Cindy Gross: Anti-bullying Cultures are the Foundation for Tech Success

Women in Cloud leads the way towards tech success stories with collaboration, relationship building, and healthy working environments. We build better technology when we lead with human needs and infuse those needs throughout our work cultures and the products we produce. At the Women in Cloud Summit 2020, I am excited to engage our  community in a discussion about how to ‘Reclaim Your Voice: Heal + Thrive after facing bullies or harassers.’

Bullies try to steal our voices, our power, our passion. If you’ve been bullied or harassed, start by knowing: this is trauma but we can forge and nurture paths to reclaim our lives, our work, our passion, and our voice. We can learn to talk about our experiences in ways that feel safe and lead to new opportunities at work and beyond. We can understand how the trauma may affect our thoughts and decisions then redirect that in a healthier way. We thrive and reclaim our voices when we invest in community, self-compassion, and belonging cultures. Together we can lead technology companies to create anti-bullying workplaces as the foundation for success. I call this Befriending Dragons – taking the scary challenges in life and making them approachable, friendly, and do-able.

This summit brings together so many different people across technology and related industries. It is the hub for ideas to manifest and grow into realities with expert guidance. This year I look forward to meeting folks already invested in the idea that Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion is great for businesses, people who are ready to plan next steps that work for their company. 

As leaders in the technology industry, we must recognize and act with the understanding that economic and business policies must lead with intersectional equity – the idea that problems manifest differently for different people and we must build varied ways forward with more resources expended for those most disadvantaged now.

The summit excites me because it gives me an opportunity to share my thoughts and also learn from other leaders’ experiences. Women in Cloud is a community which has a place for everybody who dreams about changing our industry and our society for the better, and I think that is a collective action we should all be a part of. 

Purchase tickets today and join us this January to celebrate ideas, community and women of the future. I’ll see you there!

To get more information visit the summit website, and don’t forget to apply the 20% discount code: JOINME@WIC

See you there! Take action by joining our online network to get engaged today!

You can learn more about Cindy Gross and her company Befriending Dragons on her site: http://BefriendingDragons.com/About

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Cathy Light: Women are Unstoppable – My Journey From Managing Professional Services Firm to Building Cloud Business with Microsoft

Women in Cloud has opened my eyes to a whole new world – the Cloud World. The support and education from Women in Cloud, Microsoft, and Channel Partners about what it takes to be a successful software company has been the greatest gift to me and my team. 

While overwhelming at times, guiding us through this process to achieve a successful GTM launch will jump start our success to get our much-needed DEInamics™ tool into the marketplace. Microsoft’s diversity initiative to help women evolve their software companies through the Women in the Cloud program is truly a game changer to create more equity in the global marketplace.

It was recommended by a colleague we should apply for the Women in Cloud 2019 Accelerator Program. We were one of just a handful of companies selected for this prestigious recognition for our new software product, DEInamics™. This has been one of the highlights of my entrepreneurial career. 

The Women in Cloud network has been key to guiding us through the requirements for a successful SaaS go-to-market launch. The collective insights, sharing lessons learned, resources, and the tremendous support has been overwhelming. There is no doubt the amazing Microsoft Community and Women In Cloud Network will make all the difference to our early-stage success.

This year as a graduating member, I am also a proud speaker at the Women in Cloud Summit 2020. I will focus on one of the hottest topics in corporate America today: Measuring What Matters – True Business Impact and ROI for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Most people are unaware there is a business case for diversity and that it should be measured. The fact that every CEO wants financial numbers proving diversity initiatives are improving business results is often unknown. But, ‘Are leaders being held accountable?’ is the question I will answer at the summit. Some of the key takeaways from the talk are,

  •   How do we begin to change without a data point?
  •   Learn how to integrate measurement into our initiatives for success
  •   Our 5-Step Process to Meaningful DEI Growth

Since there is so much to learn and conquer, I hope to share my best resources and take away every piece of information possible to utilize it for our growth as a company and community. I believe at heart, Women in Cloud is a solution to several problems of our generation. If leaders go beyond talk to real alignment with positive behavior changes that drive cultural shifts, through mindful, selfless and compassionate actions, companies can set a strong foundation for diversity, equity and inclusion where business + workplace acceleration can grow and thrive.

“Better Companies for a Brighter World”, is something I thrive on and is our company’s endearment. It comes from unleashing the talents of people and creating equitable opportunities – for everyone! Purchase ticketstoday, and join us this January to ensure collective action for a brighter world. 

To get more information visit the summit website, and don’t forget to apply the 20% discount code: JOINME@WIC

See you there! Take action by joining our online network to get engaged today!

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Amy Protexter: Building Meaningful Connections at the Women in Cloud Summit

If you reflect on your own career journey, it’s likely there was a person or moment that changed the course of your path for the better. Maybe, it was a coworker who gave you sage advice or encouragement at the right moment, a former colleague that urged you into a new role, or even an individual who gave you tough criticism. Our paths are not walked in isolation. 

At Insight, we pride ourselves in being a company that builds meaningful connections — it’s the guiding principle for the people we interact with and the work we do. Personally, making a positive impact on one person’s career journey is a tremendous honor and joy. Through Women in Cloud, I hope that by sharing my own life and professional experiences, I can create meaningful connections and embolden women in their own life journey.

I think it’s important to support fellow women in their career paths — particularly in an industry that has, historically, been dominated by men. Today, women are finding their voice in technology, and that’s worth celebrating. I love communities like Women in Cloud because they grant me the opportunity to learn from, be inspired by, and share wisdom with fascinating women leaders. 

This year, at the Women in Cloud Summit 2020 in January, I will be visiting as an enthusiastic learner, but also a speaker who is there to share her thoughts and contribute to the collective success of the group.

My topic for the summit this year will be ‘High Performance Culture: Managing Multiple Generations.’ I will focus on how to support and ensure all teammates are working in an optimal environment, why trust and respect among all teammates is crucial and how meaningful results increase when you can achieve this kind of team culture. 

I love meeting people who have gone through dynamic and unexpected career paths. I myself have been a marketing leader in government, insurance, healthcare, education and technology.  It’s fascinating to see how individuals can take seemingly unlike skills and experiences and apply one to the other in creative, powerful ways. If your career has taken surprising twists and turns, seek me out at the summit. Let us chat, learn and contribute to each other’s growth. 

The Women in Cloud movement is amazing and empowering, and the growth and interest in this group continues to grow exponentially. I’m personally very excited to be part of the Summit once again and can’t wait to experience the same energy and fellowship last year’s event generated. It was definitely ‘fuel’ to help me get started in one of the most dynamic years of my career.  

Technology is at the forefront of any transformation, and every business is a technology business. At Insight, we are proud to live our core business values of Hunger, Heart and Harmony every day as we help our clients both manage their technology today, and transform to secure their futures. We’re all about helping our clients ‘run smarter’ and I think at the heart of Women in Cloud, it’s about running smarter, together. 

I look forward to meeting you at the Women in Cloud Summit 2020, and let us contribute for a women-led industry. We deserve to be at the forefront of change! Purchase tickets and to get more information visit the summit website, and don’t forget to apply the 20% discount code: JOINME@WIC

See you there! Take action by joining our online network to get engaged today!

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How to Master Your Business, Leadership, and Technology Skills in the Tech Industry

An industry as diverse as technology demands you to be up-to-date with everything. Technology does not fall prey to time and neither do the people who run the industry. Although it may seem futile, it is an essential task to always keep up with every new development. 

Technology is the definition of change. Every change in the industry is driven by the market. Customers are introduced to a piece of technology which then becomes an integral part of their daily life. It is, therefore, crucial to understand the market as well as the technology that will be the future of the industry. An industry which is diverse and dynamic can be overwhelming and it does have the tendency to throw people off guard and make them wonder, ‘How does one keep up with tech, where nothing stays the same?’ Trends and patterns are the answer. 

Technical skills often help build the base of the business. To enhance your technical skills and help your business grow into the future market, always keep one foot in the future. DARQ is the future of our industry according to Accenture’s Technology Vision 2019 reports. These are Distributed Ledger Technology (such as blockchain), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Extended Reality (including virtual and augmented reality), and Quantum Computing. Cloud Computing is another major player that is often forgotten. 

The business angle of the tech industry demands you to enhance your communication skills, planning, and financial management techniques. Due to a lack of ideas to incorporate passion into practical business skills in the industry, half the tech enterprises fail before they begin to make their mark. 

Leadership is an extension of business skills. A business leader is a friend, mentor and an employee of a company who are equipped with skill sets to drive change in their field. An employee often encounters executives who extract every ounce of work possible from them and leaves them with nothing to learn. While this may be profitable, this isn’t leadership.

There is no one skill set that is the key to creating the next Microsoft or Amazon. In fact, we are at a point in time where businesses need to focus on sustainable growth rather than just personal or monetary growth.

As a leader, one should often question their authority and learn to differentiate themselves from everybody at the table. It also becomes crucial to ensure contributions to the growth of employees and society at the same time. But how does one strike a balance between switching so many hats? The answer is always the same; Education & Skill Building, Community Building, and Economic Development. 

Women in Cloud is a community that strives to bring these three crucial elements together to ensure the overall growth of an individual as well as society. Women In Cloud focuses on bringing together and nurturing women leaders in tech who contribute to society with their business and technological skills. The community’s aim is to expand our reach to build women leaders all over the world and to create $1 billion in economic contribution. 

If you are interested to be a part of Women in Cloud and learn to enhance all your skills to improve the business as well as contribute to the society with passionate leaders, stay tuned for more exciting announcements regarding our flagship event.

 

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The Secret to Making Powerful Alliances

We as human beings with the ability to converse and build relationships often tend to forget the power of connection and communication.

“The world is such a small place,” are words often thrown around when we meet somebody with a mutual connection. As a matter of fact, mutual connections are how we expand our presence in society and build alliances.

But why is it important to build alliances and relationships with people?
Networking and making alliances is not just about exchanging information. While the hot term “networking” is in trend, the process of building mutually benefitting relationships have been in use for a long time now. Most people assume networking is important for a better career opportunity or to create a business transaction, however more often than not, people tend to forget that powerful alliances contribute to a better society.

Microsoft Inspire is an annual tech event that brings close to forty thousand people together from the industry. Forty thousand people get to cross paths with a diverse network of people and businesses from the world of technology sharing their knowledge and turning it into action. Events like Inspire make people noticeable. A sense of belonging in society is created with people who share a similar thought process as the one you might share. People often go home with a different thought process and higher creative intellect. A major boost in self-confidence and status through support from other people is also a healthy consequence of these events.

Although the benefits sound very cliché, all these traits promote people to think differently and create an impact that is bigger than them.

Kristen Miller’s college dreams were ruined by Computer Science 101 during her time at the University of Illinois. While throughout college she maintained a 4.0 GPA as a psychology major, a “C” broke her streak. To this day she says, “I could not differentiate between magicians and technologists! I found it extremely difficult to understand the essence of technology.”

Today, however, Miller is a leader in the tech world as a CEO of Stylyze, a Seattle-based software-as-a-service startup focused on the home décor and interior design industries. Kristen Miller’s entrepreneurial journey dates back to her college days and she has found four companies since then including Stylyze.

What changed for Miller? She found her belonging. While one might hate or love something, it becomes important to find the right place to grow. Networking is important, but networking with the right people to find an ideal place for your growth is the key.
Kristen discovered Women in Cloud and realized that is where she can grow and overcome her bitter relationship with technology to build one of Seattle’s most successful startups as a psychology major!

Women in Cloud leaders made it their purpose to reposition themselves and help Kristen and everybody else who joins the community, as individuals who are not just building cloud businesses but contributing to an inclusive economy to create a billion-dollar impact all over the world.

A sense of belonging brings to light a purpose that is bigger than just you. While building power alliances are important for personal and professional growth, it is essential that you find the right fit for you. 7 billion people will not be impacted if you build alliances and network with 100 people. But you might just impact 1000 lives if you meet one right person. That is the secret people often tend to ignore.

Therefore, find your network and find people you belong with. Look for people who inspire you and who share an idea that is similar to yours and yet, who tend to take you out of your comfort zone. Because you just might find your purpose to make your society a better place than when you found it.

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