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Being Ahead of Its Time: Women, Technology, and the Early Days of eCom
In 1996, when much of the business world still ran on paper, phone calls, and handshakes on the golf course, Linda Steedman was building something different.
From the very beginning, eCom Learning Solutions was a female-led organisation - which at the time, set it apart almost as much as the technology it championed. In an industry dominated by men, where deals were often done in places women weren’t invited, Linda carved out her own space at the table. Not by waiting for permission, but by showing up, standing firm, and being heard.
She recalls sometimes wearing a bright pink jacket into meetings as a signal.
I’m here. I matter. And I have something to say.
Posted 12 August 2026
What made eCom different, though, wasn’t just who was leading it. It was how far ahead it was thinking.
“ Long before ‘digital transformation’ became a buzzword, eCom was already working at the edges of what technology could do. ”
eCom was introducing early learning systems, online tools and digital approaches to organisations that weren’t quite ready to imagine them yet - and sometimes, it took a bit of convincing.
What made eCom different, though, wasn’t just who was leading it. It was how far ahead it was thinking. Long before ‘digital transformation’ became a buzzword, eCom was already working at the edges of what technology could do - introducing early learning systems, online tools, and digital approaches to organisations that weren’t quite ready to imagine them yet – and it sometimes took a bit of convincing.
In the early days of eCom, Linda spent her days visiting local businesses, encouraging them to take their first steps into the digital world by setting up modems, introducing email and building early websites, and for some businesses, it felt like an unnecessary addition. From their perspective their systems worked and the extra processes felt like more hassle than help. There was curiosity and good will, yes, but there was definite scepticism at times.
One visit, in particular, has become part of eCom folklore.
After delivering a presentation to a traditional engineering firm - complete with a typing pool of women and a factory floor of men - the owner listened politely before offering his verdict:
“Hen, you’re doing a great job - but this… the internet? It’ll never catch on.”
Linda remembers it with a smile.
And that moment captures something essential about eCom’s story. It wasn’t just participating in change - it was anticipating it.
“ Seeing the direction of travel before it was obvious and backing ideas before they were widely accepted. ”
By the time wider societal shifts such as the Equality Act 2010 began opening more doors for women in digital, design, and leadership roles, eCom was already there. Already building and leading in the learning technology space.
And that spirit hasn’t changed.Today, nearly 30 years on, with Wendy Edie as CEO and Emma Dickson as COO, eCom remains proudly female-led and future-focused. Because being ahead of your time isn’t just about technology.
It’s about perspective, courage and believing in something long before the rest of the world catches on.
The eCom journey through the years: Linda with Clive Shepard opening the new eCom office space in Dunfermline (2012); an early iteration of eNetLearn, one of the products within the eCom product suite; Linda speaking at the eCom Conference in Edinburgh (2020)
