We can't believe it's already October and that Transform 2020 is quickly approaching–it's time for our next Women In Tech 7 questions series! Another blog full of advice and experiences from one of our 2019 Women In Tech Award winners.
Today, we hear from Lisa Hurd Walker, Vice President Brand & Corporate Marketing at Fuze, a leading cloud communications platform for the enterprise. Lisa was the 2019 recipient of the Aragon Research Women in Technology Award for Marketing.
Read on to learn more about Lisa and her perspective on very important topics related to women in technology.
Read on for more inspiring advice from Lisa!
1) Please describe yourself in three words
2) What do you find most interesting about the technology field in which you work?
3) How do you find work-life balance, or what do you enjoy outside of work?
I'm actually practicing what I preach right now in terms of the future of flexible work and have recently moved my family from Cambridge, MA to a small town in Vermont. Our lifestyle has changed pretty dramatically in the last few months. We have a new puppy so I am doing a ton of hiking now and I am loving it. It's amazing how much better you feel if you're taking a few walks a day out in nature. For me, exercise is critical to feeling balanced. While it's hard to find the time, I am more thoughtful and productive in all aspects of my life if I am exercising.
In terms of managing work and personal, I believe in transparency. I have honest conversations with my boss and colleagues about my commitments as a mom and I block those out on my calendar every day. Our company has a formal flexible work policy, so I am very lucky to be in a culture where I have both the flexibility to work remotely and also the flexibility around which hours I work. As a working mom (I have 10 and 13 year old boys), that flexibility is something I sought out before joining Fuze. I made it part of my job search process to find a company that supported working parents with both formal policies and a flexible culture. I would tell any working mother thinking about her next role to be intentional about finding a company that values and supports you as a whole person. They are out there!
4) What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your career and how did you overcome it?
For me, self doubt has always been my most powerful adversary. I am a recovering perfectionist which means that, in the past, if I didn't think I could nail a project or a role, I would rather not take it on than risk failing. I think this is a problem that many women have that can stand in our way of going for what we want. I was at the NASDAQ Women's Conference last year and heard a story from General Loretta "Lori" Reynolds, Lt. General U.S. Marine Corps, that has since become my mantra. After being asked to run cyber security for the Marines she faced (and justifiably so) self-doubt, because she knew nothing about the subject. She looked in the mirror and said to herself. "If not me. Then who?" And she took the assignment. I think if we all ask ourselves that question more, and are honest about how capable we are, we'll see that we are probably a great choice for the project or job we think we aren't quite ready for. Everyone needs a bad ass like General "Lori" on their shoulder giving them a nudge.