nCino Celebrates International Women’s Day
Each year on March 8th, the world celebrates International Women’s Day by recognizing the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women around the globe. At the same time, IWD is a reminder of the work that still needs to be done to achieve true equality.
This year’s IWD theme was #BalanceForBetter, which aims to create a gender-balanced world. Balance isn’t just a women’s issue; it’s also a business issue. A McKinsey study found that companies in the top quartile for diversity at the executive level are 33% more likely to have above-average profitability than companies at the bottom quartile. The same study also found a correlation between a more diverse leadership team and financial outperformance. In other words, if you want to succeed in your industry, a diverse workforce isn’t an option — it’s a necessity.
At nCino, the worldwide leader in cloud banking, we’ve made great strides toward gender representation in our workforce, thanks to the smart, successful and ambitious women we’ve hired. In honor of International Women’s Day, we asked a few of these women to share their stories and their perspectives.
Tell us a little about your role at nCino.
Emily Bogan: I’m the Director of Product Management, overseeing the Commercial portfolio of products. Not only do I get to work with our customers to create solutions that improve and transform the financial services industry, but I also get to work with the best team on earth.
Candace Guido: I’m an Engineering Manager focused on the Platform Portfolio at nCino. I work with Developers every day to design and craft an elegant software solution for bankers. I do my best to maintain nCino’s amazing company culture by bringing honesty and respect into my daily interactions with fearless authenticity.
Jennifer Bernard: I oversee the technical delivery of nCino projects for the Community and Regional Implementation Consultant team and the Delivery Center team. I also volunteer in the local Wilmington community helping non-profits get set up on the Salesforce.com platform.
Kendra Tolley: I’m the Director of Retail Product Management at nCino, which means it’s my job to understand the retail banking industry so I can set vision for the products we build. But if you were to step back and look at what my true role at nCino is, it is to produce solutions that make bankers’ lives better and make the industry more efficient as a whole.
Can you share an achievement you’re proud of?
Emily Bogan: At one point in my career, I realized I had hit a glass ceiling in the financial services industry and decided to apply to a prestigious business school. I’ll never forget the day I found out I’d been accepted to Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. The program was incredibly challenging and there were many times along the way that I wanted to give up, but I stuck with it. I’m very proud of this accomplishment, not just because of the prestige but because of the doubts I overcame and the hard work I put in.
Candace Guido: My greatest achievement in life is, without a doubt, my two-year-old daughter. She inspires me every day to work hard and show her by example that women are strong and powerful leaders. It’s challenging to balance motherhood with my career but I embrace the challenge and do my best. I am grateful to work at nCino where our company culture provides the flexibility to work hard while also prioritizing time with my family.
Jennifer Bernard: “Insightful.” “Great.” “Well presented.” These are some comments from my first professional speaking engagement at a large industry conference. Last year, I set a professional goal to speak at a large conference and I chose Technology Services World. Knowing that my message resonated with attendees was the icing on the cake.
Kendra Tolley: I believe my greatest achievement personally is having the conviction and patience to accomplish my goals. I try hard to focus on the long-term goal and not get caught up in daily fires and distractions. By following this strategy, I’ve been able to accomplish much more than I ever thought possible.
What does 2019 look like for women in fintech?
Emily Bogan: The fintech industry seems to be changing and adapting more readily to the demands of diversity than other industries. This year I believe we’ll see more fintech companies pop up that are developed by women as well as mature companies hiring women in leadership positions. I also believe the financial services industry is working hard to change to a culture of diversity which helps women in fintech leadership positions succeed.
Candace Guido: Strong. The momentum has been building for women over the last few years and it just continues to grow. Setbacks will come and go, but the wave of strong female leaders on their way to the top in every industry is simply undeniable.
Jennifer Bernard: The future is bright for women in fintech. The industry is changing quickly, in large part because technology is rapidly changing and therefore creating more opportunities. We need to take advantage of these opportunities, bring our genuine goals and show up unapologetically to work. Beyond 2019, if we want more girls and young women to pursue careers in fintech, it’s up to us to help plant seeds with young people and close the ambition gap by having more mentors and women in leadership positions.
Kendra Tolley: Women are still unrepresented at the executive level in the financial services industry and that extends to fintechs as well. But it feels very much like that is changing, slowly but surely. Fintechs are looking to deliver innovative solutions and in order to truly innovate you need diversity of thought. The world is changing for women in general — the #MeToo movement and the state of politics in the United States have both contributed to women feeling empowered to make their voices heard. I’m excited about the opportunities.
What is one way we can create a #BalanceForBetter?
Emily Bogan: Get active in your industry by campaigning for diversity. Become a thought leader and challenge others around you, in a professional and productive way, to think through unconscious biases. An easy first step is to recognize when teams are not diverse and hire or promote new team members to create a well-rounded and more productive team. Be the change agent!
Candace Guido: We can create a #BalanceForBetter by supporting women in our circles and beyond. Look for mentorship opportunities and pull up those around you. As a female leader in my community I know I can have a huge impact on young women and I look for creative ways to put myself out there.
Jennifer Bernard: Support one another and lift each other up. As women, it’s our responsibility to help support and encourage each other. Think of ways to lead by example within your own company, team and community and support others as they do this as well.
Kendra Tolley: Create balance on our teams. As leaders, we can influence balance in our own organizations. We can certainly influence balance on our own teams. If all women in leadership work to create balance on their own teams, it will create momentum that will spread throughout our industries.
