Catherine Mandungu, Founder and CEO at Think RevOps, explores…
Tech doesn’t need to be scary, and being a woman in a tech-based career doesn’t always mean you are a coder or have to code. An appetite for learning, a sincere interest in tech and innovation, and a curious mind for the future is a good start.
I was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and raised in the Netherlands by a single mother of four girls. My mother is my biggest drive and motivation to succeed in business and coming from a working-class background gave me an ambition for a better life and helping others. Once I decided to move to the UK to study, there was no stopping me.
I was interested in working in the tech industry from the age of 10 because of my fascination with Microsoft Word back then. Not surprisingly, I ended up working for Microsoft before moving on to Amazon, and Adobe, but I always wanted my own business. It seemed natural for me to move into the tech start-up and scale-up space.
Starting my own business and helping over 20 tech start-ups across the UK, Europe, the US, and Asia Pacific streamline their go-to-market processes was really profound for me. I began to realise the domino effect I could have on others’ success. I am incredibly proud of my drive for revenue growth as a one-woman operation.
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Opening doors to success
It takes self-belief to be successful. I learned I could do anything I set my mind to and succeed. There is an art to being confident that you have something to give, and knowing that you are worth it makes a huge difference to your outlook. My advice for women in tech is don’t give room to self-doubt and negativity and always practise a positive mindset on a daily basis.
Companies can do more to support women working in tech. For instance, they can appoint more women in leadership and techy roles and advertise and showcase this to the world. They should also create ambassador programmes for women in tech and start by enrolling university students on these programmes.
We must give women a platform and then celebrate their successes. We must also educate the market about tech roles and make them accessible to women. Tech companies would benefit from creating mentorship opportunities for women so that they can better grasp the trends and movements within the industry. It creates opportunities to collaborate and work with others within the space.
Tips for a brighter future
My best advice for women wanting to excel in this industry is to never stop learning, especially in the tech space where things are constantly moving. Ensure you keep up with what is current and what is on trend. Also, find a mentor to look up to and learn from. It doesn’t have to be a woman, just someone you trust and think would enrich your progress.
Finally, I recommend joining tech communities such as the tech women global advocates. You’ll surround yourself with like-minded people to better understand what others are doing within the space and what you can do to set yourself apart.
