Today more than ever, as more women rise to leadership positions in business, it’s important to understand the characteristics of these successful women. How did they get to where they are today and what does the future hold?
Sonu Ratra, President & Co-Founder of Akraya, Inc., started the discussion by presenting her ‘secret sauce for success.’ Since founding her company in 2002, Akraya and Sonu have both won numerous awards and the company has been recognized for four years in a row as one of the best places to work.
Her first superhero message -build your brand and the leader that’s inside of you! You have tobuild both brands to succeed -you and the company. Does your strategy align with your business context? Make sure you stay ahead of the game by understanding cash flow, operation and process efficiencies, leveraging technology and cultivating a winning culture.
Your life journey influences your leadership, so embrace the best in you -good, bad and the ugly. To inspire and empower other, get out of your own way and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Good leaders don’t do it by themselves.
Ying McGuire of Technology Integration Group, was the second presenter to share her story. Ying was born in China, grew up there, and about 25 years ago came to the USA with less than $1,000 USD in her pocket to pursue the American Dream. Even though her first few years were tough, Ying soon had a family and decided to postponed her studies to stay at home with her children. As her children grew older, Ying became more involved in her Arizona community and had a life changing moment after a public speaking engagement. She decided to apply for an MBA program and after graduation, joined Dell Inc where she enjoyed a dynamic career.
After two decades of re-inventing herself, Ying’s story proves that you are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. It’s important to talk about your achievements -assertiveness gets you at the table. By achieving a work-life balance, women can have it all.
