Tech in the Right Direction

Reasons For Not Joining the IT Industry?

Jennifer Didier has a wonderful conversation with Courtney Quinn, Senior Director of Career Change Marketing at CompTIA. As they reminisce gain wisdom in  the importance to Own it, Know it, and Grow it. These steps can help you set the stage for the next chapter of your career.  You should definitely Consider a career in the IT field. 
 Bio: Courtney Quinn is the Senior Director of Career Change Marketing at CompTIA, the largest trade association for technology professionals. Courtney has played a vital role in the organization's efforts to help over 2 million people earn tech certifications and gain the skills they need to succeed in the tech industry. With a strong background in both technical and leadership roles, Courtney is a valuable resource for anyone looking to start or advance their career in technology. Connect with her to know more about your potential to launch a tech career and how to get ahead in the industry: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneyquinn1/.
Passion areas:
Helping job seekers develop career transition strategies through the OWN IT, KNOW IT, GROW IT framework
- Transferable Skills (OWN IT) - Own the skills you have and make them your competitive advantage
- Financial Goals (KNOW IT) - Know where you want to go in life and how long it will take to get there
- Skill Building (GROW IT) - Grow the skills you need to take your first step towards a new career
Courtney thrives on Instilling confidence in job seekers about their ability to work in tech and achieve job satisfaction. Comtia.org 

A Journey from D.C. Politics to Tech at Microsoft

This week on Tech in the right Direction, we’re joined by Kalin McKenna who joined Microsoft in 2011 leading the marketing efforts for Windows Phone and Surface devices, and later transitioning to the AI and Sustainability Market Development Team. Listen in to hear about Kalin’s journey from working in politics to joining the tech world, and her thoughts on the employment, pay and culture gap in the tech industry, how the industry is moving forward, and how discrimination plays a role despite these positive changes.

How to Lead with Confidence and Make Real-World Change

This week's guest is Susan Sanders, the Founder and CEO of Spinderok - an IT Consulting Firm focused on helping companies harness the power of Microsoft 365 to deliver the ultimate employee experience. 
Today we talk about Susan's career journey and what led her to become the Founder and CEO of Spinderock. We also discuss what it takes to be a leader in today's world and how we can help women forward in their careers. Listen to today's episode to learn more about Cynthia's remarkable story.
Learn more about Spinderok here: https://spinderok.com/
Thank you - we hope Susan's story helps inspire others to seek or grow their tech career.

The Accidental Entrepreneur

This week on Tech in the Right Direction we are joined by Ansley Fender, a serial entrepreneur, and Founder/CEO of Atlas. Ansley started out college as a classically trained violinist who had to switch her trajectory when she suffered a hand injury. In order to graduate on time, Ansley decided on a whim to major in Non-profit Management, and later attended grad school for public finance. When Ansley became a stay-at-home mom to her first born she found herself needing an outlet, so started bookkeeping and financial consulting for non-profits. This is where Ansley stumbled on a market where no one was providing services in her area, and thus her journey as an accidental entrepreneur began. Listen in to hear Ansley’s story and what she’s accomplished as a woman in tech.
Learn more about Atlas Solutions here: https://www.getatlassolutions.com/
Thank you - we hope Ansley's story helps inspire others to seek or grow their tech career.
 

People Over Profit

This week dive into true leadership, authenticity, and radical inclusivity as we are joined by Ashleigh Wilson, a San Francisco-based, life-long entrepreneur. Listen in to hear about how Ashleigh went from cleaning homes, to founding her own business, how her motto ‘People Over Profit’ impacts her day to day, and how her struggles led her to where she is today.
 
Thank you - we hope Ashleigh's story helps inspire others to seek or grow their tech career.

How Strong Will and Determination Can Lead to a Better Life

This week's guest is Cynthia Meinke, a Senior Account Executive with New Era Technologies - a global managed technology solutions provider. They are trusted advisers to more than 9,000 customers worldwide and provide a seamless blend of solutions that securely connect people, places, and information in a rapidly changing digital world. Cynthia passionately embraces partnering with her clients to deliver an exceptional customer experience with every interaction through high-velocity and elegant innovation to push revenue growth up while driving costs down through improved business processes and operational excellence.
Today we talk about Cynthia's career journey and how her early years in the foster system helped develop her into a strong-willed leader who wanted more in life. Cynthia saw that computers and technology could help her provide not only for herself but her family as well. She 'cut her teeth' early on by repairing various systems and eventually saw her opportunity in tech sales. Her career growth has led her to New Era, where she is a Senior Sales Executive. Listen to today's episode to learn more about Cynthia's remarkable story.
Learn more about New Era Technology here: https://www.neweratech.com/us/
Thank you - we hope Cynthia's story helps inspire others to seek or grow their tech career.

How to Develop Yours Skills and Lead with Strategy

This week's guest is Supriya Gupta, the General Manager of Recommendations and Head of Product at Credit Karma - a personal finance company helping individuals reach their financial goals. Supriya is responsible for personalizing the Credit Karma app experience for their 120 million customers. She has taken her department to the next level and their recommendation system now makes more than 35 billion model predictions every day. 
Today we talk about Supriya's career journey and how she went from working on defense satellites to now managing an entire team within Credit Karma. We also discuss the importance of combining technical skills with soft skills and how strategy is key to creating success. The discussion continues with the challenges women face in today's business world and how to facedown imposter syndrome to reach new heights.
Learn more about Credit Karma here: https://www.creditkarma.com/
Thank you - we hope Supriya's story helps inspire others to seek or grow their tech career.

Is Empathy an Important Aspect of Building a Successful Career?

Jennifer Didier sits down with Director of client Services as Clear Digital, Annie Raygoza.  Listen to their conversation as they go deeper into Annie's career path and the importance of being empathetic to the team around you. 
About Annie Raygoza 
Annie serves as the Director of Client Services at Clear Digital, a digital agency specializing in marketing and advertising for B2B brands. She dedicates her time to building client relationships, and as a result of that, her team has garnered a 90% client retention rate.
Active in the community, Annie sits on the board of the Silicon Valley chapter of the American Advertising Federation and works with other tech professionals working toward advancing leadership opportunities for women. 
As a woman in marketing, advertising, and technology, she understands the importance of representation and advocating for women in the field, and she consistently supports women of all career levels to find their confidence to reach their full potential.