Meet Federica Attanasio and Federica Pecis, Founders of We Are F

Creators and founders of social media and creative boutique agency, We Are F, Federica Attanasio and Federica Pecis are a dream team like no other. Their London and Milan based agency was founded by women, for women and celebrates a range of diverse and interesting clients that creates the ultimate 360 approach to marketing. Offering a wide range of services, including brand strategy, events, PR, email marketing, design, social media and much more, it’s no wonder that We Are F is so successful. Their clients have included Oysho, Nasty Gal, Vibio, Harvey Nichols and Daniel Wellington to say the least.

It’s no wonder then, that I was desperate to speak to this dynamic marketing duo myself, to get a deep dive on the pitfalls and the pickups that they have both faced throughout their careers, whether it’s the first thing they do in the morning or the fight for the gender pay gap.

How did you both meet?

We met on our first day working at a digital marketing agency in London. While Federica is a fairly common Italian name, most English people have not met a single Federica, so when two turned up in the same week, it was a bit of a surprise. Naturally, for us, it was friendship at first sight.

What made you both start We Are F?

After working together for a while, we realised that our different set of skills (Federica P. being more business oriented and Federica A. being a creative) played into our hands. We also believed we could be a much more potent combination than our present circumstances enabled (or allowed), by taking charge of our lives.

After doing our reading back in 2017, we were shocked to learn there was still no Creative Marketing Agency made by women for women. There still is almost no dedicated support for female-founded businesses or brands targeted towards women. So we strive to be that support. 

What are We Are F’s core values?

In 2017, we founded We Are F, to support female entrepreneurs and to help brands clearly communicate with their female audience. Initially, this proved to be incredibly challenging, but after three years working with countless amazing businesses, we still think it’s the best decision we’ve ever made. 

We believe that, with powerful branding and well-structured digital marketing strategies, every brand can fulfil its full potential at a pace that works for them. Our mission is to create and grow powerful brands that know how to communicate with the women in their audience.

What other women inspire you?

FA: This is a history deep cut, but I have always been fascinated with Ching Shih, the pirate queen of China. She began her life working in a brothel in the late 1700s before marrying a pirate and, following his early death, she quickly rose to command as many as 1,000 ships and 40,000 pirates, rivalling even the British Navy in the area. 

Madame Ching used her guile, cunning, and diplomacy to become one of the most influential people in the world - with a legacy that endures to this day. Considering this was a time, location, and profession, dominated by men, it is hard not to be a little impressed. 

FP: For me that would be Dorothea Lange, an American photographer whose work inspired social reckoning during and following the Great Depression. Photography and Arts are another male dominated world and have been for centuries, yet she’s one of my favourite artists. 

Similarly, Billie Jean King, one of the greatest ever tennis players, who broke down barriers by pushing for equal prize money for women and becoming one of the first openly gay athletes.

Amelia Earhart too, the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 1932. She challenged the social belief that a woman's place was home. Basically, we like boundary breakers! 

It’s clear that you are both firm believers in supporting other women and their endeavours. What advice would you give other women when starting their own business?

FA. Don't be afraid to experiment until you find the right formula, and always keep teaching yourself new skills - because they will always come in handy.

FP. Women are used to being second-guessed in every decision, and that filters down into our ego’s, questioning ourselves and our self-worth. Your business will probably not go as you expected at first (believe us), but you’ve done the research, you know what works, and you know what people want. That small, negative voice has been in your head for your entire life, but you should ask yourself: when was the last time the voice was right about anything? 

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?

FP: I check my emails on the phone. I know I shouldn’t do it and I’m trying to have a healthier routine in the morning, but when you run your own business there are so many things to maintain and so many exciting opportunities to pursue. 

However, sometimes you forget that you also have to take care of your own wellbeing and mental health. This was my new year’s resolution for 2020 and given everything that’s gone on. I think I’m doing okay!

FA: I swear at the alarm, put the coffee on and check my emails while eating some (surprisingly nutritious) peanut butter toast. Simple but effective.

As supporters of female founded businesses, who are you favourite female-led brands right now? And why?

FP: Right now, I’m a huge supporter of Rebecca Minkoff. This American fashion designer is not only an entrepreneur, but also the founder of the Female Founders Collective, a network of businesses led by women, supporting women.

FA: While it’s not a ‘traditional brand’ I recently became aware of a tech start up, Callisto, a non-profit that creates technology to detect repeat perpetrators of professional sexual coercion and sexual assault. The company was founded by Jessica Ladd and, not only is it great to see more women in tech, it’s great to see tech being used to help women in a way that is unfortunately necessary.

Gender inequality and the gender pay gap still exist. How do you feel about this and how do you think people and brands can change this?

Any form of division along gender lines is an abhorrent relic that no longer has a place in this world. However, that’s not the reality we live in, and unfortunately there is much further to go. 

The global pandemic hasn’t done anything to help with this either, currently, women between 23 and 38 are reporting 60% less in savings than their male counterparts. The UK also has one of the widest gender pay discrepancies in Europe with the UK government being described as ‘unique in its light-touch approach’. 

The problems are systemic but brands can help to overcome these challenges through increased focus on female audiences (who still count for over half of purchasing power), marketing a strong lifestyle to women, and installing more women in their own positions of influence. 

People have been receptive to these changes and among workers under 40, the gender pay gap has decreased substantially (despite rising in other areas). We are making progress but there is a lot to be done, and sooner rather than later. Women in business and strong female brands can go a long way to overturning these cultural and systemic barriers, offering new experiences and opportunities to the women of today and tomorrow.

Have you ever encountered people who have been challenging or proven difficult to work with as a female-led business and what is your approach to these kinds of situations?

Every person is different, and the same is true of businesses and female founders. While every professional partnership inevitably encounters difficulties, our commitment to being a ‘human’ operation ensures that we approach people as people. Our pledge to open communication ensures that any conflicting opinions are settled early and rationally, long before they have a chance to fester into something that could cause problems later on.

You also have to understand that many founders are extremely protective of their brands (something we understand completely!). Ultimately, we know we're on the same side and we all want the same thing, to speak to women in a way they can relate to and to encourage those women to take risks of their own.

What does female empowerment mean to you?

To us, female empowerment is about freedom of choice. Many of the obstacles holding women back were put in place by generations or institutions that have long since ceased to be relevant, then reinforced through centuries of cultural hegemony.  

We want to see a world where women are free to choose creative endeavours, business, home life, or motherhood, all without a gaggle of people saying ‘is that really the right fit for you?’ or "Have you thought about x instead?" 

We want to live in a world where self-care is no longer a revolutionary act, and not something that women have to justify. We can do it, we will do it, but it remains a long, difficult road. 

Have you got any exciting new projects we should know about on the horizon?

In 2020 we launched We Are Female Athletes, our ambitious sister agency. We Are Female Athletes is the first sports management agency in Europe to support both established icons and developing rising-stars, as they take back control of the “women in sport” narrative.

Women’s sport has always been a wellspring of powerful and inspiring stories, but recent changes in social attitudes and renewed interest in female athletes have opened the floodgates. Now, sponsors are beginning to see this exciting opportunity for what it is, a historic moment in female liberation.

We Are Female Athletes roster is more than a stable of influencers. For brands, communities, media owners, and consumers, Female Athletes are authenticators, offering mountains of inspiration, clean progressive values, and unparalleled insight into the world of our favourite stars.

We have a vision: Women’s sport, female athletes, and compelling storytelling, combining to create real inspiration and authentic socio-cultural change.

We do have a few other things in the pipeline that we’ll be talking about very soon, so be sure to sign up to our newsletter and follow our social channels.