Rosette: A Name With a Bigger Meaning

There’s a hidden gem in the depths of Wyvern’s new website - the long awaited naming of our second generation satellites. In spite of it being a small detail, it was perhaps one of the hardest decisions we’ve made as a team, and probably one of the rare moments when we truly struggled to agree. 

Rosette stems from a few sources of inspiration. Yes, it may have started with taking some inspiration from one of my dogs, but it equally represents the story of Wyvern. A born-in-Alberta story, paying homage to the wild rose, while still in keeping with our original Dragonette constellation. 

But for me, this name holds a lot more. For me, this is the first time in my professional career that I’ve been able to give something a truly feminine name. 

I grew up with parents who chose to let me believe that I could run the world. That gender wasn’t something I needed to be concerned about. That after all, we’re all just humans. I’ve held onto that belief throughout my life, trying to move through the world with the confidence that I couldn’t be defined by being a woman. I believed that the female trailblazers before me had already paved the way for equality, and my generation was fortunate enough to simply reap the rewards. 

But life has a funny way of humbling our beliefs. I’ve been in the workforce for 20 years now, and the reality is that simply wasn’t the case. I’ve had a lot of luck, and a lot of good fortune along the way. I’ve met folks from all walks of life that have in fact supported me. But it’s not the whole story. I remember my first promotion, and the excitement of getting to hire my first analyst, only to promptly be asked if it was my maternity leave cover. I remember walking into the office the day after losing a loved one, only to be asked if I was having boyfriend trouble. I remember being the only woman in the room, time and time again. I remember my male peers questioning the commitment of my female colleagues, on the off chance that they may choose to raise a family. I remember a performance review where a fellow female was promoted because of attractiveness. I remember all the advice to be less of myself, to try and fit in with the men who run the company. I remember the first time I showed emotion in a board room, only to promptly be told that I probably wasn’t cut out for business. The message was clear: be less of a woman. Be less of myself. 

Those moments have stuck with me through the years. A gentle reminder that we are definitely not finished when it comes to equality.I have learned along the way that there is clearly still so much work to be done. That diversity and equality remain very much a work in progress in the modern world. And that progress can very easily slip away. 

Luckily for me, Wyvern shifted the narrative. It has been an immense privilege to join a company that lives and breathes diversity. I get to lead alongside some of the smartest and most compassionate women I’ve encountered in my career. We actively work to create the space that women like me have been searching for their whole career. And most importantly, we not only allow, but we encourage the entire team to show as their whole selves. No matter what that looks like. 

So for me, Rosette is more than just a name. It’s an expression of the power of diversity. It’s a first, and hopefully not a last. And I deeply hope that it’s a small reminder to every little girl who dreams of taking over the world that maybe they too can show up exactly how they are. 

Happy International Women’s Day!