Her Story
About Tane
I've been in the oil and gas industry, specifically working with CNG (compressed natural gas), for 5 years now. I started as a technician, as a wrench turner, and worked my way up into the operations manager role. Before that, I spent 11 years in the industrial industry working as a mechanic. I'm a high school dropout - I only made it to 10th grade. Life had a way of not providing me with some of the things I would have liked, and college just wasn't an option at the time. So I found an entry-level job in the industrial industry, and as I was doing it, I realized that I was more capable than I had given myself credit for. I went through all the challenges of trying to prove myself, and once you get to that level of confidence and start to learn things that most people don't think women can do, it becomes addicting. Then you start empowering and lifting other women, and it just becomes something that you really enjoy and become passionate about. It's not what I wanted to do - I wanted to do sports journalism and photography - but learning I could empower women and work in these industries, I craved it, and now I can't imagine myself doing anything else. I manage a lot of men, and they're so great. Sometimes they'll just call me on a random day just to have a conversation, just because they value me and respect me. I love that at the end of the day, I've managed them so well that they have that respect for me, and there is no 'she's a woman and I shouldn't have to report to her.' I've always laid that boundary and that foundation of expectations and respect, and they value that.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Tane
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think my passion, for one. I love having those challenges, and I love when people underestimate me. I tell my children, specifically my daughter, every day: you are capable of doing anything you want to do. It's your choice and your decision, and there's nothing you can't do as long as you put the time and the effort into it. You may not be the best at it, but it doesn't mean that you can't be good at it. My daughter said to me one day, 'Mom, you've made me realize that just because I could do more doesn't mean that I didn't do enough, but it makes me want to do more.' I go with that confidence and that tenacity and that drive every day, and people see that, and it's very inspiring.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
It actually came from men, believe it or not. I worked with an older gentleman, and he told me, 'I don't care if you're a male or a female, we all lace up our boots the same way. Nobody's gonna have confidence in you if you don't have confidence in yourself. I think that you'd be great for this promotion and this role, and just keep pushing forward.' So I made it my mantra: I lace up my boots the same as everybody else. You never show fear. And you just keep pushing along every day. If you have a tough day, just remember it's a day.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
You are capable of doing anything you want to do. It's your choice and your decision, and there's nothing you can't do as long as you put the time and the effort into it. You may not be the best at it, but it doesn't mean that you can't be good at it. Just because you could do more doesn't mean that you didn't do enough. Go with that confidence and that tenacity and that drive every day. It doesn't matter what you do with your life, just be a good person. That should always be your number one priority, is to be a good person. And then after that, do the things that you're passionate about. Life is hard enough, there's so much pressure on people day-to-day, just be good people, and be respectful, and just work really hard. The things that you work for, you will eventually get there.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
It doesn't matter what you do with your life, just be a good person. That should always be your number one priority, is to be a good person. And then after that, it's do the things that you're passionate about. Family and just good values, respect - that goes a long way. Life is hard enough, there's so much pressure on people day-to-day, just be good people, and be respectful, and just work really hard. The things that you work for, you will eventually get there. I've always laid that boundary and that foundation of expectations and respect with the people I manage, and they value that.
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