March 8th marks International Women’s Day, a day to recognize the achievements of women around the world and raise awareness about the work that is still left to be done to achieve equality in the workplace.
In honor of #IWD2023, we asked some of the women at BlueConic to tell us about their story, how they got into tech, and their biggest sources of inspiration.
Katie Abshire
Tell us a little about yourself.
I am a born and raised Texan currently residing in Dallas. I enjoy all things music, arts, and food. When I’m not working, I enjoy painting, playing games, or taking my dog to the park.
How did you get into tech?
As an unapologetic introvert, tech seemed like a great way to make an impact from behind the scenes. I got my MBA with a focus in marketing analytics because it seemed like a great way to combine the creative aspects of marketing with a more quantitative and logical approach.
Who has been the biggest source of inspiration in your life and why?
My biggest sources of inspiration come from two different places. First being a more personal source, my dad, who taught me the values of hard work, humility, and kindness. And the second being RBG, as she showed the strength of overcoming adversity, advocating for women, and the power of dissent.
Basant Badr
Tell us a little about yourself.
I'm a marketing technologist from the Northshore. Although I grew up in greater Boston, I'm originally Egyptian and have appreciated getting to explore both the streets of Cairo and Cambridge over the years. When I was kid, I aspired to be an inventor always sketching away at prototypes and building makeshift gadgets that weren't all that functional. Eventually though that spirit of creativity, curiosity, and execution guided me through many exciting endeavors both personally and professionally.
How did you get into tech?
In undergrad I had an internship doing oncology research. I initially thought it would be a wet lab, white coat, mad scientist situation but it was not. It was cubicle, computer, and lots of SAS(S). I ended up loving the technical training, the coding, and the ability to inspire action through data. Soon after graduating I started a new grad program that heavily invested in upskilling recent grads and provided solid technical training. I loved solutioning for clients and seeing the impact on their teams, orgs, and larger businesses. I got to expand my knowledge from sports teams, to pharma, auto, financial services and more. I reveled in the learnings that came with each new client account, and I knew that whatever I did I wanted to be at the intersection of the technical and the strategic.
Who has been the biggest source of inspiration in your life and why?
It's perhaps a bit of a cliched answer but undoubtedly my parents. My parents left their homes in their early 30s to start completely anew in a foreign land. They immigrated to Mass where they didn't speak the language, where their education wasn't recognized, and where they knew practically no one. They have shown courage in the face of adversity and push things forward, riding the wave of momentum. My parents built a small business that's been in service of their town for over 20 years, they bought a house and made it a home, they raised 3 kids and helped put them through college. For me, they symbolize the ability to do a lot with a little and they've taught me so much about persevering with purpose, about amplifying impact, and about accomplishing more than what you think you're possibly capable of.
Tiffany Cheng
Tell us a little about yourself.
I am from New Jersey. Growing up I wanted to be either an artist or a chef. To this day I still enjoy crafting in my free time. As for cooking, I find myself eating more different cuisines than cooking them myself.
How did you get into tech?
I honestly never thought I’d find myself in tech. I studied business in undergrad and everyone is required to take an introduction to Information Systems course. I enjoyed the logical thinking and hands-on keyboard work that came with the assignments, and decided to pursue a double major in Information Systems and marketing. Goes to show to always try something new, you just might surprise yourself.
Who has been the biggest source of inspiration in your life and why?
My mom. She was a computer science major and spent her career in tech. When I was considering what to study in school, she encouraged me to consider the technology industry as an option.
Leticia Doprado
Tell us a little about yourself.
I was born and lived most of my childhood and teenage years in Brazil in a family of unstoppable matriarchs. I come from a very humble background of a countryside city, surrounded by farms. My mother moved to the USA in 1999 and changed our lives.
During my youth, for reasons beyond our control, I spent some time in the US with my mom and some in Brazil (with my grandma, or my aunt, and at some point, by myself at 15 with my 10yr old brother). So, I learned to adapt, to fit in, and to do what was needed whenever it was needed.
Because of these early experiences, my ability to adapt is what makes me unique. I am very much a chameleon: put me anywhere, from the most difficult of environments, to the breeziest ones, with all kinds of people, from all different backgrounds, with all kinds of minds, and I’ll show up on the other side with some new friends!
How did you get into tech?
I had a wonderful mentor who thoughtfully guided me early on in my career -she always emphasized the importance of technology, both from a market space but also my own technical skills. She had full faith in me and really pushed me to understand the importance of tech and where it fits in the people-technology-process dynamic in any business. I earned a lot of hands-on experience as a power user of different MarTech and as the owner of the tech stack, and at some point, I realized that I wanted to be more involved than an end-user and actually wanted to work in the space.
Who has been the biggest source of inspiration in your life and why?
My mother – because she is the very definition of grit, and grit is vital.
At 28 years old and a single mother of two, she sold the only thing she owned, (an old Chevette) and came to the USA after the good ol’ American Dream. She worked day and night, in a new country, with no knowledge of the language, away from her family, and created a future for us that we could not have ever even imagined for ourselves had she stayed in Brazil.
My mother’s grit was a catalyst. It changed not only our lives but the lives of everyone around us –the positive ripple effect that her decision and hard work created is still impacting our family and friends, and we will forever float in the gigantic waves of a new and prosperous life that she created for us, all because of her grit.
Shellie Hall
Tell us a little about yourself.
I was born in Ohio, moved to the Chicago at a young age and have been here for most of my life. Growing up I always loved being on stage, in the class plays and I eventually studied theater in college. My dream was to move to New York and be a stage actress, but life and surrounding circumstances derailed those dreams. What makes me unique is extent of my scars both inside and outside, and the fact that I am a survivor and I continue to trust and live each day as if it were my last because you never know.
How did you get into tech?
When I first stumbled on photo typesetting, I was intrigued and taught myself how to run a Compugraphic MCS100 System in just 5 days, got hired by a print shop the next week and almost doubled my salary. I realized I had a gift to be able to look at a software program, dig deeper into the interface and within a remarkably short period of time, I could master any software program with very little effort, and I was hooked.
Who has been the biggest source of inspiration in your life and why?
My biggest source of inspiration throughout my life was my grandmother. During the 1950’s she was one of President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Secretaries and worked on the transcript regarding the Interstate Highway System resulting in the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956. My grandmother raised my brother and I during a good deal of our childhood because my mother suffered from mental illness and was in and out of mental institutions and my father could not raise two small children alone. She made sure we were well taken care of, raised in a good home, with good values, a lot of love and there was always laughter. My grandmother did this by herself, while working a full-time job as a court reporter for the State of Ohio. I came into her life when she was 45 years old, and she left this earth when I was 45 years old, and I find some comfort and poetry in that statement. She was always my biggest advocate and my biggest fan. I miss her every day.
Aylin Karademir
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Aylin and I am born and raised in the Netherlands and my parents are from Turkey. When I was little, I wanted to grow up as someone that would help others such as a nurse or a doctor.
How did you get into tech?
When I got my hands on my first desktop at home with the 386 processor (yeah, old school…), my world changed as I wanted to know everything about computers. Because of this, I enrolled in an IT school and completed it with success. After the age of 16, I really got interested in marketing and thus completed a bachelor’s degree in marketing and communication. People around me know me as a beauty nerd due to my massive interest in beauty, fashion, and everything tech.
Who has been the biggest source of inspiration in your life and why?
My mother inspired me to be the person I am today: caring, loving, and always staying positive no matter what. Next to this, what has helped me tap into my core strength is reading books from power women such as Julia Pimsleur or Suzan Eikelenstam with her book Web Heroes (Dutch: Web Helden). There are so many people and books that inspire me to this day. It never stops.
Sarah Lewis
Tell us a little about yourself.
I grew up in a small suburb of Illinois, the last stop on the commuter line from Chicago before you hit complete cornfields. I was always into horseback riding and had a pony of my own, named Spirit, in high school, so naturally, I thought I was going to become a veterinarian. Unfortunately, chemistry and biology classes in college had other plans for me. I had always kept creative journals on the side and finished entire books in a matter of hours, so English was the natural thing to "fall back" on. But if you ask my mom, she always knew I would end up a writer, not a vet.
How did you get into tech?
I got into tech by taking an Introduction to Web Design course as an elective in college. I ended up enjoying it so much, I entered the website I designed into the annual Computer Science fair and won first place. It seemed like a calling, so I began exploring how to combine my love of writing with my love of coding and the "technical writing" field shone like a beacon in the darkness. The rest was history.
Who has been the biggest source of inspiration in your life and why?
Definitely my grandmother! She was a single mother who juggled raising a strong-willed teenager (my mom) while also running her own business in Virginia in the 70s and 80s. After owning a flower shop for several years and becoming successful, she decided to purchase the town cemetery, which she still owns and operates today. She has always been such an inspiration in determination, strong work ethic, and always speaking your mind.
Tess Umoren
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Tess and I’m a British-Nigerian currently working as a Senior CSM at BlueConic, based in the UK. Being both British and Nigerian is a lot of fun as they are both distinctive and strong cultures which I feel complement each other well – but I could be bias! Growing up I always wanted to become an actress or performer of some kind, which has put me in good stead when it comes to engaging audiences during presentations and meetings! I like to think it’s also deepened my love for creative storytelling and my drive to constantly find more effective and innovative ways to convey information.
How did you get into tech?
Interestingly, I actually fell into tech as opposed to intentionally seeking it out but I’m really glad I did. I completed my master’s in advertising and marketing before beginning a career in client services across various great ad agencies. After a good amount of time, I was ready to try my hand at something new and was looking at a move into marketing consultancy when a friend of mine, who worked in tech recruitment, told me I’d really like customer success. It was the first time I’d heard about it but after a bit of research I was surprised to see how similar the work I’d been doing up to that point would make me a good fit for the role in the martech industry. I’ve been in customer success ever since and I’m really glad I discovered it when I did. It’s the perfect blend of creativity and process which means no two days are ever the same.
Who has been the biggest source of inspiration in your life and why?
Cliché as it is to say, it would have to be my mum. As a young woman, she ventured far away from home to a place that was very different to where she called home and was able to further her education and career, put down roots and raise amazing children (if I do say so myself!). She has always lived life like it’s an adventure and strives to give the best in all she does and it’s why I’ve never been afraid to take risks with the choices I make in life. I’m more adaptable to change and try to live as boldly and unapologetically as possible, all because of the example she set for me – thanks Mum!