlight because they don’t want to appear self-promotional,” she says.

That hesitation can have long-term consequences, especially in industries where visibility helps attract investors, customers and partnerships.

“Confidence is still interpreted differently depending on who delivers it, and over time that difference compounds.”

Rethinking how leadership is measured

If Dybac could change one business norm overnight, it would be the expectation that senior leaders must always be visible to prove their value. In fast-growing companies, she believes leadership should be judged by outcomes rather than time spent at a desk.

“In high-growth environments, what matters is judgement, direction and results,” she says. “I’ve seen businesses scale faster when leadership is measured by strategic clarity and commercial outcomes, not time at a desk.”

Dybac says that shift would benefit many leaders, particularly those balancing multiple responsibilities.

“When we shift to that model, we don’t just support women balancing multiple roles, we create stronger companies.”

Building confidence earlier

This year, Dybac is focusing her efforts closer to home by supporting the women inside her own business. Early in her career, she didn’t have many female mentors in senior positions.

“Early in my career, I didn’t have access to strong female mentors or role models in the rooms I wanted to be in,” she says.

That changed later, and the experience had a lasting impact.

“Having capable, commercially sharp women around me has been and still is incredibly powerful. It’s given me clarity I wish I’d had much earlier.”

Now she’s determined to create that same environment for the next generation.

“That’s why I’m intentional about creating that environment for my team now. I want them building commercial confidence and backing themselves far earlier than I did.”

A leadership style shaped by experience

Dybac launched her first business at just 23, learning how to lead while building the company at the same time.

“So I didn’t step into leadership with a blueprint. I developed it on the run,” she says.

Without many female role models in senior positions at the time, she had to work out what leadership looked like for herself.

“Over time, and especially after becoming a mother, I became much clearer about what I value,” she says.

Motherhood, she says, sharpened her perspective on time, priorities and boundaries.

” It made me more decisive, not softer, ” she says.

“I lead with high standards and commercial discipline, but I’m also deeply aware that people build businesses, not spreadsheets.”

Those business experiences have shaped the leadership style she brings to her team today.

“Being a woman in business has meant I’ve had to back myself early and often,” she says. “That’s shaped a leadership style that is direct, commercially focused and very human at the same time.”

Want more? Get our newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! Follow Business Builders on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.