*This article was originally written and published on Femme Heroine*
You know what’s really rare down here in ‘Straya’ (Australia)? Sliding into the back seat of a taxi or an Uber and being greeted by the smiling face of a female driver.
In fact, I can only recall the one time I’ve had a female driver on a trip.
One woman, Georgina McEncroe, decided to do something about it and in March of this year (International Women’s Day, actually) she launched a ‘women’s only’ transport service for women, children and transgenders called ‘Shebah’.
Some men got pretty cut by it, but Georgina didn’t bat an eyelid.
I had the pleasure of chatting with the super down-to-earth Melbournian mother turned Entrepreneur, ‘George’ (as she’s affectionately called) to talk about the birth of her ‘child’ Shebah.
It’s like an Uber or a Taxi, except instead of being driven around by men, George hopes that the Shebah experience leaves women feeling “like you’re getting into the car with your Aunt or your sister”.
Coincidentally, on the day of our interview an article was published by Yahoo news announcing that the Uber CEO, Travis Kalanick, had taken voluntary leave after a slew of scandals has arisen from within the Uber Technologies Corporation. There have been allegations of harassment, discrimination and an aggressive culture.
Sounds pretty shitty, if you ask me.
Here at Femme Heroine, we love that the Shebah’s brand vision and purpose reflect ours (to create a safe space for women) and especially love that George is a fellow Aussie, killing it in the entrepreneurial field! We want you – our precious readers, to know that thanks to women like George we now have the option to drive or ride with a fellow woman, and this extends to transgender people who identify as being a woman.
Here’s what George had to share with me about Shebah:
What can women expect from Shebah? What are you most excited about?
What can women expect? A female only ride or drive experience – think of it as getting in the car with your aunt or your sister. I’m most excited about the ‘lightening of the load’ and the feeling that you’re a part of a community of drivers and passengers.
Many women write to George to share how Shebah has helped them. There's the single mum who was able to accept a promotion at work because of Shebah (having the trust to put her child in a ride so she can get to work on time). The woman who hasn’t been outside her house in 18 years and is now getting around and living life, and the woman who now saves 90 minutes off her daily commute.
We'd love to hear the Shebah origin story - was there a particular experience or encounter (negative/positive) that led to the birth of Shebah?
Two things happened at the same time, actually – I applied to be an Uber driver (twice) and chickened out, both times. My daughter turned 18 and started using Uber’s and cabs a lot. Her and her friends were sitting around the table one night, and they used to always joke by saying: I’d rather be feet on the street [than in a taxi]”
I just thought I’m a single mum, working four jobs and trying to save money for a house deposit. I realised that I needed to create my position within my own company if I were going to feel like I was working somewhere I’d enjoy and be valued and feel safe.
And so, she kicked into gear and launched on International Women’s day, in Brisbane.
What are your thoughts on men's ridiculous responses [to Shebah] that segregating genders and refusing men your services IS sexist and discriminatory?
Well, I fully anticipated that backlash – and I wasn’t really shocked with the hashtag “Not all men”. I Immediately went back to them and said if Shebah harms men in any way or make them feel unsafe, then tell me and ill shut down the app tomorrow. There was silence in response. I mean, his access to work is not diminished, we AREN’T causing any harm, we’re just giving women options.
I read that demand is already outweighing supply - that's incredible. What is your hope for Shebah in 5 years time?
We hope to be national within the next 12 months, and ideally, we’ll be international in 5 yrs time. Several countries are looking to licence to and are reaching out to us including, NZ, US, Brazil, Africa.
Any advice for other femalepreneurs, paving a similar way for themselves?
If you don’t see an opportunity out there, that feels right for you then create it. If you are unsure of the process, then ask questions. You know, everything you look at, in your kitchen alone (sports tape, packaging, detol, a dogs lead) everything was thought of and marketed and constructed by someone, so WHY NOT YOU? We need to stop seeing ourselves as passive receivers that can only take what we’re given and take charge of the market. No one ever tells us we can. It's craziness. I mean, we don’t have to do that, or that [insert shitty unfulfilling job here] anymore! She also admires the work of Bec Brideson (expert in ‘marketing to women’) and suggests a social media ‘follow’ and a stalk.
Is there a story behind the choice of name Shebah (the Queen of Sheba?)
It might sound weird, but it came to me in a dream. First, I had ‘My Taxi’ but I thought it was daggy. Shebah on the other hand – I LOVE the Queen of Sheba. She was the first person to challenge conventional wisdom – she’s the original female disrupter. She travelled alone for many miles, and in some texts, she returns as a single mother with Solomon’s child. She’s Multicultural and seen across many religious faiths (the Jewish faith, & Egyptian texts, to name a few) she’s smart, she’s spirited and just everything we believe in at Shebah. As an aside, our logo is actually the shield of Boadicea, who defeated the Romans – a Celtic warrior queen – and another influential female figure in history.
Anything else you'd like to add?
I just want to really make mention of the communal aspect of what we’re doing. It makes people so happy. The feedback from drivers and passengers alike of women being able to take back control of their lives has been so uplifting to hear.
For more on Shebah check out their Facebook page and Shebah.com.au
This Interview was originally published by the author on Femmeheroine.com