Harnessing Unstoppable Potential: Women in Tech Leading Change
For years, superhero fans have marveled at the strength and resilience of none other than Superwoman, a fearless hero capable of taking on any challenge.
But in the real world, it’s the women in the professional sphere embodying superhero-like qualities, solving some of the world’s most pressing issues with innovative, cutting-edge solutions. Women in tech are a prime example of inspirational professionals rising to the occasion.
According to BCG, women hold a mere 28% of the leadership positions in tech. The glimmer of promise stems from the women in the field steadily paving the way for a brighter future that we can learn from today. They’re bold, brave and unafraid to take on the industry in all its complexities.
This Women’s History Month, we’re shining a light on three incredible high-growth technology business leaders: Janna Wassberg, Lisa McGarvey, and Tracy Holtz. They reveal the challenges they’ve faced and the invaluable lessons they’ve learned throughout their careers. Join us as we celebrate these trailblazers and the impact they’re making on the industry.
This article is a transcript of an interview conversation. The content has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Learn
Q: Staying ahead of the game in the fast-paced world of technology requires continuous learning and adaptation. But how do you secure the essential market insights, consistent education, and specialized resources to remain at the cutting edge of your industry?
Janna: I’ve found that navigating the constantly evolving landscape of technology can feel like mission impossible, but it’s not without its rewards. TD SYNNEX offers valuable market insights that keep us ahead of the curve, while LinkedIn news and trusted word-of-mouth connections help us dive even deeper into industry trends. Stay curious and you just might uncover the keys to success in this ever-changing digital age.
Lisa: For me, making time means pushing myself to prioritize growth and education every single day. I dedicate my mornings to staying up to date with the latest news and technology trends and making an effort to actively listen and engage with others during meetings and presentations. This means following up on areas I want to learn more about by conducting further research.
Investing in personal development is crucial, and while we all lead busy lives, it’s essential to make time for it. For some, it’s a struggle to carve out time dedicated to self-improvement, but it’s worth it in the end.
Tracy: The tech industry is constantly changing, and you need to stay up to speed. One way I like to do so involves subscribing to various media outlets and consuming their market analysis. But let’s face it, not everyone has the time to sift through articles every day. That’s where podcasts come in. They’re a quick and convenient way to stay plugged in, whether you’re on a commute or just have a few minutes to spare.
Q: Embarking on a tech journey, what sparked your initial move into the industry? As a trailblazer in technology, could you share any pivotal lessons or insights that have particularly resonated with you as a woman in this field?
Janna: I stumbled into an opportunity to start in the tech industry as a program manager at GE Access after earning my graduate degree. Through my experience over the years, I learned a valuable lesson about being a woman in technology — use your voice. Women tend to be more passive, waiting to be asked or invited to the table, but I learned that being confident and bold creates more opportunities. To be heard, it’s critical to speak up, ask questions, and make your presence known. Don’t always wait for an invitation, take a seat at the table, and make yourself heard.
Lisa: I’ve been in tech since my first job out of college at a technology company in marketing. Now, after gaining over 20 years of experience, I’ve learned the power of saying “no”. After years of being a “yes” person, I realized that prioritization and the ability to set boundaries was key. It’s easy to fall into the trap of saying “yes” to everything to appear like a top performer, but by focusing on what truly matters, you can commit fully to your top priorities and achieve more than you ever thought possible.
Tracy: I started my tech career with a small family-owned business, then moved to Tech Data (now TD SYNNEX). Along the way, I shifted from finance into marketing. A key lesson I’ve learned along the way is to push yourself to take on challenges where you don’t necessarily check all the boxes. Women often feel the pressure to tick off every bit of criteria before feeling qualified for a role but taking bold lateral moves can be the key to truly expanding your horizons. So, if you’re looking to level up in your career, don’t be afraid to embrace unfamiliar territory!
Solve
Q: In today’s dynamic business landscape, technology lies at the heart of all industries, pushing our partners to seek diverse and cutting-edge solutions. How do you and your team stand out in addressing their unique challenges? Can you provide instances of simplifying complicated processes, enabling partners to concentrate on delivering exceptional value to their clientele?
Janna: As a trusted advisor, we’ve made the investment to help our partners expand their success with our StreamOne® platform. Gone are the days where our partners have to struggle with choosing which cloud management platform to use.
With StreamOne®, our partners can enjoy the convenience of gaining visibility across all their customers and billing in one streamlined platform. Not only that, but our platform includes a one-stop-shop storefront, that allows our partners to easily manage their customers’ purchase history and solutions with ease. With our white label storefront, managing customers is a streamlined process.
Lisa: Our team is all about focusing on business outcomes and supporting our customers’ needs with relevant, repeatable and channel-ready solutions. We understand that the world of technology can be overwhelming with so many options and choices out there. That’s why our focus is on making it all simpler for businesses. We invest in the right people, resources, and expertise in order to align technology solutions with the specific needs of each company.
By doing this, we take the complexity out of the process and make it easy for our partners to help their clients achieve their business goals. We believe that technology should work for you. It doesn’t matter if you’re an expert or if you’re just starting out, we’re able to meet partners wherever they are in their digital transformation journey.
Tracy: At TD SYNNEX, we’re all about giving our partners the tools they need to succeed, and our Practice Builder program is no exception. We understand that every partner is at a different stage of their journey, which is why our program is tailored to their specific needs.
Not only do we offer personalized consultations with subject matter experts to facilitate workshops, but we also have a wide range of enablement offerings from roadshows to webinars. Our experts are top-notch and know how to help our partners drive growth, profitability, and create new opportunities.
Deliver
Q: Tell us about a project that was memorable, simply because of the experience.
Janna: I have found that my most memorable experiences, both personally and professionally, are often the ones that push me out of my comfort zone. One such experience was when I was working with Avnet, and we acquired a distributor in Latin America. Despite my lack of experience leading acquisitions, I was assigned as the leader of this project and felt a flood of imposter syndrome.
However, with a team effort, a positive attitude, and a willingness to learn from my peers, we were able to not only make the acquisition a success but make it one of our best. This experience not only taught me the importance of stepping out of my comfort zone but also helped me build up my confidence in leading future acquisitions.
Lisa: Our team has formed an incredibly meaningful partnership with Honor Health, a hospital based in Scottsdale, Arizona. We bring in select customers to educate them on the vital role of technology in healthcare, and we do so with the help of dozens of experts from the hospital staff. This is an event that we look forward to each year, as we get to witness firsthand the ways in which technology is saving lives and empowering healthcare professionals.
Our collaboration with Honor Health allows us to share their inspiring story with our resellers and help them develop their skills and knowledge. It’s truly fulfilling to know that we’re contributing to the important work of the hospital, and we’re grateful to play a part in making a difference in people’s lives. It’s partnerships like this that remind us of the power technology holds to make the world a better place.
Tracy: Picture 9 months’ worth of brainstorming and navigating through the complexities of thousands of programs across our software portfolio. That’s just what I experienced as we built the StreamOne® platform configurator tool. This tool now simplifies the process for partners to find the perfect software solution through a targeted series of questions. It was no easy feat, but the end result was a game-changer for partners. This team’s dedication and attention to detail has made our partners’ lives exponentially easier. I found myself relying on the KISS method — keeping things simple throughout the process.
Evolve
Q: Women are masters of evolving themselves. Think about an area of your life, personal or professional, where you can reflect on an important evolution. How has your personal evolution prepared you for the future? Who helped you through the experience of evolution in your own life?
Janna: Several years ago, while managing the Converged Solutions team, I made an internal hire for a program manager who would be moving over from an order operations role. The day-to-day ways of working were quite different when transitioning from a transactional role to a more strategic, planning-based role.
I had the opportunity to coach this individual through the change, explaining how their new role would benefit transactional roles and how their knowledge of the tools, processes, and pace of daily work could be leveraged to improve the program overall. Seeing this individual’s evolution into one of the best program managers I’ve had the pleasure of working with was greatly satisfying. Through coaching and offering an alternative perspective to the business, they quickly adapted and thrived in their new role.
Lisa: My evolution goes back to when I finally learned to start setting boundaries and realizing that I didn’t have to say “yes” to everything. I was trying to do everything while dealing with personal struggles and I wasn’t prioritizing what I really needed to focus on individually. Instead, I was putting work first before taking care of myself. I finally learned that it’s okay to say “no” to some things and once I did that and dealt with that feeling of unease, I felt less stress and anxiety because I wasn’t overwhelmed.
The best part of these experiences is helping other women and providing a sounding board and advice on how to manage these same types of struggles. Today, women are still significantly underrepresented in our industry and in leadership. The most important thing we can do is empower other women through coaching and mentoring and helping others by providing a supportive and inclusive culture.
Tracy: About a month ago, a former co-worker reached out to provide a career update. I was getting through a long, challenging week. She wanted to thank me for believing in her. She was grateful for the support when moving to a new role at the company. She expressed that she felt as though none of her other former leaders believed in her and was so thankful that I challenged her to take this risk.
Over the past year and half, she has contributed to new business growth and advanced through the opportunity. Of course, I was so proud of her accomplishments, however, that call meant so much to me more than she will ever realize. That was the inspiration I needed to end the week and feel reenergized.
This piece is contributed by: Courtney Grigsby, Global High-Growth Content & Communications Manager at TD SYNNEX.
