Celebrating the Women of Triblio, Leadsift, & Kickfire

Although we’re just getting this year started, we’ve had a lot to celebrate. Between a brand new website launch, rebranding IDG Communications to Foundry, and plenty of ABM content, the past few months have been a whirlwind of excitement. But our most exciting celebration yet… is honoring the inspiring and hardworking women that we’re truly lucky to have on our team.

Happy International Women’s Day. 💚 To celebrate this year, we’re shining a light on superstar women from both our Triblio and Foundry teams. We sat down with some of them and asked about their challenges and experiences as women in business, including what advice can be shared with young women entering the world of work. 

Dawn Orr  

SVP, Global SaaS Operations at Foundry 

What was the most challenging part about getting to where you are today?

Honestly, the personal sacrifices in the early part of my career were significant, beyond what most would consider extreme. Lots of long hours and juggling were difficult while also raising a family with my husband. Beyond the hours, the feeling of having to prove myself as a woman in a male-dominated profession, "looking the part", etc... were all things that I dealt with in my career. Interestingly, it was a public software company that I joined in the mid-'90s (my first corporate experience after working in public accounting) that made me feel the most "equal" and well qualified to lead a team as anyone there, including those with 10-20 years more experience than me. I attribute this directly to our CFO, who encouraged me to lead and specifically called out my capabilities by putting me in leadership roles on special strategic initiatives.

What characteristics do you most admire in other women in your field?

Authenticity / Selflessness / Integrity

In moments of self-doubt or adversity, how do you build yourself back up?

Take a break and step back to assess the situation. Pray. Seek counsel from a trusted friend. Talk with my husband. Now, I even find myself talking with my adult children as they share their own professional situations with me. Ultimately I'm the only one who can pick myself back up and go forward but it was nice to have a close group of encouragers, especially early in my career. Similar to how I deal with moments of adversity in my personal life, if the self-doubt or adversity is coming from a situation in the office I don't hesitate to address it directly in order to help bring closure and a positive outcome to the situation.

Who is a role model of yours and why?

My Mom --- she was entrepreneurial and driven and at the same time caring and thoughtful to everyone around her. She invested in me emotionally from the beginning and I always remember her encouraging me to pursue whatever it was that I wanted to do, complimenting my strengths and holding high standards for what she expected of me. Once I began my career, my mother was a constant source of encouragement, especially when I had young children.

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Acacia Waller

VP, Global SaaS Customer Success at Triblio, a Foundry company

What would be your advice to younger women entering the workforce?

Always advocate for yourself. Never miss an opportunity to take on a new challenge, learn something new and prove that you can do more. Beginning your career can be exciting and also overwhelming but have faith that you will always be rewarded for hard work and a positive attitude.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Being able to partner with fantastic people throughout our organization. The camaraderie within our company is unlike any other. I've never witnessed teamwork on this level and it makes me confident that there is no challenge we cannot overcome together. I also find it so rewarding to mentor my team in various situations where I can help them see a new opportunity or uncover a solution.

What was the most challenging part about getting to where you are today?

Self-doubt. I wasn't always confident that I could do something or that I was worthy. In recent years, I've learned this is called 'imposter syndrome' and appreciate that other women in the workforce can find resources to identify and overcome this tricky hurdle. Being a younger, female, leader in previous companies I often compared myself to Executives with far more work experience than I had and felt insecure about sharing my ideas or pushing back on the norm. It took a lot to push through that and realize that I needed to become my own biggest cheerleader instead of my biggest critic.

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Molly Evans

Senior Customer Success Manager - Operations at Triblio, a Foundry company

‍‍‍What would be your advice to younger women entering the workforce?

Restaurant or retail experience is valid and valuable - put it on your resume!‍

In moments of self-doubt or adversity, how do you build yourself back up?

A long time ago a coworker told me to file away good reviews, accomplishments, compliments etc. big and small. I have a folder in my email where I save these and review them when I feel the imposter syndrome sneak in. It's so easy to forget all the little nuggets of reinforcement that you are good at your job.

Who is a role model of yours and why?

My mom. She completed her Ph.D. with three young children and started a now flourishing career when she was in her early 40s - reminds me that it's never too late to find your path. 

Kirsten Yee

Director of Marketing at Triblio, a Foundry company

What would be your advice to younger women entering the workforce?

There's going to be many points where you feel imposter syndrome, and that may never go away. You have to rise above that little voice that makes you think you're not qualified enough or smart enough. That voice is only right if it stops you from reaching your full potential. Also - find a mentor who will give you advice but also cheer you on and give you the courage to make big moves when you might not have the courage on your own.

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What is the most rewarding part of your job?

I love seeing my team crush their goals and progress as individuals in their careers. I am not a perfect leader, but seeing people on my team hit rapid growth gets me excited for all we are going to do together.

What would your advice be to women looking to move into leadership roles?

You will never be completely ready and you will always make mistakes - no matter how experienced you are. The important thing is being able to step back and self reflect on how you can become a better leader for your team. Being a great leader is a journey and that journey never ends.

Mary Batchelder

Digital Marketing Manager at Triblio, a Foundry company

What would be your advice to younger women entering the workforce?

Don't let temporary setbacks discourage you - they happen to everyone, and learn what you can from any job you have in your life.

‍What is the most rewarding part of your job?

I love that I get to do a lot of different things - working on our website, advertising, content, and connecting with people across departments. I love to get a chance to hear lots of different perspectives and learn from them. By far my favorite part of marketing though is when you or a team member think of an idea that really excites you and you get to just run with it and bring it to life.

What was the most challenging part about getting to where you are today?

Getting over imposter syndrome! I once accepted a job early in my career and the offer fell through due to the agency losing a client just a day before my start date. I was crushed, and let imposter syndrome get to me for a while. A while later, I finally found a workplace and boss that truly valued me and it was like a light bulb came on for me: this is my worth, I should know it, and not let anything let me doubt it.

What characteristics do you most admire in other women in your field?

Tenacity - there are a lot of moments in marketing where it can feel like there's something on fire, or the competition is really fierce, and to be able to approach that with clear-eyed tenacity and optimism is powerful.

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Michelle Hussain

Business Development Team Lead at Triblio, a Foundry company

What would your advice be to women looking to move into leadership roles?

Surround yourself with those who uplift you and challenge you to do better. Be consistent early on and ask for advice or help when you need it. Build a strong relationship with your boss/manager and be on the same page about how you can get to a leadership path.‍

Who is a role model of yours and why?‍

My mom! She's the strongest woman I know. She taught me how to be independent and work hard to achieve my goals no matter what gets in the way.
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Rania DeSantis

Software Engineer at Triblio, a Foundry company

What would be your advice to younger women entering the workforce?

As a female Software Engineer, you will regularly find yourself in a room full of men. Whether you're in college or starting a new job, you will be in the minority. Consequently, you may feel intimidated and question your career choice, but that is okay. Have confidence in yourself and remember why you chose to be a Software Engineer in the first place. If anyone doubts your knowledge or ability because of your femininity, use that as motivation to excel even further than you could have ever imagined. You can do anything you set your mind to!

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

My favorite thing about working at Triblio has to be the potential for growth. As a company, we are always striving to evolve our technology and our approaches to common issues. This encourages the team to think outside the box and work in areas beyond our comfort zone. The desire to enhance the technology and the business as a whole permeates the workforce and motivates us to push ourselves even further and grow increasingly each day.

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Sreejata Chatterjee

Co-Founder & Head of Product at LeadSift, a Foundry company

What would be your advice to younger women entering the workforce?

Keep your eyes on the prize - whatever that might be. Everyone defines happiness and success differently, go after YOUR version of it ruthlessly and unapologetically.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

My Team!

What was the most challenging part about getting to where you are today?

Realizing the path is much more difficult I was told or expected, but sticking with it till the end nonetheless.

What would your advice be to women looking to move into leadership roles?

Find people who will back you, but you are enough.

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Jessica Laird

Customer Success Ops Manager at LeadSift, a Foundry company

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

When trying to answer the question of what the most rewarding part of my job is is TOUGH. There are so many. First, I love the fact that I am given autonomy. As being someone less than one year into my career, autonomy is hard to come by. The LeadSift team supports, trusts, and encourages me in the workplace, which in turn allows me to excel, learn, and grow! Of course, this plays right into the incredible culture I am surrounded by. If you love what you do, and who you do it with, work is always rewarding.
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What does success mean to you?

To me, success means happiness, enjoyment, growth, and of course renewals (you can't not include retention when you're in a CS role)! I think success can be classified in many different ways - whether that be personal success, professional success, or even team success. Luckily for me, with LeadSift I get the opportunities to strive to succeed in all areas with the support of everyone around me.

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Olivia Kenney

Head of Marketing at LeadSift, a Foundry company

What would be your advice to younger women entering the workforce?

Learn as much as you can and act on it. Ask questions, look for resources, find ways to fill skill-gaps. Then, do what you have to do to make an impact. Perfect is the enemy of good, your best move is often to implement and iterate. Be accountable for your wins and losses. Find a way to get excited to show up every day.

What characteristics do you most admire in other women in your field?

Tenacity and knowledge generosity are top tier traits. So many women in tech face entry-barriers and a lack of representation. The women who have dug their heels in and committed to being great at what they do, in spite of the challenges, are worth celebrating and make us all stronger.

Who is a role model of yours and why?

Sreejata Chatterjee. Sreejata has endless grit backed by a huge heart. She built a company that she believed in from the ground up. She's innovative, driven, and is constantly lifting up her team and community without ever seeking recognition. I feel lucky to learn from her every day.

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Angela Hawker

Senior Digital Marketing Specialist at KickFire, a Foundry company

What would be your advice to younger women entering the workforce?

Embrace critiques and being pushed out of your comfort zone -- I've found that's how I've grown the most and have done more than I thought was possible.

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In moments of self-doubt or adversity, how do you build yourself back up?

I am lucky enough to work with an amazing female colleague who I can always count on to provide advice and a fresh perspective, give me a reality check, and be my cheerleader!

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Thank you to the incredible women that make up our Triblio and Foundry teams, we couldn’t do any of this without all your hard work and sacrifices. To all the women in the workforce, we wish you a very Happy International Women's Day. 🥳